| Wet Saw Basics |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-410 |
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Q: I'm interested in doing some tile work around the house. Can you give me some advice on using a wet saw? A: (Brad Staggs, Ask DIY Home Improvement expert) If you're going to do just a simple checkerboard pattern, you can get along perfectly fine by using a tile cutter with a diamond wheel. But if you plan to create tile patterns that require more complicated cuts such as diagonals (figure A), it's a good idea to rent a wet saw (rental costs about $50 to $75 a day). Notice that the saw features a shallow pan filled with water (figure B). The diamond-impregnated blade rides through the water, picking up moisture as it runs. This offers two benefits: it keeps the blade cool, and it considerably lessens the amount of dust thrown out by the saw. Safety tips: - Always wear eye protection when working with a wet saw (an apron's a good idea too, since the saw creates a lot of water splatters).
- Anytime you're making adjustments to a wet saw, unplug the unit while you do so.
- To make a basic cut, first mark with a grease pencil where the cut will be (figure C).
- Adjust the rip fence so that the blade lines up with the mark you made. You'll notice that there's a scale at the ends of the rip fence; use this to adjust both ends of the fence so your cut will be straight (figure D).
- Hold the tile in place against the fence and push gently -- don't force it (figure E). When you get to the end of the tile, turn the saw off and then remove the tile. (Don't force it past the blade.) It's okay if the edge of the tile shows slight burn marks; they'll be hidden in the grout line (figure F).
- To make a more complicated diagonal cut, you can use a triangular attachment to guide the tile (figure G). First measure the size you'll need to cut the tile, then mark it as before and set the fence.
- Hold the triangle between the tile and the fence, placing the blade at the mark (figure H).
- Apply gentle pressure to guide the tile along the blade.
- If any small chips remain on the tile, use the blade to remove them carefully.
- If you need to enable tiles to meet at an edge without overlapping, be aware that the saw tilts to permit mitered cuts (figure I).
Q: I need to regrout the tile in my bathroom. I'm not sure where to begin. Can you help? A: This is a time-consuming chore, but it's very doable. Go to the tile department of your local home-improvement store and get an inexpensive grout saw. This is a handy little tool for cleaning out the old grout -- just saw back and forth until you get it all. Then use a wet sponge to remove all the dust before replacing the grout. Q: Can I repair a leaky supply line? A: If it's on a faucet, yes, you can, but it's so cheap to replace, why bother? If the supply line is copper, you can buy tape to fix it, but at best a repair is only temporary. The line will have to be replaced eventually, so save yourself some trouble. To replace it, simply turn off the water supply, unscrew the line from both ends, and replace it with a new one. That's it! Q: I used painter's tape for my painting job, but I ended up peeling off the paint. What happened? A: I bet you left the tape on too long. It skins over as it dries, and then when it's pulled off, the paint comes off too. Next time, peel the tape off as soon as you finish painting.
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