Grit Edged Jigsaw Blades

[The Medway Handyman]

HI

Anyone used these?

was wondering if they worked and how long they lasted?

[dennis]

I bought a grit edged hacksaw blade to cut some floor tiles. It lasted about 3 inches (75 mm).

[Steve Firth]

Absolutely useless. If you must cut tiles to a really funny profile the grit encrusted rods that fit a hacksaw or coping saw frame are much better. Very slow to use, and I find a Dremel works much better for really odd stuff. That or fall back on the "drill lots of holes using a tile drill then link them up" technique.

A diamond wheel is obviously much better for most work, costs aren't too bad and they last for a good long time.

[Matt]

We commercially use the Bosch ones all the time. As for how long they last that all depends on what you are cutting.

[Cicero]

=================================== I used one (Wickes, I think) to cut an opening in wall tiles over plasterboard and it worked extremely well. Highly recommended for small scale intricate work but I wouldn't expect to get a vast amount of work out of one blade. Certainly worth having as an occasional alternative to angle grinder etc.

Cic.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Same here -- used a whole packet (of 4, IIRC) carbide tile jigsaw blades to cut a circular hole for a soil pipe, and it took ages. They zip through thin wall tiles, but so does just about anything.

[Steve Walker]

I use the hand versions (junior & 12") for occasional DIY jobs and find them very durable.

[EricP]

It is the equivalent to attempting to make fine furniture with a chain saw.

They list glass as one use. The sheet of glass would be lucky to survive the ordeal. Only suitable for very rough cutting of soft fibre glass type stuff.

[John Rumm]

Up to a point. For detail stuff I find a carbide segment saw in a multimaster much nicer - and you can cut them after they are stuck on the wall!

[LSR]

John Rumm wrote: ... For detail stuff I find a carbide segment saw in a multimaster

I remember seeing an ultrasonic tile cutter on Tomorrow's World - must have been 20 years ago or so. They just "drew" a wavy line across the tile with the device's business end and the tile came apart perfectly along the line.

[John Rumm]

You can get water jet cutters that can do similar things as well. (not that portable though!)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

About as much use as a chocolate teapot. If you decide to try one use a very slow speed and keep it cool - possibly use water etc. Otherwise it will burn out on the first cut. Half way through.

[Dave Liquorice]

I find it strange that something can be recomended to cut such a wide range of materials from the hard and brittle (ceramic) to the soft and meltable (plastic).

[The Medway Handyman]

Think I'll give them a miss. Nice idea though.....

[John Stumbles]

They have their uses. Haven't tried those particular ones but I've used the Plasplugs and Screwfix'

plasplugs is a narrower blade, better for cutting curves, but more expensive. I've had good results cutting everything from 15mm pipe holes to arcs of a 4" pipe hole with them, in reasonably soft wall tiles. I occasionally use the Screwfix ones in my jigsaw with the show off and angled almost parallel to the work to cut out tiles along the grout lines.