Replies

1. 
   JohnSprung | Jul 15, 2003 09:22pm | #1

   For small amounts, there are diamond blade hand grout saws.  For something big, it might be worth investing in one of those little Makita cordless saws with the thin diamond blade, or even a small wet cutting diamond saw.  But with the power tools you have to be much more careful not to stray out of the grout lines and hack up the tiles.  HD has the Makita, but for the others try a tile supply store.

   -- J.S.

2. 
   calvin | Jul 15, 2003 09:32pm | #2

   Less agressive than a circ saw blade, you might take a look at the Fein multimaster with the diamond grout blade.  You will be shocked at the price unless you already have the tool.  It would be easier to operate the Fein as it's an oscillating tool.  The 16th in. grout joint might be a problem.  Sure it's not an eighth?  Best of luck.

   Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   Quittin' Time

1. 
   kaorisdad | Jul 15, 2003 10:50pm | #3

   Thanks for the posts.  You're right - I think it is 1/8th-inch grout lines.  I don't want to spend a bundle on this for some tool I'll probably never use again.  Sounds like a grout saw is what I need.

1. 
   butch | Jul 16, 2003 01:57am | #6

   Buy the multimaster than sell it on e-bay.  There sold there all the time and they bring a pretty good price, even used.  I'll probably be the one buying it from you.  Another great idea about using the multimaster is that it doesn't kick up any dust like a spinning blade would. 

1. 
   FastEddie1 | Jul 16, 2003 02:22am | #7

   There was a short note in one of the recent FHB issues about a blade for the Sawzall...it's got carbide teeth and a drop blade, and it's sold as a grout removal tool.  Think of the standard hand operated grout saw, but chucked in a Sawzall.

   Do it right, or do it twice.

1. 
   kaorisdad | Jul 16, 2003 02:35am | #8

   Ouch!  I've been looking for the Fein Multimaster online and it is expensive.  However, I do have a Master Bath floor to do, and I don't want to spend the rest of my summer doing this.

   The Sawzall attachment sounds interesting.  I'll have to look this up.

   Thanks all!

2. 
   NickNukeEm | Jul 16, 2003 04:15am | #9

   I have the multimaster, and I use the thing on just about every job I get, in one way or another.  I've done the grout thing with it, but the tool excels at cutting molding in place.  If you do much work around the house at all, you will use the tool over and over.

   I never met a tool I didn't like!

3. 
   calvin | Jul 16, 2003 04:21am | #10

   Nick, you think we should copy this feedback and send it off to Fein............should get a couple t-shirts or something outta this.

   And I'm curious what kind of grout was used.  Could you fill us in if you see this Kdad?  Anything less than an eighth and you can't hardly pack anything in there.  Almost seems odd the thing failed.  What's under this tile?Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   Quittin' Time

4. 
   kaorisdad | Jul 16, 2003 06:41pm | #14

   As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, the grout lines are 1/8th-inch.  I used non-sanded grout with 12 by 12 Travertine pieces.  The substrate is Hardibacker over plywood over 1-by planking as I recall.  The substrate is solid.  I think I had a bad batch of grout.  The same Travertine and non-sanded grout was used on the shower walls and bath surround and it is fine.  I've heard of this happening and called the grout manufacturer, but never got a return phone call.

   I haven't done alot of tiling, but I've done maybe 6 bathrooms and this was the only instance of this sort of thing happening.  I thought maybe I added too much water, but after a little research, I believe I just got a bad batch of grout from Custom Builders.  The grout started flaking and cracking about a month after it was installed.

5. 
   ken1putt | Jul 16, 2003 11:18pm | #15

   I recently removed a bunch of grout from 1" tiles with a Dremel 1/16" carbide bit in a RotoZip, much of it with the flex shaft attached.

   If yours are really 1/8", the RotoZip tilecutting bit would work perfectly.

   It goes pretty fast, and I put a drywall dust bag in my shopvac and held the crevice tool next to the cutter. It sucked up about 99.9 percent of the dust.

   K-

   -

   "Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game because they almost always turn out to be -- or to be indistinguishable from -- self righteous sixteen-year-olds posessing infinite amounts of free time." - Neil Stephenson, Cryptonomicon

6. 
   Rarebreed | Jul 17, 2003 01:16am | #16

   Check Tool Crib, or if you like Amazon.com. The Fein gets my vote as the best system, attachments can be bought that will allow you to use it for many more jobs after this one. <G>

   Tool Crib also sells the sawzall blade, I don't have the item # or price, but I will look.

   TCW Specialists in Custom Remodeling.

7. 
   bobl | Jul 17, 2003 01:19am | #17

   http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=32936.14bobl          Volo Non Voleo

8. 
   Rarebreed | Jul 17, 2003 01:23am | #18

   My Bad, I didn't get all the way to the bottom before I hit the reply button.

   TCW Specialists in Custom Remodeling.

9. 
   bobl | Jul 17, 2003 01:36am | #19

   wanted to save u some time.bobl          Volo Non Voleo

10. 
    Rarebreed | Jul 17, 2003 02:27am | #20

    Thanks, though I've usually got a well thumbed Tool Crib laying around. The drool spots make some of the pages a little hard to read.<G>TCW Specialists in Custom Remodeling.

11. 
    Scooter1 | Jul 17, 2003 08:45pm | #22

    I don't envy you removing this grout. I hope you didn't install it and have to remove it at your expense. If you did, I would hire some day laborers and give them a hand grout saw(s) and let them go to work for a couple of days. Less frustrating for you; cheap; and no damage to the tile with a hand tool.

    If you honestly want to do it yourself, I would buy a dedicated grout remover like the Fein or a Dremel with the carbide grout bit and some knee pads and spend a day removing the stuff. If you do tile, you'll need this anyway. The Fein comes in very handy in the woodshop, too.

    Sorry Dude. I feel your pain.

    Regards,

    Boris

    "Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934

3. 
   gdcarpenter | Jul 16, 2003 12:58am | #4

   If the area isn't too big I've found a diamond blade for my dremel, works fine, just have to be very careful not to cut the tile, recips safer this way.

   Let's not confuse the issue with facts!

4. 
   RW | Jul 16, 2003 01:13am | #5

   Fein actually makes two variations of that tool. The $800 version and the $179 version. You will be there until Xmas trying to do it by hand. Get the small one, and shell out $80 for the grout blade. They work amazing. I did a stand up shower in about 3 hours. 4x4 tiles.

   "The child is grown / The dream is gone / And I have become / Comfortably numb "      lyrics by Roger Waters

5. 
   FastEddie1 | Jul 16, 2003 04:48am | #11

   Oops, my mistake.  The tool is called Grout Grabber (groutgrabber.com) and has 1/16" thk blades that can be stacked up to 1/2".  Saw it in JLC July 03, pg 136.

   Do it right, or do it twice.

1. 
   junkhound | Jul 16, 2003 06:09am | #12

   7ksi pressure washer

2. 
   bobl | Jul 16, 2003 06:12pm | #13

   tool crib GG002

   $40, blades $13bobl          Volo Non Voleo

3. 
   kaorisdad | Jul 17, 2003 07:42pm | #21

   Thanks for the info on the Groutgrabber.  However, I can just see that with my reciprocating saw and all the movement with the long strokes it makes, it will probably end up eating more tiles than grout.

   Has anyone tried one of these Groutgrabbers?

   Looks like my best bet is the Fein.