using a angle grinder to cut ceramic tiles
What determines the price of a circle?
Replaceable elements designed for the processing of hard materials are usually diamond-coated, which gives the cutting edge extra strength. It is the diamond coating that significantly increases the cost of nozzle wheels. But they are also the strongest and most durable, easily coping with difficult processing tasks.
A more simplified option is a stone disc designed for sawing a small amount of tiles. It costs much less, but wears out faster, creates a lot of dust and does not allow achieving high processing accuracy.
Professional wheels for cutting with a diameter from 125 mm to 350 mm are also distinguished by a high cost. They are distinguished by their maximum durability, excellent spraying and cutting quality, even with regular use. Such attachments can be used to cut not only tiles, but also marble, granite massifs and even reinforced concrete.
Steel rims
Blades made of steel form a large product group, which includes wheels for dry and wet cutting, as well as combined models. Steel discs are very tough and durable, and diamond-coated makes them suitable for the hardest materials.
Diamond grit is applied by the manufacturer in three methods:
- silver solder. the cheapest products suitable for household use. Potential service life is low due to the loss of strength of the solder when heated;
- laser soldering. heavy-duty wheels of a high price segment, used on an industrial scale. They perfectly cope with the processing of workpieces of any strength;
- form-fitting. diamond chips are embedded in the surface during the heating of the disc edge with electricity. They belong to the middle price segment, they serve for a relatively long time, which makes it possible to recommend them for processing large volumes of tiles.
Combined
Combination wheels combine dry and wet cutting capabilities. This nozzle is a cross between solid and segmented discs. In terms of cut quality, it is inferior to solid modifications, but outperforms segmented ones. As for the time of continuous operation, it requires breaks more often than segment, but less often than continuous.
Do not use water cooling on the combination disc. It does not withstand temperature extremes, it expands unevenly under the influence of liquid, which is fraught with rupture.
Stone discs
Discs made of stone have only one distinct advantage. affordable cost. But the disadvantages of this type of attachments are much more:
- short service life;
- rapid wear;
- large cutting thickness.
Since it is impossible to make fine cutting of tiles with stone discs, a lot of dust is generated during the work. The accessory creates a number of restrictions in processing. it is used mainly for making simple straight cuts. But for thinner and curly sawing, such discs are not suitable.
How to choose the right drive?
Depending on the modification of the disc, the angle grinder is capable of processing a wide variety of materials. metals, wood, porcelain stoneware, reinforced concrete, natural stone, etc.
Getting rid of dust
One of the disadvantages of an angle grinder is the large amount of dust generated during the sawing process. Here are some “life hacks” to help reduce dust:
- Do not cut through the entire thickness of the tile. just make a small groove, and then just break the tile along the mowing line of the cut.
- Use wet cutting or water cooling to keep debris from flying.
- Get a vacuum cleaner designed for construction needs.
You can use a vacuum cleaner without an assistant. Masters suggest building an impromptu hood from a container and a vacuum cleaner:
- Cut off the top of the plastic canister.
- Cut a round hole in the side for the vacuum cleaner hose.
- Place workpiece and angle grinder over the container.
- Switch on the vacuum cleaner and make a cut over the hood.
Solid dry cutters
Unlike segmented circles, these circles have a flat surface, which makes them versatile. an angle grinder with a solid nozzle can not only make cuts, but also process the edge of the tile with the side of the disk. The absence of slots makes the wheel incapable of continuous work. it can rotate for a maximum of 15 seconds, after which a break of half a minute is required. If there is a need to cut tiles for longer, it will be advisable to use water cooling.
There are three options for supplying water to the work area:
- attract an assistant who will pour liquid from a plastic bottle;
- attach a special nozzle to the body;
- using clamps, screw the armored hose connected to the water supply to the casing.
But water must be used very carefully. if liquid gets under the body of the device, you can get an electric shock.
Solid dry cutters
This type of dry cutter can not only cut ceramic tiles, but also process the cutting edge with a working side surface. The absence of detonation of the tool during operation due to the solid shape of the disc increases the cutting speed, allows you to cut a fragment evenly and reduces the number of chips.
Safety instructions for working with an angle grinder
To avoid injury when working with an angle grinder, the following rules must be followed:
Cutting Bathroom Tiles with an Angle Grinder (Quick Tips).- by Home Repair Tutor
- when working, use personal protective equipment. gloves, overalls, safety shoes, glasses, respirator;
- you can work as a grinder only with a steel protective cover installed on the tool;
- the length of the grinder‘s electric cable must be at least 2 m, which reduces the risk of damage by a rotating disc during operation;
- cut in the direction “away from you”, holding the tool with both hands;
- the direction of rotation of the disc must coincide with the direction of the translational motion of the angle grinder;
- cut the material by immersing the grinder disc into the cutting line no more than one third of the radius;
- each material must be processed with the appropriate disc, that is, the ceramic tile must not be cut with a metal cutting attachment, and the stone cut-off disc is not intended for grinding ceramics (grinding with a steel “dry cutter” is possible);
- when working with an angle grinder, both extremely low and maximum high speed values should be avoided;
- cutting with a grinder material immersed in water in order to reduce the amount of dust generated is prohibited due to the danger of electric shock;
Dust is explosive, so cut or grind the material with an angle grinder in a well-ventilated area.
