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Click on the "Comments" tab below to post a general question.  If you have a more specific question, choose from a category on the right side of the page and select "Comment" within that category.

Comments

[Gordon Lund]

What blade is best for glazed porcelain floor tile ? I'm burning up blades after 3 cuts.

Gordon,

[Blogmaster]

Tell us what type of saw you are using and if it's being used wet or dry. If you're using a wet saw you should get hundreds of cuts from an MK-225, MK-315 or an MK-415 blade. Please reply back with the type of application you're utilizing and we can better identify the issue. Also add the thickness of the material and, if using a non-MK saw, the horsepower and rpm of the motor.

Blogmaster

[Jesse Stakes]

I purchased the MK 470 from your store and it worked fine until today. When I turned the switch on, no response by the motor. Any thoughts as to why the motor will not engage?

Jesse,

The best course of action would be to call our customer service line at:

800-421-5830

If the saw is still under warranty we'll take care of it via and authorized service center in your area. It may be a simple fix with the motor that just requires a quick change of a switch. We can walk you through a couple checks to help you determine if this is an "at home" repair or something that requires a small motor tech.

Blogmaster

[Matt Eha]

how tp change a blade on an MK 377? I cannot find a spindle lock any where on the saw. thanks.

Matt,

Call our customer service line at 800-421-5830 and they can walk you through the process. You can also download the owners manual at:

http://www.mkdiamond.com/tile/tec_manual.html

Blogmaster

[Tanya]

I have a QEM 7" tile saw and someone suggested using an MK Lapidary blade. I'm cutting china and pottery. My last blade lasted about 6 months before I got excessive chipping. Which blade would be best and do I need to use a lubricant other than water?

Thanks!

Tanya,

There is not going to be a one size fits all solution to cutting both China and Pottery. The first question is, what type of blade have you been using? The second question is, what type of bone is coating the surface of the china?

Also, when cutting these delicate materials, you need to be dressing the blade very frequently. Unfortunately, this will decrease the life of the blade significantly but it will ensure greater succes in your finished product.

Blogmaster

[tony tomlinson]

I'm told by those who have done it that an MK saw with a diamond blade will cut glass slabs 3'4" thick, but that the RPM rating of the saw is critical in that a saw cutting too fast will heat the glass and break it. Any thoughts or experience with cutting glass?

Tony,

Cutting slabs of this thickness is a very specialized process and would be next to impossible with our existing line of saws. We don't doubt that someone has been able to accomplish this but probably not with a high degree of precision, efficiency and, most important, safety.

Blogmaster

[Mike Spies]

I've got a similar question to Tomlinson's above. I'm trying to cut 1" glass beading and am seeing the glass shatter/chup after cutting about half way through. I'm using an MK470 was with a premium blade. Am I trying to go too fast or?

Mike,

You may be trying to push the material a bit too aggressively through the saw. Remember, you're grinding the material at the surface. We recommend and MK-215GL blade for this process.

Blogmaster

[Mike McDonald]

I have a question about the maximum RPM ratings of the MK polishing & sanding discs. Do these ratings apply if the discs are used on a random orbital sander instead of a grinder or polisher? My sander's lowest setting is 7000 RPM, which exceeds the 4500 RPM maximun of the MK silicon carbide discs, for example. I want to use the discs for a small one-time home project (refinishing an old onyx chess board). Thanks.

Mike,

We don't recommend this application as the speed of your sander is too high. There is also the issue of incorporating water into the job which will be a challenge with your sander. The most cost-effective solution may be to rent the proper piece of equipment once you're ready to utilize the discs.

Blogmaster

[Steven Stromer]

As a general contractor needing to cut varying pavers and bricks, what would be the day to day difference in my experience between using the MK-625D and MK-825D 7" blades? If I can buy two MK-625Ds for the price of one MK-825D, which would you consider to be the better value for the money? Thanks for any advice!

Steven,

The word "varying" is probably the key in this question. If you were cutting one specific type of material, the 825D would probably be the ticket. As you're most likely cutting a variety of materials, go with the cheaper of the two blades (625D) and try to keep a specific blade assigned to a specific material. You'll get the most bang for the buck this way.

