# Tile saw recommendations?



## MAD Renovations (Nov 18, 2007)

TNTSERVICES said:


> Where did I say that it was the same as the DeWalt saw? I just said that it was a good saw. I actually said nothing about DeWalt, good or bad. And sometime you pay too much just for a brand name....:whistling...when a less expensive model will do the job that you need to do...:laughing:


 
I agree...... I just enjoy the finer things in life!!!:w00t:


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## sandboxdoc (Jul 15, 2009)

Tattoo said:


> I agree...... I just enjoy the finer things in life!!!:w00t:


:notworthy:laughing:finer things in life cost 3x sometimes? guess you like high maintenance women?


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Tattoo said:


> I agree...... I just enjoy the finer things in life!!!:w00t:


If you think that an $800 wet saw is "the finer things in life", you need to get out more. I am secure enough to not have to pay too much for something that I don't need to impress people I don't care about. :clap:

And you still failed to answer my question. When did I compare the Chicago Electric saw to the DeWalt saw? :whistling


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## sandboxdoc (Jul 15, 2009)

I forget to ask one question before I make the buy leap. I'm going to cut a lot of porcelain tiles as well. Will the dewalt hiccup over that?


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## snowDrift (Oct 4, 2010)

wow some people on these sites wine so friken much it's quite hillariouse.

When I'm about to purchanse an investment like this I look at it from a few different points of view. And COST is actually my last point of view. I would rather go with a more expensive and higher quality than a cheaper one for this reason:

All of my tools are either dewalt, ridgit or hilti and Im proud of them because they have not failed me yet and dont think they will because they are made for contractors to use them daily. Another question most people dont think about is, what will your customer/vendor think of u when you walk onto a 15,000sq.ft. project with a cheap ass tool? I think that is very important. And i'm not saying that the you the contractor will be able to do the job any better with the $900.00 delwat saw compared to a $100.00 HF saw. Because the skill is all in the contractors head. Instead i love it when I walk onto the project and my vendor prides him self that they have great contractors with quality tools rather than someone who keeps coming onto the job with cheap brand name tools when the project is set at a nice high price.


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

sandboxdoc said:


> I forget to ask one question before I make the buy leap. I'm going to cut a lot of porcelain tiles as well.  Will the dewalt hiccup over that?



You've hit on something very important, the motor!

I'll be honest, I got rid of my Dewalt because I felt I was over powering it. Did it ever fail? No. Did it ever come close to failing? No. Did it do everything I asked it to? Yes. 

I just felt it was time to move to the best available. Once I got to a Baldor motor it made a huge difference in my opinion on tile saws. You routinely hear about guys with old Felker or Target saws that are 10, 15 & even 20 years old. There is no cheap plastic on my big Felker saw to break. So for me, the $200 extra spent on the Felker over a Dewalt is chump change. 

If you're gonna consider low end stuff like Chicago Electric, than you mind as well shop Ryobi, Husky and QEP saws too. Don't let some internet tool review site tell you what is good. Do your own search and look what other professional contractors are using and saying about a saw before deciding to buy one.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

angus242 said:


> You've hit on something very important, the motor!
> 
> I'll be honest, I got rid of my Dewalt because I felt I was over powering it. Did it ever fail? No. Did it ever come close to failing? No. Did it do everything I asked it to? Yes.
> 
> ...


I am sorry but Angus you are wrong about the Chicago Electric.

There is no plastic on this saw (unlike the DeWalt I might add) like you indicate. It is not in the same league as Husky or Ryobi and to characterize it as such is misleading.

It has a beefy 2.5HP (DeWalt 1.5HP, maybe that was why you felt it was not up to the challenge) 15 Amp motor which turns at a dizzying 3550 RPM. I have never had it bog down and I have cut pretty much everything with it.

The only issue you have with it really is the price and where you have to purchase it. Face it you are a tool snob.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

TNTSERVICES said:


> I am sorry but Angus you are wrong about the Chicago Electric.
> 
> There is no plastic on this saw (unlike the DeWalt I might add) like you indicate. It is not in the same league as Husky or Ryobi and to characterize it as such is misleading.
> 
> ...



The quality of the motor is as important as its HP rating. Especially if you want it to last. I have motors that are around 3" long and 1.5" wide that can put out 6-7 HP at as much as 50,000rpm at 85% efficiency! Efficiency plays a big part in motors. Some are as bad as 40-50% efficient so that means the other 50% of the Power is being turned into heat. Which as you know is bad for motors. I have found the dewalt motor to be fine. Just the over day I was cutting over an inch of porcelain tile with ease and was surprised at how well the dewalt was cutting. The tile was the hardest tile I have ever come across. I burnt through 1 diamond drill bit every 4 holes!!! It was stupidly hard. It's also nothing to do with being a snob. We all know that with tools you get what you pay for. I have stopped buying stuff from HF for this exact reason. I have had to return almost every tool I have ever purchased form there. Total waste of time and money.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

