Tips for cutting 8-ply window mats?

[Richard K.]

For those of you that have tried and, especially, those of you who have succeeded, can you offer any tips on cutting 8-ply window mats? :eek: I have a 750 (?) Logan. Is there a better variety of blade that can be bought for 8-ply? Do you re-calibtate the line-up mark on the cutter 1/8" or so to prevent under/over cuts? Thank you!

-Richard

[Vaughn]

I cut 8-ply often. I use the regular blades. I run a couple test cuts to fine-tune ("recalibrate") the starting and stopping marks.

I start my cuts an inch or so early, going thru 3/4's of the board or so...then when I get to the start mark, I push the blade in the rest of the way. This gives me cleaner, straighter corners.

Other than this, I find cutting 8-ply as easy as 4-ply. It is just that the mistakes are a bit more costly!

Vaughn

[Tri Tran]

Richard,
Try this:
1 Use single blade only and facing out ---> to your left
2 4-5 pass to complet the cut.
3 1/8 above the marks.
4 put another matt under your your matt before you cut.
5 Adjust your down tip blade between 1/8- 1/16 .

Hope this helps,good luck.

[matthew blais]

I make 6-8 light passes starting at the regular start point. No overcuts or curved corners..(most the time)

One blade per mat

[domenico Foschi]

This is great info.
I like Vaughn technique.
Tri and Matthew, do multiple passes give you clean cuts?
I am asking but I already know that if you do it, it must be so.

[Richard K.]

Thanks for advice thus far! But, I'm wondering ...won't the start/stop points be off by 1/8" if using just the mark provided on the cutting head (it is accurate for 4-ply but wont 8-ply lag by 1/8" and a new mark needed?).

-Richard

[Vaughn]

Thanks for advice thus far! But, I'm wondering ...won't the start/stop points be off by 1/8" if using just the mark provided on the cutting head (it is accurate for 4-ply but wont 8-ply lag by 1/8" and a new mark needed?).

-Richard

I find that one of the marks stays about the same -- I just can't remember if it is the start or the stop mark -- which is why I "recalibrate" each time I start a cutting session (the stop and stop mark also changes slightly with how deep one sets the blade.) If I am cutting an 8x10 hole, I just cut a 4x5 hole in the middle to calibrate the system. After two cuts, one can tell if refinement is needed -- and usually this can be done in the next two cuts.) Unfortunately the adjustment is not as straight forward as the amounts you suggested.

I can cut up to 10 4-ply holes using one half of one blade (40 cuts altogether)...and not many less with 8-ply. Cutting only two sides per corner of the blade seems wasteful (one full blade per mat), but it is a safe method. Generally I use half a blade until the cut just starts to look a little ragged -- which can be cleaned up to perfection with an emery board (sandpaper on a stick).

Vaughn

[matthew blais]

This is great info.
I like Vaughn technique.
Tri and Matthew, do multiple passes give you clean cuts?
I am asking but I already know that if you do it, it must be so.

Yes, because of the thickness of the mat, starting a bit before the mat on the first sevral passes will help eliminate overcuts and those little curved corners. I found by doing 6-8 passes at the starting point it does the same. I probably start a little before the mark on most passes then dead on the last few. Since I use alpharag, any overcuts are easily hidden should they happen by rubbing over the area (piece of paper on top of mat).

When I did 3-4 passes I got overcuts. So the 6-8 light passes work for me.

[Vaughn]

Making multiple shallow passes sounds interesting...I might give it a try. The goal is to prevent the blade from flexing due to being pushed into the board. The way I do it, the blade is pressed into the mat about 1.5" before the start mark and is gradually pressed deeper into the mat as I pull the cutter towards the start mark on the mat...with the blade getting at least 3/4's of the way thru by the time I get 1/4 inch from the start mark.

This works well, as Matthew puts it, "most of the time."

One disadvantage of my method is that if one needs to make a slightly bigger hole (because of a math or other mental error), the partial cut before the start mark on the mat can be seen on the bevel of the enlarged hole of the mat. Matthew's method would make this less likely.

Vaughn

[D. Bryant]

Having helped hang quite a number of solo and group exhibits for a local gallery over the years, I'm never surprised at the number of poorly cut matts along with poor framing. And considering the cost of 8 ply matt board and the intention of making an elegant presentation; I personally opt to have those cut by a frame shop that uses a computerized matt cutter. This service costs more but reduces waste to zero due poor cuts. I never over cut the matt regardless of the thickness.

It's amazing to watch people inspect matts for defects at an opening. These are usually print sniffers. Having perfectly cut matts forces the viewer to look at the photograph not the matt.

4 ply and 2 ply matts are an order of magnitude easier to cut in my experience, at least with my equipment. If I had one of the big super nice Fletcher matt cutters I might consider doing 8 ply myself, but my personal needs don't merit the expense of Fletcher cutters, so I leave the 8 ply to the pros and I'm happy for it.

Don Bryant