# acoustic tile cutter



## p.e. (Jan 20, 2010)

i am looking for a cutter acoustic tile for a a making recess 
any body have or exist a tools for cutting ege ?

thank s in advance

p.e.


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## dhall (Nov 7, 2007)

Any box store has them or commercial tile supply house.


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## BuildersII (Dec 20, 2009)

Here's what you're looking for: http://tinyurl.com/yd32xm8


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## BillD (Jun 9, 2008)

I never saw a cutter made specifically for this application. But it has been a while since I put in a ceiling with recessed tiles. In the past I always used some electrical tape around my finger / thumb and a utility knife.

Bill


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## p.e. (Jan 20, 2010)

yess i know bill its a hold method, but i looking for a new tools
thank s

p.e.


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## AtlRemodeling (Jan 23, 2008)

try this one:

http://www.contractortalk.com/f8/cutting-recessed-ceiling-tile-69703/


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## Carpenter Wayne (Dec 21, 2009)

Those cutters don't allow for "scribing" to the wall/angle. You might as well use a table saw & dado blade (same diff). There's no way around scribing ea. tile in place so that the fit is 100% - any other way and it'll look like a hack did the job and you'll not be getting anymore work from that GC (after being made to come back and fix it all) :laughing:


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## JKBARR127 (Jan 13, 2010)

i agree w wayne 100%. if its not scribed on the wall angle it will just be close and if its just close its wrong.


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## AtlRemodeling (Jan 23, 2008)

Hey Carpenter I have a quick question for you in regards to scribing to the wall. Is this due to walls being out of square or not straight? Call it inexperience as I have done a grand total of 2 dropped ceilings and both were on basements we built so we did not have these issues. 

Just curious if there is something else I need to be aware of if a dropped ceiling comes up in the future.

Thanks.


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## d-rock (Oct 17, 2009)

AtlRemodeling said:


> Hey Carpenter I have a quick question for you in regards to scribing to the wall. Is this due to walls being out of square or not straight? Call it inexperience as I have done a grand total of 2 dropped ceilings and both were on basements we built so we did not have these issues.
> 
> Just curious if there is something else I need to be aware of if a dropped ceiling comes up in the future.
> 
> Thanks.


 They're talking about tegular tiles. They must be scribed at the ends to drop in and maintain a reveal.


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## Carpenter Wayne (Dec 21, 2009)

d-rock said:


> They're talking about tegular tiles. They must be scribed at the ends to drop in and maintain a reveal.


Correct,

for reveal tiles you have to scribe them to the wall angle so they drop down in place and maintain the reveal with a tight fit -

I guess I mis-read the original posters question here - seems he's looking for some sort of tool that just cuts tile to length to save his finger (standard/regular tile that only drops in) not 2x2 reveal tiles that drop in and sit below the grid approx. a 1/4 in

I can see where a tool for cutting tile to length would be handy but there's no getting around the old fashion scribbing method for reveals


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## Elyrain (Dec 17, 2007)

BuildersII said:


> Here's what you're looking for:


LMAO, the first link on that search page is this thread...


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## AoxomoxoA (Feb 3, 2010)

Sometimes running for a specialty tool is a waste of time and money. Cutting in a tile is something anyone can do. First make sure your utility knife blade is sharp (i carry a stone and constantly resharpen the blade as ceiling tile will quickly dull a blade and a sharp knife is much easier to work with), next cut the tile to fit the opening (i assume your looking to cut the reveal at the wall mold) next very carefully run the knifes point along the wall mold to score the tile. remove the tile and cut along the line created by scoring the tile. Finally cut perpendicular to the original cut line and presto a perfect reveal. The problem with a shadowline cutter it the wall mold is never perfectly parallel to the ceiling grid. If your looking for a perfect look, try my way. If not go drop 40 bucks on a inferior tool.


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## d-rock (Oct 17, 2009)

AoxomoxoA said:


> Sometimes running for a specialty tool is a waste of time and money. Cutting in a tile is something anyone can do. First make sure your utility knife blade is sharp (i carry a stone and constantly resharpen the blade as ceiling tile will quickly dull a blade and a sharp knife is much easier to work with), next cut the tile to fit the opening (i assume your looking to cut the reveal at the wall mold) next very carefully run the knifes point along the wall mold to score the tile. remove the tile and cut along the line created by scoring the tile. Finally cut perpendicular to the original cut line and presto a perfect reveal. The problem with a shadowline cutter it the wall mold is never perfectly parallel to the ceiling grid. If your looking for a perfect look, try my way. If not go drop 40 bucks on a inferior tool.