Cutting rectangular holes in tiles with a grinder
Mark the cut contour with a marker and a ruler on the front side of the tile and drill holes with a diameter of 5-7 mm exactly in its corners, without going beyond the contour boundaries, with a carbide drill. Then, with an angle grinder, through cuts are made between the holes along the perimeter of the rectangular contour, the cut out fragment of ceramic is removed and the corners and the cutting surface are modified with coarse sandpaper or a file.
Cutting Tool Grinding Machine
Angle Grinder Cutting Large Holes
The center of the circle is marked on the ceramics with an alcohol marker and a through hole with a diameter of 3-4 mm is drilled with a carbide drill exactly along the mark. Then, on both sides of the tile, a contour of a circle of a given diameter is applied. with an angle grinder with a disc, cuts are made 1-2 mm deep along the contour of the future hole on both sides of the tile, and then through cuts are made inside the contour and small fragments of ceramics are removed from it with nippers. The inner surface of the cut along the perimeter of the hole can be processed with coarse sandpaper or a file until there are no chips.
Tile cutting with an angle grinder is performed using a diamond grinding wheel
Stone discs
Stone discs are several times cheaper than dry cutters, but they wear out during operation and must be replaced with new ones. In addition, they are thicker than dry cutters, so the thickness of the mowing line for cutting with a stone nozzle is wider and, accordingly, more dust is generated during operation.
In the process of cutting with a stone nozzle, it is necessary to control the condition of its cutting edge. if a chip or burr forms on the edge, the disc must be replaced immediately, since such damage is fraught with destruction of the nozzle and causing injury.
Shaped tile cutting with an angle grinder
If it is required to cut an oval shape from a ceramic tile, then short cuts are made tangentially to the outer contour of the figure with an angle grinder in order to cut off small fragments of ceramics to be removed. At the end of cutting, the surface of the cuts is refined with an abrasive tool until the lines are smooth and there are no chips.
When it is necessary to cut a figured hole in the tile, the material is cut with an angle grinder exactly along the contour, gradually moving away from it inward and increasing the depth of the cut. After cutting through the tile, the edges of the hole are finished with coarse sandpaper.
Direct cutting of ceramic with an angle grinder
On the front side of the ceramic tile, a cutting line is applied with an alcohol marker. the angle grinder is turned on and given a couple of seconds to set the set speed.
The disc on the grinder must be fixed correctly. using a special wrench and in accordance with the direction of rotation indicated on it.
The optimum rotation speed of a disc with a diameter of 100-125 mm when cutting ceramic tiles is 6-8 thousand rpm. The tile is placed on a flat wooden surface, secured with a clamp through a rubber sheet gasket, or you can simply press it against the board with the sole of your foot (wearing special shoes!).
Cutting ceramic tiles can be straight and curly
Exactly along the intended mowing line, an incision is made with a depth of 1-5 mm, depending on the material and thickness of the tile. From the edge of the material, they begin to cut slowly, then the angle grinder is moved faster. this way the cut turns out to be smoother. After making a cut, the tile can be broken by placing a couple of nails under it opposite the beginning and end of the cut.
Discs for cutting ceramics with an angle grinder
For cutting ceramic tiles with an angle grinder, stone or diamond-coated steel discs (dry cutters) are used. Dry cutters, in turn, are divided into solid and segmented. The more intense the diamond spraying on the dry cutter, the more efficient and durable the disc will be.
Safety when working with an angle grinder when cutting ceramics
The angle grinder is one of the most dangerous tools, so it is important to follow the safety rules when working with an angle grinder. To properly cut ceramic tiles, and not get injured, you should adhere to the following rules:
- Carry out work only in overalls. Even if there is only one tile to be cut, you need to wear glasses and gloves. When dust is formed, a respirator must be worn, and in order to avoid injury to the leg, it is necessary to work in boots.
- Only and exclusively carry out work with the protective cover fitted to the tool.
- Cutting must be done from yourself, which will allow you to control the cutting line
- The length of the cable must be sufficient so that during the cutting process it does not fall under the work area.
- The material must be fixed so that during the process it does not move from the speed of rotation of the disc.
