Tile cutter has no device to actually crack the tile into two bits

[Silvan]

I have a manual tile cutter, I haven't used it for about 20 years.

When I looked at YouTube all the cutters had a raised line in the bed of the cutter and a u-shaped attachment to the handle. After scoring the tile the handle is drawn back and downwards pressure applied to the handle and the tile splits into two under the influence of the u-shaped bit. But my cutter has no raised line in the bed of the cutter, nor does it have a u-shaped device to apply pressure and break the tile.

I can score the tiles with my manual cutter, but how do I break then in two? I must have know twenty years ago but have forgotten.

 

[mattylad]

Got a photo of it?

 

[Silvan]

Solved it. First score the tile using the tile cutter. Then take the tile an put it on a flat surface with a 1/8" drill underneath the score on the tile. The drill only needs to be under the tile for the length of the shaft, maybe an inch or so. Then apply even pressure on each side of the tile. And the tile should crack along the line which has been scored.

I did a couple of things wrong at first. (1) I applied too much pressure when scoring the tile, and broke some tiles during scoring. Even if the pressure applied has been so light that you can't hear any cracking noise and can't even see the score it will be okay. (2) no need to do any crazy karate chops on the tile, that will also result in broken tiles.

When we bought our house 25 years ago I did a lot of DIY. I'm retired now and having to re-learn DIY skills. Spending time doing DIY isn't exactly a dream retirement but it is a whole lot better than working in a call centre (I spend the last ten years of my life in a call cente).

 

[robinbanks]

Buy a saw bladed wet cutter..
Much nicer finish and far more versatile-tile

 

[foxhole]

Solved it. First score the tile using the tile cutter. Then take the tile an put it on a flat surface with a 1/8" drill underneath the score on the tile. The drill only needs to be under the tile for the length of the shaft, maybe an inch or so. Then apply even pressure on each side of the tile. And the tile should crack along the line which has been scored.

I did a couple of things wrong at first. (1) I applied too much pressure when scoring the tile, and broke some tiles during scoring. Even if the pressure applied has been so light that you can't hear any cracking noise and can't even see the score it will be okay. (2) no need to do any crazy karate chops on the tile, that will also result in broken tiles.

When we bought our house 25 years ago I did a lot of DIY. I'm retired now and having to re-learn DIY skills. Spending time doing DIY isn't exactly a dream retirement but it is a whole lot better than working in a call centre (I spend the last ten years of my life in a call cente).

Just buy a decent tile cutter .

 

[Silvan]

It was just a small job, it is finished now. For a bigger job then yes, I would buy a better cutter.

Thank you very much