You will need to ask yourself several questions about your tile saw needs. Let’s talk about tile saws for a minute. As a contractor, you probably always search the market for the best equipment. So, when you buy a tile saw, you want to ensure that the tool will make your job easier and more efficient.
Buying the Best Tile Saw
You’ve probably come across a seemingly infinite list of tools you can work with, but how do you choose the best one? It’s not as hard as your ‘buyer remorse’ might lead you to believe, but let’s not get too much into the buyer’s psychology. Well, at least not now. Having the right piece of equipment in your toolbox is essential for completing each project successfully and ensuring the satisfaction of your clients.
The right tool is a game changer. But, with so many options available, it can be hard to distinguish between a fantastic piece of equipment and one that will cost you time and your mental sanity. Worry no more! This comprehensive guide will teach you how to buy the best tile saw for your needs.
We’ll closely examine the specifications you need to keep in mind when looking for tile saws and why they matter. Without further ado, here’s how to decide on a tile saw.
What You Need to Keep in Mind
Accuracy and Versatility
However, most tools today guarantee a higher level of accuracy. But if you want something to do the job right, you must look for versatility. Just think about it: you need a machine that can successfully cut through different materials and allow you to make a square, L-cut, or U-cut without worrying about your tool being pulled through.
Take RUBI DC-250 1200 as an example. It has a cutting depth of up to 3 ½”, and the tool includes a plunge effect mechanism that allows you to fine-tune the cutting depth as needed. It has a generous rip cut of 47 7/16” and a diagonal cutting length of 33 1/2” X 33 ½”. This tile saw also comes with mobile head-on bearings and is foldable at 45” for miter cuts. The miter thickness cut is 2”.
Beveling Capacity
Look for a tile saw with an excellent beveling capability if you want it to make it easier to cut for different materials and shapes. Read tile saw reviews online to ensure your buying tool delivers on its promises.
Horsepower
Horsepower is, perhaps, as important as cutting versatility. A tile saw designed to cut through different materials obviously won’t do much good if it doesn’t have the necessary horsepower to sustain the activity all the way through. It’s like having the right intention but lacking the drive to complete the job.
You need something powerful enough to deliver smooth cuts that won’t damage the material. In other words, you need a tile saw with a powerful motor.
The DC-250 1200 has a single-phase direct drive motor of 1.5 HP with a thermal protector to ensure the device doesn’t crack halfway through the job.
Dimensions and Portability
While working in a workshop brings benefits, most of your contracting jobs won’t give you this luxury. This is how portability comes into play. You need something that you can move quickly from site to site.
RUBI’s tile saw comes with wheels attached to the frame. The lightweight material makes the tile saw so easy to maneuver that one person can quickly move it.
A tool that requires half your team to lift it won’t do you much good. Try to give special consideration to the tool’s size and portability. Pay attention to the material as well since the weight of the tile saw can impact your work significantly.
The right tool should be light yet sturdy enough to match the demands of the jobs and your clients’ needs. The DC-250 1200 is 63” long, 31 ½” wide, and 51 3/4” tall, which makes it small enough to be maneuvered by just one person. Its net weight without packaging doesn’t exceed 132 lbs. Moreover, it comes with folding legs with built-in wheels for easy transportation.
Blade Capacity
Now let’s talk about arguably the piece de resistance of your saw: the blade. The importance of a good blade is evident if you’ve even once been in a kitchen. Let’s say you’re trying to fillet a chicken. If you have a professional knife, it will go smoothly through the meat, and your meal will have a high-cuisine look. If you’re using an older knife, well, in the end, everything will look like it was torn apart.
The same principle applies when you’re cutting through a piece of tile. With the right blade, your cuts will be even and smooth. As such, it will be much easier for you to use the materials afterward. If your blade can’t do the job properly, the result might come off with an amateur look – which you don’t want.
When buying a tile saw, choosing a blade that leaves no sharp edges on your cuts is vital. The best thing you can do to prevent this is to look for a diamond blade. The DC-250 incorporates a 10-inch knife and uses water to cool it off while operating it so the device won’t overheat.
As a result, your cuts will have a sharper look. Overheating will inevitably cause the materials to break, rendering them useless and forcing you to return to the drawing board. Buy something with a cooling system and a blade strong enough to cut through the more rigid materials.
Water Splash and Dust Generation
Remember the first time you’ve ever stepped into a workshop? What are the two things most distinctive about it? Chances are, your mind will go to the smell and the sawdust.
As you know, sawdust is unsuitable for your workers’ health, especially in the long run. Dust thrown into the air can be easily inhaled, irritating the throat, affecting breathing patterns, and scarring the lungs. It’s not about big chips that might come off – you have equipment for that. But the smaller particles, some of which you can’t even see, are the ones that can do some actual harm.
When you buy a tile saw, you need to look for a tool that incorporates a mechanism that prevents most dust from getting into the air. Apart from keeping the saw from overheating, RUBI DC-250 also integrates a ZERO DUST system, water, and spraying action to keep the silica dust from getting freed into your environment. This technology is certified by The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). Its mechanism also keeps water consumption at bay, so you won’t have to refill your water tank while doing the job.
The dangers of dust have been known for a while, and some North European countries have already imposed specific regulations. These rules have recently been in the news in the United States, and OSHA will regulate them soon. So, make sure to buy a tile saw that includes some protection from silica dust, if not as a foreseeable measure for shifting regulation, then as necessary health risk prevention.
Accessories Availability
Remember the argument of ‘versatility’? Well, the same argument can apply when talking about your saw accessories.
Accessories are a wonderful thing. They mean your tool is adaptable, so instead of buying different types of saws for other jobs, buy a tile saw that can be accessorized to fit the task. Think of them as minor upgrades you can make for your tools, which cost less than a new piece of equipment and give your work the edge you need to set yourself apart.
If you buy a tile saw that doesn’t accept different accessories, you might limit the jobs you can do with it. RUBI’s equipment features various accessories, from lateral stops for large format tiles to table extensions, tile fixers, and even laser and level kits. These elements can ease the work of your saw, which ultimately leads to a smoother result.
So, What Now?
Remember that a tile saw is much more practical than its table saw cousin. It reflects modern practices where speed, versatility, and endurance become vital aspects of any job, not just contracting.
If you need to buy a tile saw, keep these factors in sight when browsing through tile saw reviews and specifications lists. The best tile saw should be fast, able to do the job regardless of the condition, and reduce waste. It’s quite a handful of requirements, so don’t rush into any decision.
If you take the abovementioned requirements to heart, deciding which tool to buy will be easier. There is no shortage of tile saws, so your problem won’t be finding the right saw but knowing which one to choose. Research the market and remember to calibrate your choice to the type of jobs you will do to maximize your efficiency.
This blog post was created in cooperation with Rubi Tools, a manufacturer of Professional Tile Cutters. Acme Tools is a proud distributor of Rubi Tools products and supports their blog.
Interested in other informational articles on Tiling? Check out our post on How To Install Shower Tile.
