Hi

This is my first post.

I'm setting up a property services business (plumbing and tiling mainly).

I'm looking for a portable wet saw that will do the business (quality clean cuts). I've been looking long and hard on the web and the prices range from £150ish to £2000ish! They all say they do the job so I'm a bit stuck.

The DeWalt D24000 looks quality - but at £684.25inc VAT its a bit pricy...

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers

Jim

All depends what size tiles your thinking of laying, I have a small brocilina and rubi nd200 which does larger tiles, 600x600 porcelain

Jimdoe, as Whitebeam has mentioned, up to what size tiles do you anticipate cutting, bearing in mind that natural stone, travertine etc all need to be cut with a wet saw ( or angle grinder at a push!)

OK Guys - to get me going in the world of pro tiling I have bought (as well as all the standard kit/tools of course):

RUBI ND-180-BL 230v with Carry Case & extra blade (can you recommend replacment blades for the future...?)
RUBI TS50 PLUS Tile Cutter (free maint. kit)
RUBI Clean Washboy
Porsadrill Kit Max

I think this kit should cover most standard ceramic tiling - not much left in my budget anyway! Oh, questions if you don't mind;


1. What does a tiler need hosepipe for...? My best guess is to draw curves on tiles!!
2. Baton stands - yay or nay?
3. Bath Boards - seems like a brill idea - yay or nay? Make my own?
4. Do you really need latex gloves for using black grout - can't you just wash it off your hands after?
5. Whats the difference between a 'Tilers Sponge' and a Jumbo Sponge from the supermarket (apart from about 2 quid)?


Oh and cheers for replying to my first post chaps!

Jim

Hi Jimdoe
welcome, I have a hosepipe on my van for doing mixes, its a bit slow using a watering can and the water will warm up on a hot day and ruin your mix, its not used for drawing curves, grout sponges are different from jumbo types because they tend to be natural sponge, mine are anyway, if you have a washboy then chances are you will have sponges with handles for speed and efficency. I use a sigma wet cutter, if you are going to buy one then get 110volt, they last longer and can be used on site, even if you will not be doing site work they are safer than 240v. Goodluck with your new venture.

sorry missed a bit, black grout ruins your sponges so if I use it then I charge for replacements, I always use Latex gloves for all grouting otherwise your hands will be as dry as Gandi's flipflop, Baton stands need to be buried in a large hole and forgotten about, I use a glue gun to stick a batton but only if the tiles are too heavy, otherwise I dont use battons.

Cheers!

Too late, i've bought a 240v

How do I put a fancy picture/ text in the left hand pane of my messages - presumably we are allowed to put our compant details...?

Go to yur usercp panel...link is in the forum header...you will be able to upload avatar there and profile pic...wot ever...

Originally Posted by jimdoe

Hi

This is my first post.

I'm setting up a property services business (plumbing and tiling mainly).

I'm looking for a portable wet saw that will do the business (quality clean cuts). I've been looking long and hard on the web and the prices range from £150ish to £2000ish! They all say they do the job so I'm a bit stuck.

The DeWalt D24000 looks quality - but at £684.25inc VAT its a bit pricy...

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers

Jim

£2000 ??
Quality comes at a price and it would do everything and more you needed.

Woke up this morning and thought, how am I going to do cut outs...? i.e for wall sockets?
I have the RUBI TS50 PLUS Tile Cutter - just arrived, much exitement!
And my RUBI ND-180-BL 230v should be here by lunchtime but I will obviously need at some point to cut half/whole rectangles out of a tile...

Originally Posted by jimdoe

Woke up this morning and thought, how am I going to do cut outs...? i.e for wall sockets?
I have the RUBI TS50 PLUS Tile Cutter - just arrived, much exitement!
And my RUBI ND-180-BL 230v should be here by lunchtime but I will obviously need at some point to cut half/whole rectangles out of a tile...

