Diamonds are a girls best friend

Janice Anderssen

Especially when they are applied to the  cutting edges of hole saws and cutting disks.

This past weekend, the DIY Divas Advanced Power Tools course were given a selection of Tork Craft diamond grit holes saws and cutting disks to try out in our workshop.

In the past, it was necessary to cut a tile in half, use tile nippers to take out tile to create a circle,and keep your fingers crossed that you didn't break off too much  or that the tile broke - not always an easy task and more often a case of "You break some - you cut some!"

With the Tork Craft diamond grit hole saw, cutting a hole in ceramic, porcelain or stone tile is not as easy as cutting  butter with a hot knife.  We were amazed by how easy it was.  No pressure needs to be applied and it is simply a matter of starting the drill and gently cutting into the tile at a 45-degree angle, lifting the drill up as it starts to cut into the tile. The result was a perfect circle with no chips.  Definitely the kind of diamonds to put on your next DIY shopping list!

Next on the list was the Tork Craft diamond tipped cutting disk for use with an angle grinder, and I am sure that many of you know how difficult it is to cut out a perfect half-circle or other shape!  I have put detailed intructions onto the Home-Dzine website for anyone interested or doing home improvements. 

Here's how:
1. Score the circle outline
Mark the circle on the tiles then score the profile with a diamond tipped tile scorer. Follow this mark with the angle grinder, applying light, gentle pressure to the surface of the tile.

2. Easy removal
Before removing the excess tile, make two short cuts from the outside in around the semicircle . Connect the cuts by making a series of progressively deeper shallow cuts.

3. Make short radial cuts
Complete the semicircle with a series of spoke-like radial cuts in towards the scored line. Clean up rough edges with a diamond blade or remove tabs with a tile nipper.

4. Clean up
Grind the edges smooth, working slowly around each curve. 

Don't forget to visit www.Home-Dzine.co.za and www.Home-Dzine-Online.co.za for practical ideas and inspiration, or sign up for our www.DIY-Divas.co.za workshops.