festool diamond plunge cutter - Tile Advice

Waluigi · Sep 15, 2018

I’m a bit of a sucker for new tools but for some reason I don’t want the Festool as I can’t think of anywhere I’d use it.

martin1c · Sep 15, 2018

It's OK but not as good as I was hoping it would be. Don't bother with the stock blade. I've had best results with the Accumax blade.

I mainly use it for jobs where I want to do all cuts inside. Dust extraction is fairly good - I'd say 90% of the dust is extracted. One thing I would recommend is cutting the rubber seal on the track right back to the metal. As the blade gets so hot it can melt the seal which then gets into the cut and destroys the tile.

GoneGuy · Sep 16, 2018

@3_fall is this similar to the alphaprotoolsaw

Old Mod · Sep 16, 2018

Adey1980 said:
@3_fall is this similar to the alphaprotoolsaw

No Adey, I don’t really think so.
@martin1c could probably clarify, but the festool appears to be a variable speed grinder with a flash cowling basically.
Whereas the Alpha is a beefed up version of the makita stone saw with wet feed or dry cut.
And has a dedicated rail system.

nybor62 · Sep 17, 2018

if it don't do the job it goes back , you get 15 days money back guarantee with all festool

nybor62 · Sep 17, 2018

3_fall said:
Yes it it mate, Martin last we spoke, said it was ok but didn’t rave about it.
Personally feel £330 can be better spent.
And you can achieve the same thing with a grinder, dust shroud and a straight edge.
Thats just way I look at it tho.

I don't disagree with your comment ive always done like you say , but were working with 1200 x1200 nearly 200m2 bath walls with 3-4 niches in each bathroom, so thought we would try the festool

Cranbrook · Sep 17, 2018

nybor62 said:
I don't disagree with your comment ive always done like you say , but were working with 1200 x1200 nearly 200m2 bath walls with 3-4 niches in each bathroom, so thought we would try the festool

Ive got the bosch dust shroud attached to the bosch grinder it was designed for, with a marcrist blade and a clampable straight edge from toolstation.. Works great

martin1c · Sep 17, 2018

nybor62 said:
I don't disagree with your comment ive always done like you say , but were working with 1200 x1200 nearly 200m2 bath walls with 3-4 niches in each bathroom, so thought we would try the festool

I think it's a good product. My gripe with it was that I thought it would be a GREAT product with the Festool name on it.

I wouldn't get rid of it as it's my go-to cutter when I am working with Marble or large format tiles and I don't want to be going outside for every cut. As I've said, try different blades, trim the splinter guard back and on long cuts, do 2 or 3 passes for best results

Old Mod · Sep 17, 2018

nybor62 said:
I don't disagree with your comment ive always done like you say , but were working with 1200 x1200 nearly 200m2 bath walls with 3-4 niches in each bathroom, so thought we would try the festool

When you have a project like that you can easily justify and even loose the cost. So yes, under those conditions it’s a good move, for sure.
There is one very important thing to remember tho when using an electric cutter on a rail.
You get zero feedback thro the tool, why does that matter?
Well It matters a great deal that your rail and tile are sat on a flat surface, and that the rail must exactly mimic the tile.
Basically your rail will remain dead straight, your tile may not, it may bow up or down in the middle.
Therefore the cutter will remain on a true straight cut, and because there is no feedback like there is by hand, it just carries on cutting regardless and if the tile is not completely flush with the rail, the cut will not be straight and true.
But by hand because you can feel the cut and the density of the tile, you self adjust as you travel down it’s length whether you realise it or not.
For example, if you are doing a mitre with it and it’s set for a 2mm edge at the start of your cut and the tile drops in the middle because of a bow, as you approach the middle with a rail the blade will drift closer to the leading edge because the tile is dropping.
So what maybe 2mm atthe beginning, could be 0.5mm if your tile drops by a mil and a half in the middle.
Does that make sense?

Waluigi · Sep 17, 2018

Makes sense to me.

nybor62 · Sep 18, 2018

yes makes sense

david mccullough · Oct 6, 2018

i bought an angle grinder out of halfords with soft start works the best and only £21.00

i've bought all the toys over the years and track saws and end up with a grinder and as good quality blade

i hope you stick at it and get better use out of it than i have

festool diamond plunge cutter - Tile Advice

Waluigi

martin1c

TF

GoneGuy

Old Mod

nybor62

TF

nybor62

TF

Cranbrook

TF

martin1c

TF

Old Mod

Waluigi

nybor62

TF

david mccullough

TF

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