BCConstruction said:


> The quality of the motor is as important as its HP rating. Especially if you want it to last. I have motors that are around 3" long and 1.5" wide that can put out 6-7 HP. Efficiency alsos plays a big part in motors. Some are as bad as 40-50% efficient so that means the other 50% of the Power is being turned into heat. Which as you know is bad for motors. I have found the dewalt motor to be fine. Just the over day I was cutting over an inch of porcelain tile with ease and was surprised at how well the dewalt was cutting. The tile was the hardest tile I have ever come across. I burnt through 1 diamond drill bit every 4 holes!!! I was stupidly hard. It's also nothing to do with being a snob. We all know that with tools you get what you pay for. I have stopped buying stuff from HF for this exact reason. I have had to return almost every tool I have ever purchased form there. Total waste of time and money.


But we are not talking about every tool you have bought. We are speaking of the tile saw. I have purchased and two others that I know have purchased and are very please with it's performance and it's power. It does not get hot, so I would assume that the motor is pretty efficient. It also has a substantial heat sink to pull any heat away from the motor.

Yes, it is true that you get what you pay for, but there are always exceptions to the rule. I am always looking for the best product that meet the spec of the job and for the best price.

I am not an idiot. I buy quality products. Most of my tools are Bosch and we know that they are not on the bottom of the pile. They are much closer to the top. When I wanted a mini lathe I didn't go to HF and get their model, because it looked cheap, had a crappy motor, had had no features. I purchased a Jet from Woodcraft. I spent 4x's the amount on a nicer lathe.

The Chicago Electric Tile Saw does not look cheap. It does not operate like an inexpensive tile saw. It is not in the same class as the Ryobi or Husky as suggested. I will also reiterate, that it is also not a high end tile saw, but one that will do the job that it was designed to do.

Angus, you are correct you should listen to the pros. There are several reviews from pros on the Harbor freight website for this tile saw. Sucks to have to eat your own words. Even the PRO's say it's a good saw.:notworthy:clap::notworthy

http://www.harborfreight.com/25-horsepower-10-inch-industrial-tile-brick-saw-95385.html?p=1


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

How do you know these guys are pro's and that they use the saws day in day out? :blink: Seems like most bought the tile to do a small job and then let it sit. Buying a cheap tool to use 4-5 times a year is fine and nothing wrong with that. Just don't expect it to have the quality, accuracy, life expectancy and after sales service that a good quality saw has.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

BCConstruction said:


> How do you know these guys are pro's and that they use the saws day in day out? :blink: Seems like most bought the tile to do a small job and then let it sit. Buying a cheap tool to use 4-5 times a year is fine and nothing wrong with that. Just don't expect it to have the quality, accuracy, life expectancy and after sales service that a good quality saw has.


How do I know your a pro? You guys are something else. You guys are weak in argument. I never said that most of the reviews were from pros, but that pros reviewed the saw and liked it. I have provided enough evidence to prove that it is not a cheap saw. You are going to cling to being a tool snob and have no real want or desire to listen to actual good reasoning.

Can't Beat It For The Price! Review by Geoff 


I am a contractor and bought this saw figuring if it held out for two jobs it would pay for itself in the charges I would have paid to rent one. It has more than paid for itself! I have used it for 5 large brick patio jobs and 25+ tile jobs and it has worked as well as the MK ones I have always rented. I have had it for over 4 years. I had to replace the belt on it once and the pump but I abuse this saw. I would definitely recommend it to anyway.
(Posted on 9/29/10)

good saw Review by JMG services 


I have one since 2005 and I have to say that it is great, good power, good capasity I'm still using the same blade but I will upgrade it soon, I love HFT tools I have a few of them, I know they are not perfect but remember that you are not paying as you should pay for a big brand tool, this machine will do the job with not problem and by the end of the day you'll save some money if you compare a similar machine from HD $ 799.00 or more
(Posted on 9/23/10)


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

TNTSERVICES said:


> How do I know your a pro? You guys are something else. You guys are weak in argument. I never said that most of the reviews were from pros, but that pros reviewed the saw and liked it. I have provided enough evidence to prove that it is not a cheap saw. You are going to cling to being a tool snob and have no real want or desire to listen to actual good reasoning.
> 
> Can't Beat It For The Price! Review by Geoff
> 
> ...


OK.

Now go get a Chicago Electric rotary hammer drill that is the equivalent of a Hilti TE-16 and use it to drill a thousand 3/4" holes in prestressed concrete per day, every day, for a week. It will burn up before the first day is over, I know, I tried it.

You are arguing with people that use a tile saw eight to ten hours a day EVERYDAY, about the quality of a tool you use on an occasional basis, you're not educating anyone, you establishing yourself as someone that most of the professionals in the flooring business would simply ignore.

It would be a hoot to watch a Chicago Electric anything try and cut terrazzo.


