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ProControl Mosaic Glass Cutter

Pro Control Glass Nipper

Mosaic Art Supply is proud to be the first online retailer to carry the new ProControl Mosaic Glass Cutter Model 32014. This is a sophisticated and ergonomic hand tool for cutting glass mosaic tile. The ProControl Mosaic Glass Cutter is a compression nipper just like our regular mosaic glass cutter, but has numerous improvements to appeal to professional mosaic artists who are cutting glass tile all the time.

  • Weighs less than the traditional mosaic glass cutter (8.6 oz instead of 10.8 oz)
  • Has longer handles (1 inch extra) to make cutting easier
  • Has a tile thickness lock to reduce hand fatigue
  • Comes with a hex key built into the back for adjusting or changing the blades
  • Has a cutting-depth guide to help make uniform cuts
  • Has thicker, more comfortable handle grips
  • QEP Model # 32014

Note that LONG strips of glass are made with a different tool (Pistol-Grip Cutter), which scores the glass instead of nipping it like the ProControl tool does.

This tool cuts glass up to 3/8-inch thick with minimal crushing and splintering, and it easily cuts molded tile into quarters, halves and triangles. It is also great for nipping up small pieces of stained glass, although it is not a scoring tool for making long straight cuts in stained glass. This is a compression tool and tile is squeezed between the blades, and the circular blades do not actually rotate while cutting.

Replacement blades are available, although the blades should last for years if you don’t abuse them by attempting to cut materials other than glass, which ruins the precision of the tool itself by warping it.

Wheeled cutters such as the ProControl Mosaic Glass Cutter are the appropriate tool for cutting glass tiles. Unlike ordinary tile nippers, wheeled glass cutters won’t crush and splinter the glass. Instead, the cuts will be cleaner and less tile will be wasted as splinters.

Safety and Cutting Tile

  • Always wear safety glasses with side shields when using the cutters.
  • Make sure that you don’t cut glass around people who are not wearing safety glasses. Flying chips could potentially hit their eyes as easily as yours.
  • Never use a mosaic glass cutter to cut materials other than glass, especially hard porcelain. The wheel-shaped blades can shatter. Cutting materials other than glass also ruins the precision of the cutters!
  • Be aware that cutting glass tile can produce sharp tiny slivers. Never sweep off a work surface with your bare hand. Use a vacuum or counter brush.

Product Specifications for ProControl Mosaic Glass Cutter

  • aluminum hand plier with cushion grip
  • 8.5 oz,
  • replaceable carbide steel cutting blades
  • can be adjusted depending on tile thickness and preferred cut depth
  • comes with a hex key for easy blade adjustment
  • QEP model number 32014

How To Cut Glass Tile

Hold the cutter over a cardboard box or plastic dishpan to catch broken pieces and tiny slivers.

Hold vitreous glass tile upside down when cutting so that you can see the embossed pattern of ridges on the bottom. Make sure you position the blade so that the ridges do not interfere with it. It is easier to cut across a ridge or in a crease between two ridges than it is to try to cut with the blade on top of a ridge where it can slip off.

Efficient Cutting

It is much easier to cut up four or five pieces of tile and choose the one that fits best than it is to try to trim one piece to a certain shape or size. It is quicker too. Keep your rejects in a small pile and pay attention to the shapes that are in it. If you don’t use a certain size or shape as often, try to cut fewer pieces like that. This is much more effective than trimming a piece down to what you need, and it is a lot less tedious.

Replacement Springs

Replacement Springs are available, but your cutters are not defective or useless if the springs fall off. The springs tend to fall of all hand tools eventually, even the most expensive brands. Keep your pinky fingers inside the handle instead of outside with the rest of your fingers and use that to open the tool. This is basic shop/studio practice for using any type of plier tool, most of which do not come with springs in the first place.

How To Make Mosaics

For more advice on designing your mosaic project or mounting, cutting, and grouting tile, please see our page of Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions or our Mosaic Information Guide, which lists instructional pages described by topic. We also post new articles about making mosaics at our How to Mosaic Blog.

Bulk 5 Gallons (approx 25 Pounds) of Broken Dinnerware for Pique Assiette Mosaic

We’ve got 5 gallon buckets of vintage broken dinnerware — china, plates, saucers, cups, etc — for making pique assiette mosaics.

Weighing upwards of 25 pounds, these are totally random vintage lots and for bulk sale only. Most pieces will be unique, and we can’t sort through them to choose any particular pieces. All pieces are broken in some fashion, and scratches and chipping may be present. Most pieces are white ceramic with designs and trim including florals and gold leaf.

