Just picked up a Fletcher 2100 mat cutter off Craigslist. This thing is a beast, and it seems like there’s a bit of a learning curve. It should be a nice upgrade from my Logan mat cutter.
Roger
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Always keep a good, large 90 angle square with it and a long level, as well, as cutters tend to drift a bit with time and you should always check square before using, as good matboard is expensive.
A sacrificial 4ply minimum mat board, over the board itself will help some with tearout, and always keep enough new razors with the thing so you can cleanly cut lines, changing ends between mats and using a new one for every other medium to large mat; this is IMPORTAINT especially with 100% Rag & Alpha Rag boards of 4 ply average to 8 ply Museum boards.
I recommend you or someone with a "Tax number" buy your boards from a good, legitimate paper wholesaler, as the difference, pre Covid, between retail and wholesaler is enormous, most especially if you decide on 100% Alpha Rag, 8 ply.
I'll see if I can find the particulars from a good wholesaler I knew of in Charleston, SC, who carried top quality rag boards in both 4 & 8 ply.
At my art league, we mounted the cutter to a wall securely, as it is easier to leverage pull down when cutting boards but if you try this take a thick, "square" steel angle iron and drill and thread,bolt holes a series of holes for threaded 1/4" 20 bolts and mount this, to the wall, in parallel to the cutter's supporting mat shelf, shown swung out in your picture.
Placing the line of bolt holes face up to the cutter support, with the other angle, flat to the wall, as to form a shelf, you can take the bolts up into those holes from the bottom up, to make small adjustments to the aluminum mat support, fractionally to bring it back into square.
Space the holes about 3" or 75mm centered apart and I suggest you take some thick furniture saver pads and hot glue them to the advancing end of the bolt as the bolts along will no be gentle to that aluminum support.
A second nut on each bolt will lock an adjustment bolt in place, until a readjustment is called for
The level is IMPORTAINT in doing this and needs using each time, as I've said before; just the local traffic, busses, garbage trucks, etc, WILL cause enough vibration to throw things off, and so can walking in a wood or linoleum floor.
I think I covered the basics in setting up a cutter, but, remember it can also cut foam core, glass, thick paper with the right cutting head, 45° or 90°.
Avoid the traditional Dexter 45-90° cutter, always, it sucks.
Have fun with your cutter an make nice mats,
Eli