MK Diamond 159943 MK-370 1-1/4 Horsepower 7-Inch Wet Tile Saw with #160131 Stand Included

List Price: $474.00 Discount Price: Too low to display

Features:

• 7-inch portable wet tile saw; 18-inch rip, 13-inch diagonal, 2-inch depth of cut
• 1-1/4-horsepower engine for high torque (5500 rpm) and power
• High-impact thermoplastic water reservoir will not rust or peel; chrome guide bar; zinc-plated steel frame
• Includes saw, blade, submersible water pump, adjustable rip guide & Model #160131 Stand
• 27 pounds; 1-year warranty

Accessories:
MK Diamond 153201 45 Degree Bullnose Miter for MK-770K Tile Saw	MK Diamond 154250 7-Inch Dry Cutting Segmented Saw Blade with 5/8-Inch Arbor for Masonry	MK Diamond 155931 MK-625D Economy Grade 7-Inch Dry Cutting Continuous Rim Diamond Saw Blade with 5/8-Inch Arbor for Masonry	MK Diamond 158434 MK-225 Hot Dog 7-Inch Wet Cutting Continuous Rim Diamond Saw Blade with 5/8-Inch Arbor for Porcelain and Vitreous Tile	Custom LeatherCraft G361 Professional Ultra-Flex Gel Kneepads

Customer Reviews:

For good results buy something else [Posted on 2006-04-29]
I thought this would be a good saw to use inside where space is limited. It does set up easily but takes forever to get the table aligned to the blade. After the table is squared to the blade it only lasts for a couple of cuts. In my opinion, it's not worth the hassle. Buy a better saw with easier alignment. Better yet do yourself a favor and stay clear of MK saws. After cutting 10sf of 12x12 the table will be out by 1/8 inch, which is just plain ugly. Supplied blade is good, pump is okay, but who cares? When laying tile you need square cuts. If you need square cuts don't buy an MK saw.

I would suggest a higher end model [Posted on 2006-06-23]
This saw has issues w/ rip cuts over 12". It will rip cut 13" tile, but dangerous. The sliding plate has some variance, the blade gets nasty after 6", you need 2 hands to secure the tile, so reaching one hand up and over the motor to cut the power is a spooky manuever. The first 13" tile I cut shot out and hit the wall.
The main problem, besides the loose action of that caddy, is that the pump does not direct the water to the blade.
MK Diamond does have excellent customer service, they suggested the 770 EXP for larger (what I consider NORMAL tile). However I am going to buy the MK-100, which is MADE in USA not assembled. I will only use my MK-370 for baseboard cuts and mosaics.
MK is a good company, but they really need to focus more on explaining their products to the consumer. The instruction manual for the MK 370 is pathetic. And why no clamps for securing the tile?!?

Update to my review. I just used this for 12" granite tile, and it performed much better than on the ceramic. MK also sent me a new pump that also increased performance. Only issue I am still having is that there is often a small uncut piece at the back end of a tile. Saw does not pivot down at the end of the cut like a miter saw, which would alleviate this problem. However not a show stopper, still a good saw.

Should Have Gone Up-Scale [Posted on 2007-01-29]
I have the 370 not the EXP, however, other than the shorter travel the units are similar. I've had the saw about 4 years and use it to remodel my home and the homes of my children. I've used it to do three bathrooms, two kitchens, one sun room, a fireplace surround and a marble counter top. As others have stated it's a real bear to get the table alligned to get a straight cut, even when you do, it seems the next time you use it you have to start all over again. The table isn't flat across the surface so there is a tendency to chip the tile on one side of the blade or the other. The origional pump doesn't last long and after reading this in reviews I added an extension so I could pump from clean water and not the tray. I still had to replace the pump a couple of years ago. It's also loud, very loud, just running and not cutting it's loud. It makes my 3 hp router sound like a wisper by comparison. Even with all the short commings I thought it was a sound, well built machine that worked satisfactorily for my DIY needs. Well, I didn't think my list of projects was that long that it should have bitten the dust already. As much as I've used it, I wish I had opted for a better saw. One that was less noisy, easier to allign and most importantly had better staying power. It's probably ok for a couple of small projects, but if you intend to use a tile saw more than that I would suggest going up-scale.

Edit on January 29,2007: MK Diamond is of little help. Their web site provides a list of service centers, the first phone call to a service center was greeted with "what's MK Diamond?" A call to MK Diamond for parts wasn't much help either, only the entire motor is available as a replacement part, at $168+ it's not exactly a bargin for what is little more than a $48 4" grinder. With a lot of effort on my part I was able to locate the bearing which had gone south and it's replacement from a bearing supply house was a wopping $2.54. I would have expected even a cheep bearing to hold up longer than this. Time to grab the ear plugs again.

Solid Construction - Cheap Blade [Posted on 2008-02-22]
I have used this tool several times to get the feel of cutting tile. I am still at the exploration stage until my wife okay's a complete room remodel. Anyway, the tool cuts clean and the ability to cut at 45 degrees can hide unfinished edges (although they are not hard to polish on natural stone). I get very mininal chipping now after I changed out the stock blade. The water pump system works fine and the tub is sufficiently large to run several tiles without worrying about overflow. As with any tile cutter - move the material through very slowely!

tile guy [Posted on 2008-05-02]
the saw cuts smooth, and is lightweight, portable, but my only concern is that I may need to get my hearing checked. They couldn't have made this saw any louder!!! Great price for an MK, but just a little loud.

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