What local you with ?


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## pav180 (Feb 6, 2010)

we stopped rebating our edge tiles years ago.we'd cut in tiles with fine snap-off blades only to find another trade had taken out tiles and flaked all the edges.This happened way too often so now we just set our main grid about 4mm(depending on thickness of tile) above the edge trim.The underside of the tile then sits flush on the trim with no need for rebating.We then use a "teg packer" to keep any main runner or noggin tight against the tile rebate.You still get the drop down effect of the tile inthe main area but achieve a much neater finish around the edge.
Some fixers over cut their t bars slightly over and bend over the last 4mm to raise the t so dont need the packers.


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## SpeedKing (Dec 17, 2011)

Use a 4' tee on it's side for a straight edge, also one side of the tee will protect your fingers. Measure inside to inside of ceiling grid and add 3/8", make cut then use cutter above for reveal.


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## SSC (Feb 8, 2011)

pav180 said:


> we stopped rebating our edge tiles years ago.we'd cut in tiles with fine snap-off blades only to find another trade had taken out tiles and flaked all the edges.This happened way too often so now we just set our main grid about 4mm(depending on thickness of tile) above the edge trim.The underside of the tile then sits flush on the trim with no need for rebating.We then use a "teg packer" to keep any main runner or noggin tight against the tile rebate.You still get the drop down effect of the tile inthe main area but achieve a much neater finish around the edge.
> Some fixers over cut their t bars slightly over and bend over the last 4mm to raise the t so dont need the packers.



This is not the right way to do tegular tiles. 

I once had a foreman who had little buttons he would put under the ends of the T's to cheat and save time :laughing::laughing:


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## slowsol (Aug 27, 2005)

SSC said:


> This is not the right way to do tegular tiles.
> 
> I once had a foreman who had little buttons he would put under the ends of the T's to cheat and save time :laughing::laughing:


LOL. I worked with a guy that told me to just bend up the wall angle and you don't need to notch the tiles.  I let him show me. :no: "Not happening here. Looks like crap."


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

The problem with every profile cutter I have used is that the blades dull quickly and thus you end up damaging the very tiles your attempting to craft. I usually place the border in mark my cut and then either take them home to the shop or have them cut in unity on site. I learned from an old timer to use athletes foot spray as touch up for the pads. Its unbelievable but it works with 0 flash.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

ohiohomedoctor said:


> The problem with every profile cutter I have used is that the blades dull quickly and thus you end up damaging the very tiles your attempting to craft. I usually place the border in mark my cut and then either take them home to the shop or have them cut in unity on site. I learned from an old timer to use athletes foot spray as touch up for the pads. Its unbelievable but it works with 0 flash.


Funny the stuff you would never think of using works the best. Gotta love old timers!


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

TNTSERVICES said:


> Funny the stuff you would never think of using works the best. Gotta love old timers!


Yeah, the first time I bought a $7 can and sprayed it on a $4 tile I thought the joke was going to be on me. Makes you wonder how they figured that out....


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## catfish/carpent (Nov 26, 2011)

i usually just talk the gc's out of the recessed tiles being cut on the edges by showing them it looks like crap, it works most of the time, but however i had a little rigid router with it a strait gaurd on it that allowed me to route the edges, definately messy and nasty smelling, but looks pretty good


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## joshua1 (Feb 13, 2009)

Most of the office ceilings we refurb have recessed tile, most are done with the "bend the end of the track down 4mm" method to eliminate cutting a recess. We used to cut the receses with a craft knife, but usually it ends up looking worse than the bent track method. We use a 3/4" timber batten on the wall, painted black, with the ceiling angle pinned to it to create a shadow gap and it looks good. Cutting recesses is slooow and always seems to end up looking messy.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

I cut 'em with a utility knife. Straightedge for the face cut, freehand for the side. Haven't had any complaints.


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## slowsol (Aug 27, 2005)

Tinstaafl said:


> I cut 'em with a utility knife. Straightedge for the face cut, freehand for the side. Haven't had any complaints.


Agreed. :thumbup:

We have hired out thousands upon thousands of sf of tegular acoustic, and every single one gets cut and notched.


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## Zendik (Sep 18, 2005)

Cut the tile to size then make your side/reveal cut and place the tile in the grid then make your cut along the angle, lift up tile and slide off the excess.

I can get 20-30 boxes of tile up on the border without breaking a sweat this way.


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