# Benchtop tile saw workflow



## duburban (Apr 10, 2008)

I'm looking at ridgids Benchtop 7" saw to tide me over until the dewalt. I love the idea of a small saw that's easy to contain and carry but not excited about not having a fence. The ridgid has a wider table which will give me more room for a speed square fence but still small capacity.

How have you found a way to make these work for you?


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## duburban (Apr 10, 2008)

Ps. All my tiling so far has been on a mk370 exp


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## Floormasta78 (Apr 6, 2011)

This one beats Dewalt.. I have a dewalt, but now I'm sold on this one


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## duburban (Apr 10, 2008)

Floormasta78 said:


> This one beats Dewalt.. I have a dewalt, but now I'm sold on this one


Which one is this?

looks like the 660

its hard to imagine only having 3/4 hp on a saw that big.


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## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

duburban said:


> its hard to imagine only having 3/4 hp on a saw that big.


add a "1" to that. 
1.5 HP seemed to be the max for direct drive motors, why I have a few guesses, but only guesses. I've found the biggest problem people seem to have with saws, especially the DW is they put sh*tty/cheap blades on them. Stick an alpha on it and it'll sing.

And as long as we're on the DW and blade subject, DW's XP seems to have two different diamond counts, depending on if the blade is yellow or not. At best, a backup blade, but if ya need one fast, you can find one at most stores.


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## duburban (Apr 10, 2008)

CO762 said:


> add a "1" to that.
> 1.5 HP seemed to be the max for direct drive motors, why I have a few guesses, but only guesses. I've found the biggest problem people seem to have with saws, especially the DW is they put sh*tty/cheap blades on them. Stick an alpha on it and it'll sing.
> 
> And as long as we're on the DW and blade subject, DW's XP seems to have two different diamond counts, depending on if the blade is yellow or not. At best, a backup blade, but if ya need one fast, you can find one at most stores.


the 660 he shows is listed at 3/4 hp. my plan is to get a really nice blade on the cheapo saw to tide me over. i'm just wondering if theres a way to extend the channel on the table that you'd stick a speed square on. 

should i expect to mark every cut and free hand any tile to big for the factory fence?


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## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

My bad then, I thought it was the tx3.

Why not use the lil MK?
http://www.amazon.com/MK-Diamond-15...ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1331244729&sr=1-3

I used a benchtop tile saw once and the biggest challenge seemed to be in keeping my crotch dry. But I must have been using the floortop model. 

My opinion is if you're going to spend 2 bills on something smaller as a stop gap, why not just wait until the larger saw comes or you get another 5 bills and get a saw you can use for pretty much everything most tilers would do.


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

duburban said:


> I'm looking at ridgids Benchtop 7" saw to tide me over until the dewalt. I love the idea of a small saw that's easy to contain and carry but not excited about not having a fence. The ridgid has a wider table which will give me more room for a speed square fence but still small capacity.
> 
> How have you found a way to make these work for you?


I bought one, made two cuts, got soaked, returned saw to HD. :no:


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## duburban (Apr 10, 2008)

CO762 said:


> My bad then, I thought it was the tx3.
> 
> Why not use the lil MK?
> http://www.amazon.com/MK-Diamond-15...ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1331244729&sr=1-3
> ...



I hear ya man. I could best answer with a photo of all the festool/tanos systainer stuff i've bought in the last 6 months! I was hoping there'd be a way to make the small saw not only a stepping stone but an asset due to its size. 

I also just applied to go back to school too, but regardless i'll be doing projects for the rest of my life... 

Who's got a used dewalt?


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## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

duburban said:


> I hear ya man. I could best answer with a photo of all the festool/tanos systainer stuff i've bought in the last 6 months!


It appears you have a 'guy habit'. 



> I was hoping there'd be a way to make the small saw not only a stepping stone but an asset due to its size.


If you don't plan on doing stone in the near future, just get an ishii and one of those lil masonry wet saws. Work using those two until you get enough money for a DW or find a used one. My cheap input.


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