Issue cutting tile with sigma max

[Leroy Brown]

Evening all. I hope you are all well.

I am having an issue where I cannot cut a tile straight. The start and end of the cuts breaks off diagonally. Please see image attached.

I am cutting 10mm porcelain tiles.

Could someone also tell me how to set the height of the wheel for the thickness of the tile.

Thank you

 

[Dave]

Hi leroy. At the end of the guide bar there is an adjustment wheel. With the foot flipped down adjust the wheel so that scribe arm gap to the guide bar is around 5mm each end. Then scribe end to end. Bring the breaker back about an inch in from the tile edge and snap quickly, called shock break. Try that and see how you go.

 

[Leroy Brown]

Hi Dave. Thanks again for your willingness to help. Sorry for my ignorance Dave. So is the bar where the tile snaps on called the guide bar? So from the bottom of the wheel to this bar should be 5mm?

Will give this a go in the morning. Just went through 4 tiles trying to get it to cut straight.

 

[Dave]

The bar is what the handle slides along. So you adjust the handle to var via the adjustable wheel

 

[Dave]

This might help.

View: https://youtu.be/uNlLC4mqc1E

 

[Leroy Brown]

This might help.

View: https://youtu.be/uNlLC4mqc1E

Yeah, been playing with those wheels to try and see how it goes. Will try your advice in the morning. Thank you

 

[Leroy Brown]

So, I think I cracked it. Adjusted the height and Scored it lightly a few time and it is giving me a much better cut. Thanks for the help Dave.

 

[Dave]

So, I think I cracked it. Adjusted the height and Scored it lightly a few time and it is giving me a much better cut. Thanks for the help Dave.

Excellent, glad to help.

 

[Rodduz]

Shouldn't need to scribe it a few times though. Strange!

 

[hk940]

I have had some tiles that will not cut on a snap cutter, no matter what you do, years ago I was tiling a basement floor and was setting 8x8" (200mm) tiles.
The floor was over 600 square feet diagonal set, every single cut needed to be cut with a wet saw.
One thing you might try is to use less pressure to score and not ever score twice. The surface finish will also make a big difference, high gloss will cut better than rough (stone-slate) finish.
How long is that tile? You might need a bridge saw to cut them.

 

[Leroy Brown]

I have had some tiles that will not cut on a snap cutter, no matter what you do, years ago I was tiling a basement floor and was setting 8x8" (200mm) tiles.
The floor was over 600 square feet diagonal set, every single cut needed to be cut with a wet saw.
One thing you might try is to use less pressure to score and not ever score twice. The surface finish will also make a big difference, high gloss will cut better than rough (stone-slate) finish.
How long is that tile? You might need a bridge saw to cut them.

Hi. Thanks for replying to my thread. The tiles are only 600 x 300. Maybe my wheel is too low as some times when I just push the roller to score the tile breaks. Been hit and miss today with some nice cuts if scored a few times but also a lot of shearing.

 

[hk940]

As I have said before, there are some tiles that cannot be cut on a snap cutter, a wet diamond saw is the only way.
When I did my bathroom over in NJ USA I, I made sure I could make the cuts at the edge of the tiles. there was no way to make a square cut in the center of the tile, it would almost break the same way. and at $5.00 a tile I stopped after 5 tiles!
The cut around the light switch was a u cut with a piece!

 

[Dave]

Hi. Thanks for replying to my thread. The tiles are only 600 x 300. Maybe my wheel is too low as some times when I just push the roller to score the tile breaks. Been hit and miss today with some nice cuts if scored a few times but also a lot of shearing.

Score lighter. Pressing on to hard can cause your issue. Then when you break the tile , hit the handle quickly. Shock breaking 👍

 

[Leroy Brown]

Been trying all things here. Even got the manual out which shows the bar around 3mm in the box from the top on the handle. Keeps breaking the tiles. The only times it actually works is when cutting a thin piece in half like 40mm. Having to cut all cuts with an angle grinder which is taking a loooooong time. Is there a place I could go and get this machine serviced? How often should the blade be replaced?

Thanks all.

 

[Rodduz]

Slow down as the score comes to the end to make sure it's scored nicely where it's coming off diagonally.

Where are you placing the breaker bar when you hit or press to snap?

 

[Leroy Brown]

Slow down as the score comes to the end to make sure it's scored nicely where it's coming off diagonally.

Where are you placing the breaker bar when you hit or press to snap?

Tried going slow. In the manual it says 10mm in

 

[Rodduz]

Tried going slow. In the manual it says 10mm in

Could just be rubbish tiles then... happens sometimes

 

[Rodduz]

Get someone to video you doing a cut or two

 

[hk940]

See post 10 and 11, sometimes it is not the cutter, but the tile. Maybe you could take a piece to someone with a wet diamond saw and try a cut on it.
Some tiles seem to be very "stressed" if that is the word, and will not cut on a snap cutter no matter what you do.

 

[Leroy Brown]

Turns out it was the tiles. Got some feature wall tiles and they cut beautifully.

Thanks all for trying to help me on what was a lost cause.

On another note. I left my levelling clips in too long and some have broken leaving part in the grout line. Any idea on my options to get em out?

Thanks once again

 

[hk940]

How big are the joints? Razor knife or grout saw.

 

[Leroy Brown]

meant to be 2mm but seem around 3

 

[Rodduz]

For future reference, Genesis Levelling Systme clips literally never snap where they shouldn't for me

 

[faceman]

There's load of tiles from porelanosa that do that, especially when it's a small piece off. When it's a cut that is going to show we angle grind each end before we snap it. Ball ache but so is remarking the tile and running out.

 

[Leroy Brown]

For future reference, Genesis Levelling Systme clips literally never snap where they shouldn't for me

I believe I left them in there too long. Was at least 4 days. Noted though on the genesis stuff. Thanks

 

[Leroy Brown]

There's load of tiles from porelanosa that do that, especially when it's a small piece off. When it's a cut that is going to show we angle grind each end before we snap it. Ball ache but so is remarking the tile and running out.

Hey, thanks for the reply. My tiles aren't from there. They are mino if I remember correctly. Wish I had thought of grinding the end before cutting. Certainly beats grinding the whole length of the tile.

Onto the floor tiles now which cut like a dream.

 

[Leroy Brown]

Hello all. I hope you guys are well.

I have finally finished tiling my bathroom and was excited to use the shower but, after grouting and reading the instructions on the bag it states that shower areas should not be used for 2 weeks!!