how to cut slate?

[mark razmandi]

the slate on the bottom of some driftwood i got is too wide for my tank so how can i cut it down to size...i was thinkin a hacksaw

[fshfrk]

If you don't have a wet saw you could just put a metal pipe or socket extension under the corner you want cut back. Hit it with a hammer this stuff is soft.

[mark razmandi]

defiantly dont got a wet saw, hammer it is. thanks

[Somefishguy]

yup hammer or hammer and chisel...

[paranoid1123]

OR you can rent a wet saw from Home depot, make it look just the way you want.

[jarrodaden]

Mark - try scoring the tile with a sharp blade. Then place the cut mark right over a counter edge and give it a gentle tap. The is your best best for a straight line. Slate can break unpredictably.

If you live in a neighborhood with new construction, you might get lucky and find a brick layer or tile layer working in the neighborhood. I am betting you could get that cut made for a six pack.

[mark razmandi]

i got it guys, i used a hacksaw and two hammers, the hacksaw worked fine but the arch part of the saw got in the way once i cut down too far so i used a hammer on each side and hit the slate adjacently to break off the part that i had just sawed, then just repeated like 4 times and walah!

[blacksmith37]

Everybody has a wet saw. When I retired and no longer had use of a 20" diamond saw , I had to improvise.
Buy a diamond or composite blade for your 7 1/4" circular saw ( radial ,chop, and table saws are way too messy). Go outside. Get a bucket of water and some airline( and maybe a clamp or valve). Set the bucket above the saw/work, start a water siphon onto the work. When doing a lot of cutting , I duct tape the air/water hose to the saw.
Tile or slate I would cut through , but patio pavers, brick ,etc you can cut part way ,then break.
If you used a dry composite blade the dust (of even a few cuts) will ruin the saw bearings ( guess how I learned ).

[cichlid1409]

i was thinking of something similar ...when i helped my uncle install some granite coutertops we used a skillsaw and the water hose....

[jarrodaden]

Make sure you use a GFCI!

[blacksmith37]

Once I started doing a little trimming on granite top in the house, dry. It made a lot of dust very fast (who would think black granite makes white dust ?), so I had to use wet, outside.
Outside receptacles less than 30 yr old should have GFI per codes. But that is a good point as I stick an extension cord through a window on occasion.

[RMD55]

I have used both a wet saw and a dry diamond blade in my Skill saw. The skill saw was used 9 years ago to build a 8 X 12 shed of Hardy board, which is a cement board also used on a job to cut cement backer for a tile job. Just a few weeks ago ued it to cut up several slate tiles for weights. I have had no problems with the saw. The cutting of the slate made a big mess. If you do dry cut it wear a dust mask. The wet saw is messy too slinging a slurry of water and dust. I have used it to cut glass, though a slow saw would be better. I plan to use it to cut down a 20g long wit a broken end to use as a sump. I will take some pictures and post them.