Step-by-step instructions for creating a tile cutter with your own hands

When laying ceramic tiles, it is often necessary to cut them to obtain pieces of the desired size. Professional layers use tile cutters for this purpose that cost several thousand rubles. If renovations in an apartment are carried out on your own, it is not profitable to purchase an expensive device for cutting 15-20 tiles. The article will tell you how to make a tile cutter with your own hands from common parts and mechanisms.

Assessing the extent to which it is necessary to manufacture a homemade electric tile cutter

If in order to efficiently perform a small amount of tile laying work there is a need for an electric tool, then after reading the recommendations below, you can make such a tile cutter with your own hands.

Before you start making a homemade electric tile cutter, you should critically evaluate your design and installation abilities and capabilities, since even minor errors in the manufacture of such a device can lead to injury.

If you don’t have confidence in your abilities, then you should at least entrust the assembly of this tool to an experienced performer; ideally, you should rent a factory-made electric tile cutter.

Advantages of a tile cutter

The advantages of an electric tile cutter made from an angle grinder include:

• Possibility of sawing durable porcelain stoneware and stone;
• The fastest possible processing of large volumes of material;
• Ensuring the possibility of the most even cut;
• Reduced wear rate when compared to hand tools.

Due to the presence of a large number of advantages, the grinder is widely used as a tile cutter among many builders. How to make a tile cutter from a grinder can be seen in the video.

What tool can you work with?

You can assemble a homemade tile cutter, but this is not always required, because the process of assembling it will take you quite a lot of time and will also require a certain tool. For example, to make a strong frame, you cannot do without a welding machine, which already imposes certain difficulties.

When working with ceramic tiles, you need to understand that cutting them cannot be avoided

Therefore, to begin with, we will tell you what you can work with when laying tiles without having expensive equipment, and what you still cannot do without.

1. One of the simplest devices is a classic glass cutter . It only works with thin ceramic wall tiles. Alternatively, you can use it, but there is a more interesting and convenient solution for the same money.

2. 
   Glass cutter can be used to cut tiles

3. 
   Types of manual glass cutters

   
   Glass cutter for cutting tiles

4. This metal pencil or pobedit scriber perfectly cuts through the glazed surface of ceramic tiles. In addition to it, you need a good metal guide (ruler) and a device for breaking tiles.

   
   Metal scriber with pobedit tip

5. Tile breaking tongs included in the kit with previous tools. They easily and conveniently split the tiles along the line made.

   
   Tile breaking tongs

   
   Scheme for cutting tiles using a glass cutter, a match and tongs

Even if you can put together a homemade tile cutter, laying tiles is almost impossible without an electric abrasive cutter.

1. Firstly, when passing through window and door openings at the corners, it is necessary to make L-shaped cuts.
2. Secondly, today in bathrooms they install sockets, hoods and other equipment, for which holes need to be made in the tiles. You can do them with a grinder or use an electric drill with crown attachments for ceramics.
3. Thirdly, today porcelain tiles are mostly laid on the floor, and cutting it with a manual tile cutter, even a professional one, is very difficult.

When laying tiles, you can’t do without an electric abrasive cutting machine.

Varieties of facing material and features of its various types

The cutting method depends on the type of facing material. The most important thing in this matter is not only the material, but also the role that is assigned to each tile in the composition. Tiles are usually produced in collections - these are sets that are thought out in terms of color and pattern. Most collections consist of several required elements.

• Background tiles usually do not have designs. Collections may contain several tiles of different colors. It is better to cut tiles in places where the background is uniform, so the cut tiles will not be so noticeable.
• Borders are small elements that separate large color arrays of tiles, often they have a rectangular format. If possible, cutting curbs can be avoided if these elements do not fit the walls.
• Decorated tiles are a type of tile with a pattern or relief image. It is better to immediately avoid cutting tiles with decor. To do this, at the laying stage, the tiles with decor must be taken to the central places of the room. Also, it is not recommended to place tiles with decor under the ceiling or near the floor.

Laying tiles without preliminary layout increases the number of cut elements. If you plan the location on paper, you can avoid a large number of scraps and scraps. Read more about mistakes when laying tiles in the article ""

Floor tiles are usually thicker than wall tiles, making them more difficult to cut. In addition, large-format tiles are more often used on the floor; unevenness when cutting is also noticeable.

