Repair is often associated with laying ceramic tiles. in the kitchen, in the bathroom and toilet. The main task is to gently glue it to the wall or floor to get a flat surface, without drops and pits. This will require a building level, as well as tile cutter, with which you need to cut tiles exactly to size.
Fundamentals of design and technological capabilities
Tile cutter. This is a generalized name for construction tools for direct, curved or even figured cutting of tiles. The classification of the variety of these tools is based on the type of drive movement. So, tile cutters can be:
- Tame;
- Mechanized or electric.
Manual tile cutter consists of a base. a bed, a carriage with a roller and a handle. It resembles the principle of a conventional glass cutter. a cutting roller is used to cut the glaze of the tile. She at this moment is clamped in the case on the principle of pliers. After receiving a cut of the glaze, the tiles break off along it. To obtain a more even and accurate cut, guides are used that set the clamping field of the tile. Sometimes manual tile cutter desktop version can be used to produce round holes.
Electric tile cutter. a device equipped with an electric drive that drives a diamond cutting disc. The principle of operation of this version of the tile cutter is similar to a circular saw. ceramic tile moves along the guide to get a smooth and accurate cut. One of the varieties of mechanized tile cutter is a tape, equipped with a diamond tape. To cool the tiles, water is introduced into the cutting area, which also rinses off the cutting products.
In order to properly cut ceramic tiles, you need to know how to use a tile cutter.
How to use a manual tile cutter
Before how to use a manual tile cutter, it is necessary to check its condition. all parts must be without visible damage, the cutting roller must rotate without jamming. Its surface should be a regular round shape, without burrs and potholes. Moving the carriage with it should also be carried out without jerking or jamming. As a rule, for these purposes, a radial bearing is provided in the design of the manual tile cutter. It is also worth checking the condition of the bed, before working the tile cutter, it is necessary to clean its surface from visible impurities.
Video: How to Use a Tile Cutter Manual Video
- The surface of the tile is marked with an ordinary construction pencil according to the required dimensions.
- The tile is located on the bed of the tile cutter so that the marked line of the cut coincides with the path of the carriage on which the cutting roller is fixed. It is important that the distance to the cut from the edge of the tile is at least 10 mm, otherwise an inaccurate edge will result.
- The carriage is held along the markings with a slight pressure. It is important at the moment to feel the required amount of pressure so as not to push the tile, but also to get a cut of the required depth so that the glaze of the tile is cut. It is allowed to roll on the tile surface only once, otherwise the cut may turn out to be uneven.
- Now the handle of the tile cutter is rotated to the working position, the field of which, with a sharp and confident movement, it lowers, as a result, the tile gently breaks along the previously obtained cut.
Experts advise to soak it in water before cutting ceramic tiles. A drop of engine oil applied along the cut line also simplifies the cutting process. You can also read an article on the topic of how to cut tiles with a tile cutter and without it.
And for a more detailed analysis of the use of a manual tile cutter, I recommend watching a video (using the Walmer tile cutter as an example).
And one more (for example, RUBI TX-N tile cutter).
It will be convenient to work with a manual tile cutter if the amount of work is not too large, and the hardness of the tile is small or medium. In the case of a more durable tile, it is better to resort to the use of an electric tile cutter.
How to use an electric tile cutter
The use of a more technological device. an electric tile cutter allows you to get a very neat cut with somewhat rounded and smooth edges. There are no sharp edges that are obtained when working with a manual tile cutter when cutting ceramic tiles with an electric drive. It also allows you to cut pieces of tile with a width of less than 5 millimeters.
The technology of cutting tiles on an electric tile cutter looks like this:
- Before how to use a tile cutter, you need to mark the tile.
- Lay the tile on the tile cutter table along the adjusted guide.
- Turn on the rotation of the diamond disc and supply water to it.
- Gently move the tile to the disc with both hands. At the moment the tile is brought under the disk, the pressure on it should be minimal. After embedding it can be slightly increased. If you push the tiles too hard at the time of cutting, strong vibrations may appear and the tiles will crack. When the diamond wheel exits at the time of cutting, it is necessary to also reduce the pressure force so that chips and bumps do not form.
- Get a neat cut and set the tile aside.
- Turn off the rotation of the disc and the water supply.
When working with electric tile cutter, it is worth considering the recommendations of specialists. It is important that during the operation the tile is neatly and evenly pressed to the tile cutter table, otherwise vibrations will appear. Also, the uneven arrangement of the tile on the table can lead to a jamming of the blade in the central section of the tile or to the capture of the tile by the disk, resulting in an inaccurate incision, not directed along the marking line. For the exact movement of the tile, you must use the guides, as well as press the tile with two hands, if you press on it with one hand, you can also get an uneven cut.
Do not forget about the periodic replacement of water in the tank, as all cutting products. dust and larger particles of the tile. get into it. They can lead to contamination of the diamond disk and its subsequent seizing, which in the worst case can lead to damage to the disk or tile. Damage to the drive when the tile cutter drive is turned on is dangerous in terms of injury to the worker. If you see that the disk is excessively dirty or worn, then you should replace it with a new one. In this case, you will be able to make a neat and smooth cut.
And for fixing you can see video how to use an electric tile cutter on the example of the caliber PLE-200 900.