bruceb
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2013
Posts: 20
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Post by bruceb on Aug 26, 2013 0:10:21 GMT -5
Hi, I almost bought a like new tile saw today (fleamarket) but had to think about it. It this brand and size : www.ebay.com/itm/QEP-E200561-30-inch-wet-saw-TILE-SAW-83200-24-inch-Bridge-Saw-/151097434412?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item232e1be12cIt has diamond blade with plenty of life and was only used on two jobs the owner ( I know him) said. He only wants 55 dollars for it and Im trying to talk myself into buying it. It has 2 speeds and a very nice water supply system that sprays on both sides of the blade. I have a 8 inch trim saw but it seems to take far too long making cuts. I could put a slab on this thing and zip right thru it. I want to cut slabs down into random angles then tumble for wire wrapping. The blade doesnt seem to be too thick and is close to 8 inch diameter. Also wondering how this would be on opening smaller 2 to 3 inch geodes. A 2 or 3 inch geode would take me several minutes on my trim saw but they are a bit too small to put into my large rock saw and being the large saw is run in oil... its just a pain to get them cleaned up with Dawn and the oil smell seems to stick around. Any ideas? Im thinking its a no brainer and I should buy it next week but if anyone can talk me into or out of it I would be glad to listen to your views. Bruce
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Post by deb193redux on Aug 26, 2013 8:56:38 GMT -5
Not something I would buy. Looks only good for trimming, and I like to make small slabbetts too. Also the angle of the cut is about 80-deg and I prefer to cut at the equator of the blade. While I have a 10" trim saw and several slab saws, I still use my loud wet 7" tile saw a lot. It spins faster and I keep constant water to flush the cut really well. By using thicker blades (.040 or .050) I can even bevel and pre-grind a bit on side of the blade.
I do wish the opening around the blade was not so large, but it is designed to cut tiles at 45-deg if wanted. These little 7" tile saws can be had for $50 upwards. I throw away the ordinary tile-quality blade and get one that is for granite tiles and porcelain. Those blades work almost as well as the good lapidary blades and may effectively work even better since they are spinning at 3400 rpm.
Likely you will want a better trim saw before too long or maybe a slab/trim or whatever. You might even run oil in those saws and get narrower blades. But a 7" tile saw with a good blade is a nice initial saw if you are on a budget and have a workplace that can tolerate all the splashing.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2013 9:05:35 GMT -5
If he only wants fifty five bucks I think it is a no brainer. That blade will probably turn 3400 rpms and with the table being 30 inch there has to be a lot of power there to cut that big of a tile. Plus, if it didn't work out for you it would not be a problem to double your money by selling it. AND you do not have to pay shipping. Hell of a deal. If it was me I would have already bought it. Jim
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Deleted
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Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2013 9:17:59 GMT -5
Deb, he said that he has a smaller trim saw and a large slab saw so it is not a first saw.
My son and I just did a tile job and used a saw about like that one. I am sure that it would have eaten through a two inch geode in seconds. I am talking hand held. I had to cut some inside curves and it was a snap to lift the back side of the tile so I was working at the center line. Jim
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Post by Rockhobbit on Aug 26, 2013 9:18:33 GMT -5
A tile saw is pretty much all I use! I love using a water saw. No mess or yucky oil to change! I have been doing this for 10 years and my tile saw has worked wonders! Sheri
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Post by Pat on Aug 26, 2013 10:18:52 GMT -5
I have a four inch and a ten inch tile saw. Both use water. I like them both a lot.
