I will be cutting mats for the first time. I have been considering the Logan Framers Edge 650 (about $400). I know someone who has the C+H Advantage Pro and loves it but I didn't want to spend that much. Any suggestions? Also, what thickness foamcore is typically used as backing board? Thank you in advance.

-- Christina Reilly (CReilly501@aol.com), January 13, 1998

Answers

It depends on how much cutting you will be doing, and how rich you are. I use a Maped cutter. For about 20 pounds, you get a 90 degree cutter, a 45 degree cutter and a metal ruler on which these things slide. It works very well.

-- Alan Gibson (gibson.al@mail.dec.com), January 14, 1998.

I cut small matts and infrequently so I found that a simple 45 degree cutter for $30 Can. and a good large metal square and ruler seems to work just fine. Of course if I had a choice I would get the entire set-up.

-- Andy Laycock (aglay@interchange.ubc.ca), January 14, 1998.

Response to advice on which mat cutter

I started out cutting mats with a simple mat cutter that you pushed along the edge of a ruler. It was cheap, about $30 CAD)and worked fine for smaller mats (8x10 or so). But it didn't work well for larger mats - I found it difficult to hold the mat down and the ruler steady while making the long cuts. (You have to apply a fair bit of pressure to cut throught the mats.) I eventually bought a 40 inch Fletcher mat system, which has the mat cutter and a nice base/clamp system for making measurements and holding down the mats while you cut them. It was cheap (as mat cutters go) at about $240 CAD. Also, if you buy the Fletcher system there is (at least there was) a coupon for a free video on mat cutting. Send for it! There's a lot of good advice on it.

-- Tony Doucet (tdoucet@hydro.mb.ca), January 20, 1998.

I currently use a Logan Simplex cutter. Its a low budget rail-type cutter but it cuts excellent mats. Its not the most ergonomic but it cuts mats as good as the C&H I used to use and better than the Fletcher we currently have (here at work). These cost anywhere between $125 and $200 US. Honestly, though, the mat cutter(person) is much more important than the mat cutter (machine). I've seen great mats cut with a small X-acto hand cutter. For my money (and skill) though I need a rail type cutter or I'm wasting my board.

-- Tony Mastres (mastres@id.ucsb.edu), January 26, 1998.