Floor tiles have to be cut more often if the corners in the room deviate from 90 degrees. For this reason, to lay tile coverings on the floor, the walls in the room must be level. Read about leveling walls with plaster in the article “”

Tile material

The thickness and strength of the material often depends on the material from which the tile is made. Some materials have a high density, so not every tool is capable of cutting them. Some materials require a delicate approach and can only be cut with specialized tools.

Ceramic tiles are the most common type; they are covered with a decorative glazed coating on top. Ceramic tiles are divided into wall and floor tiles, the latter is usually thicker, which makes it more difficult to cut.

• Porcelain stoneware has a high density, which determines its low water absorption. Because of this, these tiles are often used for floors, wet areas and streets. It will be difficult to cut porcelain stoneware using improvised means; cutting is best done with an electric or manual tile cutter.
• Clinker tiles are a type of high-density cladding; they are used for exterior work (cladding, paving areas, etc.). For thick clinker, you will need a grinder or a water saw (electric tile cutter).

What is needed to make a homemade tool?

An electrical device is much more expensive to manufacture than a mechanical one, but it is more convenient to work with, and the quality of cutting tiles will be much higher. To make it you will need the following:

• table or workbench
• grinder with diamond blade;
• metal platform;
• two steel pipes;
• fasteners;
• clamps.

You can save on equipment if you buy a cheap cutting element, but this is not recommended, since the quality of the cut and productivity of work depend on it.

Choosing an electric motor for a tile cutter

To make a tile cutter with your own hands using an independent electric motor, you need to select and install a gearbox to be able to manually set the required disk rotation speed. Technically, this is not easy to do, so another solution is common - using a small grinder (a grinder for discs with a diameter of 115-125 mm) with the option of manually adjusting the rotation speed.

Electric motor for tile cutter

Practical recommendations

First of all, a metal sheet is attached to the work surface. But before that, you need to cut a slot in it into which the tile cutter disc will fit. The size of the sheet, more precisely, its width, should be chosen so that even the largest tile can fit under the disk. The entire cutting process is controlled by hand, that is, the tile is moved forward along the table under the cutting element itself.

The grinder is attached to the table (in both the first and second cases) using clamps using nuts and locknuts. To ensure that the body of the angle grinder remains undamaged, it is recommended to place the clamps in rubber or PVC tubes. In advance, the clamps are adjusted to the shape of the diameter of the future tile cutter.

Diagram of correct tile cutting.

It should be remembered that when installed vertically, the angle grinder is left without a protective cover, since it cannot be put on, which means that working with such a device is extremely dangerous. Therefore, it is better for the operator to be on the right or left side during the entire process, and in addition use protective equipment - goggles, a respirator and gloves.

If your home workshop will be located in one of the rooms of the apartment, then it is recommended to connect such a tile cutter to a vacuum cleaner. To do this, the socket of the intake hose is fixed under the place where the cutting disc is located. And then during cutting, the grinder and vacuum cleaner turn on simultaneously, which will help get rid of waste materials from the entire process.

A grinder for the base of a tile cutter is quite appropriate, since it uses a minimum of additional components. In addition, thanks to this tool it is possible to achieve the required number of revolutions of the cutting edge in one minute. Otherwise, you will need to look for an additional gearbox that can give an indicator of 4000-5500 rpm.

To make the cut more ideal, a metal corner is installed on the table surface, keeping it parallel to the disk. Thus, by adhering to it, you can achieve high evenness of the cut.

Diagram of the grinder device.

Why do you need a grinder? Using a grinder, an automated tile cutter is made. Hand models, including glass cutters and jigsaws, can form microcracks. This often causes the tiles to crack during tapping. While using a tile cutter based on a grinder helps to avoid such defects.

To protect yourself, you can draw the future cutting line in advance with a pencil. Next, a shallow cut is made along it with a glass cutter, and only then a full cut is made.

Types of homemade tile cutters

Depending on the design features, these devices are divided into 2 types:

• mechanical;
• electric.

The mechanical one is a platform on which the tiles will be fixed and cut. Usually for this purpose they take a thick board with a flat surface. Guides and a cutting element are attached to it, which is usually a glass cutter and replace the cutting head with a blade. You can see a homemade mechanical tool in the figure below:

We make the tile cutter ourselves

As you already understand, the most popular solution will be a manual tile cutter. It is its design that we have covered in more detail than the others, and it is this that we will try to assemble with our own hands. In this case, the master will make a tile cutter that is capable of cutting 120 cm tiles. You can make a more compact version.

Table. Step-by-step instructions for making a manual tile cutter.

