Cutting Mount Boards
Discussion
:banghead: I bought a "professional" [url]cutting kit|http://www.artdiscount.co.uk/acatalog/Logan_Mat_Cutting_Kit_Model_525.html[/url], earlier today. Either I'm doing it wrong or this is infact a pile'o'shite. Yes, I have worked out how to do the bevels in the right direction - it's just the corners that aren't 'crisp' and the blades seem to go blunt after 2 small cuts. :irked:
Anyone have any tips, other than to throw this crap away and pay a professional. (Which is what I am going to do on Monday)
:grumpy: Bah, seems it is time for a gin and tonic.
Anyone have any tips, other than to throw this crap away and pay a professional. (Which is what I am going to do on Monday)
:grumpy: Bah, seems it is time for a gin and tonic.
Logan cutters are very good and a lot easier to use that the Maped ones. I found I could cut about 20 boards before worrying about changing blades. However if you haven't set the blade depth right they don't cut right the way through the front layer of the card making it look torn. There's a little adjustment screw underneath that you can tweak the depth with.
Are you using a piece of spare mount board underneath to act as a cutting mat ? If you're using anything else (even purpose made cutting mats) then that can give a nasty front surface and will also blunt the blade rapidly.
I found that to get the best corners with it I had to cut very slightly over the marking lines, only by 1/32" or so but just over. This may have been due to the way I was lining up the cutter with the lines though.
>> Edited by te51cle on Sunday 14th August 20:18
Are you using a piece of spare mount board underneath to act as a cutting mat ? If you're using anything else (even purpose made cutting mats) then that can give a nasty front surface and will also blunt the blade rapidly.
I found that to get the best corners with it I had to cut very slightly over the marking lines, only by 1/32" or so but just over. This may have been due to the way I was lining up the cutter with the lines though.
>> Edited by te51cle on Sunday 14th August 20:18
£66 seems a lot to pay for a ruler and a razor blade... I was lucky enough to inherit a Keencut Arrow mount cutter last year and after a careful bit of thinking, it works very well. It's a bit like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Keen-cut-arrow-mount-cutter_W0QQitemZ8212008149QQcategoryZ11786QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem but twice as wide. Unfortunately you're in Yorkshire so I can't offer to help!
Goos answer. I've already had mine
chim girl said:
Bah, seems it is time for a gin and tonic.
Goos answer. I've already had mine
The trick is to run over each corner by about 1.5mm so that you get a clean cut with no 'hang on' of card in the corner. Messy edges can be tidied up to some degree using an emery board. Always use a sharp blade. The blade should stay sharp for at least ten 12 x 16 mounts or there abouts. If your blades are blunt and the card is snagging, it is the result of, I imagine, not using a suitable cutting matt. You can buy these from most art supplier or hobby craft stores or any branch of John Lewis Partnership. I always use a piece of heavy strip steel as a straight edge. This way you never slip. Slipping can be further avoided by the application of masking tape to the underside of the ruler or straight edge.
Window mount cutting takes a lot of practice. Don't get disheartened. I would be very impressed if you got perfect results first time. It is always best to practice on some cheap off-cuts of card before committing yourself to the real thing.
Window mount cutting takes a lot of practice. Don't get disheartened. I would be very impressed if you got perfect results first time. It is always best to practice on some cheap off-cuts of card before committing yourself to the real thing.
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