i can get a felker tm75 for $299 at lowes or a ryobi 7″ for $149 at Home Depot, both DIY level wet tile saws. i have a 2 bath, kitchen and laundry project now, and two similar projects in the next year or so. is the felker worth the difference, and is either worth having?
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http://www.amazon.com/Felker-Portable-Cutting-catalog-173486/dp/B000BPO00K
http://www.ebuild.com/articles/811510.hwx
SPECIFICATIONS: Motor: 120V, 60Hz, 9 Amps
Speed: 5800 RPM (no load speed)
Blade Arbor: 5/8 inch
Blade Diameter: 7 inch
Cutting Capacities: 16 inch Rip, 12 inch Diagonal, 2-1/4 inch Depth of Cut
Looks to me the Ryobi has larger cutting capacity at substantially lower price. However, the Felker is by far a better built tool that will last. The Ryobi is flimsy plastic. As a professional, I would go for the felker (but a much larger one), but the Ryobi might be good enough for the projects you're working on.
Personally, I'd check ebay or craigslist.org for a 'gently' used one. Lot's of people buy the saw for one job, then sell it at a big discount.
See my work at TedsCarpentry.com
Buy Cheap Tools! BuildersTools.net
If you haven't already done so, please update your profile. Since many issues are dependant on the region in which you work, we often look at your profile to see where you are writing from.
Edited 12/19/2008 1:19 am by Ted W.
thanks
The Harbor Freight saw for $200 I bought as a throwaway has been great after you get it adjusted. Leaving it outside for months at a time hasn't killed it yet. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95385 You can usually buy these for $199 on sale
I got the cheaper DIY Harbor Freight tile saw for $69. Did one bathroom with it, and it seems like it's still going strong. The miter gauge is worthless, and the fence needs spring clamps to hold it in place, but other than that, it's adequate. I would recommend it to anyone with one or two jobs to do.http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=91511
I got that one too - hated the fence, but it did the job well enough.
Tu stultus esRebuilding my home in Cypress, CAAlso a CRX fanatic!
Look, just send me to my drawer. This whole talking-to-you thing is like double punishment.
You may be better off, using a snap tile cutter. I have a Felker tile cutter and a Makita angle grinder for special cuts. A large tile cutter is very easy to use, producing rapid, accurate cuts by scoring, then breaking the tiles. It sets up on the floor or on horses with a plywood bench top. For most tile jobs, they are much faster than a wet saw and simpler to use.
There are numerous threads on tile work, all of which can be found using the Advanced search feature, above the left hand column of topics.
My tile saw came from ebay for 99cent plus $100 shipping. Its a full size 10" tile saw like the unit sold by HF. Arrived in two days, so quick I did not click what the two large heavy packs were on the doorstep.
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-5-HP-10-INDUSTRIAL-TILE-BRICK-SAW-115V-15-AMP-TADD_W0QQitemZ270319830188QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item270319830188&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1209%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A2%7C240%3A1318
Needed a little setting up and a water pump ($8 at local HF) new blade at $30 and its real sweet. Bit heavy but once in place thats where it stays till job end.
I wore out a Plasplugs unit after 5 years of fair use, rebuilt it with new bearing, wore it out again but gone too far this time. Picked up one of the $88 units from HD to get a job finished. Works ok but cuts like a table saw so the cuts could be better.
The Ryobi unit looks like it will do what you need but have some feelings when using it.
Wow, same one I got for half what I paid, minus the near useless pump. Good deal. I put a decent blade in it and can trim granite pieces with it easily.Edited 12/19/2008 9:37 am ET by MVAgusta
Edited 12/19/2008 9:37 am ET by MVAgusta
The only problem I had with it was the belt was way over tight. I reset everything and it works great!
Thanks for the information and advice. i already have a cheap score and break cutter, but it really didn't do anything to satisfy my tool fetish, so I'm upping the ante.
If it a tool fettish you're trying to satisfy, go with the Felker. That toy looking Ryobi will only leave you wanting more. ;-)See my work at TedsCarpentry.comBuy Cheap Tools! BuildersTools.net
If you haven't already done so, please update your profile. Since many issues are dependant on the region in which you work, we often look at your profile to see where you are writing from.
Check over at John Bridges forum. I think that there is a good review that Felker.
Also a while back one of the sponsors over their had them for much less. Maybe reconditioned ones, dont' remembers.
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
Dave....that's a decent amount of tile work within the next year.....why are you only considering DIY models?
When I went out onto my own some years back, I did the same thing....bought a Felker "cheapo". Found out quickly that it wasn't worth the money spent. Motor would overheat and stop on anything other than 4X4 ceramics.
Ended up going out and buying the $600 model.
I'm not a tile man, but do several tile jobs a year. It has paid for itself several times over since I purchased it.
I still use the cheapo for small backsplash jobs.....but the big gun was what I really needed, and it sounds like you're in the same boat.
JMHO of course.
J. D. Reynolds
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