Photos, stepsDescription

The work of making such a tile cutter is not easy and requires the performer to have certain turner skills, but if you have all this, as well as free time, you can make a very high-quality working tool. Such a handsome man has, perhaps, only one drawback - he will be very heavy.

Making a mechanical tile cutter with your own hands

A manual tile cutter is a safe tool and does not require connection to an electrical outlet. These two factors ensure the popularity of this model. In addition, due to its relatively light weight, such a tool is easy to transport and you don’t have to spend a lot of money on its production.

How do you tap walls for wiring?

Like any other construction and repair work, gating can be done manually or mechanized.

For manual work use:

• chisel. A universal tool for working with any hard materials, from wood to stone. Used in conjunction with a hammer. For mechanized chipping, hammer drill chisels are used;
• scarpel (feminine) or a hammer, a tool similar to a chisel and chisel for working with hard stone, concrete, brick, and so on. There is also a manual version and for power tools.

Since manual gating is convenient only in small areas and not too hard materials - otherwise the task becomes unnecessarily labor-intensive - universal and specialized power tools are most often used:

• a hammer drill with a chisel or scarpel installed in it. Depending on the material of the building structure, the selected type of nozzle (including the width and material of the working part) and the impact power of the hammer drill, furrows of a larger or smaller cross-section can be made. However, they always turn out uneven, with broken edges. It is also possible that fragments of masonry/monolith/plaster may fall out during the process;
• drill. Here the work is carried out in several stages - first, holes are drilled (in the normal operating mode of the tool) to the groove depth in increments of 1.5...2 mm. It is advisable to choose a drill with a diameter close to the required groove width. Next, using a spatula, “select” the material between the holes. The disadvantage of this method is the same as that of a puncher, a sloppy appearance and uneven edges of the furrow. In addition, changing the operating mode (lateral loads instead of axial loads when working with a blade) can lead to rapid tool failure;
• grinder or angle grinder. In both cases, special discs are used for work, designed for working on concrete (brick, aerated concrete, and so on). They cut the edges of the groove at the desired distance, after which the material between the cut grooves is removed using any other hand or power tool. In this case, even when working with a hammer drill, the edges are quite smooth;
• wall chaser This is a professional and quite expensive tool, rarely used by home craftsmen, but it is the one that allows you to perform gating as efficiently and quickly as possible. Almost always this device is equipped with an output to an industrial vacuum cleaner.

Additional upgrade

The tool can be supplemented with a dust collector. To do this, a groove about 4 cm wide and 1 cm deep is made from the bottom side of the textolite base. It starts next to the edge of the cutting wheel and ends on the opposite side of the base, a few centimeters before the edge. A hole with a diameter of 3–4 cm is drilled in this place. A metal plate with a hole is attached to it using screws on top, to which an adapter 4–5 cm long, cut from a metal pipe, is welded. The diameter of the pipe is equal to the internal diameter of the vacuum cleaner air duct, which is put on the adapter. Now, when you turn on the vacuum cleaner, all dust will be sucked out from the work area.

You can make a simple guide device for a tile cutter, thanks to which the accuracy and quality of the resulting cut will increase significantly. For this, a metal plaster rule of the required length is used. It is secured to the tile using clamps (double-sided construction tape will also work) at the required distance to the cutting line. Resting against the smooth edge of the rule, the tile cutter moves along it and makes a perfectly straight cut.

Making a tile cutting table

In order for the ceramics to flow smoothly under the disc, you need to make a smooth tabletop. In addition, it must be strong enough to securely secure the cutting tool. Therefore, experts advise using a rigid steel frame made of corners to make the tabletop. All parts must be connected by electric welding. Then we adjust the tabletop to the finished frame. A sheet of steel 0.5-0.6 cm high is suitable for this. Make a slot on it for the saw blade with an excess of 0.2-0.3 cm.

Note! To protect yourself when working, mount the angle grinder so that its disk does not protrude more than halfway from the slot.

Under the tabletop, in continuation of the gap or parallel to it, you need to weld a steel profile measuring 0.4 * 0.6 cm or a steel strip 0.4-0.5 cm thick. A grinder will be attached to them later.

On the fixture table, install the moving bar parallel to the grinder to directly feed the tiles under the disc. To do this, to the left of the grinder, perpendicular to it, make 2 parallel slits at a distance of the length of the bar between each other. HP will move along them. Its ends will be secured with bolt nuts through the slot.

