# Debate, Wet Saw vs Scratch Board for exposed cuts



## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

That last saw does fit in a small bathroom, it's very tight but it does fit. That table is 20 x 36 I think.


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

TNTSERVICES said:


> Like I've said there are only a hand full of cuts that need to be cut with a grinder. 90% of cuts can be accomplished with a snapper.
> 
> No need to contain any mess or lug a wet saw up to that second floor. A process that I doubt takes just 15 minutes. Maybe 15 in a garage that you can back right up to, but not as far away as you are describing here.


As I said, a snapper is definitely a part of most jobs. But they cannot accomplish everything. A grinder just cannot match the speed and precision of a wet saw. And lugging a saw upstairs on a large job just makes good sense. As you know, some remodel jobs can be quite a distance from anywhere you can make a cut. Not sure why you feel the need to run guys down for doing it differently than you.


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

TNTSERVICES said:


> That's not an average bathroom around here. 5x8 or 6x9 is the average.


Wow, you can judge the size of that bath from that little pic. Man, you *are *good.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

HS345 said:


> As I said, a snapper is definitely a part of most jobs. But they cannot accomplish everything. A grinder just cannot match the speed and precision of a wet saw. And lugging a saw upstairs on a large job just makes good sense. As you know, some remodel jobs can be quite a distance from anywhere you can make a cut. Not sure why you feel the need to run guys down for doing it differently than you.


I'm not running anyone or anything down. You may need a bit thicker skin.

It's actually you who confronted me making claims that snappers were faster than saws and that one can accomplish most cuts with that and a grinder. So let's not try and rewrite history. 

It's just silly to keep saying a grinder can not match a wet saw. I even posted plenty of pics to prove it. How many exposed cuts does the average job have? Maybe half dozen to a dozen?

I don't think lugging a wet saw upstairs for a dozen cuts makes good sense. It's just my opinion.

What's funny is if you searched CT you would find a thread where a few guys were trying to convince me on the wonders of a snapper and grinder. I thought just like you do.

And do I have to keep saying that I have said numerous times that a wet saw had its time and place? How quickly we forget.


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

rrk said:


> That is what I do with a real small rigid table saw type saw on the exact same table. I had your same saw for a short time but it was way to noisy for me, even with hearing protectors it gave me headaches.
> 
> I could not set up your other saw in someones occupied master bedroom for fear of a major water spill. It may not happen but I don't want to take a chance.


If you look at that large setup, it has two plastic mortar tubs under the saw, and the pump and saw water is placed in a bucket, the plastic funnels all water into the tubs. There is little chance for a spill.

I think the table is a little longer than 36". I actually cut about an inch off the table to make it fit on this job.


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

Man I was thinking of this thread all day. We are doing a shower. Thankfully its a first floor and they have a garage. I don't own a good snapper. Today I would have liked to try one. Hard porcelain! Every cut was slow. Our little MK 7" wet saw is dialed in perfect. Cuts were smooth and chip free...but slow. 

We have 2 more showers coming up. I think a new snapper is in my future.


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

Ours was over $300. But it gets used... The crappy $75 (or whatever they were) that we had previously bought two of and used a bit but seemed to trash almost as many tiles as they broke correctly; those ones just sat on a shelf. Now the snapper always comes to the job.


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## MDjim (Mar 15, 2011)

I just laid a floor with the $130 rubi from hd. Laying 12"x24" tile it did good on regular cuts, but failed at taking an inch off the length of the tile. I'm sure that's where the high end snappers shine.


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

MDjim said:


> I just laid a floor with the $130 rubi from hd. Laying 12"x24" tile it did good on regular cuts, but failed at taking an inch off the length of the tile. I'm sure that's where the high end snappers shine.


I have an old 18" QEP Brutus from HD, it does real nice with most tiles. But you need to keep a sharp wheel in it. The thing I don't like about the Rubi cutters, is the tiny diameter of the wheels. Are the HD versions the same way?


