got no advice, but when you mentioned this..oh, I gotta pass this website on to everyone..
I was at the HarborDays Festival, downtown Olympia, along the boardwalk, this weekend..
the things that were available were too awesome to even begin to describe.
although I didn't see many mosaics..actually, none but there was one stand that had their handmade tiles, in framed wall mounted pieces.
between 8 and 12 hundred dollars..

but what I'm talking about is the stand, where they had boulders cut with a diamond blade saw..to make planters..

I hope this works..
it's from their business card

parallaxgallery.com/stonework

it's decorative/functional stone
they live half the time, north of Seattle and
the other half in New Mexico

Chickee,I have a 80.00 workforce from homedepot that I use to cut my china and also vases and figurines in half.It also cut's tile well but don't think it's strong enough for hard slate??????It will say on the box if it will cut stone or slate tho.I love mine for plates,if I want smaller I just nip them.Annie

WOW SEA!! GREAT SITE!!
CHICKEE: I went to a local tile shop called Tile City and asked them what would work for me and now I discovered from last time I was there, that there is a diamond blade that is thinner, therefore easier to cut stoff, you don't loose as much tile. etc. I would recommend going to a tile shop because they deal with only that, and so have all the good (proffesional type) tools, so you get your money's worth. I also learned about outdoor grout, mortar, sealer that way. Also about outdoor slate, what's good and lasts is not always the cheapest, but I guess it is only a hobby... I am scheming on how to get to a sale of 30% off in another town 1.5 hrs away, it is a stained glass store that sells everything!!! I NEED a mega blade for my taurus!!!

Thanks sea for the site their stuff was really cool.

Jane I will have to see if there is a tile shop anywhere near me. There has to be even if its in the next town!!! I think I have the mega blade for my taurus but have yet to use it. What'cha gone cut with it??

Annie- I have looked at the saws homedepot has, I know they have one made by husky that can handle slate and tile, I'm kinda leaning towards that one (gotta save the dough though!!!) but I know harborfreight has them too but Im kinda leary of theres because I think it is of a lessor quality.

I think I'm trying to justify buying a better saw versus a cheap-o saw, although I honestly don't know how often I would use it after this project!

I want my mega blade for cutting porceline tiles into different shapes, hearts, flowers, leaves, you name it! And anything that makes a wet tile saw cut easier is a good idea to me, so I'm looking at $200 for the both. But I justify that by scrounging the tiles!!ha!
I have a question for all you tile saw owners: Do you get a major spray coming back at you, or am I doing something wrong? I have a big puddle on the floor and HAVE to have on a apron and Face shield or I get sprayed! I noticed the guy at a local mosaic shop had an extention of plastic(homemade jobby) on his but was to destracted and forgot to ask him about it.

Yep...I get my clothes all wet.started punching holes for arms in big lawn trash bags to keep dry...might buy slicker overalls someday,it's usually so hot here I don't mind getting wet while I cut.

Calam, I have a Taurus 3 ring saw and don't have that much of a splash problem. I usually wear an apron (to protect from fine glass) and gloves (to protect my fingers) and most of the time I wear goggles because I don't like the little plastic shield on the saw.

Chickee, my husband has one of the cheaper tile saws from HD and he has cut a lot of tile as he has done several floors for our homes. We are out of town so I can't give you name brand. He laid a slate floor for our daughter last year and it was the messiest, nastiest stuff ever to work with - think mud. It is also uneven which drove my perfectionist engineer husband crazy. Maybe I'm telling you stuff you know, but thought I'd share our experience with it.

jane- I do get wet, I have a shield around mine made from a cardboard box. Its not as much as you seem to be getting though!!!

d3bbi- I knew about the uneven part but not sure what you mean about the mud part? When you cut it does it make a muddy sludge? Let me know what brand your hubby has when you get home, that would help me alot. I'm already committed to using the slate as I already purchased it and it is for out door use so if its a little uneven I can live with it!!! When I get to start it I will definitely be doing a play by play on how its going!!

Yep, CALAM - water all over, so I use both saws on a table set up outside only.

In the event you haven't checked it out yet .......

Here is a link that might be useful: That wonderful stone website........

Hi wannadanc, haven't seen you for ages, :). That is a cool web site with those stones. I badly wish I had a wet saw now,
Cindy

I'm so excited! I found one single Workforce THD250 on clearance at HD yesterday! $50!!! I wasn't quite ready to commit to one of these, but it was all dusty like they just found it out back somewhere, and I couldn't leave it there for that cuz it was the only one. I know the bigger 7" model is only $20 more, but I'll try this a little and see how it goes. Wheeee- heee heeeee heeeee!!!!

Whoo Hoo!! Great score!!! Have fun!!!

Not. Just tried it out. That has GOT to be THE single-most unsafest tool I've ever encountered. It's not mounted to anything, and it's heavy (for me), you can't maneuver it around the piece, you can't hold the piece AND the saw and effectively cut the PIECE and not lob your fingers off.

OMG it's SO getting returned! I'll wait til I can get a decent flat, stationary wet saw...this was NO bargain!

Just so you understand, wet saws for tile are only meant to make straight cuts. The one you bought is a wet or dry saw and is used just like a full size carpenters power handsaw. Yes you would be better off safety wise with a wet saw mounted over the the resevoir pan that slides along the bars similar to a cut off saw.

To use the one you bought, it would be preferable to have a clamping system on a workbench.

We use a Plasplugs Clompact - Diamond Wheel tile saw. It was purchased at Ace hardware for around $50. It's a little work horse! There are feet attachments to hold it steady and I find it quite safe. If I put too much water in it I get a shower. Try decreasing your water. There should be only enough to keep the tile wet as you cut. Good luck, hope you find one. Cutting china - well, I never thought!!!!

You get what you pay for, y'all. I got a wonderful saw from Lowes about three/four yrs. ago, paid around $250 for it, and there's NOTHING that little sucker won't cut, even bricks. I used it to cup cups, bowls, vases etc. in half, plates into tiles, and a few bricks when laying a path in the front garden. Also, my HM used it to clean the old thinset off the bathroom tiles when I was mosaicing the bathroom counter. Just hold the tile under the side of the blade to "file" off the thinset. Same w/cutting a cup in half - move the tray back, and hold the cup under the blade. Try to block out in your mind and just look at the yellow saw, cuz there's a mitre saw behind it and it's confusing.

I agree slow. My main problem wasn't so much the 'bargain' that I thought I was getting but that I haven't got the Tim-the-Toolman-Touch to work it. Not to be sexist, but women seem to have an 'automatic' knack for things like irons & pressure cookers, whereas men seem to just have a knack for power tools. I've seen my DH use a saw like this, but he's also got a lot more testosterone than I do. I'm a little wimpy girl (no, really...I'm small and can't lift much).

Since the saw was so 'heavy' for me, this is what I did:

I set up a sawhorse with a board. Set the saw on the board on the edge. No biggie.

I had my son just turn it on while I worked the plate under the blade (getting a shower in the process). I couldn't work both the plate and the on-switch since you have to hold the 'on' button at the same time. Needed both hands to hold said plate.

It cut fabulous. But it was kinda ridiculous the way I had to hold the plate under it. One slip, and my fingers were gonners. I didn't like the fact that there was no 'control' with the plate- just me under there moving it to cut. That was the major issue: control. There was none.

Yup, must get that stationary model.

I, too, was afraid of the blade in the beginning, but the HM held his finger to the blade, and said it's not like a regular saw blade, it won't cut your fingers. He actually showed me that. Still, I am very careful in holding the items under the blade. Just put it down and push the switch button.