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

TNT, you want to debate, fine. But check the name calling. You are barking up the wrong tree by going there.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

TNTSERVICES said:


> good saw Review by JMG services
> 
> 
> I have one *since 2005* and I have to say that it is great, good power, good capasity I'm still using the *same blade* but I will upgrade it soon, I love HFT tools I have a few of them, I know they are not perfect but remember that you are not paying as you should pay for a big brand tool, this machine will do the job with not problem and by the end of the day you'll save some money if you compare a similar machine from HD $ 799.00 or more
> (Posted on 9/23/10)


Yep, that there sounds like a real pro. :whistling 

The CE machines at HF are generally big ugly clunky-looking things, with little attention paid to aesthetics. While that doesn't in and of itself make them inferior in performance and longevity, it does seem to provide a clue. Especially when taken in concert with the general quality of all HF offerings.

"Snobbery" is kind of a harsh term. Generally, odds are that any given HF product is not going to be at the top of the list in quality and durability. Certainly there are exceptions, but when it's going to cost real money either way, I prefer to take my business to a different class of vendor. :thumbsup:


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

TNTSERVICES said:


> How do I know your a pro? You guys are something else. You guys are weak in argument. I never said that most of the reviews were from pros, but that pros reviewed the saw and liked it. I have provided enough evidence to prove that it is not a cheap saw. You are going to cling to being a tool snob and have no real want or desire to listen to actual good reasoning.
> 
> Can't Beat It For The Price! Review by Geoff
> 
> ...


Above is my point exactly. These guys use the tool a few times a year. These are not expert in the field of tiling and they wouldn't know a good tool if it hit them in the face.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

KillerToiletSpider said:


> OK.
> 
> Now go get a Chicago Electric rotary hammer drill that is the equivalent of a Hilti TE-16 and use it to drill a thousand 3/4" holes in prestressed concrete per day, every day, for a week. It will burn up before the first day is over, I know, I tried it.
> 
> ...


No one really pays attention do they. I have stated several times that this saw does not compare to a high end saw. I have laid a lot of tile, but it is not my bread and butter. If you actually paid attention, the original post was about buying a saw for one long job. Not for a professional tiler. It was for someone, like me, who is doing a tile job as part of a larger project.

The pros took offense to me recommending the an inexpensive saw for this contractor. But the original poster doesn't need an $600-$1000 saw. He needs something that will get his job done and be profitable for him.

As in your example, you tried the Chicago Electric hammer drill and it failed for you. I have tried the saw and it worked for me. I am simply supplying that as advice for this contractor. My personal experience, and many on the web agree that this is not a bad buy.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

BCConstruction said:


> Above is my point exactly. These guys use the tool a few times a year. These are not expert in the field of tiling and they wouldn't know a good tool if it hit them in the face.


Uhh...You make MY point. The original poster does not need your high end saw, he needs a saw that he is going to use for this one 3-5 month job. He is an electrician and plumber pulling up pavers and laying tile so that he can run pipe. I think Angus mentioned renting a saw.

So you would recommend him buy a $600 saw when all he needs is a $200 saw.

You guys are acting like I am telling a guy looking getting into tiling as a full time gig to get a cheap saw. Come on get real.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

I would get a Raimondi.

and a Husky table top for the delicate cuts.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

TNTSERVICES said:


> Uhh...You make MY point. The original poster does not need your high end saw, he needs a saw that he is going to use for this one 3-5 month job. He is an electrician and plumber pulling up pavers and laying tile so that he can run pipe. I think Angus mentioned renting a saw.
> 
> So you would recommend him buy a $600 saw when all he needs is a $200 saw.
> 
> You guys are acting like I am telling a guy looking getting into tiling as a full time gig to get a cheap saw. Come on get real.


What's funny is all the times I seen guys with cheap tile saw do tile jobs they don't do a very good job. I'm not saying your not a good tiler but you never see a good tiler with a cheap saw as they know better. A 15000k sqft job is a job for a pro requiring a pro saw. Would you also use cheap thinset and cheap grout because it does the same thing? If the guy was a good tiler and wanted a tool that could do a good job then they should buy a good quality saw then sell it after the job if they don't want to keep it. I have seen the saw in my local HF many a time and I laugh every time I see it. I can't help my self to start messing with it to remind me why I bought a good saw. You could put a 50hp motor onto it but it don't change the fact that the saw is crap for anything but home owner grade work. :whistling


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## sandboxdoc (Jul 15, 2009)

Well guys I went out and bought a dewalt and a harbor freight tile saw. That harbor freight tile saw with a nice diamond blade bought seperate definately had the power to cut my test sample pieces of poreclain. The dewalt was a bit sluggish cutting porecelain tiles.

no bull**** answer for you guys.

I'm keeping both saws... the dewalt for other tile pieces. The harbor is definately going to be for what Harbor is known for... heavy use and abuse (those damn pavers).


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