Blogmaster

[Ron]

What is the best / quickest and easiest way to cut tile around a toilet flange? Currently I'm doing lot's of single relief cuts in an arch but this is time consuming and using lot's of water.

Ron,

You're probably being too much of a perfectionist on this application. View this video and, somewhere between how this gentleman does it (with respect to number of cuts) and how you're doing it is a happy medium. You can use your blade as an angle grinder to smooth out your final pattern and give it a better round.

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/6249_tile-saw-toilet.htm

Blogmaster

[Andrew Wright]

I have a 101 rental that I bought used from home depot. The blade needs to be changed, but there is not a blade lock. I checked the manuals, but they all have a blade lock. Any suggestions on how to loosen the blade?

Mr. Wright,

Call our customer service line at 1-800-Tile-Saw and give them the product serial number that should be stamped on the saw. We can have a technitian walk you through the process.

Blogmaster

[Doug Rappe]

I am considering the purchase of the MK100 saw for cutting medium duty firebrick for a brick oven project. Can this saw handle this kind of material? I would like a versatile machine that I can also use for tile and stone. (The MK100 is about the limit of my budget)Also, what blade would you recommend for this type of brick? Thanks!

Doug,

The MK-100 has more than enough power and with 3 3/4 inch depth of cut coupled with the plunge cutting capability, the only requirement is to get the correct blade. We recommend the following:

MK-925D

http://www.mkdiamond.com/masonry/bld_turbo_925d.html

Blogmaster

[Claudio]

I am looking to purchase a new saw. I have two projects planned. The first is using 16"x16"x2" brick patio stones. My second project involves installing tiles in our kitchen. I'm looking for a saw that will fill both project needs. I'm looking for a saw to fit my budget of approx $800. What saw would work best?

[Danny]

I work for a urban fire department and we are interested in your Fire Tigertooth and Fire Tigertooth Black label blades. I understand the difference between the two is that the Black Label has diamonds on the side of the blade. Can you explain exactly what benefits we would see by using the Black Label? Does it cut faster, longer, more kinds of material? Does it have any disadvantages besides the price difference?

Danny,

The Black Label FTT has an electroplated core which accounts for the price difference. In terms of life and application, the regular label and black label are the same blades. The difference is that on the black label, the electroplated core will prevent binding of the blade as you go through material as it provides an enhanced "viscosity" of the core material and allows you to cut more aggressively with the blade.

Blogmaster

[victor]

why cant i find mk 850 anywhere i just bought one and want to compare prices

Victor,

We have not produced the MK-850 for about 20 years. Any pricing available would be from independent sellers on used equipment.

Blogmaster

[victor]

was the mk 850 a tile saw or ? what saw is simular to the 850 in size and power? thanks

[Diamond Blade]

Great blog. Just found the informative I was looking for. Keep it up.!

http://www.ciciliotandson.com/product_list.php?cat_id=6

[Tim Lennon]

I am interested in working with marble and making mosaics. I was thinking of the MK tx3, MK 660 and the MK 101. What would you recommend? The marble is about 1" thick.

Tim,

With a one inch cutting depth requirement, it really gets down to cost, weight and potential length of cut requirements you envision for the saw in the future. The TX-3 is probably going to give you the most versatility down the line, but you're talking about a larger expendiature up front. You can reference our comparison chart at:

http://www.mkdiamond.com/tile/saw_chart.html

The MK-660 is the lightest of the three saw at 48 pounds, so if mobility is an issue, that would probably be your best choice.

The material your cutting is really not the issue as you can get a blade for any of the saws that matches the material requirements.

Blogmaster

[Sherry Stephens]

We just bought a tx3 and were wondering if the mist is so fine that I should get a red spark when the tile first touches the blade.I don't want to ruin my blade!

Sherry,

This is normal. The misting system provides ample lubrication for the blade and a few sparks during the cut are not doing any damage to the bonding.

Blogmaster

[Sherry Stephens]

will the profile blades cut porcelin tile? I know the side would be the color of the back.

