I always try and use an agle grinder over the wet saw anyday. It is a must for new tilers to learn how to use this underated tool properly, knowing how will increase your productivity 3 fold there by increasing job turnover times and profits. Try and buy a thin barrel type as these are designed with the tiler in mind I use Metabo which are light and powerful last a long time even in extreme cutting situations. The grinder is no more dangerous to use and master than any other powertool. they are inexpensive and give you freedom especially if working in multi level dwellings, No up and down stairs to the wet saw.
I will give some sound advice in Mick's speedy tiler tips next week on using the angle grinder, wheel selection, cutting techniques, Safety and maintenance so all new to tiling can learn to master the art of using the angle grinder to improve your speed and your profits.
I agree that new new tilers should take time to learn how to use an angle grinder properly, and I do agree that it's a very versatile tool which is very good to bring on smaller jobs, but seriously, at individual tasks, it's average at best. It's good enough as a beginner's tool, but when you're established, you should invest in some more proper tools, for many reasons.
First off, increasing productivity three times is definatly an exageration. A good wet saw does a better and faster job at almost everything you can do with both an angle grinder and wet cutter, once it's set up. For curved cuts, there are far better and more efficient options than an angle grinder, and the same goes for cutting holes.
Second, there are health issues to consider when using an angle grinder: It's very noisy, and very dusty, even if you use a dust catcher.
I hate coughing orange/brownish after a long session with the angle grinder, and I use a bloody dust mask. (Btw, if/when you stop coughing that crap up, it means your lungs are in pretty bad shape.)
Sure, If I've got one or two L-cuts to do on a kitchen splash back, I use my grinder, but I always use protection (which I always carry with me), and besides, given that I keep most of my tools in my car, it's not such a big sacrifice of time to set up my small wet saw.
If I gain some comfort, and preserve some health, by using tools which take me five minutes longer to set up, and five minutes longer to clean and pack up, I'm very happy. Even if you use protection, keeping the dust levels to a minimum lets your lungs last longer, and the same thing goes for your hearing if you can keep noise levels down.
I do not want to put my hard earned money towards sitting in my own filth in a nursing home when I retire early, just because I didn't have the forsight to minimize any abuse on my body.
I've found that using proper, and proper sized tools, increases my job satisfaction quite alot, and that coupled with proper protection and support, I'm probably saving alot of money by staying healthier longer. One sick day means alot of lost income and a distrupted schedule, and when you do get sick, it's more often than not something which takes longer than a single day to get cured from. This is especially true for us in the construction business; There's like two dozen lung diseases which mainly affect us due to all the crap we get subjected to on a daily basis.
Even if all this pansying around, thinking of my health, job satisfaction, comfort levels etc, was decreasing the profit I pull in, it would be worth it to me, because I work for a living; I do not live to work.
I've seen quite a few burn out/get sick in the middle of their prime, just because they weren't careful. Where's the productivity in that?
Just some thoughts...
