Problems cutting window mats

I was cutting window mats yesterday and noticed a slight curve in the cut starting maybe a 1/2" before it reaches the corner .

My first thought is the blade is deflecting when i plunge it into the matboard. Has any one else had this problem ? I'm using a Logan 650 or 750 not sure which one.

Thanks in advance for any help

Kevin

I've only had this problem when the blade gets dull. Changing blades fixes the problem.

Yes I have this problem; and usually many others when cutting mats. I haven't worked out why it happens or how to get around it yet I'm afraid, but would be interested in finding out too.

t_nunn said:

I've only had this problem when the blade gets dull. Changing blades fixes the problem.

Click to expand...

Posted at the same time as me: I've tried with a new blade but still have this problem. I think its probably down to poor technique on my part.

Kevin, do you score the mat board in a number of light strokes or just go right on in with a deep cut?

Solarize i don't score before the deep cut. The way my cutter works is to

hook it on to the straight edge push down on a pin to hold the cutter in

place while i plunge the blade in.

Travis i didn't change the blade at the start of this session but it only had 2 window matts worth of use on it

KEK said:

Travis i didn't change the blade at the start of this session but it only had 2 window matts worth of use on it

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I use a Logan. After 2 mats, it is time to change the blade.

I had this problem My pressure on the cutter shifted close to the end because I was over reaching. I fixed the problem by standing in the middle of the cut.

Hard to say what is causing your issue. Are you cutting with a piece of scrap under your mat?

David blades are cheap probably shound't skimp

Mark i do use a piece of scrap which i change when it gets scored up.

I don't think i could stand in the middle of the cut with out removing the pc of the cutter that squares to the straight edge. I was cutting a window in a 16 x 20 and my rear end would be on top of the squaring pc.

It may also be due to having too much blade exposed so that the blade is relatively flexible and springy, and bends when it shouldn't. Make sure you have just enough blade exposed to cut thru one face of the matboard, thru the core, and just barely cut thru the back surface. and do it on top of another piece of waste mat backing.

I know what you are talking about with getting a slightly different angle at the end of all your cuts. I use the same mat cutter as you, and have also had this problem.

I find it happens more when I use different types of board. For example, some boards are more dense, and some other are softer. I find it happens more with the dense boards.

The 1st cause for it is dull blade. I change my blade out after every few mats. Second, I believe it had to do with speed, force and presure you put into the cutter.

Also, always make sure your using a 4ply mat under the board your cutting.

One thing that might help is to start your cut early -- an inch or so -- and by the time you get to your start mark, have the blade already half way or more into the board. At the start mark, shove the blade the rest of the way in.

This has help with my corners.

Vaughn

I have similar issues. I fixed in my first go round by pushing the blade closer to the rail with the pressure screw. After 2 years of mat cutting (I make and sell a large number of prints) it had worn out the center rail and had to buy a replacement. It wasnt cheap.

Now I am careful to make sure the blade pressure screw is set well (sorry, cant really define that except that I make sure it is snug, but not tight against the rail) and I use a fresh blade often.

Best of luck

fist make sure the matt cutter you are using has the blade adjusted for the matts you happen to be cutting (its that small screw on the bottom of your cutter net to where the blade comes through.

Second, matt cutters are not exactly a precision machiened tool. when the groove in the cutter and the grove in the straight edge come together their happens to be a small amount of play. therefore in order to correct for this you must apply a minimal amount of diagonal pressure, as you are cutting and pulling the cutter towards you apply enough "sideways" pressure to ensure you always get a straight cutt.

Hope that was use full.

Christopher Breitenstein

for those of you who want to cut your own matts and dont want to spend alot of money on a matt cutter. You can purchase a Logan 424 straight edge ( comes with the groove you need for the cutters), a bevel and straight cutter, heavy duty spring clamps and a large piece of scrap matt (to use as a backing). Clamp the straight edge to a clean worK surface with a heavy duty spring clamp on either end for a strong hold and quick removal, and of course a large piece of backing matt under the straight edge. the total comes to about $60 and it will cut as well as anything else.

Christopher Breitenstein

I had the same problem and found that adjusting the blade depth fixed it.
Check out these links:
http://www.logangraphic.com/how-to/faq.shtml
http://www.logangraphic.com/how-to/bladedepthimportance.shtml

KEK said:

I was cutting window mats yesterday and noticed a slight curve in the cut starting maybe a 1/2" before it reaches the corner .

My first thought is the blade is deflecting when i plunge it into the matboard. Has any one else had this problem ? I'm using a Logan 650 or 750 not sure which one.

Thanks in advance for any help

Kevin

Click to expand...

I had this problem and noticed that the slot in the Logan cutter is considerably wider than the thickness of the blade. I used some carefully positioned copper shim to reduce the gap and thus limit any sideways movement of the blade. It's far better but still not perfect. I've always been disappointed when I've replaced what I consider to be an old blade with a new one. I've normally ended up putting in a new blade because I feel I ought to rather than because of any problem. Perhaps that's just because the blade doesn't have a hard time cutting my normal material.

Steve

Matt cutting has got to be the single most difficult skill for me! I have had every single problem one can have and gone through quite a few boards to get a few that are presentable. Adjusting the depth, as Login's website above states, is the key. But it is a very, very fine adjustment. Too little depth and your cut doesn't go all the way through (don't even think about that second cut after adjusting the blade!). Too much and all sorts of other bad things happen. Finding square matboard (even in cutdown standard sizes) and making your cuts really square to the edge is also a challenge. So, it is almost like doing surgery with an axe. This is all compounded by the difficulty of finding a print trimmer that also makes a perfectly square print. Gee, I didn't mean to sound so angry

Ditto the plunge depth issue. Adjust the blade depth very carefully. I get it so that the back up scrap board has barely a light score in it. This gives me the best cut. One thing to look out for, though - If the thickness of your board is inconsistent (and with that close a tolerance, it doesn't take much), you get some cuts that make it through and some that don't (grr...). This is where quality matte board saves the day. I use only Westminster board from Light Impressions (I have had trouble with others in this regard). Yes, I know I am paying more, but I get better cuts, and the cost of a frame job goes from roughly $60 to $65, so the framed print is $305 instead of $300? I'll absorb it and not lose a piece of board every so often. And on any print bigger than 8x10 inches, I change the blade every matte. This is with the basic Logan cutter, 301S, runs about $120.
Also, be sure that the backup board is a couple inches wider than the cut on both sides (at least as wide as the tool base), helps to keep the bottom of the cutting tool from "leaning", which can pull up or down on the blade.

I'm using a Fletcher 2100, and I used to get a curve in my cut every so often.

I found that particular problem wasn't so much caused by dull blades, or lack of a slip shit underneath, but it was from putting too much pressure on the cutting head when pulling it across the mat. This would cause the clamp to bow ever so slightly, so it was no longer a perfect straight line - that's where the curve would appear.

It was only apparent on larger mats, because I was reaching over the cutter and putting a bit of my weight on it. I think an earlier poster nailed it by saying it was easier to make cuts while standing in the middle of the unit, as opposed to on end.

Good luck!