Never used the Rubi ND-180-BL but assuming the guard for the blade can be removed, whole rectangles can be cut by plunging the tile down onto the blade from above, so it comes up and cuts along your desired line for each side of the rectangle.

For half rectangles, I would score the inside line of the rectangle with your dry cutter first, then use wet saw to cut out the two perpendicular lines from the side of the tile, then snap off along the scored line.

Hope this makes sense..

I have the Rubi ND 180 Bl and can't fault it. The blade guard can be removed for plunge cuts - just loosen the two screws towards the back of the machine. But make sure these screws don't rust or they become a pig to get loose, and if they do Ikea Wardrobe bolts fit in almost perfectly!!

Just need a good blade on it and you'll be sorted Jim

Lawrence

In 22 hours you asked a few questions and bought a lot of tools!
I would have gone for the Dewalt and definitely the 110w.
Have you been in tiling long?
Hope the new venture goes well.

Timeless John.

marcrist pro diamond tile cutting disc for future around £33 each.

dont use baton stands personally.

Latex goves are a must with black grout and mask all woodwork.

Bathboards are available from TRADETILER our forums sponsor.

Bal or Ardex sponges are my choice (more expensive but far superior)

remember your safety goggles

stretch the budget and get the dewalt 24000 i did and its the best cutter on the market use it nearly every week on splashbacks to floors tradetiler is the cheapest and you get an angle grinder for free and a stand it is essential!

I must say I am really impressed with this forum. I am getting so much positive help - cheers its much appreciated. To give you some background or 'tell you where I'm at' my Wife and bought our house and I stripped the old tiles form the bathroom, got a leaflet from B&Q on tiling and bought standard tools (plasplugs £30 jobby etc). I then dry lined the bathroom and tiled the whole room floor to ceiling slowly, very slowly...it took a few months! I just spent the odd hour here and there and just concentrated on getting it as perfect as poss.

I then took on the Kitchen floor - I had to use self leveling compound which I thought was brilliant stuff (like melted chocolate I thought). That went well, slowly but well and I'm really pleased with the finish. Last week I tiled the bath area (to the ceiling) of my mum's new bathroom and I couldn't believe the speed and confidence I had - probably no where near as quick a seasoned pro but a great leap from when I was tiling my bathroom.

I really enjoy it, especially the finished result - very satisfying.

I did a plumbing course and plumbed my bathroom and kitchen (had to re-route in the kitchen as the pipes were running down 2 walls). I also installed the radiators in the house and plumbed them up with a friend.

So, I'm setting up a property services business. I know it will take time to get fully up to speed but I'm going for it!

I believe the kit I've bought will stand me in good stead, at least to begin with - I took some time finding out what to get - top draw snazzy equipment will have to wait.

Again, thank you for the feedback - more questions will follow!

Cheers, Jim

Cheers Lawrence '147' (snooker reference). I'm going to get a few spare tiles and practice the plunge cuts. Gonna get some WD40 on those nuts (so to speak!).

Will I not get by on the blades supplied to start with?

And can I ask, the float that comes with the Wash Boy - just an ordinary grout float?

most things have been commented on, a hosepipe tho'? are you sure it's not a water level you've seen?

Hi jimdoe

Just been reading this post and I wish you well in your new venture, if you have any plumbing queries feel free to ask me or post them on the sister forum.

Be sure to learn about all the suitable substrates and adhesives for tiling etc including tanking wet areas.

Gary
plumbingsolutions@ntlworld.com

Cheers Gazebo!

Jimdoe, have you had any tiling training ?

Yes you can do plunge cuts on the rubi 180bl...

check out this REVIEW in it.

Hi Jimdoe

You can cut quite a bit of ceramics with the blade supplied, but I with the blade that came with mine it wasn't long |I needed to change it as I was cutting porcelain.

Hope this helps and good luck with the venture.

Lawrence

The rubi cpc2 blade is what i have installed on my machine...

Tradetiler Tilers Rubi Diamond Wheels