Mounting Presses and Matt Board Cutters...

[Sean]

I'm curious to know people's success with various heat presses and matt board cutting devices. I'd like to be able to press 16x20

I'd also like to be able to make my own high quality overmats. I have no experience doing that but might try. Is it worth cutting your own overmats, or do most of you leave that to the framing shops? I have seen some equipment available for this but have no idea if it does a top notch job.

Thanks, Ross

 

[Jay Wolfe]

Cutting overmats is not hard, but you need a good jig. I use a simple Logan device that sells for $90 -$100. Some remove the rubber feet to deal with the deflection in the 1/2" base. I added second base of 3/4" plywood to increase rigidity. Make sure you use the jig on a surface that doesn't have much give in it.

Seal presses are very good. I used to have a Bogen Technal press that was also quite good. Look for used equipment in good condition and you'll save about half what a new one costs.

Good luck.

 

[William Levitt]

I've thought about cutting my own mats, but have decided against it for the following reason. The prices of mats cut to order has dropped dramatically with the introduction of computer controlled mat cutters. I can get a perfect custom cut mat, made from 1,7mm acid free museum board, 30X40cm with the beveled window cut exactly to my specifications (and NO over cut corners) for about $5 a piece, but the price drops with the more you order. I just received a delivery of 20 mats in the dimensions mentioned above, including 20 acid free mounting/backboards for about $120 including shipping.

Compare these prices with the price you would pay for the raw matting board materials, the needed equipment, and the waste involved in learning the craft. I'll keep ordering mine. It's a tax write off anyhoo...

I don't use a mounting press, though I wouldn't mind owning one. I go with the acid free hinging method and an over mat.

 

[Sean]

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (William Levitt @ Sep 7 2002, 09:49 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>I've thought about cutting my own mats, but have decided against it for the following reason. The prices of mats cut to order has dropped dramatically with the introduction of computer controlled mat cutters. I can get a perfect custom cut mat, made from 1,7mm acid free museum board, 30X40cm with the beveled window cut exactly to my specifications (and NO over cut corners) for about $5 a piece, but the price drops with the more you order. I just received a delivery of 20 mats in the dimensions mentioned above, including 20 acid free mounting/backboards for about $120 including shipping.

Compare these prices with the price you would pay for the raw matting board materials, the needed equipment, and the waste involved in learning the craft. I'll keep ordering mine. It's a tax write off anyhoo...

I don't use a mounting press, though I wouldn't mind owning one. I go with the acid free hinging method and an over mat.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
Wow, didn't realise they've come down so much. Will look into that

 

[corrie]

yes i leave it all to the framer..
too nerve wrecking handling all...and time consuming!
corrie

 

[William Levitt]

Ross, you'd be surprised (I know I was) as far as the availability of mats over the Internet. I use a place in Northern Germany called wirrahmen.de

Dead Link Removed

They have an english page as well. I know this isn't practical for someone in NZ or the US, but I'm sure comprable site are to be found there as well.

 

[John Hicks]

I use a Seal 210M press; no way would I use cold adhesive methods because their &quot;archival&quot; properties are unproven (think of the &quot;protective&quot; spray that degrades prints) and their track record of adhesion hasn't been very good. I got my press inexpensively when the local schools moved away from mounting/laminating to computer-based presentations etc.

As for overmats, I've never managed to summon up enough patience to learn how to do it correctly so I buy precut mats and enjoy having all my fingers present.

 

[baronfoxx]

I use an english "Ademco" hot mountiing press with a 21" x 25" platen which I bought second hand on E-bay, theproblem that it is hugh and weighs about 350 lbs so I have to keep it in the garage.
I also cut my own masks on a uk cutting device and although it is time consuming I get exactly what I want when I want it. I am retired so time is not a problem

 

[baronfoxx]

My apologies for the two spelling mistakes in my last post, it getting late and I am ready for my bed

 

[nfjones]

Liek a previous poster, we use a Seal 210M Masterpiece too. So far only 8x10s on 14x17, but the 210M is big enough (about 18x22) to do a 16x20 on 22x28 in two passes. Once we're able to enlarge 5x7 and 8x10 negs, we plan to print and mount 20x24 but we're still undecided about board size and overmat.

We do our own overmats. We're dyi purists; we want to say of our work that we did it all ourselves. We use a Logan Simplex Plus 750, which goes to 40 inches. That's big enough to handle any reasonable board or overmat for 20x24, not to mention 16x20. No matter how good you get, you'll still get overcuts, but in our minds that's a desirable mark of hand work. Besides, esp. if you're contact printing, you're going to have some variation in print size. so being able to customize each overmat is often a good thing.

 

[edbuffaloe]

I prefer the flexibility of cutting my own mats. It really doesn't take long if you have the right equipment. Logan makes some of the best mat cutting equipment I have ever used, and their basic system costs about $200. They are available from Light Impressions (http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.c...&PCR=30000:230000:238000:238100:238110&R=6598).

 

[edbuffaloe]

I got the latest Porter's catalog yesterday, and they sell a basic Logan mat cutting system for $79. It's a bargain.