Shipping is expensive, but you can e-mail us about a bulk shipping quote if you want 3 or more buckets. We also accept local pickup at our warehouse near Atlanta, GA.

Cutting Broken Dinnerware

Cut ceramic broken dinnerware using our Compound Tile Nipper. Regular glass tile cutters will break on porcelain!

Use in Pique Assiette Mosaic Art

Broken dinnerware is great for indoor pique assiette mosaic art, as seen in our mailbox example. For a flat-laying porcelain tile alternative, we also have Pique Assiette Porcelain Flats in blue and white china patterns.

Pique Assiette Mosaic Style

Pique assiette is a style of mosaic art traditionally incorporating broken china and found objects. It is a centuries-old folk art form of recycled art. See our Irregular Glazed Ceramic Tile for another ceramic option with a “broken” style.

How To Make Mosaics

For more advice on designing your mosaic project or cutting and grouting tile, please see our Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions. You can also visit our How To Mosaic blog or our Mosaic Information Guide.

Sample Board Lojee Nojee™ Glass Mosaic Tile 3/4 Inch

Sample Board for Lojee Nojee™ Glass Mosaic Tile by Morjo™ comes with one of each tile in our color palette.

Sample Boards

Sample boards should be used wisely with the understanding that all tile can vary by manufacturer batch, even the most expensive brands. This is because tile is fired in a kiln, and that process is more difficult to control than mixing paint, and so there can be differences in shade or hue. Feel free to contact us if you need to know if a color has changed since you ordered your sample board. Lojee Nojee™ Glass Mosaic Tile by Morjo™ are a low-grain variety of vitreous glass with much fewer specks. Most colors have no specks at all. These tiles are sold loose in bags of 1/2 kg (1.1 pound), which is about 165 tiles. They are UV resistant and factory certified for commercial exteriors, swimming pools, backsplashes, showers, murals, as well as art-&-craft projects like mosaic stepping stones. You can use these with other brands of 3/4 inch vitreous. The red, orange, and yellow colors in our regular vitreous compliment the Lojee Nojee™ color palette quite well. The backs of these glass mosaic tiles are embossed to help the cement or adhesive bond more securely. Except of 1 or 2 colors, the embossed pattern is the tic-tac-toe pattern most people prefer for ease of cutting. See photos. They are competitively priced yet suitable for fine art. Mounting grids are available.

Lojee Nojee™ Low-Grain Glass Mosaic Tile 3/4-Inch

  • tile size: 3/4 inch (20mm)
  • thickness: 1/8 nominal (4mm)
  • sales unit: 1.1-pounds (approximately 165 tiles)
  • material: glass
  • variety: low-grain vitreous for fewer specks
  • pigments: colorfast, UV resistant
  • durability: frost-proof, impervious to liquid
  • usage: suitable for indoor and outdoor use

Coverage

With a standard grout gap of approximately 1/16 inch, one bag of approximately 165 tiles will cover 0.76 square feet. Approximately 218 loose tiles are needed to cover 1 square foot. You can use our tile estimator to calculate how much you need for your project.

Compatibility

Tile thickness is 1/8 inch nominal, the same as most of the glass mosaic tile we sell, which means that these can be used with other types and brands. The red, orange, and yellow colors in our regular vitreous compliment the Venetian color palette quite well.

Cutting Lojee Nojee™ Glass Tile

We recommend using the wheel-blade Mosaic Glass Cutter we sell to cut all types of glass mosaic tile including vitreous. (Regular tile nippers are for ceramic tile, and they tend to crush glass tile.)

How To Make Mosaics

For more advice on designing your mosaic project or cutting and grouting tile, please see our Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions page or our How To Mosaic blog or our Mosaic Information Guide.

Lojee Nojee™ Low-Grain Glass Mosaic Tile 3/4-Inch

Lojee-Nojee Low-Grain Glass Mosaic TileLojee Nojee™ glass mosaic tile by Morjo™ is a smooth, luminous low-grain variety of vitreous glass tile with much fewer specks. Most of these beautiful colors have no specks at all. Each 1/2 kg (1.1 pound) sales unit contains about 165 tiles. Lojee Nojee™tiles are UV resistant and factory certified for commercial exteriors, swimming pools, backsplashes, showers, murals, as well as art-&-craft projects like mosaic stepping stones. You can use these with other brands of 3/4 inch vitreous. The red, orange, and yellow colors in our regular vitreous compliment the Lojee Nojee™ color palette quite well. The backs of these glass mosaic tiles are embossed to help the cement or adhesive bond more securely. Except of 1 or 2 colors, the embossed pattern is the tic-tac-toe pattern most people prefer for ease of cutting. See photos. They are competitively priced yet suitable for fine art. Mounting grids are available.

