Rubi DU-200L BL or Sheppach FS850? - Tile Advice

[TheNamek]

Time for me to stop lurking and pipe up, albeit ask for advice and opinions LoL!

I'm a DIYer and I luv my toyz n tools but I don't have a tile cutter other than one el cheapo Screwfix manual cutter that I've borrowed from a neIghbour. Currently doing a bathroom project that's taking me forever due to lack of childcare. Anyways, I'll be needing to cut 600x300 ceramics (Ls and straights), and possibly larger pieces of limestone, marble or quartz slabs depending on what the guvnor wants. I was going to buy the entry level Rubi DU-200L, and therefore limit my max size to a little over 600mm. The most attractive aspect of the Rubi is its weight, or lack thereof, in comparison with other bridge saws. Once I've budgeted for a proper blade I'll be well into the 300s of pounds. In comparison, for similar money, the Sheppach FS850 from Screwfix appears to be a much heavier duty (literally!) piece of kit, as well as being able to handle upto 850mm tiles. I don't know whether I'll be keeping the saw after the project so am wondering what anybody thinks. I'm sure many would say buy a decent manual cutter and use a grinder for L cuts then flog the cutter on eBay. However, a manual cutter wont be able to do 20mm stone slabs. I've not been able to find any comments or reviews on the Sheppach other than the one on Screwfix, which is only helpful in saying that it's well built. Any comments and suggestions would help me out. Thanks.

 

[Just Rizzle]

why not hire it save u a packet ifit just a 1 off

 

[cam_low]

paragraphs !! paragraphs lol

 

[Dave]

Heres a scheppach cutter for hire ... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FOR-HIRE-...W-CUTTER-850MM-240V-1250W-MOTOR-/321444440731

 

[TheNamek]

paragraphs !! paragraphs lol

Yes, guilty I know but kinda hard going on a mobile and with a toddler constantly demanding attention!

 

[TheNamek]

why not hire it save u a packet ifit just a 1 off

At the speed I work at in conjunction with the constant interruptions, hiring would cost me much more!

 

[cam_low]

im just messing matey !!!

 

[TheNamek]

Nobody used the Scheppach cutter?? Blimey, enough people have tried the orange Vitrex cutters, this German machine must've been tried by somebody....

 

[Sean SML Tiling]

Where you from thenamek perhaps someone close to you could hire you 1

 

[mma]

The Sheppach is a bit weighty to lug around. Cuts ok.

 

[White Room]

The Sheppach is a bit weighty to lug around. Cuts ok.

Nothing to shout about then...

 

[TheNamek]

Yeah, I think I'm gonna give up on the Sheppach based on my original feeling about its weight, although I don't plan on moving it about much. I can jiggle designs to use 600ish pieces in order to forego the 850mm capacity.

Thanks for input fellas!

 

[Andy Allen]

Why not look at a decent table saw like a rubi nd200
Imo they cut better than the large rubi basic line rail cutters. .

 

[TheNamek]

Why not look at a decent table saw like a rubi nd200
Imo they cut better than the large rubi basic line rail cutters. .

I had thought about it but don't really fancy trying to man handle a couple of, over a meter, 20mm quartz slabs through a table saw. It's probably me but I can't seem to get very accurate results feeding tile through on a table saw.

 

[TheNamek]

For completion of this thread - bought the Rubi DU200L BL in the end (fast, efficient service from ProTilerTools which had a special offer including stand). Boy, they weren't kidding about it being BASIC Line!

Probably just my unit but, the water pump is utter cr*p - only works when it feels like it. Originally thought it might need priming (filling up) with water but no, just dodgy pump. Worth returning the pump for replacement? Not worth the postage IMHO!

Seems to cut straight but the supplied blade isn't much cop. Says only suitable for ceramics but IMO barely. Dunno if it's just me but does anybody else expect a near perfect edge (no chipping) from a machine (ceramic)? And no, I'm not cutting too fast - tried different rates, from snail's pace to a quickish 15s to cut a 300 ceramic tile. Waiting for ATS continuous blade to compare. I get a better cut (on the surface - ie. no chipping) using a cheapo manual cutter. However, coming from an engineering background I'm a bit fussy about mm accurate cuts, which I can't get from the el cheapo manual cutter.

I bought the Rubi laser add on (not for the DU200 specifically) to reverse engineer onto the saw but there really is no usable place to mount it so there's no speedier way to line up unsquare cuts.

The bed/table is quite narrow. Slim cuts on 600 tiles need support and/or clamping. Rubi do an extension table for the DC range, which is a hook on attachment. It can be reverse engineered to fit the DU but would involve offsetting one side of the table and, therefore, the attached guide/rule.

The stand does the job but has no adjustments whatsoever for unflat surfaces. It's narrow and doesn't have splayed feet so can feel a bit unstable

Anybody else a bit disapponted with the lack of thought or pragmatic design (with negligible increase to production cost) going into products? The tank (ie bottom of the saw) is completely flat, other than the mounting flanges for the stand. It's clearly designed to go on the (stupidly) optional dedicated stand anyway so why they didn't stamp graduated grooves sloping (on two axis) toward the drain hole is beyond me. Perhaps it's just my industrial designer training nagging at me there!

Other than those niggles, the saw seems to do what it says on the tin. For those interested, there is a good thread over at http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=94011 where one has been thoroughly tested and modded. To me, although it's supposed to be a basic product, it could benefit from these fixes to warrant the extra premium over the competing basic offerings from QEP/Vitrex.

Just my two penneth.