Tile Cutter

[mwss77]

Afternoon All

Just wondering what make of tile cutter you guys all use. I started out with a QEP Big Clinker that cost about £80 - has done me well, but is now time to get a new one.

I am looking at either a Rubi TS or TS Plus series, but have also seen a Husqvarna TC670 Tile Cutter. This is the same as a RUBI TS-60 cutter and even uses the rubi blades.

Does anyone know what these Husqvarna cutters are like ??

Cheers
Mark
Top Cuts Tiling.

 

[grumpygrouter]

Can't help with any of your suggestions, I use a Montolit Masterpiuma 63 - great versatile cutter.

Grumpy

 

[tilinga2z]

I to use a Montolit like Grumps and have used the Rubi TS 60 and 40 many times, funny you should compare but I have just placed an order for the Husqvarna 670 today so will arrive tomorrow. My reason for buying is that it takes up much less space than the Rubi in terms of a thiner bed which they combat by having a sliding rod on the side which stableises a large format tile, so although a great cut lenghth the Husqvarna takes up much less room. Further to this the Husqvarna has a stronger breaking mechanism than the Rubi TS plus and also has a sprung loaded bed. The breaking mechanism is fitted to the cut arm so it is faster and less effort and because of its design can break mosaics. Added to this it takes a thicker tile up to 20 mm compared to the Rubi. Plus as you stated it takes Rubi scoring wheels which are easier to get hold of and cheaper than the Montolit wheels which I have only found online or from PTS which I see you are close to in Warrtington. All these factors plus a saving of 40 quid on the Rubi made this a no brainer for me, I wish Neil stocked them as I would buy off him as he has a flawless reputation. Anyways I will keep you updated as I have some 55cm porcelain lined up for Monday, fingers crossed.
Rick
Lawton-Cervantes Tiling Services.

 

[mwss77]

Cheers lads,

Rick - let me know how the Husqvarna gets on with the porca tiles. At the mo this one sees to be best choice, as you rightly say it takes up less space and has a better reaking strength than the ubi alternative

Mark

 

[Gazzer]

Whats all ths about replacement wheels.....Get a Sigma, my wheel is almost 4 yrs old.
Advantages of different cutter as i see it are,

Rubi TS etc are light accurate and easy to get on with. But i find the dont last, i think i had 5 in a 8 year period.
Rubi star is ok for occasional use and again nice and light.
The Husqvarna will be the same qualities and faults as the Rubi no doubt. I tried one and it was good.
Monolit is poor mans Sigma in my eyes but then i am biased. I have had my Sigma 5a since 2001 and i am on my second wheel and before you ask i use it all the time. Its tough and wont break but its bloody heavy. I know its each to their own but when other tilers see my Sigma they are impressed too.Some people who have tried it find it hard to use but then its what you get use too. By the way i have a Rubi star and a Rubi ts40 also a very old Sigma which was handed down from a very old tiler who is no longer with us, and that still cuts great.
I dont think you will go wrong with a Rubi/Husky just dont back the van over one cos it will break (take that from me).

 

[tilinga2z]

I am glad you think so highly of your Sigma, I am sure it is great but to say the Husqvarna will have the same issues as the Rubi with no evidence is a bit short sighted, the Husqvarna is manufactured in Sweden and the Rubi in Rubi near Barcelona. However your could turn out to be correct so I will be carefull with my reversing.

 

[Gazzer]

Well only time and use will tell on that one. I would like to know too.
Will the hole that the snapper rod fits into widen so the rod falls out all the time?
Will the bearings that run on the 2 rails wear as fast?
Will they make a longer lasting wheel?
Those were my findings with Rubis but as you say they are made in different countries so maybe workmanship will be improved.

 

[tilinga2z]

Sir Ramic, don't depress me, thats a long list but definately some things to watch out for, thanks again will update you on the pro's/con's as time goes on....

 

[grumpygrouter]

Whats all ths about replacement wheels.....Get a Sigma, my wheel is almost 4 yrs old.
Advantages of different cutter as i see it are,

Rubi TS etc are light accurate and easy to get on with. But i find the dont last, i think i had 5 in a 8 year period.
Rubi star is ok for occasional use and again nice and light.
The Husqvarna will be the same qualities and faults as the Rubi no doubt. I tried one and it was good.
Monolit is poor mans Sigma in my eyes but then i am biased. I have had my Sigma 5a since 2001 and i am on my second wheel and before you ask i use it all the time. Its tough and wont break but its bloody heavy. I know its each to their own but when other tilers see my Sigma they are impressed too.Some people who have tried it find it hard to use but then its what you get use too. By the way i have a Rubi star and a Rubi ts40 also a very old Sigma which was handed down from a very old tiler who is no longer with us, and that still cuts great.
I dont think you will go wrong with a Rubi/Husky just dont back the van over one cos it will break (take that from me).