Lojee Nojee™ Low-Grain Glass Mosaic Tile 3/4-Inch

  • tile size: 3/4 inch (20mm)
  • thickness: 1/8 nominal (4mm)
  • sales unit: 1.1-pounds (approximately 165 tiles)
  • material: glass
  • variety: low-grain vitreous for fewer specks
  • pigments: colorfast, UV resistant
  • durability: frost-proof, impervious to liquid
  • usage: suitable for indoor and outdoor use

Coverage

With a standard grout gap of approximately 1/16 inch, one bag of approximately 165 tiles will cover 0.76 square feet. Approximately 218 loose tiles are needed to cover 1 square foot. You can use our tile estimator to calculate how much you need for your project.

Compatibility

Tile thickness is 1/8 inch nominal, the same as most of the glass mosaic tile we sell, which means that these can be used with other types and brands. The red, orange, and yellow colors in our regular vitreous compliment the Lojee-Nojee color palette quite well.

Cutting Lojee Nojee™ Glass Tile

We recommend using the wheel-blade Mosaic Glass Cutter we sell to cut all types of glass mosaic tile including vitreous. (Regular tile nippers are for ceramic tile, and they tend to crush glass tile.)

How To Make Mosaics

For more advice on designing your mosaic project or cutting and grouting tile, please see our Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions page or our How To Mosaic blog or our Mosaic Information Guide. ; ;

Sample Board Morjo™ Marble Mosaic Cutting Strips

Natural Stone Colors Morjo Mosaic Marble

Sample Board Morjo™ Marble Mosaic Cutting Strips 6mm comes with a sample of 2 to 4 pieces of each color in the palette. The intention is for the pieces to give some idea of the variance to expect in terms of color and patterning. Note that the samples on the board have been sealed with a Stone Enhancer instead of a normal tile sealer, and so they have rich colors, while the stone we sell comes unsealed and will not be as intense in color until sealed. The bottom of the factory sample board includes a separate section of synthetic stone described as “Quartz Colors.” We don’t carry those.

These new factory-made sample boards are on a flexible backer, and can fold up for storage. They’re not as heavy as the older version.

We also have a way you can order one piece of 10 colors very cheaply.

Here is a complete product description for the Cutting Strips with information about how they are used:

Morjo™ Marble Mosaic Cutting Strips 6mm thick are sold loose by the pound for use in mosaic icons, fine art murals, and as an architectural covering. These strips are what professional mosaic artists in Europe use to make ancient reproductions and original art. They can be mounted flat, laid on edge,or nipped short and laid on end to expose the natural cleaved surface.

The sides of the strips have a honed finish and are not polished. The sample board shows the color intensity when the marble is sealed with a stone enhance, available from a local building material store. Do NOT order sealers online during winter months where they can freeze during shipment.

WARNING: The widths vary between 8mm and 12mm. The lengths vary as shown in the photos, roughly 3/4 inch to roughly 2 inches. These are professional cutting strips, not finished tiles. Do not order if you need uniform lengths or an unvarying width.

Cutting Marble Mosaic

The Marble Cutting Strips are the easiest to cut stone we have ever used, and the reason is simple: The 6mm thickness is ideal for cutting yet still thick enough for the stone to have cohesive strength. You can cut these with an ordinary Tile Nipper! Depending on your grip strength, you may want to use a Compound Tile Nipper for even easier cuts.

SCRAP RATE: The amount of cutting waste and unexpected breakage varies by the type of stone. Most varieties can be cut with minimal waste, but some have 5% or even 10% cutting scrap rates depending on how small you are cutting the pieces. Please do not order if your learning curve or budget cannot tolerate some scrap. This is a professional rendering material and represents the best of what is available on the market.

A Marble File is an extremely useful for shaping hard materials. It is much easier to file off a tiny amount than it is to try to cut off a tiny amount.

Morjo™ Marble Mosaic Cutting Strips 6mm thick 1 lb

  • 1 POUND.
  • piece count and lengths vary.
  • honed-finish natural undyed stone.
  • thickness: 6mm (just under 1/4 inch).
  • width: varies around 8mm to 12mm.
  • length of the strips: vary around 12mm (~3/4 inch) to ~50mm (~2 inches).
  • Coverage: depends on mounting flat (6mm thick) or on edge.
  • Recommended for dry locations where water cannot pool.
  • vulnerable to freeze damage like all porous materials.
  • should be sealed with a tile and grout sealer to minimize staining and freeze damage.

