I have to tile a kitchen and bathroom for a relative, and will need a tile
cutter as there are some awkward corners to deal with. Looking in the
Screwfix catalogue for something suitable I see that they have a range
running from about 30 to 150. The thing is this is a bit of a one-off job
so I want to spend as little as possible, on the other hand I obviously
don't want to get anything that is completely useless.
Has anyone here used any of these things and, if so, do you have any
recommendations?

In article ,
	"Barney"  writes:

> I have to tile a kitchen and bathroom for a relative, and will need a tile
> cutter as there are some awkward corners to deal with. Looking in the
> Screwfix catalogue for something suitable I see that they have a range
> running from about 30 to 150. The thing is this is a bit of a one-off job
> so I want to spend as little as possible, on the other hand I obviously
> don't want to get anything that is completely useless.
> Has anyone here used any of these things and, if so, do you have any
> recommendations?


I used a 10 scratch and snap cutter for tiling the kitchen
and bathroom floors, and it worked fine. This included cutting
half tiles for a tiled skiting board all the way round the rooms.
The only issue was that the floor tiles were too strong to use
the snap action part of the cutter, so I snapped them by clamping
in the jaws of a Black and Decker workmate along the scratch, and
thumping the tile with my palm.  I had very few wrong breaks.
I've watched someone using an electric tile cutter, and my cheap
scratch and snap was much faster.  I've since used the scratch and
snap cutter for tiling a couple of walls, and it still works fine.
I still prefer snapping even the wall tiles in the workmate though.

A few floor tiles needed more intricate shapes cut out to go round
pipes and door frames, and I used an angle grinder (also 10)
to do those. Actually, the angle grinder was free because it
broke just when I finished (switch got stuck on) so it went
back for a refund. The most difficult was two circular tile
cuts to go round the toilet wastepipe. I bought a packet of
5 tile cutting jigsaw blades and it took them all to do it in
the ceramic floor tiles. They were really meant for wall tiles.

-- 
Andrew Gabriel

"Andrew Gabriel"  wrote in message
news:42a56fef$0$38039$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk...

> In article ,
> "Barney"  writes:
> > I have to tile a kitchen and bathroom for a relative, and will need a
tile
> > cutter as there are some awkward corners to deal with. Looking in the
> > Screwfix catalogue for something suitable I see that they have a range
> > running from about 30 to 150. The thing is this is a bit of a one-off
job
> > so I want to spend as little as possible, on the other hand I obviously
> > don't want to get anything that is completely useless.
> > Has anyone here used any of these things and, if so, do you have any
> > recommendations?
>
> I used a 10 scratch and snap cutter for tiling the kitchen
> and bathroom floors, and it worked fine. This included cutting
> half tiles for a tiled skiting board all the way round the rooms.
> The only issue was that the floor tiles were too strong to use
> the snap action part of the cutter, so I snapped them by clamping
> in the jaws of a Black and Decker workmate along the scratch, and
> thumping the tile with my palm.  I had very few wrong breaks.
> I've watched someone using an electric tile cutter, and my cheap
> scratch and snap was much faster.  I've since used the scratch and
> snap cutter for tiling a couple of walls, and it still works fine.
> I still prefer snapping even the wall tiles in the workmate though.
>
> A few floor tiles needed more intricate shapes cut out to go round
> pipes and door frames, and I used an angle grinder (also 10)
> to do those. Actually, the angle grinder was free because it
> broke just when I finished (switch got stuck on) so it went
> back for a refund. The most difficult was two circular tile
> cuts to go round the toilet wastepipe. I bought a packet of
> 5 tile cutting jigsaw blades and it took them all to do it in
> the ceramic floor tiles. They were really meant for wall tiles.
>
> --
> Andrew Gabriel


Thanks for that. I only have to do wall tiles, so from what you say they
should be relatively easy. I think I will go for the cheapest electric
cutter, with tile-cutting jigsaw blades to deal with any intricate shapes.

Cheers

I got one from Argos for 30.  It worked fine.



"Barney"  wrote in message 
news:5MKdnULUUI-3OTjfRVnyvQ@brightview.com...

>
> "Andrew Gabriel"  wrote in message
> news:42a56fef$0$38039$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk...
>> In article ,
>> "Barney"  writes:
>> > I have to tile a kitchen and bathroom for a relative, and will need a
> tile
>> > cutter as there are some awkward corners to deal with. Looking in the
>> > Screwfix catalogue for something suitable I see that they have a range
>> > running from about 30 to 150. The thing is this is a bit of a one-off
> job
>> > so I want to spend as little as possible, on the other hand I obviously
>> > don't want to get anything that is completely useless.
>> > Has anyone here used any of these things and, if so, do you have any
>> > recommendations?
>>
>> I used a 10 scratch and snap cutter for tiling the kitchen
>> and bathroom floors, and it worked fine. This included cutting
>> half tiles for a tiled skiting board all the way round the rooms.
>> The only issue was that the floor tiles were too strong to use
>> the snap action part of the cutter, so I snapped them by clamping
>> in the jaws of a Black and Decker workmate along the scratch, and
>> thumping the tile with my palm.  I had very few wrong breaks.
>> I've watched someone using an electric tile cutter, and my cheap
>> scratch and snap was much faster.  I've since used the scratch and
>> snap cutter for tiling a couple of walls, and it still works fine.
>> I still prefer snapping even the wall tiles in the workmate though.
>>
>> A few floor tiles needed more intricate shapes cut out to go round
>> pipes and door frames, and I used an angle grinder (also 10)
>> to do those. Actually, the angle grinder was free because it
>> broke just when I finished (switch got stuck on) so it went
>> back for a refund. The most difficult was two circular tile
>> cuts to go round the toilet wastepipe. I bought a packet of
>> 5 tile cutting jigsaw blades and it took them all to do it in
>> the ceramic floor tiles. They were really meant for wall tiles.
>>
>> --
>> Andrew Gabriel
>
> Thanks for that. I only have to do wall tiles, so from what you say they
> should be relatively easy. I think I will go for the cheapest electric
> cutter, with tile-cutting jigsaw blades to deal with any intricate shapes.
>
> Cheers
>
> 