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bruceb
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2013
Posts: 20
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Post by bruceb on Aug 26, 2013 10:23:05 GMT -5
Thanks everyone! I sell at this market each Sunday and it will be no problem to pick it up next weekend from him as hes a permanent vendor also. It was a slow day there and I didn't sell many rocks because it was 90F+ and high humidity so maybe my brain was a bit foggy after that plus a 4 am wake up and an hour drive to get there. This saw is huge compared to the cheap tile saws I have seen at the home improvement stores. Says 1.5 hp and 3550 rpm. I think it would be a hoss of a machine for 55 bucks. Im an hour away from Keokuk Iowa so I have tens of thousands of geodes and mostly use several of my cast iron snappers to open them. On occasion I have some maybe hollows that I was thinking about doing a quick slice or two on and throw the slices in the tumbler to see how they look. I have several rock clamps that go into my large saws vise so if I could rig up something using those to hold the rocks it would be fairly easy to get parallel cuts. I figure I could just slide it over on the front fence rail as a thickness gauge. I have a covered patio to put it on just outside my back door right beside my 24 inch saw so using water will not be a problem. Basement has a floor drain, water supply and a concrete floor so I could use it there after I encase it and work on how to keep the rock snot from going down the drain. Im thinking a large bucket for the water to run into with hose coming out the top side of the bucket so only clear water comes out and snot stays to the bottom, or a valve 3/4 way to the bottom to skim off the top clear water after it settles over night.? Thanks Bruce
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Post by deb193redux on Aug 26, 2013 12:10:05 GMT -5
NO NO NO. Please read carefully. None of the people responding said they have that kind/configuration of tile saw.
If you did not want information, why bother posting. If you just wanted people to say something vague so you could buy that saw - why post? Neither Shery or Pat has that kind of tile saw. They are not recommending that kind of tile saw.
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Post by Pat on Aug 26, 2013 12:41:48 GMT -5
NO NO NO. Please read carefully. None of the people responding said they have that kind/configuration of tile saw. If you did not want information, why bother posting. If you just wanted people to say something vague so you could buy that saw - why post? Neither Shery or Pat has that kind of tile saw. They are not recommending that kind of tile saw. True. I know nothing about saws. My 10" is an MK 101; looks nothing like the one on ebay. My 4" is very simple. Don't know brand, but doesn't look anything like the one on ebay.
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Post by deb193redux on Aug 26, 2013 12:57:21 GMT -5
Hundreds of dollars for an 8", with just over 2" of cut depth is silly for a lapidary person. Unless you have large 18" x 36" slabs of rock you want to put on that large table and cut, this is not of any use to most lapidary users.
While some folks have the MK-101 style of overhead saw, I do not know of anyone here using a BRIDGE saw. it is very specialized - like for huge tiles, or small countertops.
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Aug 26, 2013 21:46:40 GMT -5
I think he said he is paying only $55 for this saw. eBay was just a comparison.
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bruceb
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2013
Posts: 20
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Post by bruceb on Aug 26, 2013 21:58:43 GMT -5
Hundreds of dollars for an 8", with just over 2" of cut depth is silly for a lapidary person. Unless you have large 18" x 36" slabs of rock you want to put on that large table and cut, this is not of any use to most lapidary users. While some folks have the MK-101 style of overhead saw, I do not know of anyone here using a BRIDGE saw. it is very specialized - like for huge tiles, or small countertops. Maybe your the one not reading carefully? ... I said it would cost me 55 dollars and its at a booth 20 feet away from me so I can pick it up. I have other saws and I would be able to get rid of it at the geode fest in less than one month if I dont like it or just resell it at the market as I am there each weekend. Really 55 dollars and it has no use? I bet I could figure out something. Thanks for your input and I hope you dont come off this rude to everyone. Bruce
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Post by NM Stone Supply on Sept 1, 2013 9:02:00 GMT -5
Heck I would get it for that price. You have to start somewhere Bruce. I have used a bridge saw to cut stones but it is not ideal like Daniel is saying, but still it works. Like you said you can sell it off for more $ later. I use the $200 10" tile saw from harbor freight for small cutting and shaping. You can sell that bridge saw on craigslist and get the harbor freight one. My first harbor freight saw last 6 years before it started making noise. I just got a new one a couple months ago and I love the new design.
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