Material Clarification

Many varieties of marble mosaic tile are not technically marble. Other varieties of stone are used to provide colors not available in marble, but all our marble mosaic is undyed natural stone with an unsealed honed finish. The bottom of the factory sample board includes a separate section of synthetic stone described as “Quartz Colors.”

Expect Product Variation

This product is natural stone and has natural variation in pattern and coloration between pieces. That being said, this manufacturer is fairly consistent between batches and is selected by professional artists for that reason.

Avoid Matching Names

Avoid matching the names of our stone to the names of stone sourced elsewhere. Just because two stones are called the same name does not mean they were sourced at the same quarry. There are many varieties of travertines, emperadors, etc., and two different factories or quarries might use the same name for stones that look different from each other.

Never Install Tile in Batches

Be aware that all forms of mosaic tile can and do vary by manufacturer batch, and so you should never order your materials in stages or begin installing tile before you have all that you will need. Even the most expensive brands of Italian glass tile comes with warnings to inspect and mix different boxes of their tile before you install it. This caveat certainly applies to natural stone!

Product Coverage

Coverage depends on whether you are mounting the pieces flat (6mm thick) or on edge or nipping short pieces and positioning with the cleaved face up. Laying the pieces flat, a pound covers about 42 square inches or 0.29 square feet. That means you need 3.4 pounds to cover 1 square foot.

Compatibility

Tile thickness is just under 1/4″, which is about twice as thick as most molded glass mosaic tile. When people augment stone with glass, they usually use the traditional hand-cut mosaic glass known as smalti, which has a similar thickness to stone tiles.

IMPORTANT INSTALLATION TIP

Grout will stain unpolished and unsealed stone because it is porous. The stone has to be sealed with a tile and grout sealer BEFORE you grout it. However, you shouldn’t seal any surface where grout or glue needs to stick to the stone. Here is what we recommend for pre-sealing porous materials before grouting:

  • Glue or cement your mosaic tiles into place.
  • Use a rag dampened with sealer or a small artists paint brush to seal only the top faces of the tiles.
  • Take care not to drip sealer down between the tiles or down the sides of the tiles.

We use TileLwab brand Grout and Tile Sealer for a normal seal. We use TileLab brand Stone Enhancer and Sealer if we want to slightly enhance/darken the stone colors (recommended). Both of these products are available at Home Depot. More expensive premium products are available.

Using Marble Tile for Outdoor Mosaic Art

Most people think that stone is more durable than glass for outdoor mosaic art, but actually the reverse is true for several reasons:

Hardness

Not all stone is hard, and natural stone only comes in so many colors. To get the range of colors needed to make a mosaic, softer varieties of stone such as honey onyx (actually a calcite) are sometimes all that is available for a particular color. This is especially true when you are discussing affordable types of stone. Sure, emeralds are a rich green, but they are also relatively rare, small and expensive.

Porosity and Freeze Damage

Glass is non-porous, and thus water cannot penetrate into it and then freeze and expand, which causes porous stone to crack and flack away. Keep in mind that the reason we have so many ancient Greek and Roman mosaics left after all the millennia is that the Mediterranean climate is relatively warm and dry. It also helped that many of the ones we now have were buried for centuries.

Chemically Vulnerable

Remember that not all marble mosaic tile is technically marble, and even if it were, marble isn’t that hard, and it is also susceptible to chemical damage by naturally occurring substances. For example, the products of decaying organic matter such as rotting leaves are acidic. Marble dissolves in acid. (You can actually listen to mable fizz when you pour vinegar on it.) This is how the acid rain from automobile exhaust in European cities has melted ancient statues. Other varieties of stone are also vulnerable to organic acids and other natural substances.

How To Make Marble Mosaics Last

Marble (and the other stone types described as marble) are best used for indoor mosaics where water cannot pool on the surface. However, marble can be used outdoors provided you seal it very well with a tile and grout sealer and check the seal every few years to make sure that water is still beading on the surface instead of soaking in and wetting it. This really isn’t extra work. Even if you used non-porous glass tile, you would still need to seal the mosaic and periodically check the seal because the grout between the tiles is porous and vulnerable to freeze damage.

Outdoor mosaics made from marble should be on vertical surfaces such as walls instead of horizontal surfaces such as the seats of benches or walkways.

How To Make Mosaic Art

For more advice on designing your mosaic project or mounting, cutting, and grouting tile, please see our page of Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions or our Mosaic Information Guide, which lists instructional pages described by topic. We also post new articles about making mosaics at our How to Mosaic Blog.