Installing an angle grinder

You can attach the grinder to the bottom of the tabletop in different ways. Make sure that the fastening is rigid and strong. This is important because otherwise, when cutting tiles, the grinder may jam in the slots of the countertop. Also, when installing the saw, consider the possibility of:

• operate the on/off buttons;
• adjust the grinder rotation speed;
• change disk.

To prevent the bolt from turning out, a Grover spring washer is placed under its head.

Grover's washer

Also, to this connection, the tile cutter is attached to the tabletop with clamps made of strip steel, made according to the table drawing. To lay between the “body” of the file and the table, wooden blocks are used. Grooves should be made in them according to the shape of the grinder.

How to cool a homemade tile cutter

Factory electric tile cutters have a water cooling system. Its design is influenced by the location of the grinder, that is, it can be above or below the table. Making an electric water-cooled tile cutter of this type at home is extremely difficult and pointless. To cool a diamond blade, a simple air blow is enough.

It is also important to remember that you cannot use an angle grinder if the humidity level is more than 85 percent. Based on this, it can be assumed that the file cannot be wetted.

Do-it-yourself wall chaser from a grinder

Let's look at how to make a device for cutting walls for wiring (or other work), using a grinder as a base.

This homemade product will be useful for those who independently make repairs in an apartment or house (in particular, carry out work on installing electrical wiring) and want to save money.

For example, for one-time work there is no point in purchasing an expensive factory tool, which will then lie idle.

To make a homemade wall chaser from a grinder

, the author will use a welding machine and a lathe.

What you will need

Of the basic materials for making homemade products, we will need:

• thick steel washers (you can buy or turn them on a lathe with your own hands);
• extended couplings;
• long bolt (it is advisable to choose one with a high strength class);
• housing bearing;
• sheet metal;
• discs
  designed for working with concrete and stone.

Now let's start making a nozzle for the grinder for gating

Stages of work

The first step is to make three washers - using a crown, we cut out three blanks from a sheet of metal. Then the author turns them on a lathe.

Next we need two extended couplings. One of them needs to be shortened. Then the master processes the couplings on a lathe - on one side of each coupling it is necessary to machine a seat for the washer.

After this, in two prepared metal washers, using a step drill, we drill out the central hole to the desired diameter. We put washers on the elongated couplings and scald them.

We clean the weld seams with a grinder. We prepare two ordinary washers, a long bolt and a housing bearing.

All prepared parts will need to be assembled in the following order:

1. We put a regular metal washer on the long bolt.
2. Then install the housing bearing.
3. We put on another washer (regular).
4. We put a thick washer on the bolt with a groove for the disc (which we made earlier).
5. We install the saw blade on concrete.
6. We screw a cut-off elongated coupling with a welded washer onto the bolt.
7. We screw on the second extended coupling with a washer.
8. concrete
   saw blade on the grinder .
9. After this, we screw the assembled structure onto the gearbox shaft of the angle
   .

Making a protective casing

We cut out three parts from sheet metal about 3-4 mm thick: the side walls and the upper part of the protective casing.

We make a fastening clamp. Then we weld it to one of the side walls.

We weld the entire protective casing for the wall chaser - there should be enough space inside to install two disks

. It will additionally be necessary to weld a mount to it to install the handle.

At the last stage, all that remains is to assemble all the parts together: attach the protective casing to the angle grinder

, install the first disk, then install the shaft with the housing bearing, couplings and disk. Everything needs to be secured well.

Details on how to make a homemade wall chaser attachment for an angle grinder

, you can watch the video below. This idea was shared by YouTube channel creator Sean Beardon.

Recommendations for gating

Before ditching the wall, you will need to make a marking and cut along it - this is much more convenient, and the result will be of better quality.

Please note: it is best to cut a wall groove from top to bottom. The depth of the groove for one cable is at least 15 mm

If several cables will be laid in one groove, the depth of the groove must be increased. The main condition is that the cables fit freely into the groove and do not stick out of it

The depth of the groove for one cable is at least 15 mm. If several cables will be laid in one groove, the depth of the groove must be increased. The main condition is that the cables fit freely into the groove and do not stick out of it.

The width of the groove must be such that a hammer blade or chisel can fit into it.

When chipping walls, a lot of dust

, therefore it is advisable to provide the possibility of its removal. vacuum cleaner is used for this.

, the hose of which is connected to a pipe attached to the protective casing.

Tips for using the tool

A tile cutter from an angle grinder is an easy-to-use tool, but, as with any electrical equipment, the following safety rules should be followed when working with it.

