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Tile cutting problem! any ideas?

I am doing a shower room for a customer and they have a curved shower tray. The tiles are porcelain (40/40's) She wants a clean cut through the tiles to follow the curve of the shower tray with a 5mm grout line. The option of taking the shower tray out, tiling the whole floor and sitting the tray on top of the tiles is out unfortunately. How can I cut a continuous curve across a few tiles and what would be the best type of cutter to use.

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Comment by Dave Carr on August 24, 2008 at 9:47am: Good to hear from you Bill, recently got a small gemini-style saw and that really is nice to work with for custom work on natural stone. I've heard the bands saws tend to be more robust than ring saws, do you know if that's true?

Comment by Bill Vincent on August 24, 2008 at 2:43am: I know I might be a little late to the party-- (been a while since I stopped in!) But the Gemini is a good suggestion. Also, if I understand you correctly and you're trying to cut an outside radius, you can also mark your piece and then make several straight cuts along that line-- not piano-keying, but cutting ON the line, and letting the blade follow off, and then go back and pick up where it followed off and make another one, and so on. Another possibility would be one of the diamond band saws. The one I use is the DL5000.

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v322/Bill_Vincent/usingtheDL3.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v322/Bill_Vincent/usingtheDL13.jpg[/IMG]

Comment by C.M.D Ceramics on July 7, 2008 at 11:41am: cheers Dave i made the website meself, made some use of all the days off ive been having with no work on. Im thinking very strongly about throwing the trowel in and making websites instead. Its just not paying the bills any more. Everyone thinks us in London have it easy but its just not the case. Ive only had one call in three weeks!

Comment by nik bedard on June 26, 2008 at 9:39pm: should of put in as pointed out bt cmd ceramics all showers should be siliconed as water will find its through the tiniest bubble in your grout

Comment by nik bedard on June 26, 2008 at 9:35pm: you can buy jig saw blades and router bits to fit the dremmal both work very well b&q and screwfix both keep them in

Comment by Dave Carr on May 26, 2008 at 8:48pm: Very true CMD. I doubt Mark would have grouted it, but good call none the less.

Nice website you've got there.

Comment by C.M.D Ceramics on May 26, 2008 at 8:15pm: you shouldnt leave a grout joint around a shower tray!!! it should be sealed with silicone. yes i understand its outside but its still gonna see a lot of water.
Wall / Floor Tilers ] Kitchens / Bathrooms www.cmdceramics.com

Comment by Mark Burton on May 21, 2008 at 12:16am: Gemini Saw! wow, how cool is that? I want one.
Thanks Dave.

Comment by Dave Carr on May 20, 2008 at 10:18pm: Have you seen the Gemini Tile Saw?

Or maybe a rotozip?

Comment by Mark Burton on May 20, 2008 at 4:39pm: Hi Dave,
I can copy the arc without any problems but its the cutting without having to Piano Key the tiles. I always find no matter how careful you are at smoothing the cut arc with a small grinder, it always looks like it has been cut.
Maybe someone needs to invent a Jig Saw Blade or a Router Bit for tiles that does not chip.
Thanks for your help Dave.