I must be a poor man then! As for cutting wheels, I spoke to the importer about this (kwiksplit) and he says it is very rare that wheels on the monty need changing - like the sigma every 3 or 4 years. He sells very few of them. At £9 a piece I don't think that is bad value, neither do you need different sizes for different materials. And, like the Husky it will break mosaics no problem.

Grumpy

 

[Gazzer]

Grumpy £5.73 for a wheel for a Sigma...see you are saving money right away:regular_smile:

 

[tilinga2z]

ike the sigma every 3 or 4 years. He sells very few of them. At £9 a piece I don't think that is bad value, neither do you need different sizes for different materials.
Nice to know that Grumpy I was thinking to replace my master piuma wheel after around 10 months of use, to be honest I was going of what Rubi say to replace around every 1300m or so which if you think about it is not that much, obviously mine still has a lot of life in it. As for the £9 at Kwiksplit that is not the full story when I went to checkout on Kwiksplit with delivery and VAT it turns out at £16.10 which is a rip off on a 9 quid purchase but as you rightly say is a small cost every 3 or 4 years, which you could combine when buying other replacements.:yes:

 

[grumpygrouter]

Grumpy £5.73 for a wheel for a Sigma...see you are saving money right away:regular_smile:

I think I could weather the £3.27 storm over a 3/4 year period. I might be an accountant but lets not go overboard here. LOL.

Grumpy

 

[Fekin]

I did a sort of review when I got my Husqvarna TC670, so I'll quote it below.

After quite a few people had asked me how my new Husqvarna cutter is like to use, I thought I'd do a sort of, my little review of it.
Now I've never used anyother cutter other than my trusty £40 Plasplug, so this isn't a comparrison against a Rubi or anything else.

Start from the top I guess.

Bright orange sturdy carrying case, good balance of weight once loaded with the cutter.
Inside the case theres 6 slots for cutting wheels, and obviously small compartments for the support arm and measure bar, and the cutter comes with a 6mm and 10mm cutting wheels, both standard silver wheels.

The Husqvarna TC 670 has a single arm, for scoring and breaking with the cutting wheel very fast and easy to fit by unscrewing the handle a turn or 2, slotting in the cutting wheel to the depth you require and re-tighten up the handle and has very strong grip of the wheel.

To break the tile once you have scored it you just bring the wheel back a third way down the tile, lift the arm a few inches and pull back a plunger on the handle to lower the breaking arms onto the tile, then press firmly down again to snap it, then release the plunger and the breaker moves back up out of the way.
Over all, a nice easy no fuss way of scoring and breaking.

On the menu today was black polished 6mm porcelain, which the cutting wheel had no problems with what so ever.
All it needs is a good firm stroke across the tile, bring back a third and breaker down and a firm but not hard press of the handle to snap it.

The porcelain tiles are 400 x 400's, and with the side support arm on cutting just an inch of the side of the tile isn't too bad, conversion rate was about 80% of the time, and when it didn't break away the full length of the tile, it only left a small triangle of unbroke off tile, which was dispatched quickly with the wet cutter.

Only problem I had was that for the first few tiles, the paint on the bottom of the breaking arm that touched the tile surface was leaving slight marks as the paint started to come off, but after a while this stopped happening.

Line of sight for your marker is also good, though today on this first ever use of the cutter I was in a very dimly lit garage and tended to use the actual wheel on the mark before scoring to be 100% sure.

So, for it's first test run, I think the Husqvarna did very well on porcelain, though it was only 6mm tiles, but I wasn't having to press that hard as I was scoring.

All in all, for £120 I think it's a great "not breaking the bank" over 600mm cutter.

In a nut shell, brilliant cutter on everything I've thrown at it, and as some say, it's very much like a Rubi 600 whatever, but a lot easier on the wallet

 

[tilinga2z]

Thanks Fekin, I have read your review before, this what what initialy averted my gaze away from the Rubi, great review.