Diamond or carbide for cutting tiles
BillHartmann
| Posted in Tools for Home Building on
I might need to cut back an existing tile floor and “baseboard” back about 2″.
The “baseboard” is not covebase, just 3″ strips of tile, not bullnose.
Tools 4 1/2 grinder with diamond blade.
Multimaster.
I was looking at getting new blades for the MM to do the cut. Though that it would be easier to control and get a clean line than the grinder.
But I looked at this and it says that the MM vibration is not aggressive enough for tile.
http://www.multiblades.com/specialtyblades.html
I have the MM carbide blade. I am wonder if that or the Multiblade stright carbide blade will work to cut the tile in the floor wall corner?
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Replies
I'm having alittle trouble picturing the situation. if you are trying to cut back a lenght of flooring (tiel) by 2" then use the grinder with a diamond wheel. The MM won't make you happy.
Add water and a cover to keep the mess down.... because it WILL make a mess.
I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
What about to in the corner. Where the floor tile hit the wall 3" strip of tile on the wall that is used for baseboard?I can overcut some. But I don't know if I can get in deep enough to finish the cut on the floor tile under the base.I am replacing a 32" wide plastic show base and wall tile with a 34" wide Sterling 4 piece unit..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Rmove the peice of base, cut into the wall to cut your floor tile and then cut the base and reinstall.
Another solution, if the tile is available, is to remove the ones youneed to and then cut and install new ones.... only a little tiny mess that way.
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I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
Don't forget that the "base" is just a piece of tile that is ripped to about 3".And the floor I have about 60" to cut..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
this is why I only quote "full demo" work.
saves lotsa headache and heartache.
Pete's telling U right.
I realize it's a "budget" problem ... but ... not being able to picture the whole deal ...
can U simply knock off the baseboard tiles that's in the way ...
and set the whole shower base unit "on top" of the floor tiles you'd have to cut?
shim up the rest of the floor... ply ... floor leveler , thinset , concrete ...
what ever it took.
can't cost much more ... be just as quick ... and way less messy.
Jeff
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Yeah, but I thought you were talking about finishing your cut against the base. In that case, remove one piece, make the cut and then put the piece back on (cut it oo while it is off).
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I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
I might have to remove the base.Not sure about going over the tile. Might look leveling he floor some sand mix.I probably won't know exactly what is going on until I get the old one out..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
I just did a remodel to a drive thru where we removed all of the built-in cabinets. Typically they don't have tile underneath them so I bought plenty of smooth quarry tile. Well, it was tiled just fine. All I had to add was cove base. And it rained on the boxes I bought so they can't be returned. And 90% of the quarry tile I use is cleated for commercial kitchen use... so I have no immediate need for these and they take up a lot of space.. and they are heavy too.
I guess this really has nothing to do with your problem but I thought I'd share.
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I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
Edited 9/9/2008 8:40 pm ET by PeteDraganic
Thanks for share <G>.We are always there for you..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
I have tried cutting tile and travertine with MM using both the Fein round diamond blade and an after-market straight carbide blade. I've also used an angle grinder with diamond blade.
Angle grinder with diamond blade will cut much faster than MM and will cut cleanly, but it kicks up a huge amount of dust. If you are cutting in an occupied space, you will have to use zipwalls to isolate the work area. For long cuts the speed of cutting will be worth the prep time. Since the dust kicked up obscures the cut line, I mark my cuts with blue painters tape for visibility and maybe a little help preventing chipping at the margins of the cut.
I found that MM diamond makes nice clean cuts in tile or travertine and very little dust is kicked up, but it is sloooow. The straight blade carbide seems to be faster than the diamond but it is good only for rough work like cutting back tile that partially covers an outlet box or something else where a jagged cut will not be visible. The square corners of the blade make it tend to "jitter" and leave a rough edge.
Thanks.I was thinking of hot melting a wood guide to start the cut with the grinder. I find that it is easy for me to loose control.Well the HO are going to be gone for 2 weeks, but I don't want to clean the rest of the area.But it is a small room with just the toilet and shower so some plastic across the door will work..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
window?
don't fotget the box fan for negative air pressure if possible.
if not .. just seal her tight ... work in it ...
then literally get out and let the dust settle.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
No winder, just the fart fan, but I doubt that will do much good..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
seal yerself in then take the next day off.
I like the "3 flap" method.
3 door sized sheets of plastic. first layer taped top and left .. (or right)
second sheet taped top and right ...
third sheet taped top and left again.
so U gotta swim your way thru.
I leave it at least 6" long on the floor ... sometime lay a scrap 2x to hold the inside down when I'm in there working and the outside down when I'm not.
if I'm repainting the casing / jambs ... straight duct tape to the trim.
if not ... line the wood with a nice layer of blue painters tape ... then duct tape the plastic to the blue tape.
sometimes even sneak a finish nail hammered into a tape reinforced corner and bent over to hold things tight.
if it's a small bath with an "entry" hall off the main hall ...
I'll even build an air lock.
right off the main hall ... hold some plastic up with friction fit 2x's.
don't forget to seal off the hvac vents ... and cover the crappy little crapper fan too.
I've been working recently with a great face shield I got off my mechanic's Matco guy ... it was around $25 ... has a ratchet type head piece ... like a good hard hat ... and full face flip up shield. I wear glasses .. great to grind something ... not scratch my glasses or ugly up my face more ... and not fog up the glasses at the same time.
my little respirator fits nicely under it too.
got it most for cutting tile with the grinder.
remembered I had it while busting up a cast iron tub with a sledge right after a piece of cast shot up and bloodied my lip!
Jeff
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
I've had success with dust control by taping the bare end of 1-1/4" hose from a shop vac onto the grinder, as close as possible without it getting in the way. I use a drywall dust filter and a HEPA filter in the Shop Vac, and that takes care of most of the dust, and makes it easier to see the cut line.
I was thinking of hot melting a wood guide to start the cut with the grinder. I find that it is easy for me to loose control
Bill
Just last week I had to cut some tile out that the tile guy laid to close to the stair way, needed to be able to put down the toe board for the balusters and the tile was in the way.
I used my hot glue gun and glued a board to the line to be cut, had a helper follow behind my grinder (with diamond wheel) with a vacuum and even with the dust covering the mark I was able to follow the glued down board and make a nice clean cut.
Popped the board off and laid my toe board tight to the tile, cut was as good as if the tile setter had cut it on his wet saw and very strait.
Doug
Good. I hope mine works as well..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
I was gonna say Great.
Just sub it out to Doug!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Cut will only cost him $50 but the travel time and stay over will probably be cost prohibitive!
Doug
prima dona!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
I doing the demo now. Still have some walls to get down before I get the pan up.But when I pulled the toilet I see that it tile over tile on the floor.So I will probably try and the floor rather than try and cut back that much..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
"I was thinking of hot melting a wood guide to start the cut with the grinder. I find that it is easy for me to loose control."That hot-melted wood guide sounds like a good idea. I also find it easier to control the grinder when I remember to use the auxiliary handle. Use your MM to clean up the cuts into the corners where the grinder won't reach. With your wood guide, the carbide blade might work pretty well.BruceT
My tool of choice for cutting long straight sections of tile or countertop is now a 12 amp variable speed sander/buffer and 7" smooth diamond blade. The slower speed makes controlling it much easier. Cut slow and use a good vacuum and there shouldn't be much dust that gets away.
For tighter corners there are diamond blades for 1/4" shank cuttoff tools and dremel so just about any corner can be sliced.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.