Morjo™ Marble Mosaic Cutting Strips 6mm thick 1 lb

marble-cutting-strips-master

Morjo™ Marble Mosaic Cutting Strips are natural marble and stone tiles for making mosaic icons, fine art murals, and architectural coverings. Professional mosaic artists in Europe use this material to make ancient reproductions and original art. They can mount flat, laid on edge, or nipped short and laid on end to expose the natural cleaved surface.

The sides of the strips have a honed and unpolished finish. The sample board and sealed sample product photos show the color intensity when using a stone enhancer sealer, available from most local building material stores. Do NOT order sealers online during winter months where they can freeze during shipment.

WARNING: The widths vary between 8mm and 12mm. The lengths vary as shown in the photos, roughly 3/4 inch to 2 inches. These are professional cutting strips, not finished tiles. Do not order if you need uniform lengths or an unvarying width.

Cutting Marble Mosaic Strips

Marble Mosaic Cutting Strips are the easiest to cut stone we have ever used, and the reason is simple: the 6mm thickness is ideal for cutting yet still thick enough for the stone to have cohesive strength. You can cut these with an ordinary Tile Nipper! Depending on your grip strength, you may want to use a Compound Tile Nipper for even easier cuts.

SCRAP RATE: The amount of cutting waste and unexpected breakage from marble cutting strips varies by the type of stone. Most varieties cut with minimal waste, but some have 5% or even 10% cutting scrap rates depending on how small you are cutting the pieces. Please do not order if your learning curve or budget cannot tolerate some scrap. This professional rendering material represents the best of what is available on the market.

A Marble File is extremely useful for shaping hard materials. It is much easier to file off a tiny amount than it is to try to cut off a tiny amount.

Morjo™ Marble Mosaic Cutting Strips 6mm thick 1 lb

  • sales unit: 1 POUND loose marble tile strips.
  • piece count and lengths vary.
  • honed-finish natural dye-free stone.
  • thickness: 6mm (just under 1/4 inch).
  • width: varies 8mm-12mm.
  • length: varies 12mm-15mm (~3/4 inch to ~2 inches).
  • coverage: depends whether mounting flat (6mm thick) or on edge.
  • recommended for dry locations where water cannot pool.
  • vulnerable to freeze damage like all porous materials.
  • should be sealed with a tile and grout sealer to minimize staining and freeze damage.

Marble & Stone Material Clarification

Many varieties of marble mosaic tile are not technically marble. Other varieties of stone provide colors not available in marble, but all our marble is dye-free natural stone with an unsealed honed finish. The bottom of the factory sample board includes a separate section of synthetic stone described as “Quartz Colors” that we do not sell.

Expect Product Variation in Marble

Marble mosaic cutting strips are made of natural stone and as such have natural variation in pattern and coloration between pieces. That being said, this manufacturer produces fairly consistent batches and professional artists select it for that reason.

Avoid Matching with Other Manufacturers

Avoid matching our stone by color name to stone from other brands. Just because two marble varieties have same name does not mean they were sourced at the same quarry. There are many natural varieties of travertines, emperadors, etc. Two different factories or quarries might use the same name for stones that look different from each other.

Always Gather All Project Material Before Installing

Be aware that all forms of mosaic tile can and do vary by manufacturer batch. Given that, you should never order your materials in stages or begin installing tile before you have all that you will need. Even the most expensive brands of Italian glass tile come with warnings to inspect and mix different boxes of their tile before you install it. This caveat certainly applies to natural stone!

Marble Cutting Strips Coverage

Coverage depends on whether you are mounting the pieces flat (6mm thick) or on edge, or nipping short pieces and positioning with the cleaved face up. Laying the pieces flat, a pound covers about 42 square inches or 0.29 square feet. That means you need 3.4 pounds to cover 1 square foot.

Compatibility

Marble strip thickness is just under 1/4″, which is about twice as thick as most molded glass mosaic tile. When people augment stone tile with glass, they usually use the traditional hand-cut mosaic glass known as smalti, which has a similar thickness to stone tiles.

IMPORTANT INSTALLATION TIP

Grout will stain unpolished and unsealed stone tile because it is porous. Stone tile has to be sealed with a tile and grout sealer BEFORE you grout it. However, you shouldn’t seal any surface where grout or glue needs to stick to the stone (the sides). Here is what we recommend for pre-sealing porous materials before grouting:

  • Glue or cement your mosaic tiles into place.
  • Use a rag dampened with sealer or a small artists paint brush to seal only the top faces of the tiles.
  • Take care not to drip sealer down between the tiles or down the sides of the tiles.

