Re: Still on about cutting curves in tiles :-(

[Roger Mills]

Hi,

> > I have Googled in general and also this NG and still don't have a definitive > answer. > > Still find myself needing to cut a curve in a thin (7mm) ceramic wall tile. > > > > show ceramic tile blades for jigsaws, but I doubt they are thin enough to > cut a smooth curve. No sign of any round blades like you get for hacksaws > which would cut a curve. Probably too flimsy? > > These people advertised a sonic > tile cutter on the NG in 1988 (and got warned off). > Looks amazing, but Google doesn't show any stockists. > Anyone used/seen one? > > B&Q probably have a Rotozip-alike for about £60 but that is a lot of money > to cut one or two tiles. However it does have other uses :-) > > Some on this NG have suggested you can cut curves with the rotary tile > cutters (like minature saw tables) which are about £50 - anyone succeeded in > doing this? Again a lot of dosh :-) And less useful than a zip tool. > > Most people warn against the frustrations of using tile nibblers - 20 > minutes work then SNAP! > > Is it best just to go for the simple option - a hacksaw with a circular rasp > blade? > > My current feeling is that I will have to try the hacksaw blade first > because £60 is a lot of money and this DIY en-suite is supposed to be a cost > cutting exercise (although it isn't going that way so far). > > I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure. > > Cheers > Dave R > -- > > >

Forget the high tech! Something like

from Screwfix (but the sheds sell similar tools) will do nicely.

Make sure that you support the tile well when you cut it - e.g. on a workmate with the jaws slightly open, and use the saw in the gap so that the tiles is supported on both sides of the cut.

Roger

[Thomas Prufer]

Naah. Round hacksaw blade will be fine, particularly for a one-off. It's a bit slow, but inexpensive, accurate, and you won't need eye, ear, nose-throat-mouth and hand protection.

Thomas Prufer

[chris French]

In message , David W.E. Roberts writes

Yep I've done that- a few times.

What I did was cut in towards the curve to create little 'fingers' of tile, which were easily snapped off. Then I carefully worked around the curve, moving the tile across the blade. did a neat job as long as I took time and didn't rush it.

These are dead handy tools for tiling, esp. for fiddly cuts like this, for diagonal cuts and for cutting thin strips from tiles. You can pick then up for less than GBP 50 now as well.

Though for a one off one of the round tilesaw blades will do the job I'm sure, jus ta bit slow.

[The Natural Philosopher]

All the time.

Yup. Fine file or coarse emery of its a 'show curve'

Yep. Hired one for 4 weeks for about 60 squids it was all busted up too.

Then got one for 50!! Tiles aren't all it cuts either - floor slates as well, and even 1/2" marble, and provbably metal sheet tho I haven't tried that yet.

[David W.E. Roberts]

TA - yet another parameter changes in the decision matrix :-)

[IMM]

The new PP Pro trim cutter is a substantial powerful tool.

Focus have a trim cutter for £50 with a circle cutter and router base (same as the old 550w PP Pro unit). Also under the DPTools label the same unit is in Focus with one 14.4 1 hr charger battery drill, for £40. The bits are available from B&Q and Focus.

£0 for the Rotozip is great value but you don't have the circle cutter (£15 extra) and it is discontinued. I prefer to pay the extra £10 and get a free drill.

[IMM]

At £15 each as they used to be?

What is an "extra" store?

[parish]

The circle cutter, straight guide, and 10-piece bit set are also available from Argos - but only in their Argos Extra stores.

[parish]

Circle cutter £15.99 Straight guide £12.99

10-pce bit set £19.99

They are a kind of Argos superstore with 33% more products than regular Argos stores. There's 11 of them around the country and a further 15 that you can order stuff in the Extra catalogue from.

Our local Argos is one of those you can order Extra stuff from so the catalogues they have are Argos Extra.

I've scanned the page about Extra stores from the catalogue so you can see if there is one near you:

[parish]

And here's the page with the Rotozip stuff:

[The Natural Philosopher]

IMM burbled as usual, amongst other things:

Put me down for a hundred.

>

[John atte Kiln]

I have just completed a large tiled curved area. I used an electric tile cutter that i found on special offer at a diy store.

I marked out the curve on the wall using an anchoring nail, string and a pencil.

I then marked out a section of curve on stiff (ish) tracing paper and cut it to give me a template.

I offered up each tile to its place, marked each side where the curve would be and used the paper template and a permanent marker to mark the curve across the tile.

Using the tile cutter with the guard up (obviously take care) I cut tangents across the curve until it was more or less right and then smoothed the curve with coarse emery paper.

To put an nice finish on the final curved tiled area, i edged it with mosaic tiles. The final result looks pretty good.

Good luck John

[Dave Plowman]

The easier - although longer - way is to cut radii as close together as you can be bothered to right up to the line, then snap off the 'fingers'.

For most tiles about 1/2" between cuts will be fine.

The curve will be as good as the number of cuts as obviously they will be near straight lines between each cut when you snap off the bits. And a half round tile file will finish the job if necessary.