Sherry,

We know of only one profile wheel made by Alpha Tool that will cut tile. Regardless, employing this application creates excessive wear on the diamond plating and drastically reduces the normal life of the wheel.

Blogmaster

[Kirk]

Can the MK-1600 also be used for cutting asphalt or are these machines strictly for concrete?

Kirk,

All of our concrete saws can be used for both provided they have the right cutting depth and horsepower for the size job you're attempting. The big factor in cutting asphalt effectively is getting the right blade. You may want to call our customer service line at 800-421-5830 and give them the description of the type asphalt you're cutting. They will be able to identify the type of blade you'll need for the job.

Blogmaster

[Eric]

Hi,
I just bought a MK-370EXP,
I'm using it to cut a 13x13 porcelain tile, every time on the left side of the tile always chipping the edge, as I noted when the tile slice in to the blade the edge is ok, but when it's reach to the other end of the blade it's beginning to chip the left side edge. I wondering, what's cause this to happen? Thanks

Eric

Eric,

A couple of things you could try here. First, dress the blade with a dressing stone (you can use a brick if you don't have the stone). Just 2-3 cuts of about 1/8" will dress the blade out. Second, as you approach the end of the cut, slow the rate of the conveyor cart down significantly as it may be you're trying to go too aggressively through the material at the end.

You can also try two other techniques. Cut almost all of the way through the material and then flip the tile around and start from the other side. You have to have the tile marked well as to avoid and uneven line. Finally, if all else fails, you can finish the last portion of the cut on a plunge. Lift the head up and gently come down on the last couple inches of the required cut.

Let us know if this helps.

Blogmaster

[nathan brewer]

i have a mk-101 w/jcs stand why question is when i cut a tile down the mid and when i get to the end it cracks and the machine lifts up for no reason what could be wrong? nate

Nate,

There are two likely scenarios here. The first is that you're probably trying to run the material through the blade too quickly which would account for the cracking at the end of the cut and the head lifting up. The blade is doing 90% of the work in the grinding process and if you move the material too aggressively it will stop grinding and start chipping. Also, you may want to ensure you've got the best blade for the material being cut and that the blade is properly dressed out. If you tell us the material you're cutting we can give you a series of blade recommendations.

Blogmaster

[Galan Smith]

What type of blade would be best to use on my MK 100, to cut clay bricks. I need to cut 3inch bricks, that come 15" long into 2 1/2" inch pieces a thousand times or more. Will I beable to do this with this tool.
thanks Galan

Galan,

First off, you can use the MK-100 to cut bricks provided it's meeting the depth of cut requirements you need (which in this case, you're right at the edge). Second, there are a lot of different types of clay brick out there, all varying in the level or hardness, acidity and other factors that affect the performance of the blade. The first blade that comes to mind is the MK-414PB

http://www.mkdiamond.com/masonry/bld_turbo_414pb.html

but we recommend calling our customer service line with the type of clay at:

800-421-5830

They'll narrow the list of possible blades down to 2 or 3 based on price, diameter and effectiveness that will help you make the best decision.

Blogmaster

[Gene in Pearland]

I am using a MK225 7" blade in my QEP table top 1HP wet saw to cut 18x18 porcelain tiles, and the blade has begun to chip out at the end of cuts after initially giving me fantastic clean cuts. Do I need to dress the blade or does it have a life expectancy and need replaced after a number of cuts (probably over 100 so far)? What would I need to dress it with?

Gene,

Your 225 came with 7mm of rim. First off, measure the amount of rim remaining (that's the bond holding the diamond on the perimeter of the blade). If you're still above 3-4mm, you've got plenty of blade left. It sounds like you just need to dress the blade with a dressing stone but for a quick solution, you can make 2 or 3 cuts into a brick or cinder block type material (1/4 inch max on those cuts) to dress the blade out. Point here is to not overdress the blade as you're stripping valuable life away from the rim.

Finally, don't rush the last couple inches of the cut. It's easy with an aggressive blade to forget that you're really in a grinding, not cutting, application. Let the blade do the work and the chipping should go away.

Blogmaster