"Barney"  wrote in message
news:P6qdnYHtQJly0DjfRVnyvg@brightview.com...

> I have to tile a kitchen and bathroom for a relative, and will need a tile
> cutter as there are some awkward corners to deal with. Looking in the
> Screwfix catalogue for something suitable I see that they have a range
> running from about 30 to 150. The thing is this is a bit of a one-off
job
> so I want to spend as little as possible, on the other hand I obviously
> don't want to get anything that is completely useless.
> Has anyone here used any of these things and, if so, do you have any
> recommendations?
>
>

Slab of strong timber, steel straight edge, small G Cramps, an ordinary
glass cutter and a pair of carpenters' pincers for 'nibbling' out the
corners.
Nemo.

"nemo"  wrote in message
news:XRlqe.250125$Cq2.50140@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

>
> "Barney"  wrote in message
> news:P6qdnYHtQJly0DjfRVnyvg@brightview.com...
> > I have to tile a kitchen and bathroom for a relative, and will need a
tile
> > cutter as there are some awkward corners to deal with. Looking in the
> > Screwfix catalogue for something suitable I see that they have a range
> > running from about 30 to 150. The thing is this is a bit of a one-off
> job
> > so I want to spend as little as possible, on the other hand I obviously
> > don't want to get anything that is completely useless.
> > Has anyone here used any of these things and, if so, do you have any
> > recommendations?
> >
> >
> Slab of strong timber, steel straight edge, small G Cramps, an ordinary
> glass cutter and a pair of carpenters' pincers for 'nibbling' out the
> corners.
> Nemo.
>


Sounds worth a try.

Cheers

I lashed out 30 at B&Q and got an electric one. It works so well on wall
tiles that I can't imagine what the 150 ones offer!  Certainly good enough
for a one-off job. The cutting wheel dips into a water bath to keep it cool
and lubricated, and it makes lots of slurry in the water that needs to be
cleaned out from time to time.  Also, it will only cut straight lines, so I
used a circular cross-section blade (like a wire with carborundum particles
stuck all around it) in a fretsaw frame for curved cuts.  I have only worked
on wall tiles, but I'll know more about floor tiles in a week's time!

Wish me luck!

Mike.

"Barney"  wrote in message
news:P6qdnYHtQJly0DjfRVnyvg@brightview.com...

> I have to tile a kitchen and bathroom for a relative, and will need a tile
> cutter as there are some awkward corners to deal with. Looking in the
> Screwfix catalogue for something suitable I see that they have a range
> running from about 30 to 150. The thing is this is a bit of a one-off
job
> so I want to spend as little as possible, on the other hand I obviously
> don't want to get anything that is completely useless.
> Has anyone here used any of these things and, if so, do you have any
> recommendations?
>
>

I certainly do - and many thanks for some useful info.

"Mike C"  wrote in message
news:%TEre.23603$iy2.18747@newsfe1-gui.ntli.net...

> I lashed out 30 at B&Q and got an electric one. It works so well on wall
> tiles that I can't imagine what the 150 ones offer!  Certainly good
enough
> for a one-off job. The cutting wheel dips into a water bath to keep it
cool
> and lubricated, and it makes lots of slurry in the water that needs to be
> cleaned out from time to time.  Also, it will only cut straight lines, so
I
> used a circular cross-section blade (like a wire with carborundum
particles
> stuck all around it) in a fretsaw frame for curved cuts.  I have only
worked
> on wall tiles, but I'll know more about floor tiles in a week's time!
>
> Wish me luck!
>
> Mike.
>
> "Barney"  wrote in message
> news:P6qdnYHtQJly0DjfRVnyvg@brightview.com...
> > I have to tile a kitchen and bathroom for a relative, and will need a
tile
> > cutter as there are some awkward corners to deal with. Looking in the
> > Screwfix catalogue for something suitable I see that they have a range
> > running from about 30 to 150. The thing is this is a bit of a one-off
> job
> > so I want to spend as little as possible, on the other hand I obviously
> > don't want to get anything that is completely useless.
> > Has anyone here used any of these things and, if so, do you have any
> > recommendations?
> >
> >
>
>