QEP 83200 24-Inch Bridge Tile Saw with Water Pump and Stand

As I typically mention in every one of my posts, when facing a new tile project, one of the first questions that you need to answer is what tools will I need to complete the job.  No matter how simple or complicated the job will be, you will definitely need to cut some of the tiles.  Therefore, one of the most important tools, if not the most important, will be the tile cutter you choose.  There are two basic options you can choose to use: a wet tile saw or a manual tile cutter.  If the only cuts you need to make are simple straight cuts, then you could easily get by with a manual tile cutter and many professionals still use these even though they certainly have a wet saw.  If you are cutting tiles on the diagonal or have many, many cuts to make, a wet tile saw will make the job much easier.  The QEP 83200 24-inch tile saw definitely meets the criteria mentioned above.


The Nuts and Bolts

This 1-1/2 HP professional tile saw makes cuts in many types of materials including tile, marble, granite, stone, porcelain and masonry products. The blade guard has a locking, tilt-up mechanism that makes blade changes quick and easy. The saw Includes a 10 inch continuous rim diamond blade that makes cutting larger tiles a breeze. Must saws designed for homeowners are equipped with a 7-inch blade which typically limits diagonal tile cuts to 12 x 12 tiles.  The rust proof, fiberglass water tray slides in and out for easy cleaning.



More Nuts and Bolts

Some additional technical details of this tile saw are as follows.  It includes a powerful motor that produces 3450 rpm, a convenient stand with rear locking wheels, an adjustable tilting head that allows quick and easy 45° to 90° miter cuts, and an enclosed dual water spray system that evenly distributes water flow, thus extending the life of the diamond blade.

Set Up and Operation

As with any product, some assembly is required and after observing this issues that people have had through assembly and use, you should keep a couple of things in mind.  The saw is stable and the wheels work fine when moving the saw, just be sure to install the legs properly.  To ensure there is no vibration or wiggle when the blade turns, be sure when mounting the blade that you insert the center guide into the arbor properly.  The fence is a little difficult to slide once it gets some grit in the rail, so periodically clean the rail during use which is easy enough.

Clean Up

The QEP 83200 tile saw cleans up pretty easy and has a well placed plug to help drain the water out. Kudos to QEP for that.  After draining the water, wipe it down with a damp towel and I think you will find it looks relatively new after the clean up.

Taking your time and exercising some patience during set up will pay dividends later when you start using the saw.  After it's all said and done, I can add this to the list of saws that are recommended on this site and confidently proclaim that this is a great saw for do-it-yourself jobs.