Anyone use a wet tile saw?

[Samper]

I've seen them used before fragging lps and honestly I'm in need of something like it. The thing I don't know is how these hold up if you load salt water into them instead of FW. It would be horrible to purchase one and have it rust completely up after the first fragging. Thoughts?

[CubsFan]

I would say as long as you rinsed and dried it after each fragging you wouldn't have a problem with the rust. To use it to frag with I have no friggin idea GL with it though

[Samper]

I have a video of Eric Borneman using one and it makes nice clean fast cuts through thick skeletons and uses saltwater in the tray.

[bguile]

I'm thinking it'd have to be some seriously large corals or rock being fragged. No way would I trust putting my hands close to that blade.

[Samper]

It's used for the thicker lps skeletons where bone shears won't cut it...no pun intended. I've used large commercial ones before because I did some tile work and they're easy to use. You have to be careful with it like anything.

[charlie]

I have never used one Chuck. I know alot of people use a dremel for fragging LPS tho.

[Poseidon]

I use a dremel for SPS too! Works GREAT, as long as you can get to the branches!

[zhenya]

It's used for the thicker lps skeletons where bone shears won't cut it...no pun intended. I've used large commercial ones before because I did some tile work and they're easy to use. You have to be careful with it like anything.

Chuck,

Wet saws are very easy to use and to make sure it lasts long enough simply replace pump that comes with it to a powerhead.
MK-660 or smaller size saws would be the most useable, in my opinion. All you have to do to save the blade from rusting is rinse it off with fresh water(drop your pump into a bucket of freash water and let it rip for a spell, keeping the tray's plug removed for drainage). After that you can simply rub it with some vegetable oil/any cooking oil untill you need to use it again.

I laid tile and even marble slabs for a while when I first got into this country(still a member of the union as well ), so I know a thing or two about those saws. BY the way, you need to really apply pressure on the blade with your finger for it to cut you. Circular saws are more dangerous and crippled many people, I haven't heard of anyone ever been dangerously wounded or cut by a wet saw. Blade has no teeth.... you'll get burned before you'll get cut.

[DonW]

I bought one of the elcheapo mk145's at home depot years ago for $99. Its mostly plastic. For the money its been great. My bathroom is marble, wall to wall and floor to ceiling and it did a fine job. With SW I just rinse it out if I'm not feeling lazy, but that not very often. With all the abuse, lack of care and sw its still going strong.

Don

[FireEater]

I have a video of Eric Borneman using one and it makes nice clean fast cuts through thick skeletons and uses saltwater in the tray.

Yepper, I saw him do it in Houston for MACNA. He used a cheap 99 dollar one like Don is talking about.

You kinda want to start out with a rust free blade each time and I believe Eric just cut a piece of tile to clean it before he cut the corals.

Be prepared for a mess though so do it somewhere you don't mind getting dirty. Plus wear a rain coat.

[Samper]

Well I got my saw. Today I removed some Parazoanthus an Acan a Favia and a Fungia. The saw works great but I got pretty wet. What I like about this is the saltwater cools and you don't get CaCo3 dust in your lungs. I put a few drops of Lugols in the tray as well as a soak dish after cutting. Each but the parazoanthus soaked for 5 minutes afterward and a new batch of water and iodine was made for each piece. They were all sat on the LR and off the sandbed to minimize infection. Here are a few after pics.

[Samper]

Well I got the same pic on there twice....oh well

[zhenya]

Great job, Chuck!

Which saw did you get? I hope it wasn't really large ones that use 10-12 inch blades?
The thing I liked about MK660/770 is that they have hard fiberglass trays and splash guards are available. I still have one that goes all around the entire saw. Plus, you can fit a small plastic serving tray behind the blade to stop almost all of the water from splashing out. But, I'm thinking it would be waay too much of a saw to keep just for fraging corals.

[Samper]

I got this one.

4" Portable Wet Tile Saw

The blade being only 4" means I have to either shave old skeleton off before making the cut or just sticking to the edges of the colony. The fungia was extremely easy to do though. It has the plastic tray and the guard and there isn't really much to rust. At $60.00 and for my needs I would rather have it over the more expensive ones.

[kgeorge]

Samper, buddy, ole' pal. Have I told you how good of a friend you are? Did you cut those just for me?!?!?!? You shouldn't have!!!!

[zhenya]

Samper, buddy, ole' pal. Have I told you how good of a friend you are? Did you cut those just for me?!?!?!? You shouldn't have!!!!

[Reefland]

Man Gene, I wish I would have known that was your trade. I would have flown you down to help me with our bathroom, which I am still working on.

[Samper]

Tell me about it. I just finished laying our spare bathroom and hallway with new tile. Now I have to grout it and that's the worst part.

[Samper]

Kyle you know what's mine is yours.

[kgeorge]

You're a great guy Chuck, I don't care what anyone else says about ya!