Recommendations: mat cutter or custom cut mats

[Ron Marshall]

I finally have a few worth framing, so I am looking for recommendations for either a store that will sell mats with custom cut windows, or a fairly easy to use and reasonably inexpensive mat cutter.

[jstraw]

I use a Logan that's inexpensive and works well. I think it's worth learning to cut mats.

[Jack Flesher]

One word: Speed-Mat. It is the supreme cutter, does all four sides at once, cuts perfect double mats in a breeze and will pay for itself after the first dozen mats.

[Michael Kadillak]

One word: Speed-Mat. It is the supreme cutter, does all four sides at once, cuts perfect double mats in a breeze and will pay for itself after the first dozen mats.

I always get nervous when a vendor quotes monthly lease rates and not the purchase costs on their website for which a custom quote is required. Makes me think that they are hiding something. Nothing against the product, just the way thay are opting to present it to the general public.

Back to the post. I purchased a 48" C&H matt cutter and once I learned to cut matts, I quickly figured out that it was a process that I could do without. Computerized precision cutters, experienced full time shops and reasonable competitive costs quickly bridge the gap between the cost of a cutter and your quasi "payback". Retrospectively I am now of the opinion that if I wanted to cut matts, I should be in the framing business. Ditto for making frames and cutting plexiglass or cover glass. I am a photographer because I want to make photographs.

I found some killer prices in a post within the "Presentation" section.

Just my $0.02.

Cheers!

[paulr]

depends on if you have more time or more money. i had more time, so i bought a mat cutter. but i envy my friends who hand it off to a pro and then are done with it. matcutting is not my idea of a fun time.

[Ron Marshall]

Has anyone had any experience, good or bad, with Light Impressions. From their web-site their custom mats seem fairly reasonably priced, about $8.50 for a 16x20 archival mat and custom cutting:

http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/servlet/OnlineShopping?DSP=52000&PCR=30000:230000:237100&IID=CUSTOMMAT

[Jack Flesher]

I always get nervous when a vendor quotes monthly lease rates and not the purchase costs on their website for which a custom quote is required. Makes me think that they are hiding something. Nothing against the product, just the way thay are opting to present it to the general public.



The lease rates are for the computer-controlled pnumatic production cutter. Even has an auto-feed option for the mat board if you want that ;) Anyway, the manual cutter is affordable as you'll break even if you are going to pay for say two-dozen 16x20's to be done professionally...

Cheers,

[Brian Vuillemenot]

It depends on how many prints you are going to want mats for. If it's only a few per year, it would be more efficient to buy the mats. If you are planning on matting more than dozen, it will be more cost effective to cut your own. Also important is whether or not you will want odd size mats cut. It is very easy to buy in bulk 11X14 mats for 8X10 prints, 16X20 mats for 11X14 prints, etc., but if you need large, panoramic, and/or other odd sizes, a custom cut mat will be much more expensive. I cut my own with a Logan mat cutter and while it is a bit tedious and time consuming, it is not too difficult.

[Bruce Barlow]

I've had great results with Light Impressions cutting mats.

Try also Mats.com. I've done well there, too.

But, 20-some years ago I bought the basic Light Impressions kit, with dexter mat cutter, aluminum straight edge, etc. and have learned to cut my own reliably and well. The worst that happens is that I keep a blade in the Dexter for one mat too many, and when blades are dull they don't cut well. That said, I've cut many hundreds of mats successfully. Not my favorite activity, but I can do it when I need it, do it well, and do it inexpensively.

[Scott Davis]

I bought a mid-range (for mat cutters... upper end cutter for Logan) Logan mat cutter, and it paid for itself with my first show, since I was printing TWELVE 15x15 images on 16x20 paper, and framing to 20x24. While like most of you, I don't ENJOY cutting mats, it is nice to be able to do it yourself. When you figure the cost of custom framing those twelve prints would have been somewhere in the neighborhood of $100-125 per frame, and with the cutter, I was able to make them for about $60 each, it was totally worth it. Also, if you get the hankering to use 8-ply mat board (which is challenging to say the least, and quite costly) the cost of the mat cutter goes down even faster. Many frame shops won't even consider 8-ply mats because of the difficulty and expense.

[Brian K]

I own a speed mat and there's no way you're going to pay for it with two dozen mats unless each mat would other wise cost you $130 a pop. Is that what someone charges to cut a 16x20 mat?

[Ben Crane]

Has anyone had any experience, good or bad, with Light Impressions. From their web-site their custom mats seem fairly reasonably priced, about $8.50 for a 16x20 archival mat and custom cutting:

http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/servlet/OnlineShopping?DSP=52000&PCR=30000:230000:237100&IID=CUSTOMMAT

About a year ago I ordered two custom cut mats from light impressions. It took several weeks just to get the mats and when they arrived one was damaged. They sent another at no charge but that one also took several weeks. If you are planning to need the mats in any volume or in a timely manner I would suggest doing it yourself.

