Hello people, from the great blue nowhere.
Now that we've gotten all that very important, yet extremely mundane safety stuff outta the way, we can move on to a much more exciting subject. One that is very near and dear to my heart. POWER TOOLS!!! More importantly, power tools used for TILE JOBS!!! Sorry, I just have a thing about, power tools.
We'll start with the obvious (to me at least), the wet saw. For those of you not familiar with this piece of machinery, let me describe it to you.
A wet saw is a tool that utilizes a diamond blade with water pumped over it, in order to cut the tile. The particular model shown in the illustration is one designed for professional use, and is a bit pricey for the average DIYer. On the other hand, if you plan on doing a lot of tile work on your home, it might be worth considering.
Wet saws come in a variety of sizes and styles. Blade sizes range from 4 inches, to 10 inches. Generally speaking, the larger the blade, the easier it will be to make your cuts.
There are inexpensive, "light duty" (cheap) saws to be had at the big box stores, and discount tool outlets. In my opinion, they aren't worth the trouble. You would be better served to go with a light duty wet saw, designed for professional use. Some very nice 7 and 8 inch models are out there to be had.
Of course, there is always the (ugh) rental option. I personally have never been a big fan of renting tools. To me, it just feels like throwing money away. However, if you are doing a small project, renting is certainly a viable option.
Another invaluable tool for tile is the angle grinder, or, more precisely, the 4 or 4 1/2 inch angle grinder. This tool can be fitted with a dry (or wet) cut diamond blade, and can be used for a wide range of tile cuts. In fact on some small tile jobs, I am able to complete the work without even setting up a wet saw, by just using a snap cutter and an angle grinder.
Shown, is my personal angle grinder, and a couple of different types of dry cut diamond blades.If you are planning a small tile job, with no exposed cut tile edges, an angle grinder may be just the tool you need. They are relatively inexpensive, and can also be used for a variety of other tasks around the house. Sharpening lawn mower blades comes to mind.
Well that's all I have time for, for now. Until we meet again, be safe.
