Floor tile stone wall/bridge abutment

[Chris333]

I know a few here have done this trick to slice an old 12x12 floor tile into thin strips and then chop those strips into blocks that you stack to make a wall.

I'm slicing these tiles and well my results don't look that good.

How are you guys cutting the tiles and is there any dress work after that?

I'm talking about the last 3 photos in this post: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=30946.msg342234#msg342234

[peteski]

IIRC, you have to lightly score the tile and then snap it to give it that "stone-like" rough texture.  If that's how you do it, maybe the material your tiles are made of is different than what was available few years ago?

Or you are talking about using the tiles to simulate poured concrete wall, not stone slabs?

[Chris333]

No cut stone. I figured out you need to light score or it will show on the edge. But when I snap it off I end up with a bunch of pieces. Might have to try those wide flat pilars for metalwork.

[peteski]

No cut stone. I figured out you need to light score or it will show on the edge. But when I snap it off I end up with a bunch of pieces. Might have to try those wide flat pilars for metalwork.

Looks like @coosvalley used that wall-making technique according to https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=52296.msg714778#msg714778  Maybe he will be able to describe his snapping technique.

[Bendtracker1]

Your tiles might too old and dry Chris?

[Chris333]

Just bought them, but they could be old.

[Chris333]

How wide did you cut them? I was trying 1/4" wide strips.

[x600]

Chris, Try cooling the tiles. My experience with them is that they become brittle when cold and flexible when warm.
Maybe score them warm, then cool and snap slowly along the cut with wide jaw pliers.
i haven't tried what you are doing, but I've worked with different types of flooring for years.

just my 2 cents

Greg O.

[Chris333]

There are some pics here as well: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=39184.105

Think I may try grey tiles instead of the black I bought.

The thing with cutting them. If you push too hard they make a raised lip on each edge that would need to be sanded down so the blocks would stack flat.

Hoping to make something like this:
http://monroemodels.us/718big.jpg

[peteski]

Black?  Most rocks are gray or brownish.
But I'm not sure if color makes a difference in how brittle the tiles are.

[haasmarc]

Chris,

I made a jig to make two different sized blocks.  You just stick the tile in edge wise, score on both sides and push the tile back to snap off a strip.

[Chris333]

Sweet!!!  This might just work 

[davefoxx]

Well played, @haasmarc!  Both the execution and the final result.

DFF

[Chris333]

I just made a jig like that. All with stuff I found in the garage. Snapped my first tile and it worked perfectly!

Made mine about 1/2" deep and if I want smaller I'll just put a filler strip in the bottom.

Thanks!

[haasmarc]

Glad I could help.