Tile Saw bluuuuuuwwwooooowoooos

Cheryl · Post by **Cheryl** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 10:44 am

Found a used MK101 on E-bay and won the auction.
Got the saw after waiting to move into the new studio space.
Got the famous yellow blazer blade.
Finally talked hubby into helping carry saw down into basement studio.
Had studio plumbed.
Tried saw. No water.
Replaced water pump.
Taped up frayed cord (hair's already red!)
Tried saw. Saw chomped up glass like the cookie monster. Big chunks, starting at very beginning of cut. Also gets stuck midway thru.
Figured out blade was drooping (cutting head).
Found dealer to fix saw.
Had saw fixed. Now cutting head stands proud, cutting table actually slides, cord is to code.
Tried saw. Saw chomped up glass like the cookie monster (same deal).

HELP!!!! I can replace the blade (not sure how much diamond is left after the blade tried several times during the drooping phase to cut thru the cutting table) but is that what I need to do? The blade does shimmy quite a bit - dealer thinks it's too thin but I know it's what many of you use. Do I need to do something else to cut down on the vibration? I am so frustrated I could just scream!! Not to mention the stuff stacking up that needs cutting...

Rick Jarvis · Post by **Rick Jarvis** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 11:03 am

If the saw is up to spec...its an amazing tool. We use one 3-4 days a week with great result. We use the mk 215 blade...lasts about 6 months.
The only caveat is that we refire all that we cut so minor chipping is not an issue. Also its good to sanblast cut edges before firing.

Rick

Tony Smith · Post by **Tony Smith** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 11:06 am

Cheryl

If the blade is shimmying (is that really a word?) then it is probably bent. Remove the blade and lay it on a flat surface. If the blade isn't laying flat on the surface, then you'll need to replace it with a new blade. The shimmying is probably what's causing most of the cookie crumbs. If the blade is flat, then clean the mounting surface on the blade and on the motor and remount the blade. If it still shimmies, then you may have a bent motor shaft.

Tony

Phil Hoppes · Post by **Phil Hoppes** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 11:09 am

The blade has been toasted due to previous use with no water. Go to HIS Glassworks and get a Result blade.

http://www.hisglassworks.com/pages/result.html

23-4712W 10 x .040 x .276 x 5/8 x 1/2 $98.00

The .040 is just a tad thicker and holds up better. Make sure you are getting sufficient water flow on the blade before you use it on glass or you will toast another blade. If the waterflow is not sufficient you may want to look into putting a Loc-Line water feed system and feed the water right on the blade and the glass. You can get Loc-Line from McMaster-Carr

http://www.mcmaster.com/

Go to catalog page 1995. If you get the line be sure to get the special tool
to snap them together. Your fingers will thank you for it.

If you don't have one, you should get a dressing block for your blade.

http://www.hisglassworks.com/pages/dressingstick.html

You don't need to do this often but they will extend the life of your blades
by "resharpening" them. (It doesn't actually resharpen technically but it does expose the diamond grit better which in effect makes the blade sharper)

Good luck.

Phil

Cheryl · Post by **Cheryl** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 11:45 am

I never used the blade w/out water. Just turned the saw on, saw the lack of water feed, turned it off.

Thanks, all

You're all invited to play, whenever you're in town.We even have a guest room.

Phil Hoppes · Post by **Phil Hoppes** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 12:30 pm

Hm, I miss read the beginning. I was thinking you got the blade when you bought it. A new blade should not shimmy. If it is, I would return it or again, you are not getting enough water on it. When I cut with my saw it wants a LOT of water, right on the blade. I've had shimmy's before but not bad and they settle out once the blade has reach a stable operating temperature. The water should be cold BTW. I once thought I would be doing my hands a favor and filled the basin with warm water so my hands would not get cold. The saw did not like it. Got lots of movement in the blade. I would not have thought that the slight difference in the water temperature would have made that much difference but appearently it did.

Phil

Fred Kupel · Post by **Fred Kupel** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 12:47 pm

Cheryl

I bought a used saw here in Portland. It, too, was a glass chomper. After studying the little monster for awhile, I noticed that the table which supports the glass under the blade was not true. When I put a straight-edge across the table it was straight (flat, true) at one end and slightly (1/8") bowed at the other. The result of this was to cause the glass to drop along one edge when the blade got to the end of the pass. Crunchorooney!

Found a machine shop with a small hydraulic press. We put the table (which was removable) upside down on the press and tweaked the high spot little by little until the straightedge said, "OK." Success!

Good luck.

Buster

Cheryl · Post by **Cheryl** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 1:04 pm

This table isn't true, either - one side is fine, the right side is slightly bowed. But I'm holding the glass firmly on the left, so I wouldn't think it would make much difference?

Also, these aren't crumbs - these are major chunks o glass, also causes big pieces to shear off at odd angles unrelated to the blade direction. The problem is in all aspects of the cut - the beginning, middle, golly I never make it to the end! Maybe this will lead me to a new artistic direction. NOT!