- During the cutting process, ask an assistant to help by adding water to the cutting line area of the cut
- The location of the product to be sawn on a flat surface (preferably on a wooden board)
- It is recommended to use an angle grinder with a speed regulator or use a separate device (dimmer), which, by increasing the resistance, will reduce the voltage, and therefore the speed of rotation of the disc. The rotation speed above 9000 rpm is high enough, therefore it is recommended to reduce it to 5-6 thousand
For cutting ceramic tiles, it is not necessary to use high-power tools or attachments with a diameter of more than 125 mm. This is not only inconvenient, but also irrational. Battery-powered angle grinders are great for cutting tiles.
Cutting tiles with an angle grinder which circle to install
If you want to cut ceramic tiles, then there is no need to buy a tile cutter for such purposes. Despite the fact that the tile cutter has a low cost, its purchase is not always rational, since the angle grinder does an excellent job of cutting the material. To do this, you must install the appropriate type of disc or circle in the tool: stone or steel.
These are special cutting blades for cutting hard materials. A prerequisite for the used disk for cutting ceramics is the presence of diamond chips or its dusting. Discs for such tasks are called dry cutters, which are divided into segment and solid.
Consider the types of angle grinder discs that can be used to cut ceramic tiles:
- Stone. one of the simplest options, used when it is necessary to saw a small amount of tiles. It has many disadvantages, so it is rarely used for such purposes. Among the shortcomings, it is worth noting rapid wear, large cutting thickness, and the formation of a large amount of dust. If in the process of cutting ceramics with a stone wheel, a chip or burr forms on the cutting edge, then the product must be replaced. It is dangerous to continue cutting with such a product, as it may fly apart.
- Dry cutters. these circles got this name due to the lack of the need to use water cooling. In this case, the duration of work with such a disk should not exceed 1.5 minutes, since the process of overheating of the product occurs. If, during cutting, a solid spark appears on the product, then this indicates the “licking” of the metal. It is unsafe and not rational to continue working with this phenomenon. To eliminate it, you need to make several cuts in concrete or brick. It was mentioned above that such products are divided into segmented (segmented) and solid.
Segmented dry cutters are discs that have slots in the structure. These slots are directed from the cutting edge to the center hole. Such products are used for cutting materials from porcelain stoneware or natural types of stone. Segments or slots perform a very important function. providing the product with air cooling. The disadvantage of this material is that the service life of the discs is much lower than that of solid discs, which is due to the formation of chips. The presence of detonation can lead to the formation of a chip on the tile, therefore, experts often prefer the second option.
Solid products are universal, as they allow not only cutting ceramics, but also processing the edge with the side part. Solid dry cutters are devoid of all disadvantages, except for the presence of air cooling. When cutting tiles and other similar materials, it is recommended to use water cooling, which allows you to obtain a number of the following advantages:
- Dust free
- Increased product service life by eliminating overheating
- Getting a straight cut line
Cutting ceramic tiles with an angle grinder and how to do it correctly
Ceramic tiles are one of the most demanded materials that are used for laying floors, walls, and various structures in private houses and apartments. This material is so popular that every home craftsman resorts to laying it on his own. In the process of laying ceramic tiles, only one difficulty arises. how and how to cut the material? For such purposes, a specialized tool is used, which can be manual or electric. In addition to the special tools (tile cutters) that you need to buy, you can use an angle grinder or an angle grinder. Not many people know how to properly cut tiles with an angle grinder, so we will pay attention to this issue.
Features of the correct cutting of tiles with an angle grinder
Few people know that the advantage of using an angle grinder for cutting tiles is that you can make not only a straight cut, but also a curved one. It is almost impossible to make a figured cut with a manual tile cutter. If you need to cut tiles with an angle grinder, then you need to do this not only carefully, but also correctly. Consider the existing methods of correct cutting, as well as the features of their implementation.
- Straight cuts, to cut the tiles, you need to apply a straight cut line on the face. The tiles are laid on a wooden base and can be fixed with a clamp with rubberized cushions. After that, the corresponding circle is fixed in the tool. The optimum rotation speed is no more than 6 thousand revolutions per minute. The cutting depth should not be more than 5 mm, depending on the thickness of the material itself. The movement of the tool should not be too slow or too fast, so a moderate movement of the tool will allow you to get an even line. After making a cut along the length of the intended mowing line, you need to put the tile on the edge, and press on both edges. This will cause the tile to break along the mowing line of the cut. The residual edge can be sanded with an angle grinder (side)
Cutting tiles with an angle grinder is a dangerous undertaking. Before doing the work for the first time, it is recommended to practice making different figures in the tile. Having dabbled in working with a tool, you can proceed to the fine cutting of the tile. In any case, damage to new tiles is not as dangerous as injury. Monitor the process of working with the tool to avoid injury.