Anyone familiar with tile saws?

[littlefork]

We just bought some 3" porcelian tile to do our kitchen countertops, now we need to find a tile saw to do some diagonal cuts. I've looked at bridge saws but I'm not sure how well they would hold down a small tile while cutting and I don't want to hold a 3" tile with my bare hands while I cut. I was also looking as the Chicago 2.5 hp tile saw at Harbor Freight that sells for 249, not a bridge saw and may be better. Anyone had any experience with tile saws?

 

[Orchid]

I can't give you an opinion on which would be better since DH does the sawing here, but I can tell you that if you have a local rental place, it's going to cost you very little to rent a saw in comparison to buying one. If you only plan to use it for one room, or even once every ten years or so, I'd rent rather than buy. Just my opinion.

 

[StupidBird]

ditto on the rental, then you don't need to worry about anything but KEEP CLEANING it. That's what I learned - It'll start giving rough cuts if all clogged up with wet dust.

 

[welsummerchicks]

I have one and I LOVE IT. It is so much better than the bridge type with the blade you just push back and forth.

if you rent one keep IT clean too! The cut will start to deteriorate right away if you don't.