Ladies & Gentlemen;
Recommendations on a wet tile saw? Looking at the reviews on Amazon most of the MK products seem to get slammed. Need to cut many tiles for a kitchen & bathroom remodel so a rental after multiple days would not seem cost effective. Trying to stay under the $4-500 mark. Input would be appreciated, Thanks.
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Replies
Try the Felker brand.
Then spend a 100 dollars . Try Lowes and home depot . It doesnt sound like you will be a tradesman doing it .
Better yet check harbor frieght . JUst give them time and they will cut all you want to cut . Their like me , they dont do things at record speed.
Tim
My HF 4" tile wet saw is still going strong on the small jobs after 17 years.
Forrest
I have a Felker FTS-150 and it's a nice saw. I bought it for under $500 but I think the price has gone up. The FTS-75 is a good saw and more transportable. They have good solid universal motors instead of the high-pitched whiney grinder motors that you find on many MKs.
Check out http://www.johnbridge.com and you'll get lots of opinions there.
Billy
The MK's are ok for the price. They are loud, but they are reasonably dependable and inexpensive. And light enough to carry around.
You can buy a $80 cheapie wet saw from HD and Lowes, and it would work for one room. Beyond that they are too small.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
I was shopping for a new block saw and had settled upon a Felker but found a hydralic stone splitter instead.
But in my shopping, I saw a brand of diamond blades that claimed significant noise reduction.
Such as:
http://www.premiumblade.com/Scripts/prodview.asp?idProduct=733
Trying to stay under the $4-500 mark.
The fact is , you dont get much for that . Unless you want to shop ebay used.
Tim
Another vote for the $88 special. The main disadvantage is the "table saw" configuration, because adjusting the fence is a bee-yotch and sliding tiles across the gritty metal surface is most unpleasant.But yesterday, doing my "last tiling job ever" (this time I mean it!), I found a solution to the problems. I was getting tired of moving the fence, wiping the table to read and align the marks, etc. so I found an old router base I had once made from a square of half inch thick corian (off white counter material). I used a table saw and block plane to remove approx.half of the thickness on one half of the square. This gave me a stepped "crosscut sled" that holds tiles from the back while the side follows the fence. I eased the edges so they would clear small chips along the fence, then ran the whole thing diagonally over the table saw blade (set at 1/8") a few times to quickly "flute" the bottom and minimize surface contact. For random sized cuts I just line up my pencil marks with the kerf of the blade on the sled, and push the whole thing along the fence . The holes left over on the router base make it easy to push and pull back, and the tiles don't get scratched while you push them through (BTW you get a cleaner cut face down, I've found). I swear, this took all of six minutes and the difference is amazing. I even made all my tapered cuts by eye using the sled - you just have to hang on tight.
I think the 88 dollar saw sure has its purpose as rental on a big one will eat that up and more . If like you found out , if you have the time to jack with it .
Ive got a big one but its no where as handy for a quick repair job or a small bath floor.
Tim
I use the MK 101. It is heavy duty and with basic care it lasts well. The sliding table rails have to be cleaned and oiled every use. The pan has to be cleaned every day to keep the pump from getting clogged.
If I was to buy another I would consider the DeWalt. I have not used one but I hear you can set it up next to where you are working because it does not make a splatter mess. When you have to go down three flights for every cut and set it up outside in a snowstorm then having a saw you can use close to the work is a huge timesaver.Mike Callahan, Lake Tahoe, Ca.
>"if you have the time to jack with it" Exactly. But many of my favorite tools came with "issues" that needed modifications. In this case I happened to have the materials right there and my table saw was already plugged in, so everything came together right quick. If you ever find yourself getting ready to use your little saw again, I'm telling you; a simple sled like the one I made is a serious upgrade. Now I just need to fix the spray from the blade, which put a tell tale wet spot on my crotch right before I had to run to the store yesterday...
Now I just need to fix the spray from the blade, which put a tell tale wet spot on my crotch right before I had to run to the store yesterday...
hahaha , now thats funny .
oopps , I guess it wasnt to you . lol
CSIMS-
I've got a MK saw (cost about $400). Cut some tiles with it over the last 4 years. Not happy with the pump or with the customer service. real tough to make 45 degree cuts on 12" tile. No guide. I likely wouldn't buy another one.
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
Do you have a local tile shop that rents saws? Sometimes they'll sell the older rental saws for a decent price. I bought a Felker wet saw for $450 (Retails around $1500). Worth a shot...
bump
Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
Your Friendly Neighborhood Moderator
Got the 10" HD, $400, one ... no problems, have done several bathes, kitchens, interloc, brick ... very dependable .. doesn't owe me a penny!
Bump? I guess I'm missing something.
sorry about the confusion. Sometimes we "bump" a thread by posting a dummy response to your question - the more posts a thread gets, the higher on the list it will rise. The higher it rises, the more likely that more people will see it and watn to come join in the discussion.