[Brian Ellis]

I bought a Logan cutter a few years ago determined to learn to cut my own mats. The one I bought required you to hold something down with your left hand while you cut the mat by moving your right hand in the direction of your left. A lot of force was required to push the cutter along through the mat and I always thought I was just a slip away from slitting my left wrist. I gave it up.

[Ron Marshall]

Thanks to all for the responses.

At present I will only be doing about (12) 16x20s so I will go with Light Impressions, at about $8.50 cut to order, and will order well in advance.

If I ever do any serious volume then I will buy a cutter.

[alec4444]

Also, if you get the hankering to use 8-ply mat board (which is challenging to say the least, and quite costly) the cost of the mat cutter goes down even faster.

Scott, where are you buying that board? I've been looking for 8-ply board for some time and never really found any.

Thanks!
--A

[Jim Jones]

Ron -- Perhaps having Light Impressions cut the mats is appropriate for now. However, being able to cut your own, any time and any size, has advantages. I started using a Dexter mat cutter and T-square many years ago. It took practice, but produced clean results. I now use an inexpensive Logan hand cutter and a homemade guide system. It is much more efficient. Duplicating the guide from scrap material in a modest woodworking shop would take maybe an hour. The hand cutter listed at maybe $20 or $25. It can use industrial single edge razor blades with the backing strip removed. These cost maybe $.15 or $.20 in quantity, and each blade can cut over a dozen mats. For a little more than the cost of a dozen cut mats from Light Impression, you could cut your own mats with mounting boards on four ply 100% rag board, and have the set-up ready to cut more mats of any size at any time. One can mount, mat, and frame dozens of photos in a day, or a very few in spare moments.

The above is for one who's time isn't valuable, or who wants to control quality. I sell 11x14 B&W photos, archivally mounted, matted, and framed, for $40 at a small town arts & crafts fair. A modest price increase may be necessary next year. Having any one else do any part of the work might price the photos out of this market. For photos in a venue that supports prices of hundreds of dollars, farming out much of the labor is practical. Selecting the mat color for each individual photo also makes the services of a well-stocked frame shop more economical. I'm switching almost entirely to white mats. This is economical and makes a more cohesive exhibit.

[Ron Marshall]

Scott, where are you buying that board? I've been looking for 8-ply board for some time and never really found any.

Thanks!
--A

Superior Archival Materials has 8-ply:

http://www.superiorarchivalmats.com/sam/index.html

[Ron Marshall]

I now use an inexpensive Logan hand cutter and a homemade guide system. It is much more efficient. Duplicating the guide from scrap material in a modest woodworking shop would take maybe an hour. The hand cutter listed at maybe $20 or $25. It can use industrial single edge razor blades with the backing strip removed. These cost maybe $.15 or $.20 in quantity, and each blade can cut over a dozen mats.


Thanks for the info Jim. I saw the Logan, and thought about giving it a shot. I may give it a try in the future when I have some time to perfect the technique.

[Daniel Geiger]

I wonder whether precut mats, or for that matter custom one-size-fits-all works for the majority of cases. I think most of us have a very definitive idea of what the final image should look like, including cropping. In my experience, every mat I have cut is just a tad different: cut this annoying branch, get rid of this peripheral hot-spot, etc.

So why go through all the trouble of realizing your exact vision and then force it into the one-size-fits-all mat? Of course, one can extend that argument to frames as well, though I do use more or less the same frames for all images for a clean look.

I do use a Logan cutter, which I find pretty easy to use. I cut some mats for a friend who did some shows at the International Fine Print Dealers Association (IFPDA) fairs on a Logan, and they looked great. The most important part is to remember to switch blades regularly, and to use an other board underneath the one you cut to avoid frayed edges. The most difficult part is doing the outside dimensions exactely the same, so that the mat and the backing board are exactely the same size. If the work is framed, you have a bit of fudge room, as the outer 1/4 to 1/2 inch is under the frame. Otherwise, you can get precut mat board (pretty cheap) and just cut the inner frame yourself, which is the labor intensive = costly part.

my 2c

[Ron Marshall]

I wonder whether precut mats, or for that matter custom one-size-fits-all works for the majority of cases. I think most of us have a very definitive idea of what the final image should look like, including cropping. In my experience, every mat I have cut is just a tad different: cut this annoying branch, get rid of this peripheral hot-spot, etc.

So why go through all the trouble of realizing your exact vision and then force it into the one-size-fits-all mat? Of course, one can extend that argument to frames as well, though I do use more or less the same frames for all images for a clean look.




I agree completely. Rarely do I get two images with the same dimensions. Light Impressions charge very little for individual custom cut window mats.

