Waterjet Cutting Weak Porcelain Tiles, is it Normal?

[SamB]

Hi,

We have tried cutting some porcelain wall tiles
many times to get a hole cut for pipes and other
pieces in the bathroom, but no luck with a drill
or angle grinder. The tiles are just too brittle and
keep cracking.

The tile shop have said we need to get the tiles
sent for waterjet cutting. Is this a common
occurrence with weak tiles?

 

[White Room]

Whats make and name of the tiles...do you have a link.

 

[si.cleary]

At the risk of sounding daft but, are you using a diamond top drill bit? Or something from porcadrill? And at the risk of sounding even more daft but, thinking 'old school' have you tried covering the area of tile with masking tape then drilling? The masking tape might/should help contain the vibrations and stop it cracking (make sure you got tile on a safe flat surface). Just trying to do a bit of brainstorming.

 

[si.cleary]

Porcelain tiles - a small diamond hole saw is necessary (maybe a fiver). Starting is much harder with these - without a guide of some kind, you have to start with the drill at a 'v' until you have made a start on the cut... then you can slowly level up the drill to start drilling a full hole. Unless you've shelled out for a high speed water cooled bit, you have to take it steady. I usually drill at low speed for twenty seconds max, then dip the bit into cold water for five seconds, then repeat.

 

[Sean Kelly]

I would put my neck out and say that the vibrations are cracking your tiles.

1. Make yourself a template or hole guide. I use 2 bits of wood 1x1 made into the shape of a cross. I hold the cross with one hand and drill with the other. I position my drill bit so that it sits in the 90deg angle of the cross.
2. Get yourself a decent diamond hole cutter. ATS diamond tools (next day delivery).
3. Get some cardboard or something that will contain the vibrations from your tile whilst cutting.
4. Bucket and sponge.
5. Start drilling at high speed on an angle i.e. do not hold the drill flat because you will bounce all over the place. Hold the drill at an angle so that you can cut a groove in the tile. Then slowly reduce the angle so that you are now drilling a hole instead of 1/8 of a hole.
6. Once you have got your hole on the go, then dip your hole cutter in water for it to cool.
7. Wet your sponge so that that it can't hold any more water and press it against your hole cutter while you are drilling at slow speed.
8. I wiggle my drill whist cutting. This will increase the size of the hole by a tiny fraction, but I feel that more of the diamond is cutting into the tile.

Not much more I can say really, apart from good luck.

 

[SamB]

Thank you for your replies Guys
and the suggestions, will give it
another go, but after what I have
seen I am not holding my breath
to be honest.

 

[CJ]

That's where a garden with long grass comes in handy.