1st Understand there is a portion of that plate missing. It's usually the where the footer is and often so curved it's hard to use. Also you can see where the pattern isn't lining up in that rim, so that pic isn't sowing where the angled nips were made, but that is how you spare the center as a whole focal.

Same with my recent tray, you can see that the rim pattern is not exact either.

{{!gwi}}

To get the focal whole, you angle the nips and can usually take the rim off in 3-4 large pieces including the footer. Then you take each of those and make straight cuts, sacrificing the angled area because the depth of that tile would not match up if you are reassembling the rim. But you can fudge it well enough.

My rim is missing at least 3 areas. My focal was nipped out whole but the cut perfectly on my ring saw. I can't start with the saw because the height of the rim would not fit under the saw.

The only way I know how to do this is with my Taurus ring saw. I slowly saw through the edge toward the center until I get past the footer ridge thingy on the bottom of the plate. Then I make a sharp turn and start going around the center piece. Once I get the center cut out, then I nip the rest (to save wear and tear on the saw blade). I don't believe I could achieve the result in the photo by nipping alone.

let me go look at my plate stash and see if I can pull off a pic tutorial for this thread

Oh, cool NT. I would love that too!!

I hope you find some to teach us with !

Oh yeah TMG, like you don't do this better than I can! lol

alrighty, down and dirty... this plate did NOT cut well but it was still totally usable, my point is - sometimes you lose alot but it can still work.

here we go, plate and wheeled nippers (I hate tile nips) so wheels only for me...

{{!gwi}}

lots of bad breaks going on, dang

{{!gwi}}

once the rim is off, slowly nibble off the edge of the focal till it's round (or break out the ring saw)

{{!gwi}}

start cutting off those bad angles and wasted portions

{{!gwi}}

now you can see how much loss I had

{{!gwi}}

but alas, it all works out

{{!gwi}}

That was a great demo !!! In all honesty - I thought I was the only one that lost a good amount of the plate. I Was wondering what I was doing wrong. I guess I was worried about Nuthin' !

Is this a cool forum or what !!!!

lol, it really all depends on the plate. Sometimes they break great and then like this one... the cuts aren't as directed as I wanted. But I think it's hard for beginners to realize that there is a loss that isn't shown in pics like that 1st one in the thread. Cripes I opted to lose more of my checker pattern width so that I could use more length o9ut of those bad angles - you can see that it ends up 2 and a half checks instead of 3.

Great tutorial nice!
Can't get any better than that!

Hazie

Good GRIEF - NT - you are a real pro. You and LADY are the best teachers on this forum, I do believe. Thanks for that. I thought I was losing to much too. I'm gonna quit worrying. 'course, I'll use the wet saw if I ever get it back home.

Nicethyme. That was a great tutorial and I also discovered you can stretch your edge tiles by cutting them smaller making more grout lines to take up some of what was lost in straightening the edges.Eventually you get the fell of cutting them in half or thirds to stretch them around.

I aways save those nipped off angle pieces for filler somewhere else.

Chris

Awesome! You guys are the BOM!
Tutorials and all! I am learning so much!
Thanks!

Wow, NT...that was sure sweet of you to provide that tutorial. Well done, and quick, too!!! I'm impressed!

silvamae - I also appreciate the information you provided - how you cut the plate with your ring saw. I want to try that soon!!

Thanks NT! That's what I thought-as far as losing some stuff, (I cut up a vase and felt like I misused a lot of it.)so glad to know I was going down the right path. Gotta tell ya' the thought of a power saw...dang, I got a bad case of "the wants" just now!

That was the fastest pic tutorial ever! LOL I was going so quick - the first shot posed with the nipper, I tried to shoot the pic with my left hand and hit the power button instead! LOL Maybe the cuts might have been better if I wasn't rushing it! (probably not!)

On ring saws, if anyone is curious I'll attach a link to another tutorial. Mine is not really tough enough for plates but I do it anyway. I have the II.2 model, 3 is preferable.

Here is a link that might be useful: ring saw

yes, that was another AWESOME tutorial, NT. I was so impressed that I bought a ring saw. But I still haven't used it! Soon, soon!!!

Thanks so much NT!! I saw this thread at work ( the last week I'll be able to visit you guys at work, by the way). I was so anxious to see the pictures when I got home!! Great job.

Maria

Thank you so much..................WOW........I Need a ring saw I think.........!

Ok, same subject, different question. I was playing on the picnic table with my tools & plate at lunchtime. I did "ok" with the nippers this time, but now I have a question about the 'rocking' pieces of my plate (this would be the outer edges, as is very prominent on the OP up there.) Friend who is an intermediate mosaic-er suggested that I'm going to have major "issues" with grouting because they don't lie flat.

What say you?

You can cut the rocking part in half horizontally. Each piece would lay a little flatter. You get to know while shopping which plates will lay the flattest! BTW, great tutorial. I do sometimes break the plate in half first, or even quarters, then start nipping half circles. Doesn't look too much different than a whole, and my DD says she likes it even better!

Thanks for the tip! I also need to get more of an eye for 'thickness' of plates. I think most of mine are ceramic, and are quite thick...and much similar in thickness at that, but obviously 'china' and regular dishes are significantly thinner, so I guess I'd need to keep a watch on that when shopping for any specific project. Thanks!

thickness differences are not all that big a deal if not on a surface meant for use, tray or table... just compensate for a change in thickness by widening your grout to allow more room to sculpt up. Or you can shim thinner pieces with craft sticks, I cut them into chunks and glue them to the back of thinner pieces sometimes

Nice nipping DIAMOND. That's BEAUTIFUL!

Thanks MM for starting this thread. I'm getting better at it, but these tips help. As diamond said, You start looking at the plate edges.I try not to buy plates like the first picture.I also try to determine where the footer hits the central design. I've found some pretty plates, but by the time I cut the center, the design would be all but gone.

Diamond. beautiful table! Great job with those plates!!

Maria

Same here Shrty, you develop a descriminating eye for "cutability"

and I agree with everyone else, DJ - that's just beautiful work can't wait to see it grouted!

Hey NT, I found the sister to the blue plate you used on your small tea set...in pink.

Maria

NOOOOOO! AWE.... I bet that's beautiful. Evidently mine was some expensive thing that got a crack, clients gave it to me. LOL before you know it, I'll start taking broken china as payment! Post a pic, I'd love to see that in pink

What a difference a tool makes!!! I took back the horrendous wet-tile saw, and came back with a "better" set of nippers. 7", with a carbonite (is that the correct word?) edge- so stays sharp. OMG what a difference! I could tell the instant I made that first cut. OMG what a difference!

Chapter 1: Newbie finally gets the tool right, and chops up a plate!!!
(obviously I didn't put it back together 'right.')
{{!gwi}}

Carbide

good for you, yes tool quality is very important.

M&M - NOT OBVIOUS AT ALL. WHAT in the hay are you TALKING about??? You've done a fabulous job of nipping and putting it back together. Just remember that when you lay it on your project be sure and put the pieces close enough together to NOT have wide grout lines. As WENCH says, that screams amateur. You're doing GREAT!

Nice job on the plate. Remember practice makes perfect!

Maria

Thanks so much for the tutorial, NiceT!
It actually makes it look 'doable!'
Yes... practice... the key to a lot of things. :)
I'll give it a try soon!
Katie