Can I use a wet saw (tile) without water?

[Arkitech]

I need to cut a few pieces of slate tile but I would prefer to do it dry than wet. I've tried cutting the slate with the blade being wet, but the dust from the slate turns to almost a clay like substance and it gums up the saw. Would I damage the saw if I cut the slate dry?

 

[olds]

Might break tile

 

[Nik]

You don't just get it wet. You have to have a stream of water meant to cool the blade and wash away the dust.

I'm pretty sure you need water with a wet blade unless you're trying to overheat and warp the blade.

 

[Raduque]

Well, according to wikipedia:

For larger jobs an electric tile saw or wet saw is used; this saw is similar to a small mitre saw except that water is distributed on the saw blade to lessen the effects of heat and friction.

You could probably do a couple small pieces, but if you end up cutting lots, I'd probably just deal with the dust gumming up, otherwise you could damage the blade.

 

[drnickriviera]

You need a blade made to cut dry. If you are getting clay, you need more water. Get a water hose on it.

 

[BoomerD]

I doubt the blade would last long without water. The water cools and lubricates the abrasive blade.

There may be a special dry blade for that, otherwise, use more water.

 

[Arkitech]

Ah well, maybe I'll go back to my grinder.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

I have an MK Diamond wet saw that goes through about a gallon of water every five minutes. How much water are you using? I can not imagine "gumming up the blade" with anything but way too little water.

Also, if you want more dust, cut dry. It's a special blade, and it probably won't fin in a wet saw.

 

[Arkitech]

I'll try more water, I thought I had enough but maybe not.

 

[disappoint]

Set up a pressure washer aimed at the blade where it gets gummed up the most? Lower the pressure if possible so it's not too overpowering. I've never tried this so do so at your own risk.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

No, will ruin you blade in a hurry. Use more water, the bottom of the blade should be submerged in water. Wear an apron because if your doing it right its a nasty job with water flying everywhere and you will be soaked in no time flat

 

[Homerboy]

just take a garden hose and put it on a trickle over the piece you are cutting.
You DEFINITELY need water though

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

You can do it without water, but not without a dust mask!

 

[DrPizza]

RTFM! (Read the manual)
If your blade is gumming up, you don't have enough water in it. Also, they do make dry blades that you can put in a circular saw. You do NOT want to do this indoors. I had tiled my backsplash after I ordered a built in microwave. Bastards who wrote the dimensions had something and 3/16". Actual was something and 3/8". I had left 1/8" gap between the top of the tile & where the microwave would be. Unfortunately, that left 1/16" too small of a space. That one cut, the width of the microwave, created more dust than all of the dry wall sanding in that room.

 

[Evadman]

I drycut concrete once. Never again.

 

[vi edit]

Take an old water bottle, fill it up with water and punch a nail hole near the bottom. Sit it near the blade and let it squirt out on on your cutting surface.

 

[feralkid]

I need to cut a few pieces of slate tile but I would prefer to do it dry than wet. I've tried cutting the slate with the blade being wet, but the dust from the slate turns to almost a clay like substance and it gums up the saw. Would I damage the saw if I cut the slate dry?

Why?

 

[LittleNemoNES]

As a former construction worker, you really should just use the water to minimize dust and avoid overheating the machine.

 

[alpineranger]

Breathing that dust will be really bad for your respiratory system.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I would just do it properly and use the water as intended. There are dry cut saws, which is basically a blade that goes across a couple times then snaps the tile in two, but I think those are made more for the small bathroom tiles.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

There are dry cut saws, but they are for outdoor use, and for use on generally softer, less dense materials like pavers and bricks. The blades are similar, but have slots and sometimes dimples in them to help them cool; wet saw blades do not. Most tiles are also made of very hard porcelain, which does not lend itself well to dry cutting. It is impossible to use too much water while wet sawing.

 

[Fritzo]

DON'T DO IT. The heat generated will most likely snap the tile and could fracture the blade. This happened to my dad a long time ago...burned his arm to hell.

 

[Fritzo]

Spam post and link deleted.

LOL- my neighbor caught a drop cloth on fire by cutting ties without water Still give him crap about that. He didn't know you needed to put water in the saw...he thought "wet saw" meant you could cut wet things

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