We use TileLab brand Grout and Tile Sealer for a normal seal. To slightly enhance/darken the stone colors (recommended), we use TileLab brand Stone Enhancer and Sealer. Both of these products are available at Home Depot. More expensive premium products are available. Scroll through product photos to see the difference in each variation with enhancer.

Using Marble Strips in Outdoor Mosaic Art

Most people think that stone is more durable than glass for outdoor mosaic art, but actually the reverse is true for several reasons:

Marble & Stone Hardness Varies

Not all stone is hard, and natural stone only comes in so many colors. To get the range of colors needed to make a mosaic, softer varieties of stone are sometimes all that is available for a particular color. One example is honey onyx (actually a calcite). This is especially true when you are discussing affordable types of stone. Sure, emeralds are a rich green, but they are also relatively rare, small and expensive.

Stone Tile Porosity and Freeze Damage

Glass is non-porous, and thus water cannot penetrate into it and then freeze and expand. But it can cause porous stone to crack and flack away. Keep in mind that the reason we have so many ancient Greek and Roman mosaics after millennia is that the Mediterranean climate is relatively warm and dry. It also helped that many of the ones we now have were buried for centuries.

Marble Tile is Chemically Vulnerable

Remember that not all marble mosaic tile is technically marble, and even if it were, marble isn’t that hard. It is also susceptible to chemical damage by naturally occurring substances. For example, decaying organic matter such as rotting leaves produces acid. Marble dissolves in acid. (You can actually listen to marble fizz when you pour vinegar on it). This is how the acid rain from automobile exhaust in European cities has melted ancient statues. Other varieties of stone are also vulnerable to organic acids and other natural substances.

How To Make Marble Mosaics Last

Marble mosaic cutting strips (and the other stone types described as marble) work best for indoor mosaics where water cannot pool on the surface. However, marble can hold up outdoors provided you seal it very well with a tile and grout sealer and check the seal every few years. (Make sure that water is still beading on the surface instead of soaking in). Sealing and periodic checking are advised with all outdoor mosaics because grout is porous and vulnerable to freeze damage.

Outdoor marble mosaics should be on vertical surfaces such as walls instead of horizontal surfaces such as bench seats or paths.

How To Make Mosaic Art

For more advice on making mosaic art, please see our page of Mosaic FAQ or our Mosaic Information Guide, which lists instructional pages described by topic. We also post new articles about making mosaics at our How to Mosaic Blog.

Hasal Precision Stone Chopping Machine with Scratch Discount

hasal-stone-chopping-machine

The Hasal Precision Stone Chopping Machine is a professional cutting system for making precision cuts in marble mosaic tile and hard porcelain. The machine’s upper blade is lowered by a screw mechanism that requires much less effort than handheld cutting tools, and cuts are made smoothly and efficiently. The cutting bed is graduated with guidelines and an adjustable stop for cutting pieces with exact measurement. The maximum thickness the machine can cut is 12mm (1/2 inch).

The cutting blades that come with the machine work very well for most all types of marble and stone, but the tungsten carbide blades (sold separately) are probably a good investment if you will be cutting a lot of basalt or hard porcelain. Replacement blades are available from us (sold separately), including special blades for cutting glass. The upper and lower blades are identical and interchangeable.

The machine is a benchtop device that works best when you bolt it to a work surface, but a small piece of plywood or board can be used instead to make a mobile unit that can easily transported from site to site. A common C-clamp can also be used if you want to quickly move the machine between different work tables.

Cosmetic Scratch Damage

The manufacturer shipped these units without wrapping the steel knobs that screw on the end of the crank handles, and so the knobs were allowed to bang and rub against the screw housing. The result is that the screw housing received some superficial scratches and gouges, and the black paint on the knobs was scratched a little too.

This superficial “damage” makes these brand new units look used, but the advantage is that the price is discounted, and the screw motion and cutting action are still smooth as silk!

Hasal Precision Stone Chopping Machine

  • maximum thickness that can be cut: 12mm (1/2 inch)
  • screw mechanism for smooth, efficient cuts.
  • comes with 2 replaceable blades.
  • upper and lower blades are identical and interchangeable.
  • 2 mounting holes in base for bolting to work surface
  • weight: 8 lbs 4 oz
  • box dimensions are 8.5 x 7.5 x 4 inches
  • width of turning handles after attaching knobs: 9.5 inches
  • height of machine:

Safety and Cutting Tile

The smooth, efficient cuts made by this machine are MUCH safer than those made by handheld nippers, which snap when they cut and send pieces flying all the time. With these machines, you shouldn’t have pieces flying at all, or at least very rarely. That being said, you should still observe the basic safety rules for using a compressive cutting tools:

  • Always wear safety glasses with side shields when cutting.
  • Make sure that you don’t cut tile around people who are not wearing safety glasses. Flying chips could potentially hit their eyes as easily as yours.
  • Be aware that cutting tile of any type can produce sharp edges.
  • Crumbs from cutting can be extremely sharp. Never sweep off a work surface with your bare hand. Use a vacuum or counter brush.

