20mm Porcelain - Cutting Options

[UpTheIron]

Potential man maths / new toy alert.

I've got 18 500mm straight cuts to make in 20mm outdoor porcelain tiles. I've watched lots of YouTube and read lots of reviews that say everything from:

4.5" grinder with a good blade will be fine. Or terrible.

A wet cut bridge saw is the way to go... reviews of the low end ones vary from "absolutely fine" to "can't cut straight". Tempted to give the £250-odd Excel Bridge Saw but the reviews are hit and miss.

Hiring a bigger/more powerful bridge saw appears to be the default option but it's expensive once the blade and transformer is added on to the hire.

Alternatively getting someone to cut tiles if I take them to them is an option, should anybody know anywhere in Hertfordshire (WGC) that does this.

Anyone got any recommendations on buy/hire/subcontract?

[mdw]

I bought a virtex bridge saw for £50 on market place. I used it to cut about 29 square meters of 20 mm porcelain tiles. No dust a bit noisy, cuts 600 mm in approximately 30 seconds with a very good chip free edge. Still on the same second-hand blade it came with. Worth every single penny over using it handheld grinder. Even if you have to buy new do so, you won't regret it. However you can pick them up on marketplace for not much and resell it when you're done. If I had to pick a fault it was that it wouldn't cut a 900 mm tile however most of the cuts I needed to do were 600mm.

[Chrisgr31]

mdw said:

. If I had to pick a fault it was that it wouldn't cut a 900 mm tile however most of the cuts I needed to do were 600mm.

I have been looking for something to cut 900mm granite slabs. Decided it’s easier to ensure the patio is designed so they don’t need cutting in the 900mm length!

[JoshSm]

I bought myself a nice big bridge wet saw, good quality porcelain can be hard work otherwise. Had a fair amount of use out of it.

They can get a bit pricey as you go up the scale. Some of the small ones can be a bit underpowered/undersized blade especially for the 20mm or 40mm stuff.

Cut quality is strongly affected by the blade - get a good one - & any vibration from the drive. Also by the general quality of the thing; even it it tracks nice and straight and is well aligned that's a bit worthless if the bridge deflects under load as that'll put it out of line, deflect the blade and it'll chip.

They're a big lump of kit to store and usually not light either.

[StevieBee]

A decent grinder with a diamond blade will work fine.... but you need to use a metal straight edge clamped in place and not have a dodgy back! It is very hard work and proper stone table saw will be easier.

Easiest is, as you say, getting someone else to do it. Nearest I know to Herts is Lower Barn Farm (www.lowerbarnfarm.co.uk) in Rayleigh, Essex. They did some for me and a bit of bull-nosing. But you need to be very precise when you measure up.

If you do it yourself, regardless of the method you use, you must absolutely wear a good mask and goggles.

[Evolved]

Hire a table saw. A hand grinder will do it, but will be harder, and use plenty of water. A good blade is needed or you’ll chip the edges, and it’ll look terrible.

[UpTheIron]

Cheers folks.

Bridge saw it is, unless I get them done for me. Rayleigh is about an hour away so not impossible although it might be two trips.

Has anyone got any recommendations of specific machine, I'm wary of buying a lower end one new or used and finding it isn't up to the job. I see the Rubi DC200 is specifically not recommended for 20mm porcelain it I read plenty of reviews where it or similar spec machines are apparently fine.

[Evolved]

Just hire one. It’s not worth the outlay to buy unless you’re doing it all the time, in which case you need to spend big for the best quality. Last time I rented it was around £80 for the week and that was with a blade.