Hard porcelain probs

[justinisaac]

Hi all
At the risk of starting another Rubis are great/Rubis are terrible discussion I have a problem that I was hoping to get some feedback on.

I have a TS 60 Plus and up to now it's been fine on most tiles. We've just bought a new place and I've been doing the work myself, bit by bit. A few weeks ago I tiled my en suite using some porcelain tiles and didn't have too many problems. Out of 8 or 9 m2 only one or two didn't cut correctly. Moved onto the family bathroom yesterday, using the same tile, albeit a slightly different shade and it's a nightmare! Not one has cut accurately. After going through one box I stopped and went back to the wet cutter, which of course takes longer and gets me soaking wet too...
The tiles are 500 x 250 porcelain, with a slightly gritty almost riven non-slip surface. They're called, funnily enough, Hard Rocks! The en-suite was done in 'Moon' and the problems are with 'Grey', in case anyone has heard of them...

I was wondering if there's anything that can be done to help? I've tried different techniques with scoring/ double scoring/ scoring from underneath and changed the cutter. It says on the box to use the 8mm wheel for porcelain, should I be looking at a larger one? Or should I be looking at a Sigma? :lol:

Any advice appreciated as always
Cheers
Justin

 

[Spare Tool]

Been having the same problems myself with a ruby and porcelain recently and found if you score hard at least twice, take the tile off the cutter and lay it on a flat floor with a wedge under each end of the score line and push down on each side of the tile they usually snap..

 

[David - Tradetiler]

Hi Justin , Andy

On thick tough porcelain I have know it possible to accidentally deform the top fork slightly buy pulling the breaking handle very hard. The geometry of the breaker is effected causing problems snapping even standard ceramics afterwards.

We supply spare top fork or the whole breaker on our web site here (links below)


Top Fork - http://www.tradetiler.com/rubi-fork-part-for-plus-breaker.html



Breaker - http://www.tradetiler.com/rubi-breaker-unit-ts-plus.html

 

[Diggy]

Tried scribing the back? Pays off on most shaped faced ceramics. Diggy

 

[CJ]

Sigma users........join the Q

 

[Stef]

Score the tile a couple of times then tap along the back of the tile with a pair of tile snips & it should break along the score line.
A ts60 or ts60+ aren't very good on porcelain, fantastic on ceramics though.

 

[Knifey_Spoony]

I had a TS-70 and it was a good cutter,but you really want a Rubi TX.It will cut much harder porcelain.It is a brilliant cutter.

 

[Knifey_Spoony]

But also i have had the same problem as you before.Same tile,different colours,one being used on the walls the other for the floor but one colour cuts much easier than the other.No idea why but it isn't because anything has changed with your cutter.

 

[justinisaac]

Thanks to you all for your help. I tried all the suggestions but I'm still having problems. Bought a brand new cutter wheel but still made no difference so I've decided to finish the room with the wet cutter. Not as neat but at least I can get the project finished without any more breakages... Hopefully I won't run out of tiles!:lol:

 

[Dave]

Scribe the tile and then Crack it over the scoring handle...

Or try snapping the breaker very quick to shock break them ..

 

[CJ]

I score and crack it over my knee.......can only do that a few times though, before it smarts a bit.

 

[Fliselege]

I score and crack it over my knee.......can only do that a few times though, before it smarts a bit.

Ever just got your knee pad balanced just right just for it to slip as you bring the tile down? Speaking from experience, it bloody hurts.

 

[Stef]

Ever just got your knee pad balanced just right just for it to slip as you bring the tile down? Speaking from experience, it bloody hurts.

Haha, that's why I learned to snap a tile with tapping it on the back of the tile with my snips.