1. It is necessary to cut the tiles away from you, without creating too much pressure.
2. It is recommended to start cutting from the outside of the tile.
3. If you need to cut tiles, it is better to fix them with special pliers. This will allow you to do the job better.
4. It is strictly forbidden to operate the tool while intoxicated or after taking antihistamines, as this may cause injury.
5. If you have never worked with such equipment before, then before you start cutting tiles, it is recommended to practice a little so as not to inadvertently spoil it.
6. In order for the cutting line to be perfectly straight, you need to draw a straight line on the tile with a simple pencil.
7. When cutting tiles, you must wear safety glasses to prevent dust or small chips from getting into your eyes.

If you live with small children, then you need to store electric tools in a room to which they do not have access.

How to cut tiles with a grinder

High-quality and simple cutting of tiles with a grinder should be done as professionally as possible, that is, in the end you should get an even, smooth cut and a minimum amount of dust in the process. There are three main directions of the incision, which would not hurt to understand in more detail.

Straight cut

Of all the options for cutting tiles with a grinder, this is the simplest. It involves making a straight cut into the material at a ninety-degree angle. First, you need to securely fix the tile itself on a flat surface so that its edge protrudes above the edge just enough to cut it

It doesn’t matter at all whether the cut needs to be made perpendicular or diagonal, relative to the plane and shape of the tile

You need to hold the grinder in such a way that the entire cutting line is clearly visible to you. That is, the disk should move towards itself, and not away from itself, blocking your entire view. Before you figure out how to cut tiles with a grinder, and even more so, start the work itself, be sure to put on gloves and goggles, and it won’t hurt to follow other safety rules.

Angle 45 degrees.

The usual right angle of cut on a tile is not always suitable, for example, when it is necessary to join it beautifully, and when making shaped elements finished with ceramics, it may be necessary to cut it at an angle of forty-five degrees, which will be much more difficult to accomplish in practice. But everything is possible with some effort, so let's look at how to act.

First, carefully cut the tiles at a regular right angle, taking into account the size of the tiles you need. Rotate the grinder so that its disk is located at the desired angle and carefully remove excess from the cut edge, being careful not to touch the front surface. If you still can’t make a perfect oblique cut, you can bring it to perfection with regular sandpaper or a grinding wheel.

Hole in tile

The most difficult process to carry out is cutting out round holes in the tiles, which may be required for sockets, switches, lighting fixtures, as well as for various decorative elements when tiling. You won't be able to cut tiny holes, so we'll tell you how to make large round holes. Carefully measure and mark what needs to be cut on the face of the tile. This can be done using a regular marker or felt-tip pen. You will have to mark not only the circle, but also its center, so for maximum simplification it will not hurt to use a construction compass or any compass and ruler if you have them at hand.

For cutting tiles with a grinder, it is advisable to take a new one so that it cuts efficiently and does not “chew” the edges of the tiles. Start cutting along the inner contour of the circle, carefully turning the tool and gradually going deeper. After you have cut some distance, it makes sense to make perpendicular cuts inside the constructed circle, and then take out four sectors, cutting them in the right places.

Helpful advice

If you really want to figure out how to cut tiles with a grinder without chipping, then this video located just below will help. It is worth remembering that you should always work exclusively on the front side of the tile, regardless of whether there is glaze on it or not. This way the risk of damaging the surface is much lower. It also doesn’t hurt to have sandpaper on hand, packed onto a wooden block, to bring the cuts to perfection. That’s why you always need to cut off a little more than necessary.

The video posted in our article will best tell you how to cut tiles with a grinder at right angles or diagonally, which will be useful to watch even for experienced craftsmen, and not just for beginners in construction and cladding.

Bottom line

A tile cutter is a very necessary thing for arranging home comfort. If you doubt that you can do it yourself, it is better to rent the device or use the services of a specialist.

Sources

• https://zonaplitki.ru/instrument/elektricheskij-plitkorez-svoimi-rukami.html
• https://yaplitka.ru/plitkorez-svoimi-rukami.html
• https://handmade-expert.info/plitkorez-svoimi-rukami/
• https://tehnika.expert/dlya-remonta/bolgarka/kak-sdelat-plitkorez-svoimi-rukami.html
• https://DoctorPol.ru/nap-pokrytiya/plitochka/stanok-rezki-dlya-plitki.html
• https://laminatepol.ru/28443-plitkoreza-svoimi-rukami.html
• https://TehnoPanorama.ru/instrumenty/plitkorez-svoimi-rukami.html