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Discuss Sigma 12E XL 245cm cutter, first impression & trial. in the Tile Cutters area at TilersForums. USA and UK Tiling Forum

O

Old Mod

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So as a couple of you may be aware, @Simon Dale his daughter Katrina, and myself are on a project at the Teardrop centre Swanley for Trimline.
Half a dozen rooms in a Florim 1800 x 800 x 12mm, which if you haven’t experienced before is like trying to cut Heather Browns with a pencil scribe!
Even with the use of a high quality large format rail cutter, which can cut to a maximum of 15mm, this stuff is like steel impregnated porcelain.
It’s not my first experience with this material, so I know from old how temperamental and hard this porcelain is.
I managed a 50% success rate with a rail cutter last time and had to grind rest, (cuts on the length are the problem)
With a different rail cutter and techniques I’ve picked up since then I managed to raise it to probably 4 out of 5.
As with all ex large format tho, it’s still not good enough.
Hence the excuse arose to purchase a
Sigma 12E XL 245cm (measures 280cm)
So with the help of Trimline and an order expertly expedited by Derek of @Sigma UK a 3 week made to order machine turned up in just 1 week, thank you all.
Yes it’s ridiculously big, there’s no escaping that, but what a beast of a machine.
Not only is it beautifully made, it’s lightweight (38kgs) relatively easy to use, and
‘does EXACTLY what it says on the tin’
as they say.
It cuts these pieces like a hot knife through butter, it truly does.
It’s changed the whole feel of the project, with dozens of cuts on the length still to be accomplished, instead of there being
‘dread in the air’ it’s all become very stress free.
The enormous cutting handle runs on an Aluminium box rail supported by 3 high quality bearings, one top, two underneath.
It glides along the rail with no hint of drift.
The 4 outriggers still suffer the inherent problem (well in my opinion) of being too far off the deck.
I understand why they need to be, but the distance in reality does slightly baffle me.
Yes feeding large slabs between the rail initially feels awkward and is a little nerve racking, however, it does become increasingly easier as you press on.
Not whole lot more to say at this stage, it does feel like a great buy, is it a worthwhile investment?
It’s too early to say for sure.
One thing to bear in mind tho, Simon does intend on renting it out afterwards.
So you know that 1800mm plank job you’ve got coming up that you were dreading!
This is perfect for it. :)

DF0AFBA5-001F-4B70-B6E6-232DF6D4D964.jpeg FF981E22-8123-478E-BC50-53B256D533D6.jpeg D79410F5-C05F-4701-908A-57CB77E825E2.jpeg A3CE4BE9-665D-4018-9B82-76205E3B0A10.jpeg 5B09192C-8C71-4C41-BABF-31B3246A520C.jpeg 0D996DD5-75C2-495B-AEFF-15FB893BB800.jpeg 80CC945B-06D3-4B72-AB58-0DD1BE65265E.jpeg F6B4028C-3AA0-49FD-B87E-26EA6416B092.jpeg





E7EFB21F-28EC-4970-92DE-3A7B68D9104F.jpeg
 

Simon Dale

TF
Esteemed
Reaction score
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So as a couple of you may be aware, @Simon Dale his daughter Katrina, and myself are on a project at the Teardrop centre Swanley for Trimline.
Half a dozen rooms in a Florim 1800 x 800 x 12mm, which if you haven’t experienced before is like trying to cut Heather Browns with a pencil scribe!
Even with the use of a high quality large format rail cutter, which can cut to a maximum of 15mm, this stuff is like steel impregnated porcelain.
It’s not my first experience with this material, so I know from old how temperamental and hard this porcelain is.
I managed a 50% success rate with a rail cutter last time and had to grind rest, (cuts on the length are the problem)
With a different rail cutter and techniques I’ve picked up since then I managed to raise it to probably 4 out of 5.
As with all ex large format tho, it’s still not good enough.
Hence the excuse arose to purchase a
Sigma 12E XL 245cm (measures 280cm)
So with the help of Trimline and an order expertly expedited by Derek of @Sigma UK a 3 week made to order machine turned up in just 1 week, thank you all.
Yes it’s ridiculously big, there’s no escaping that, but what a beast of a machine.
Not only is it beautifully made, it’s lightweight (38kgs) relatively easy to use, and
‘does EXACTLY what it says on the tin’
as they say.
It cuts these pieces like a hot knife through butter, it truly does.
It’s changed the whole feel of the project, with dozens of cuts on the length still to be accomplished, instead of there being
‘dread in the air’ it’s all become very stress free.
The enormous cutting handle runs on an Aluminium box rail supported by 3 high quality bearings, one top, two underneath.
It glides along the rail with no hint of drift.
The 4 outriggers still suffer the inherent problem (well in my opinion) of being too far off the deck.
I understand why they need to be, but the distance in reality does slightly baffle me.
Yes feeding large slabs between the rail initially feels awkward and is a little nerve racking, however, it does become increasingly easier as you press on.
Not whole lot more to say at this stage, it does feel like a great buy, is it a worthwhile investment?
It’s too early to say for sure.
One thing to bear in mind tho, Simon does intend on renting it out afterwards.
So you know that 1800mm plank job you’ve got coming up that you were dreading!
This is perfect for it. :)

Love the Stig, nice honest write up!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
OP
J

J Sid

nice marc,
I often see that small cut being done on the sigma but it is always just cutting a tile in half.
what would be the smallest cut you could take of a full tile ?
like the way you get Simon to purchase it and you get to play with it :)
 
OP
O

Old Mod

nice marc,
I often see that small cut being done on the sigma but it is always just cutting a tile in half.
what would be the smallest cut you could take of a full tile ?

You’re absolutely right Julian, got more to cut tomorrow and will try it out, they were virtually the very first cuts we did and we were being cautious.
More confident now, so will give it a go mate.
That small piece was the offcut from the full slab, so tried it with that first.
 
OP
J

J Sid

like the white foam block. Think it should be painted sigma blue though:cool:

marc, how think should it be to get the best out of the cutter? Tile completely level ?
 
OP
O

One Day

Nah, just messing. I had an early play with one a while back and they are awesome.
Wonder how they'd manage with all the over-fired highly tensioned porcelain we find?
 

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