...in short, I bumped the thread so that it would stay at the top and people would join in. I'm thinking of using it for the Kitchens & Bath issue - if there are enough interesting responses/information for our readers.
Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
Your Friendly Neighborhood Moderator
Had the same problem myself a few years back. Bought the $88 model at HD (way better than the one at Lowes for about the same price). I figured that it'd last one job -- about 1000 sq. ft. in my house and for $88 I'd be happy. The thing of it is, I've probably done about 6,000 sq. ft. with it between my house, helping family, and even loaning it out to a friend. Normally I don't loan tools, but I've been waiting for this thing to die, and at $88, I'm morbidly curious as to how many more jobs it'll handle before it dies...
I use a modified cheapo from HD. I have used it for five years and it has been WAY better than I expected. Added a sliding table to the top. Great for cutting outside corners and doing precision trims. I used a large copper/fibreglass circuitboard with no componants and two guides that span the sides of the top. The water doesn't bother it and I have absolute control over the cuts. A scrap piece of formica with side runners and a push fence is really all you need. An hour or two building it is well worth the time.
I've done wall and floor tiles and marble baseboards. I've also made marble lamp bases and candle holders that came out pretty darn nice.
Lee,
Any chance you could take a photo of the set up that your describing?
Chris
I'll take a pic and send it tomorrow when I get back home.
Anyone here used the Felker TM-1? Any thoughts? I know it doesn't fit the bill for cheap, but we've got a chance to pick one up used and wondered if it's a good saw.~TBone
The bottom two rails (2X2) straddle the sides of the saw table. I waxed them with beeswax. The drilled holes in the metal/fiberglass do not affect the operation in any way - they were on the scrap pieces when I got them.
The front and rear fences (2X2) also keep the thing together. It is simple and foolproof.
The white line down the center is the kerf for the blade
Edited 8/18/2006 10:29 pm ET by LeeLamb
did you post here?
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Why did you ask me that for ?
its been too long . <G>
Ill see thanks . I know what you are thinking.
edit;
Yea , five times now .
Tim
Edited 8/18/2006 6:27 pm by Mooney
Yea, its gone !
Thanks!
not yet it isn't..
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
lol
I have the MK 101 pro saw, and it came with the stand. I do all the tile on all my jobs and I love this saw. no problems at all with it.
it's a bit heavy. I bought the 10" one because I wanted to only have one wetsaw and needed to be able to cut bigger tile. someday I might buy a smaller lighter one for when I know I'm cutting small tiles.
I have no regrets, don't always believe everything you read on the amazon reviews, a lot of those people don't even know how to use the tools they review, and then bash them. and a lot of them are DIY homeowners and not real world professionals.
I have the same one..
no complaints...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
and I have the same one...
still no complaints.
A bird does not sing because it has an answer. A bird sings because it has a song.
I bought the $100 version from Home Depot (Dean Johnson from Hometime endorses it on the packaging). You get what you pay for, that's for sure, but I did my bathroom floor and tub surround, getting straight, clean cuts. I justified it by realizing a savings over both buying a more substantial model or renting one by the day. It ain't great, but it works.
A vote for Felker. I'm an amateur, but with a fair amount of tiling experience. Faced with doing another bathroom, i decided to get away from the score-and-snap routine, and bought the Fleker 150 model saw. I'm cutting porcelain tiles with no problem. It has a bunch of attachments for helping to get the right angles on pieces, a plenty powerful motor, and the sliding table works fine, as long as you periodically clear the chips off the rail.
Bob CHapman
Get one with a sliding table. The cheap models, you have to slide the tile on a fixed table. I bought one from Amazon.com for $129.00 and regret it - MK. '
I'll gladly sell it to anyone for 1/2 price; I'll pay the shipping.
http://grungefm.com
Can only give you an anecdote. Over ten years ago now I bought a cheapie Plasplugs 4" wet table style saw (the kind you push the tile or stone over the blade). I have run more tile and stone through that thing than I care to remember. I used it enough that the diamond impregnated part of the blade is now barely a memory. It won't die and it still makes very good, smooth cuts. So small and light that there is no issue with carrying it around and it tends not to make a watery mess if you have to cut indoors. I plan to replace the blade rather than replace the saw even though it's really just a cheap plastic wet saw. It works and that's enough.
One advantage it has is that it's real easy to make inside cuts by lowering the tile or stone onto the blade, where it's a little easier (for me at least) to see what you're doing as the blade comes through. Disadvantage -- it's much slower in cutting than a larger saw and no sliding table which also slows things down. I also have a cheap 10" wet saw with sliding table that I use for brick work, but for tile and gauged stone the old 4" Plasplugs still comes off the shelf. If I did tile every day, I'd spend the money on a top brand, top quality saw. But I don't do tile every day so . . . .
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla