I’m a HO and i’m goign to be doing some tile work on a new home. I’d like to get a really well made, though used, tile saw. Haven’t really looked yet at who makes a nice one and what features to look for but if someone has one that they no longer need, i’d be interested in talking to you about it.
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i have a old ,old 7" felker i'd take 125.00 for nothing fancy at all but cuts tile. if iwas you i'd check out harbor freights site type in brick saw. i bought one of these for 199 shipping included and it isn't the greatest saw but it is a absolute bargain for what it is. larry
I have one from HD, original cost $299 this year. Bought it for one job in my own home, as I don't normally do tile work. Finished job last month. Saw works great, has about three hours of use. It is a white elephant until I build my own new house about three years from now. Will sell for $200.
Hey Les, you said you bought this saw from HD...I'm guessing it's a wet saw but is it an MK? I may be interested if you still have it....
DaveA good friend will come and bail you out of jail...BUT, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying "Damn...that was fun"!
It's the Work Force brand. I considered the MK; however, this WF model had some advantages. I think the ability to angle the blade was a feature the MK did not have. I was interested in this feature but did not have to use it for my project. I liked the way the table moved too. I compared prices and features and took a chance on the off-brand. It performed way beyond my expectations.
I have done various tile projects over the years and never used a wet saw. When I did have to do multiple cuts, I would take the tiles to HD and had them do the cuts for me at a reasonable price. I had a lot of special cuts on this project which I estimated would cost me close to $100 using that method in conjunction with nippers, grinders, and so on, not including trips to HD to cut a few tiles. The tile cutting was a breeze. I do recommend ear protectors during the cutting. The saw table was true and the blade cut like a hot knife through butter, which I am sure all wet saws do. I also enjoyed being able to get very close to the blade - sometimes almost touching it while cutting.Les Barrett Quality Construction
Les, can you tell me how much the saw weighs? Just so I can try and figure out the S+H. Also, you said you used to take the "multiple cuts and such to HD", does that mean this is not a wet saw, or is this before you bought the saw????
Thanks DaveA good friend will come and bail you out of jail...BUT, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying "Damn...that was fun"!
Dave,
I meant to convey that I had the tiles cut at HD before buying the wet saw. The pics I attach will show the saw and the job I used it for. As you can see, I cut both mosaic strips and 1' floor tiles, which I used for the whole shower. BTW, I used a B&D glass drilling bit to mount the fixtures. Note the cuts to accommodate the light switches and the controller for the heated floor. I have not quite finished grouting the trim, but all the tile is in place.Les Barrett Quality Construction
I'm not really sure what kind of tile i'm going to be laying...i'm also going to be building a new house here in the not too distant future. So i'm kind of wondering what the primary differences there are between these 300 vs. 500 vs. $$$$ saws are.
I'm sure horsepower is one -- which leads me to wonder what kind of tile i'd have trouble cutting w/the 1.5-2.5 HP saws. I'm sure the quality of the slideing table is another. I'm sure the shear toughness of the thing is a factor -- i.e. you don't have to readjust it/resquare it all the time.
I like buying good quality stuff -- i.e. i hate cussing at cheap tools when they are a pain in teh butt to use -- but i also am not going to use this thing day in and day out...
I think that even with this small saw, power is not a problem. The saw would push through the dense, hard floor tiles much faster than I felt the natural cutting speed to be. As for the table, I think technique is part of making it advance smoothly. Even pressure straight forward makes for a smooth motion. Ultimately, you will end up estimating how to place the tile on the table for a square cut, since there is some irregularity in tile.
Dave, I think the whole thing weighs less than 40 lbs.Les Barrett Quality Construction
Bob,
If you have any rental places around you try them for used.
Sometimes they have nicely maintained tools that are fairly new.
Eric
Every once in a while, something goes right!
Home Depot will sell you pretty much anything on the shelf in their rental dept for a great price. It's not something they advertise, or is even widely known about, but it's a real gem of a policy. So good, in fact, that I can't imagine how long it will be around. Unless they get such a good price from buying in bulk to begin with that they can afford to do it. They've got some great MK tile saws for rent at my homedepot, I'd start there.
You can always sell it again, when you're finished.
I got a $2500 Wacker generator for $1100 two weeks ago. Spotless.
Actually i've never seen HD advertising renting *anything* except their trucks. I've got to make a HD run tomorrow so i'll as if any of them around rent tools.
There are some tool rental places around...never knew they'd sell stuff but that's something i'll check out too.
Les - what model is it?
ao - i'll have to look up what a felker is..Is there a model i should look for?
hmmmmmm. All the Home Depots around here have a dedicated rental department. Sort of a store within a store. Maybe it's a regional thing? Worth a looksee anyway.
Not all HD rent tools. The big orange around these parts does not. Yet the HD over the line in RI does. Go figure. I usually rent from the local rental place anyway; they have a great selection, drywall lifts, floorsanders, staging, etc. Often though, if I need it, I buy it. One of the perks of the job. : )
I never met a tool I didn't like!
I just finished laying 500 sqft of porcelin tile in our new home. I bought a 2 1/2 hp tile saw from Harbor freight for $199 after a friend of mine recommended it for a small job he did. I did buy a good porcelin blade made by MD. The price varies from store to store and I found the price on their online site, printed it out and took it to the store. The store honored it (in store price was $389)
The saw cuts pretty good, but did need alittle of adjustment, but most new saws probably need that anyway
Check out ebay for some MK saws.
Certified boat fetish.
Have MK370 wet saw with sliding table and diamond blade. Used on only one small bath remodel. Paid 299, will sell for 200. Lightweight so SH should be no problem.
I do a lot of tile work around my house and like most guys, I prefer to own tools rather than rent. I bought one of the sub $100 wet saws from HD and I have had great results from it. The draw back is that it will spray you with water as it is a "dip" type unit. (The blade runs in a trough of water and is not pumped like the higher end units).
I have used it to cut cheap ceramic to expensive hand made tiles with out much breakage.
The one thing I would suggest is to buy a better quality blade than what comes with the saw but even that isn't much of an issue.
I never snap cut tiles anymore, I just run them through the wet saw as it is faster, cleaner and leaves a nice smooth edge.
If you are considering turning pro then spend more on the saw but for most homeowners the cheap ones work pretty well. At least IMHO.
If I may offer another suggestion, look at getting a warm floor system. I put one under the tiles in my bathroom and I love it. Better yet, so does my wife and if my wife is happy then I get lucky <grin>.
Good luck and good shopping.