Recommendations: mat cutter or custom cut 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 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.co...&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_...em/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.