Big clinker and porcelain tiles problem

[Hlm]

Hello,

After a bit of help and advise please.

I've used the clinker before to cut porcelain tiles and it handled then no problems, nice clean breaks.

This time around the tile is denser, I've got to score slighter harder resulting in chips to the glaze here and there. Then when it's time to break, using a sharp slapping action, the tile breaks down to the last 3/4 and then the break swerves off.

The tiles are 600x300, trying to cut the longest length.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

Hello,

After a bit of help and advise please.

I've used the clinker before to cut porcelain tiles and it handled then no problems, nice clean breaks.

This time around the tile is denser, I've got to score slighter harder resulting in chips to the glaze here and there. Then when it's time to break, using a sharp slapping action, the tile breaks down to the last 3/4 and then the break swerves off.

The tiles are 600x300, trying to cut the longest length.

Any help would be appreciated.

scribe the face then take out of the cutter back edge the end of each scribe from the back with a pin hammer then tap the back of the tile in the middle with the pin hammer should break in two without sharding off

 

[Hlm]

scribe the face then take out of the cutter back edge the end of each scribe from the back with a pin hammer then tap the back of the tile in the middle with the pin hammer should break in two without sharding off

Thanks for the reply.

Think I'm going to have to buy a wet cutter, I've tried different methods, tapping each end with the breaker but still the same break off.

 

[widler]

Thanks for the reply.

Think I'm going to have to buy a wet cutter, I've tried different methods, tapping each end with the breaker but still the same break off.

Unfortunately some of the porca are crap to cut,even with a mighty sigma 🙂
I've just done a 80m2 ish room,and nearly all the straight cuts just slightly snapped off line at one end,in more or less the same place,couldn't notice when the skirt was on but would pee you off if you were working up to skirts.
Was talking to another tiler in the pub last week,he said exactly the same thing to me about the same tile,said they were a right pain 🙁

 

[Hlm]

Unfortunately some of the porca are crap to cut,even with a mighty sigma 🙂
I've just done a 80m2 ish room,and nearly all the straight cuts just slightly snapped off line at one end,in more or less the same place,couldn't notice when the skirt was on but would pee you off if you were working up to skirts.
Was talking to another tiler in the pub last week,he said exactly the same thing to me about the same tile,said they were a right pain 🙁

Sometimes I can get the cut straight with a combination of a few scores and tapping both ends, but I think the wet cutter will be the best option for the longer cutting.

Thanks for the advise.

 

[beanz]

Unfortunately some of the porca are crap to cut,even with a mighty sigma 🙂
I've just done a 80m2 ish room,and nearly all the straight cuts just slightly snapped off line at one end,in more or less the same place,couldn't notice when the skirt was on but would pee you off if you were working up to skirts.
Was talking to another tiler in the pub last week,he said exactly the same thing to me about the same tile,said they were a right pain 🙁

That's a worry... My sole reason for wanting a Sigma, is that the Rubi cutters struggle with some of the porcelain tiles I've used, and I end up having to wet cut everything. If a sigma can't cut em either, am I just going to be throwing good money after bad! :-/

 

[widler]

That's a worry... My sole reason for wanting a Sigma, is that the Rubi cutters struggle with some of the porcelain tiles I've used, and I end up having to wet cut everything. If a sigma can't cut em either, am I just going to be throwing good money after bad! :-/

Don't know mate, i use a rubi tx700, but the other tiler was a sigma user and i know phil hobson had some bother with some porca tiles which nothing would touch.

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Don't know mate, i use a rubi tx700, but the other tiler was a sigma user and i know phil hobson had some bother with some porca tiles which nothing would touch.

Certainly did Craig, they were glazed porcs, Andy Carrol has the top of the range Sigma manual it would not touch them, we ended up using a Rubi bridge saw.

 

[widler]

Certainly did Craig, they were glazed porcs, Andy Carrol has the top of the range Sigma manual it would not touch them, we ended up using a Rubi bridge saw.

I remember it well, the 'cracked tile mystery' at mr wagstaffs? Job .
But some tiles are getting silly, i had some porca crack in more or less the same place, everytime before and like you used a wet saw .

 

[beanz]

Porcelain tiles are becoming the bane of my life! I'm getting tempted to charge stone rates for fixing the damn things! If not more......

 

[Ken Bruty]

I've had the odd porcelain cutting probs too, I also have a sigma and made all sorts of adjustments to the gantry, sometimes it works if you turn the tile 180 deg after the initial scoring and scribe the top end 30-40mm then come back down and break the tile about 25-30mm from the other end near the measuring bar and instead of pressing down on it to break it, put a slight pressure on then crack the handle one firmly with the palm of your hand quickly so that the whole tile hardly flexes, this usually does the trick for me :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Brian the Tile]

Have you tried a new wheel in your cutter, also you dont need to press down too hard that is why the tiles are Chipping imo

 

[CJ]

If a decent size cut.....I score the tile then break it over my knee. Can hurt sometimes though.

 

[Stef]

If its a decent sized cut I used to score it then sit it on the floor with either a spacer or a screw at each end & push down & snap it that way but then I bought a Sigma & I've been fine..

 

[widler]

IMO it is nothing to do with the cutter, its the tile in most cases

 

[Ian]

IMO it is nothing to do with the cutter, its the tile in most cases

I agree, there are the odd few tiles that just won't cut, usually those stupid double fired ones. Do they not realise it just makes them brittle and a pain to cut? Over engineered for no good reason.

 

[Hlm]

They are a nightmare! Very frustrating, the wheel on the cutter is fine, I think it's the density and how they have been made.

 

[rabw]

I know this is an old thread, but just to chime in... I have a big clinker that I've put a brand new wheel on. Having the exact same problem with the porcelain tiles I'm currently laying, which is why I'm now using a wet cutter for everything. My big clinker was mostly trouble free when I did porcelain tiles 6+ years ago in my old kitchen - the tiles were cheap ones off eBay then too, the current ones are relatively expensive.

 

[Jason T]

I know this is an old thread, but just to chime in... I have a big clinker that I've put a brand new wheel on. Having the exact same problem with the porcelain tiles I'm currently laying, which is why I'm now using a wet cutter for everything. My big clinker was mostly trouble free when I did porcelain tiles 6+ years ago in my old kitchen - the tiles were cheap ones off eBay then too, the current ones are relatively expensive.

My clinker was doing great, cutting with light pressure score and breaking very cleanly then suddenly it started chipping the glaze? bits popping off after its scored? heavier pressure is slightly better but its still popping off in places. These will look bad when I grout. tried various adjustments and 2 new wheels but no joy. Any ideas?

 

[Kastar UK]

A wet/dry porcelain blade in a 4inch grinder 95% of the time ,only ever doing wet cuts on external corners and window cuts ?