[Jack Flesher]

I own a speed mat and there's no way you're going to pay for it with two dozen mats unless each mat would other wise cost you $130 a pop. Is that what someone charges to cut a 16x20 mat?

Well, I paid $2150 for my Speed-Mat delivered. Thsi was maybe 10 years ago. At that time my local framing shop was charging $95 for a 24x28 double mat, cutout for 16x20. $95 x 24 = $2280, and I could by 32x40 sheets of archival 4-ply rag mat for $6 each, so it was an easy decision for me.

[scott_6029]

I purchased on ebay an inexpensive (not the cheapest, but I think around $120) a logan mat cutter. Works VERY well. You have to be very challenged not to make this work....It's really intuitive.

For me, it's imperative, because I contact print and sometimes have to slightly crop an edge, or whatever. Without being able to CUSTOM cut my own mats, I would be screwed. It wouldn't look right.

Plus, it's cheaper to cut your own. And, it allows me to cut larger mats for some images, which frankly look better 'over-matted' (i.e. much large mats than normal.)

Plus with 8 x 10 you can mount vertically or horizontally and have the right spacing. You don't center the image on the mat.

And, it works great with my 7 x 17 contact prints as well.


Imo, definitely the way to go.

[Alan Davenport]

A few years ago I saw someone at the State Fair selling mat cutters. I looked at his wares but didn't buy one. The next year I did buy one, an Alto's 4505. I have no experience with other brands so I can't make a fair comparison, but I get good mats if I pay attention to what I'm doing. It will handle up to 36 inches.

[SHbaker11]

I am satisfied with the services offered by BDmatboard for my custom mat board (http://www.bdmatboard.com/47.custom-mats.aspx) and they will cut the size you need. Also, If you needed some advice or tips, they have their own design staff. I was able to avail their services on all of my projects at home.

[jp]

I've got a logan 450 cutter. It's easy to use. I cut my own mats and foamcore. I buy glass precut from a local glass store. They stock common sizes like 16x20 and I can walk out with a heavy box of factory clean glass. I still clean it before I use it.

I buy aluminum frames precut online along with supplies like hinging tape, and the matboard and foamcore.

I like to do custom sizes for the mat window. And I keep a few shades of white/cream color as I never know what's going to look good with a photo, depending on what type of photo paper was used, tones in the image, etc... Thus it'd be difficult to pre-order custom mats after being spoiled with choices in hand.

Basic work area should be clean with good lighting. Mine is mostly temporary, as it must be cleaned up for other projects.

Basic skills include being able to measure things and do some fractions math. i.e. 20 inches with a 14" opening, that will be 6" with 3 on each side. And if you do a double mat, subtract 1/4" from that for 2 3/4" for the second mat. that sort of math.

[MIke Sherck]

I have an expensive Logan outfit I bought at an artist's estate auction and it works very well -- too well, sometimes, as anyone in the extended family who needs something matted and framed shows up on my doorstep. :)

I was just reading a letter from Edward Weston to Willard Van Dyke where he was inquiring about some show he was considering entering prints in. He asked whether their rule about matted prints was firm, as it would leave him out. So there's some perspective for ya!

Mike

[Roger Thoms]

Has anyone had any experience, good or bad, with Light Impressions. From their web-site their custom mats seem fairly reasonably priced, about $8.50 for a 16x20 archival mat and custom cutting:

http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/servlet/OnlineShopping?DSP=52000&PCR=30000:230000:237100&IID=CUSTOMMAT

Light Impression had go down hill in recent years, poor inventory and difficultly in getting credit after the charge your credit card and fail to ship your order. Try Frame Destinations http://www.framedestination.com/mat_board/bainbridge_4ply_alpharag/item/MT4ARG0000/

I haven't ordered mats from FDI, but I do get my custom frames from them and their service is excellent.

www.archivalmethods.com also seems to have a very good rep but I haven't ordered from them.

Roger

[Roger Thoms]

One word: Speed-Mat. It is the supreme cutter, does all four sides at once, cuts perfect double mats in a breeze and will pay for itself after the first dozen mats.

I'm sure the Speed-Mat is excellent, but the OP asked for an "inexpensive" mat cutter. I have been quite pleased with my Logan Simplex 750 which sells for around $250. Which while not exactly inexpensive, is certainly a lot less than a Speed-Mat.

Roger

[Scott Walker]

Dexter & T-square work rather well for way below $100.00

[Jim Ewins]

I have a high end Logan and can cut just about anything- but why? Only for galleries, camera clubs aren't worth it and the international Salons have gone away from over matt and some prefer unmounted prints. I'm printing less and considering more projection. The accumulation of prints gets out of hand.The newer Easy-Mats are OK, the first one I bought in the 70s was a dog.