Rubi TZ-1300 Manual Tile Cutter, 1400 mm

Manual tile cutter RUBI TZ-1300

The manual RUBI TZ-1300 is, for what it can do, for its power and for how comfortable it is to use, an exceptional tool, the best of all the top-end cutters for cutting all sorts of tile, thick large-format ceramic included.

What stands out first are the massive convex guides of extruded aluminium with steel inserts, along which the carriage with the scoring wheel and the breaker travels. Radial bearings, four along the lower surface and two along the upper one, keep the carriage moving smoothly with minimal effort; they are well shielded on three sides and let you take out carriage play almost completely. Adjustment is done with two keys at once, which is very handy. Substantial bearing surfaces and the geometry of the rails give the carriage extraordinary rigidity and make the cut quality perfect.

The carriage, the guide uprights and the breaker have been redesigned and sensibly reinforced with stiffening ribs; the breaker wings and the handle reach are much bigger, which lengthens the arm of the lever mechanism and increases both the scoring force and the force for snapping the tile. That lets you make the cut one-handed, and it raises the breaker force to 1500 kg. The handle position is easily set by a toothed mechanism, so the cut is comfortable whether the machine stands on the floor or on a table. A magnet also brings the breaker into working position with one easy movement of one hand. The carriage takes all RUBI plus scoring wheels. The cutter ships with two wheels, eight and eighteen millimetres in diameter.

The table is made up of four aluminium plates that lock firmly to each other and are sprung by massive fold-out supports, which noticeably adds to the force you can put into scoring and snapping the tile. They fold easily out of the working position and clip onto the guides for transport. Plastic catches are provided so the table plates cannot damage the guides in transit.

The weight of this machine is sometimes counted against it, and it is indeed heavier than the comparable Rubi TX and Sigma products, but that is the price of exceptional power that no other maker can match. Not everyone likes the demountable side rulers of the table either, which come off for transport, but their fixing is well thought out and, although it needs care when setting up, it does not hurt cutting accuracy at all.

The cutter has two wheels and a handle, so when needed you can roll the machine smoothly around the room without folding it into transport position in the middle of a job. A cover is included for storage.