Getting to Grips with a Tile Cutter

Ceramic tiles can be difficult to cut, since they tend to shatter, splinter, overheat and produce dust when being cut. Tile cutters are designed exactly to combat these issues. They come in a wide variety of styles and sizes, mechanized or hand-usable, suited for all surface textures and dimensions of the ceramic tile being worked on.

A few examples of tile cutters include tile nippers, tile saws (usually using a coolant), angle grinders (attached to power tools) and glass cutters. As mentioned before, they have many designs models, depending on the scale of the task. Some cutters, such as the ones used with power tools, require safety equipment like goggles and more practice to use effectively and safely.

Tile nippers are used to cut smaller pieces of tile, albeit more roughly than other tile cutters do. However, they are mostly used for circular pieces of tile that would be eventually covered with a knob or faucet. Tile nippers usually resemble pliers or a pair of wire cutters, and have carbide or tungsten tips, tungsten being more often used in wheeled tile nippers.

Tile saws are tile cutters that use diamond blades to cut harder, textured ceramic tiles. The diamond blade causes the surface of the tile to overheat, which may make it splinter. Therefore, a hose for water (as a coolant) is attached to the device to keep the temperature low enough to work with. For innovative designs and incisions, tile saws can be used since their fences are adjustable to making angled and square cuts.

Angle grinders are tile cutters as power tools, usually with a diamond blade. The angle for scoring and cutting is adjustable. They are rarely used for moist surfaces. Angle grinders have abrasive blades to cut and grind not just tiles, but also metal and concrete. Sharper blades can be used to sand and polish rough surfaces. Its components always include a motor, blade and two handles to maneuver it.

Glass cutters are used to cut in such a way that the glass doesn't shatter into sharp pieces. Glass cutters core the surface of the material, and gently apply a pressure along the score to make it snap but not splinter. These cutters can be motorized or be simple hand tools. It takes practice to use the former variety properly. The glass must be lubricated for a smoother job.

Overall, tile cutters are useful tools, but precautions must be taken before using them. Ceramic materials tend to produce harmful dust, splinter, shatter and overheat, so tile cutters are designed accordingly, to make the job as easy and less hazardous as possible. They are available in different varieties to suit the needs of the buyer.