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 1:23 pm

perhaps your feed rate is too fast? you have to slowly. you're actually not cutting, but grinding, the glass to make the cut.

Cheryl · Post by **Cheryl** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 1:34 pm

The thing is, I've used other saws. I own another saw!! And if I could find a good 7 inch blade I swear I'd go back to using it. Hmmm. Anyway, that's what's so frustrating. I know I'm doing the cutting right - but technology's refusing to cooperate!!

Rick Wilton · Post by **Rick Wilton** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 2:22 pm

I'm may be misreading your post but it sounds like the blade dropped onto the cutting table. If so then your blade may have a chip in the diamond rim. If so everytime that section of blade passes by the glass it will chip. It should be a rather smooth cut through your glass, if the water is vibrating around alot on the table, than I'd say your blade is no longer perfectly round. If so replace or possibly redress it if possible.

Lionel · Post by **Lionel** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 3:33 pm

Quick check-

Set the blade height so that all the diamond area is below the table area.
Unplug the water.
Take a pencil, turn on the saw and slowly touch the blade.

If you are true and the blade is not warped you will get one clean line.
If it is warped - you get a half moon.

Moon Bad - Line Good

Cheryl · Post by **Cheryl** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 6:54 pm

Wow. I can't believe how much I've learned about tile saws today from you-all. I ordered a blade from H.I.S. and also learned from them that there is such a thing as a "stiffening wheel" that can steady a blade & keep it from shimmying as much. These aren't on the Web site so wanted to pass this along. I'm off to home to draw circles (I hope) or moons on my blade!

And someday...soon...I will cut again. Thanks for your help

Marty · Post by **Marty** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 7:02 pm

I tried 2 Blazers- they both chunked BE. Get the Reliant.

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 7:05 pm

Cheryl wrote:Wow. I can't believe how much I've learned about tile saws today from you-all. I ordered a blade from H.I.S. and also learned from them that there is such a thing as a "stiffening wheel" that can steady a blade & keep it from shimmying as much. These aren't on the Web site so wanted to pass this along. I'm off to home to draw circles (I hope) or moons on my blade!

And someday...soon...I will cut again. Thanks for your help

it's called a blade stiffener in woodworking.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... 5?v=glance.

check that your motor arbor is long enough to put one on before buying.

jim simmons · Post by **jim simmons** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 7:45 pm

I have a harbor Freight 10" tile saw that was cutting a bowed cut.
in other words, the center of the cut was curved in from the ends.

I bought the 0.035" blade from H.I.S. Glassworks.

After doing the alignment proceedure that Randy WQesner so graciously provided, The bloody thing still cut in a bowed fashion.

The only thing that I could think of that would cause this would be a bent support shaft that the table runs on.
Replaced the shaft. No change.

Then operating under the maxim that "no matter how improbable something sounds, after all other things have been eliminated, what else is left must be the problem."

Well, all that was left was the blade.
Went to Home Depot and bought an MK 0.065" blade and guess what? That fixed the problem.

I even went back and reinstalled the his blade thinking that maybe it or the hub might have had some grit or something. The saw cut in a bowed fashion.

Reinstalled the MK blade and it works like a charm.

Will try and post before and after pics.

Jim

http://home.att.net/~jjsim/wsb/media/39 ... 1070_t.JPG

http://home.att.net/~jjsim/wsb/media/39 ... 1071_t.JPG

jim simmons · Post by **jim simmons** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 7:48 pm

jim simmons wrote: Will try and post before and after pics.

Well, That didn't work the way I intended.
Will post again in a few min.
Jim

http://home.att.net/~jjsim/wsb/media/39 ... 1070_t.JPG

http://home.att.net/~jjsim/wsb/media/39 ... 1071_t.JPG

PDXBarbara · Post by **PDXBarbara** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 9:04 pm

jim simmons wrote:
Went to Home Depot and bought an MK 0.065" blade and guess what? That fixed the problem.

Jim

Guess you found that blasted blade, eh Jim? Where was it hiding?
xxoo,
Barbara

jim simmons · Post by **jim simmons** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 9:15 pm

PDXBarbara (Bader) wrote:
jim simmons wrote:
Went to Home Depot and bought an MK 0.065" blade and guess what? That fixed the problem.

Jim
Guess you found that blasted blade, eh Jim? Where was it hiding?
xxoo,
Barbara

Behind the wastepaper basket in the kitchen.

Jim

jim simmons · Post by **jim simmons** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 9:25 pm

[quote="jim simmons"][quote="jim simmons"]
Will try and post before and after pics.

Well, That didn't work the way I intended.
Will post again in a few min.
Jim

Here is another link that I think will work better

Jim
http://community.webshots.com/scripts/e ... D=97261326

WarmGlass.com

Tile Saw bluuuuuuwwwooooowoooos

Tile Saw bluuuuuuwwwooooowoooos

just to clarify

My tile saga.

Re: My tile saga.

Re: My tile saga.

Re: My tile saga.

Re: My tile saga. link to better pics.