Radial Tile Cutter

The message from "Andy" contains these words:

I used one once - very good for cutting more awkward tiles - lumpy ones, that sort of thing. You can get the tile well held down and then the blade moves over it so there's no trouble getting the cut where you want it.

Thats the real McCoy that is.

If its worth it to you, go for it.

Way more control than the cheapo I have.

I wonder how well the "water pump" works

I've no experience of this type myself but I would worry about a few things. How long will the pump work as it's pumping an abrasive mixture of tile slurry in water? The rollers in the overhead carriage need to be as precise as possible to ensure a straight cut. This doesn't sit well with working in an atmosphere of tile cuttings whether wet or dry. The fewer moving parts there are on a machine, the more accurate it is likely to be. This has a moving carriage so there's an area for flexing. I've looked at a number of radial arm saws and many suffer from a lack of rigidity. The speed of cutting is generally relted to motor power. The two designs are much the same so I would expect the same performance. In the undercut type, the water is mostly below the table so it drains well. This type pumps it to the top so look for good drainage.

John

Yes - to me it seems like a solution looking for a problem. A 'normal' wet tile cutter gives a plenty accurate enough cut at 1/3rd of the price - and is easier to store too.