How To Make Mosaics

For more advice on designing your mosaic project or mounting, cutting, and grouting tile, please see our page of Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions or our Mosaic Information Guide, which lists instructional pages described by topic. We also post new articles about making mosaics at our How to Mosaic Blog.

Sample Board Morjo™ Metallic Glass Mosaic Tiles 3/4 Inch

Morjo Metallic Glass Mosaic Tile Sample Board

Sample Board Morjo™ Metallic Glass Mosaic Tiles 3/4 Inch comes with one of each tile in our color palette in the 3/4 inch (20mm) size. Here is more information about the tiles and how they are used:

Morjo™ Metallic Glass Mosaic Tiles have powdered copper swirled inside the molten glass for a permanent sparkle. Sold by the 1/2 pound (approximately 75+ pieces). These tiles are frost proof and can be used outdoors, yet they can be cut into halves, quarters, and triangles with little force using a pair of Mosaic Glass Cutters. The backs of the tiles are embossed with grooves for improved bond strength.

Morjo™ 3/4-Inch Metallic Glass Mosaic Tiles

  • Price is per 1/2 pound (roughly 75+ tiles).
  • Tile dimensions: 3/4 inch x 3/4 inch (20mm x 20mm).
  • Tile thickness: 4mm (1/8 inch nominal).
  • Material: glass with metallic copper dust swirled inside the glass.
  • Coverage: each 1/2 pound covers 0.35 square feet.
  • Coverage: 218 loose tiles cover 1 sq ft. with grout spacing of 1/16 inch.
  • Frost-proof, impervious to liquid.
  • Suitable for indoor/outdoor use.

Product Coverage

Each 1/2 pound covers 0.35 square feet assuming a standard grout spacing of 1/16 inch. To cover 1 square foot, 218 tiles are required. Note that cutting tiles generates some scrap, so you may want to budget 5% extra. You can use our tile estimator to help calculate how much you need for your project.

Compatibility

The 3/4 inch size (20mm) and 1/8 inch nominal thickness (4mm) is an industry standard, which means these tiles can be used with a wide variety of brands.

Cutting Tile

Cuts easily with minimal force using the mosaic glass cutters. Ordinary tile nippers are not recommended for any type of glass.

Use in Mosaic Art

Metallic glass tile can be used to literally add sparkle and break up monotonous color fields. Monotonous color fields made from one tile color are boring and not nearly as interesting as color fields made from several related hues or even shades of the same hue. The occasional metallic glass tile can also be added for sparkle and visual interest.

How To Make Mosaics

For more advice on designing your mosaic project or cutting and grouting tile, please see our Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions page or our How To Mosaic blog or our Mosaic Information Guide.

Morjo™ Metallic Glass Mosaic Tiles 3/4 Inch

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Morjo™ Metallic Glass Mosaic Tiles 3/4 inch (20mm) are beautifully pigmented glass tiles with sparkling copper streaks and swirls. Some, such as Deep Blue and Purple, also include stunning color streaks. Opacity varies from transparent to completely opaque. Powdered copper infused within the glass gives these tiles their permanent, UV-resistant sparkle. Each 1/2-lb bag contains about 75 tiles. They are durable, frost-proof, and suitable for outdoor mosaics, yet easily cut into halves, quarters, and triangles with little force using a pair of Mosaic Glass Cutters. The grooved embossing on the back improves bond strength.

Morjo™ 3/4-Inch Metallic Glass Mosaic Tiles

  • Sales unit: 1/2 pound (roughly 75+ tiles).
  • Tile dimensions: 3/4 inch x 3/4 inch (20mm x 20mm).
  • Tile thickness: 4mm (1/8 inch nominal).
  • Material: glass with metallic copper dust swirled inside the glass.
  • Coverage: each 1/2 pound covers 0.35 square feet.
  • Coverage: 218 loose tiles cover 1 sq ft. with grout spacing of 1/16 inch.
  • Frost-proof, impervious to liquid.
  • Suitable for indoor/outdoor use.

Product Coverage

Each pound covers 0.69 square feet, assuming a standard grout spacing of 1/16 inch. Coverage for 1 square foot requires 218 tiles. Note that cutting tiles generates some scrap, so you may want to budget 5% extra.

