The Tiletracker

Went to Ideal Home show yesterday. One of the official stage demos was this guy promoting some tiling tools.
The Tile Tracker... Level Tracking in Level Time - Home.
SURETILE - for a good job well done. - HOME

The tiletracker looks excellent but at £160 way, way too expensive. I intend to make up something similar which would do the same thing unless anyone knows of a similar product at reasonable price?
As part of a package, although not on their website, they do a window recess tool which looks the business, its basically a 1m long plastic '+' profile which although flexible, will return to it's original straight edges and would really help with setting perfect level reveals.
Anyone used it or a similar product??

Are u serious this is a sack of , spot fixing with stone

Don't get me started

I'm sorry Aflemi, but are you having a laugh?

Taking out the fact that the video is to demonstrate his glorified batten stands, he is dot & dabbing the travertine & he is advising that you use a "hook" to pull tiles away from the wall to keep them plumb. What about ensuring 100% adhesive contact behind the tiles?

I'm not surprised that B&Q think these are good products, but a professional tiler????

Unless I've missed something, I don't feel that this is something we should be giving any credit to.

Video makes me mad!

There are a few things like it, the rubi batten stands for one.

Tradetiler setting out tiling tools

Not sure how a flexible straight edge would work!?

I can see what he is trying to do with the "batten stands" but there is no way he should promote dot and dab tile fixing.....and then after that "level" the tiles by pulling them out of the adhesive!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Daz

I'm sorry Aflemi, but are you having a laugh?

Taking out the fact that the video is to demonstrate his glorified batten stands, he is dot & dabbing the travertine & he is advising that you use a "hook" to pull tiles away from the wall to keep them plumb. What about ensuring 100% adhesive contact behind the tiles?

I'm not surprised that B&Q think these are good products, but a professional tiler????

Unless I've missed something, I don't feel that this is something we should be giving any credit to.

Snap Daz!!

Originally Posted by Tats

Are u serious this is a sack of , spot fixing with stone

Don't get me started

I'm not looking for a critique of the tiling methods in his video, I haven't even seen it. I saw the products in the flesh yesterday and 2 of them looked good, 1 is way too expensive so i asked if anyone knew of a more reasonably priced alternative. The other looked a useful tool, the rest were rubbish. Chill.

Originally Posted by Colour Republic

Video makes me mad!

There are a few things like it, the rubi batten stands for one.

Tradetiler setting out tiling tools

Not sure how a flexible straight edge would work!?

Cheers for a constructive reply, thanks will look at that. The other product is quite hard to explain, basically it can twist a bit so easier to use than if it was rigid, but returns to straight edge. It looked good to me, just innocently wondered if anyone had used one or knew of an alternative. Tx Colour, btw I haven't even seen the video but that is irrelevant, it's the products i was asking about, didn't want to start WW3..............

I don't personally use battens but the beatuy of a batten is that you can cut it to size, it's all very well showing a demo with a pre sized batten but what happens when you need to move it along? In his video he shows pictures of tiling that has slid down the wall 'overnight' as he puts it (sorry to bang on about D&D, but is he suprised?), so by his own addmission what are you ment to do with his battens? leave them overnight then move along to do a bit mopre tiling the next day?

This other tool you mention may well be quite good but then I don't hold much hope for someone who presents tiling in the way he does

Sorry mate

Originally Posted by Daz

I'm sorry Aflemi, but are you having a laugh?

Taking out the fact that the video is to demonstrate his glorified batten stands, he is dot & dabbing the travertine & he is advising that you use a "hook" to pull tiles away from the wall to keep them plumb. What about ensuring 100% adhesive contact behind the tiles?

I'm not surprised that B&Q think these are good products, but a professional tiler????

Unless I've missed something, I don't feel that this is something we should be giving any credit to.

You missed the fact that I only asked about 2 products that I have seen in the flesh and they looked useful so I naturally thought I would ask the opinion of some other professional tilers who have used them or similar.
I didn't endorse his tiling demo in any way, I haven't even seen it tbh because i didn't need to.
Anyway, tx for input.

No point in shooting the OP for posting the video..?

He is just asking what you think of the product and not the way the tiles are fixed.. even i gathered that is what he asked,,

As for the video.. well the guy is a total plonk..



Aflemi.. as for the products,, IMO they are just gimmicks and others have tried to sell things similar and i would say they are well over priced and a waste of money..

Rubi stands look good and at £18 better than the £160 he wants for his one, I knew there would be something more reasonable.
Answer i wanted without the histrionics, cheers.
If all the people who replied without understanding the point of the post read the thread i started around the same time in the prep section about what he said about pva and grout not letting moisture through, you'll see what I thought of his Ideal Home Show presentation......... again, irrelevant to the point of the question.

Hmmmmm Martin Hemingway's Page - Tile Business Network for Tilers Tiling and Tiles

.......... nice idea , wrong planet....... iv never had any probs with battens.......
i will not get one of these......
..... just like self cleaning glass... every window cleaners nightmear......
....... and u dont pull tiles away from the wall now do u!!!!!!!!
....preperation is the key.... not that silly idea!!!!

what a load of tosh imo,

OK the fixing method is wrong but the product looks good. i think he needs to look at the price but it looks better than some of the other gimmicks that are supposed to make tiling quicker and easier.

It says "to avoid paying Professional Tiler, pay £160 for the kit, then pay full price for addy etc". It'll end up the DIYer paying more. As for D&D and pulling the tile from the addy to get it level

All very well having 3 size aluminium battens but what happens when the bathroom is small or large ....You need 3 of the smaller size to do inside a shower enclosure !!!! Where is the advantage over wood battens and batten stands etc ? None IMO.

I made a dodgy version of this once using a spirit level and bath feet (that are adjustable). I used it instead of battens on walls that were tanked and couldn't have nail or screw holes in them. The way I was managing to do it before this was to stack tiles to the height of the batten, place the batten on top, then stack more tiles so it stayed put (which it didn't) so out of the two ways I'd go about it, it was a god send to have for that specific application.

I also used it in kitchens where the worktop wasn't level and I was worried about swinging a hammer near expensive worktops in small corner areas. Especially when working Saturday (as often those small kitchens got squeezed in then) as my aim wasn't always the best after going out on a friday night!

Just my 2p.

I'd imagine if you had two small lengths, you could use a long straight edge between them to create a huge batten that's level and secure.

I like the bottle of PVA in the video.

The tile lifter appeals to me. It'd make it easier for me to lift up heavy tiles to put more ady underneath, without having to use the adjacent tile to lever it up. I wouldnt buy one I'll just make something

The Suretile is poop and I couldnt be bothered with the ali batons, I have loads of wooden batens in various lengths, simples.

I use these for lifting tiles Sharon, I have a few some with one cup up to four cups. Draper Twin Suction Cup Lifter : Tooled-Up.com

I use one of these

Originally Posted by Phil Hobson

I use these for lifting tiles Sharon, I have a few some with one cup up to four cups. Draper Twin Suction Cup Lifter : Tooled-Up.com

Funny you should mention that as I was thinking of getting some, but wondered if the tile surface had be totally smooth and will it work on polished tiles that have a protective wax coat?

Hi Sharon, they do work better on a smooth tile, not so good on riven finish. Not sure about the wax coat, but you can get more powerfull ones that actually suck air out and create a vacuum. They are more expensive though.