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

MDjim said:


> I just laid a floor with the $130 rubi from hd. Laying 12"x24" tile it did good on regular cuts, but failed at taking an inch off the length of the tile. I'm sure that's where the high end snappers shine.


get a breaker for it

http://www.contractorsdirect.com/Concrete-Saw-Tile-Saw/Rubi-Tile-Cutter/Rubi-TS-Breaker-18933


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

MDjim said:


> I just laid a floor with the $130 rubi from hd. Laying 12"x24" tile it did good on regular cuts, but failed at taking an inch off the length of the tile. I'm sure that's where the high end snappers shine.


Every snapper works a little different and every tile breaks a little different, they have a bit of a learning curve


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## MDjim (Mar 15, 2011)

HS345 said:


> I have an old 18" QEP Brutus from HD, it does real nice with most tiles. But you need to keep a sharp wheel in it. The thing I don't like about the Rubi cutters, is the tiny diameter of the wheels. Are the HD versions the same way?



I'm not sure. It's in my pickup, I'll take a look when I get home this afternoon.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

HS345 said:


> I have an old 18" QEP Brutus from HD, it does real nice with most tiles. But you need to keep a sharp wheel in it. The thing I don't like about the Rubi cutters, is the tiny diameter of the wheels. Are the HD versions the same way?


Rubi sells a variety of blades varying in size.










I also have the Brutus, but discovered how much of a piece of junk it was compared to real snappers.










So I went out and bought a real snapper.


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

TNTSERVICES said:


> Rubi sells a variety of blades varying in size.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Didn't know about different blades. I assume that's depending on type of tile? Do you get them online or at your tile shop?

Mine only has one kind of blade at theirs.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> Didn't know about different blades. I assume that's depending on type of tile? Do you get them online or at your tile shop?
> 
> Mine only has one kind of blade at theirs.


I get them at my tile shop. They have a bunch of options. And yes they are for different tiles. Here is what Rubi states:


6 mm for glass and wall tiles
8 mm for smooth tile
10 mm for regular tiles
18 mm for granulated and difficult to cut porcelain tiles
22 mm For sharp cuttings in hard ceramics

Hope that helps.


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## Groutface (Jan 20, 2011)

I have same snapper Ruby TX 700


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## TaylorMadeAB (Nov 11, 2014)

I'm convinced about the grinder/snapper method, but what about doing kitchen backsplash with 1"X1" mosaic? Does the grinder do a fine job?
I was looking at getting a 24" sigma but it has a price tag of $600 at my flooring store. 
I think if I got the Cadillac of snappers, and a smaller wet tile saw, I'd never have to carry my monster of an ROK 10" again.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

TaylorMadeCon said:


> I'm convinced about the grinder/snapper method, but what about doing kitchen backsplash with 1"X1" mosaic? Does the grinder do a fine job?
> I was looking at getting a 24" sigma but it has a price tag of $600 at my flooring store.
> I think if I got the Cadillac of snappers, and a smaller wet tile saw, I'd never have to carry my monster of an ROK 10" again.


Craig has a video on cutting glass with the snapper. But to answer your question I haven't had an issue to date with cutting it with a grinder.

I like that little mini saw that Craig posted. I have bought and returned about half a dozen of those mini's from various manufacturers and they were all junk with very poor water supply and management as well as power.


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## illbuildit.dd (Jan 7, 2015)

TaylorMadeCon said:


> I'm convinced about the grinder/snapper method, but what about doing kitchen backsplash with 1"X1" mosaic? Does the grinder do a fine job?
> I was looking at getting a 24" sigma but it has a price tag of $600 at my flooring store.
> I think if I got the Cadillac of snappers, and a smaller wet tile saw, I'd never have to carry my monster of an ROK 10" again.


I cut small tiles by holding them with channel locks and use the grinder. I've never had a problem.


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## TaylorMadeAB (Nov 11, 2014)

illbuildit.dd said:


> I cut small tiles by holding them with channel locks and use the grinder. I've never had a problem.



I'm really starting to see how I can shave hours off of my tiling jobs. You just use a normal grinder with a diamond wheel?


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