Compatibility

Our Metallic mosaic glass tile is compatible with our 3/4-inch Morjo™ Vitreous, Lojee-Nojee™, and Morjo™ Iridescent product lines. The 3/4 inch size (20mm) and 1/8 inch nominal thickness (4mm) is industry standard, which means these tiles can mix and match with a wide variety of brands.

Cutting Glass Tile

Though durable enough for outdoor mosaics, this tile cuts easily with minimal force using the mosaic glass cutters. Ordinary tile nippers are not recommended for any type of glass, as they will tend to crush the material rather than yield a precise cut.

Metallic Glass Tile in Mosaic Art

Even as an occasional accent, metallic glass tile will add sparkle, depth and luminosity to any mosaic project. Break up monochromatic color fields with their metallic equivalent, or sprinkle in pieces to add drama to your details.

How To Make Mosaics

For more advice on designing your mosaic project or cutting and grouting tile, please see our Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions page or our How To Mosaic blog or our Mosaic Information Guide.

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Polished Porcelain Mosaic Tile 15mm

Polished Porcelain Tiles 15mm

Polished Porcelain Mosaic Tile 15mm are 4mm thick, the same nominal thickness as most of our glass tile. They are 15mm (roughly 5/8 inch) on each side and sold loose in bags of 1/2 pound, which is approximately 130 pieces. These are fine porcelain with solid color throughout. The tops are mechanically polished (buffed) but not glazed. They can be cut with our Compound Tile Nipper, and we recommend smoothing cuts in hard materials using the fine side of a marble file. These tiles and very hard and durable. Please note, the polished surfaces still have small incidental pits that can be stained with grout and colorants.

Grout Staining in Pits

Note that the polished surfaces still have small incidental pits that can be stained with grout. This isn’t a problem for our projects, and we have simply ignored the issue in our art. Do not order if this is a problem for your project.

Never Install Tile in Batches

Tile varies by manufacturer batch, and sometimes a color will go out of stock for an extended period if the manufacturer isn’t making it. You should never install tile before you are sure that you have all the tile you need. You could attempt to order more and find that the manufacturer has changed the color or discontinued it.

Product Coverage

Some colors are sold loose in 1/2-kg bags of approximately XXX tiles. Assuming a standard grout gap of approximately 1/16 inch, a bag of 1/2 pound will cover 55 square inches or 0.4 square feet. To cover 1 square foot, you will need about 3 bags. Use our tile estimator to calculate how much you need for your project.

Compatibility

The Polished Porcelain Tiles are 4mm thick, the same nominal thickness of most of our glass tile. They also have a glossy finish similar to glass.

Cutting Porcelain Tile

Polished Porcelain Mosaic Tile 15mm is not soft like most glazed ceramic tile. Porcelain is extremely hard, but it can be cut. Our Compound Tile Nipper is the recommended tool for hard materials like stone and porcelain. A Marble File is also required for smoothing the edges of cuts and shaping the pieces. Exposed sharp edges should be rounded with the file for safety reasons.

Polished Porcelain Mosaic Tile 15mm

  • sold by 1/2 pound, which is approximately 130 pieces.
  • fine porcelain with solid color throughout.
  • crisp edges, which more naturally matches cut edges.
  • Each tile is 15 mm x 15 mm x 8 mm thick (approximately 9/16 inch x 9/16 inch x 5/16 inch)
  • Coverage: 1/2 pound will cover 0.4 square feet when using a standard grout gap of approximately 1/16 inch.
  • Frost-proof, impervious to liquid.
  • Suitable for indoor or outdoor use.

IMPORTANT INSTALLATION TIPS

For architectural installations, the manufacturer recommends that the porcelain tile be installed with a latex-modified thin set mortar instead of glue. For dry indoor mosaics, we use Weldbond glue.

Porcelain is essentially non-porous and impervious to moisture, and so it is supposedly not stained by grouting, but we have noticed discrete pits and divots in the surface of the tile that can be filled with grout. For this reason, we recommend using GROUT RELEASE (from a building materials store) on the mosaic before grouting:

  1. Mount the tiles to the surface to be covered.
  2. Use a rag or small artists paint brush to apply GROUT RELEASE to the face of the tiles.
  3. Take care not to drip excess GROUT RELEASE in between the tiles or down the sides of the tiles or any place grout will need to bond.

How To Make Mosaic Art

For more advice on designing your mosaic project or mounting, cutting, and grouting tile, please see our page of Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions or our Mosaic Information Guide, which lists instructional pages described by topic. We also post new articles about making mosaics at our How to Mosaic Blog.

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