My Son is Learning How to Install Ceramic and Quarry Tile. Any Tool Brand Recommendations?

04.10.12 | chickensoup

[Chickensoup]

My Son is Learning How to Install Ceramic and Quarry Tile. Any Tool Brand Recommendations? I am providing him with tools of the trade. He needs a wet saw that will hold up for a number of installations.

Tile guys out there?

[Chickensoup]

My Son is Learning How to Install Ceramic and Quarry Tile. Any Tool Brand Recommendations? I am providing him with tools of the trade. He needs a wet saw that will hold up for a number of installations.

Tile guys out

[Lady Lucky]

Xanax. Maybe Haldol. Something, for goodness sake.

[grobdriver]

“Buy expensive tools - only cry once.”

[excalibur21]

I’ve done a little tile work on the side and I’ve found that really good knee pads are priceless, ha.

[JRios1968]

I’ve done a little tile work on the side and I’ve found that really good knee pads are priceless

Monica Lewinsky approves this message

[Chickensoup]

You guys!

[I cannot think of a name]

Best Advice Possible

Keep his knees together and lift with his back.

You’ll find few tile guys that haven’t had at least one hernia operation, some two or three. I had an uncle that was in the tile business, and after his third operation his doctor said, “find another line of work or find another doctor.”

He found another line of work. (those boxes are heavy and small)

[JRios1968]

Best Advice Possible

Keep his knees together

"NOW they tell me!"

[upchuck]

I’ll echo what grobdrive said in number 3.

Any tool made by DeWalt will be excellent and last forever. Expensive though. Here’s their tile saws: http://www.dewalt.com/tool-categories/Tile-Saws.aspx

[panaxanax]

Buy only American made tools. Shop around for a good used wet saw like a Rockwell or Delta. He’ll never be sorry.

Stay away from the Chinese Communist crap and you’ll only have to buy the tools once.

[ConservaTexan]

I just finished a tile job this weekend. This was the second tile job for my Ryobi wet saw. For the price it works well and much better than other, cheaper wet saws I have used. After only two tile jobs (1 big job 1 relatively small) I have seen no signs of wear that concern me. It is portable which is a nice feature for both moving and storage reasons. If this is for a professional it maynot be enough saw for daily use but it has held up very well for my two personal projects. I am not endorsing Home Depot, just the saw.

Home Depot

[ConservaTexan]

oops

[rightly_dividing]

I cant help with the tile saw, but any tradesman working on his knees should be wearing the best knee pads available. He will thank you for years to come for the knee pads.

[Irenic]

I’ve seen this one used at Habitat

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00926900000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

[smokingfrog]

TAVY Tile Puck

[smokingfrog]

They also make a good tile hammer.

[wrench]

He will need a good score and pop tool as well. Don’t get one of the 12”ers, get one big enough for the large tiles.

He will use the score and popper much more than a saw, but the saw does things the popper can’t do.

[momtothree]

“... really good knee pads are priceless”

I heard you would do anything for a pay raise but this is ridiculous!! (LOL!)

[Chickensoup]

This is not life work, this is a skill to have and to barter. He likes driving big motorized equipment too much and is in a heavy equipment program.

[Chickensoup]

Is DeWalt chinese communist crap?