In June of this year Bosch unveiled the new TC10 Wet Tile and Stone Saw and folding stand, and this saw marks Bosch’s first foray into the wet saw market. About a month ago I gave you an initial look at the TC10 with the promise of a full-on review. Here at OPC we like to get tools out in the field before passing judgement, and Jim and Rich from Diamond Tile were kind enough to test it out for us. Jim and Rich are professional tile installers and each have over 27 years experience so I was very interested to get their opinion on the TC10.
Setup
Setting up the TC10 at the job site was very simple. The body of the saw rests on the stand, and the three collection trays slid into place. The extension hooks onto the side of the table, and there’s a release lever on the underside to free the table. The weight of the saw is on par with other professional tile saws, and Jim and Rich typically remove the table to make it easier to clean and carry. That extra step requires removing one screw, and it’s quickly done.
The tray holds about a little under 5 gallons which makes it easy to fill and empty with a 5 gallon bucket. Most tile saw trays are plastic and so is the tray on the TC10. Manufacturers chose plastic to keep the weight down. However, Jim and Rich have seen the trays crack from extreme cold (not from water freezing in the tray).
Overspray Deflectors and Run-Off Collection Trays
The first thing Jim and Rich noticed about the TC10 was the run-off trays and overspray deflectors behind the blade. The guys typically setup a tarp underneath the saw and plastic sheeting over nearby walls. The trays and deflectors eliminated the need for protection on the walls, and that is a great time-saver. Jim and Rich said that a lot of tile saws don’t include the side run-off tray, and that leads to a lot of water on the ground. They’re glad to see it on the TC10.
Sliding Work Table
The guys have been using a Target brand tile saw (no, not the Walmart retail competitor), and it included a sliding table too. The difference is that the TC10 table is much smoother, and it’s not just because the saw hasn’t seen much use. Bosch incorporated 4 sealed ball bearing casters that ride on stainless steel rails. The guys found the table to be really useful for straight cuts, odd angles and even just to steady the workpiece while they hold it.
A limitation with this style of saw is the clearance between the blade and the arm. Jim and Rich are seeing more homeowners request bigger tiles, and to make cuts it sometimes means awkwardly flipping the tile around. The guys previous saw had about 9″ of clearance while the TC10 provides roughly 13″ of clearance. That’s important because the TC10 can handle a wider range of cuts even on big, 24″ tile.
The table extension is another welcome feature. Porcelain tile is much heavier, and it tends to chip near the end of a cut. The best way to avoid chipped tiles is to make sure the entire work piece is fully supported, and that’s what the table extension provides.
Powerful 1.5 HP Motor
Horsepower is an easy differentiator amongst tile saws, and you’ll notice the more heavy-duty tile saws feature at least 1.5 HP. The TC10 hits that mark with a 1.5 HP and 4200 RPM motor which can power through porcelain, granite, and other dense materials.
Adjustable Plunge Cutting
Plunge cuts are necessary to work around fixtures like shower controls, and typically Jim or Rich would go outside with a small grinder because of all the dust. The TC10 is a great time-saver for the guys because now they can make plunge cuts inside and without the need for a separate tool.
Cleanup
Easy cleanup is another important consideration for Jim and Rich. The TC10 tray slides out for draining, and the wide channels on the table make it easier to remove bits and pieces of tile.
Price
I asked the guys how much they would pay for a saw and stand like this, and they expected something in the $1200 – $1500 price range. They were really surprised to learn that the saw with stand retails for only $1049.
Final Thoughts
Jim and Rich said that Bosch got a lot of things right about this tile saw, and they’re really pleased with the performance. The price is lower than they expected, and the Bosch TC10 is a great option for professional tile installers. When I asked if there was anything they’d change, the guys said an integrated work light near the blade would be useful because a lot of locations don’t have good lighting and sometimes it’s tough to see lines.
Really admire how you broke this weeks project into multiple stand alone posts. That’s good planning and writing.
I have the new Ridgid ($300 with the sliding table) and the side shields is what I want in my next saw. I just laid a floor with 18″ tiles and when cutting them water would run off the edge of the tile and miss the pan. I’m surprised no manufacturer had put them on a wet saw before now.
This looks like a really great tool. I have a $60 model a friend bought from HD and left behind when he moved. It sucks.
Kind of goes along with the title project for sure.
Wow what a great saw makes mine pale in comparison. Bosch really makes great tools.
agreed!
The overspray deflectors and runoff trays look great. The only time I’ve been around a wet saw is when it’s used outside, but for the pros I’m sure it’s a must to be able to use it inside. I guess that’s what happens when you buy top-notch 🙂
I can’t ever imagine that it would be more economically friendly for a typical do-it-yourselfer to buy one when you can rent high quality saws from HD or Lowe’s. It would be very hard to offset the cost when you likely may never need the saw again (and if you did will it still run well after sitting in the back corner of the garage for 20 years). This goes right along with the short list of things better bought by the pros only from a cost offset point of view (including hammer drills, floor surfacers, jackhammers, etc.) And this is coming from the kind of guy who would love to own just about every tool made!
“This goes right along with the short list of things better bought by the pros only from a cost offset point of view…” I mostly agree with you but I think there are some edge cases (aren’t there always) when it comes to some recently introduced tools.
Re: Tile saws.
Ridgid just came out with a sub $300 saw with a sliding table and can make plunge cuts, etc. It’s marketed as a pro saw but if a person had to do multiple tile jobs in their home (bathroom floor or two, an alcove, and backsplash) and they could get their money’s worth over renting. They could even sell it on Craigslist after and be way ahead over renting.
Re: Rotary Hammers.
Milwaukee’s new M12 rotary hammer is very affordable and capable for homeowner use. The bare tool is only $139. A project that runs a little less than a week would be the break even point at least for rental rates in my area.
Re:Re: Tile Saws-
Any sub $300 saw would be able to complete a basic remodel project using builder-base-grade tile. The big difference comes with larger tiles, and especially with many of the finicky natural stone tiles that are popular today. A cheapo saw will all of a sudden rack up more than $300’s worth of frustration for you, making you forget the sweet victory of your earlier bargain. In that event, you’d probably be better off hiring a pro with the right equipment to start with.
Re:Re: Rotary Hammers-
I own a Bosch 2″ rotary hammer (approx. $950 w/o steel), a Bosch 1″ Bulldog Xtreme, 2-18v Li hammer drills, 3 ass’t Bosch 18v Li impact drivers, and 2-12v Bosch impactors. I agree with you that the Milwaukee M12 is a very fine and affordable tool, but you would be hard-pressed to get it to do the big-boy stuff with it. I know, it was a painful decision to part with a grand to get my big Bosch!
Can this saw be used to cut glass tile with a different blade?
Hey Mark,
I’m checking into this for you, and I hope to have a recommendation soon. Thanks for the question.
You can use that saw to cut glass tile with the regular (standard) blade.
One question no one has answered yet… Can I use my profile wheels on this wet saw
This was (is) a great review, thanks.
The overspray deflector looks great. I’m the guy who wants to keep things tidy as I work- no sense in making a mess if it can be prevented.
I love this saw. I picked recently picked one up. I wonder if Bradly is right though, I am wondering when it is better to rent a saw vs buy a saw. How do you guys usually determine the cut off point to buy vs rent?