Thick mountboard window cutting service?

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jay
Posts: 172
Joined: Sun 28 Aug, 2005 1:59 am

Thick mountboard window cutting service?

Post by jay »

Hi Guys,
Firstly, thanks for the replies to my "price wobble" post.
Further to the issue of cutting thick mount board, are there any of you who either have a computerised cutter who could supply these for me for this job, or could recommend someone who provides this service?
If I'm honest, I could do without the additional faff of recalibrating my cutter to cut these. I will no doubt waste a lot of board and time as I learn the process. (I tried once before with little success creating a neat cut, then gave up!)
This is only the second time I've ever been asked for them! :shock:
There are likely to be x12 of the big size (20"x24"), and several more 20"x16" & 16"x12".
Customer wants Jumbo, conservation, thick boards. To date, I've only found 1 supplier with 1 board suitable.
Tia
Jay
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prospero
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Re: Thick mountboard window cutting service?

Post by prospero »

If you are cutting 2mm thick board the it's pretty simple to recalibrate the cutter. Just set the blade a bit further
out and set the end stop nearest you back a couple of mm. The top stop will stay true as you have the blade protruding
further. If it's more than 2mm then you need to make 2-3 passes with the blade which is a bit of a faff.
If I cut 3.5mm board regularly I would would get a CMC. I don't though. :roll: :lol:
Watch Out. There's A Humphrey About
jay
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Re: Thick mountboard window cutting service?

Post by jay »

Thanks Prospero,
It's 2.2mm, so I suppose minimal faff in theory. The biggest issue with the board I tried previously was it was just soooo bloody dense!
I've ordered a sample of the board I plan to use this time, so I'll see if it's as hard.... sure hope not. :sweating:
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Re: Thick mountboard window cutting service?

Post by Not your average framer »

Cutting thicker mountboard needs a little more technique and and attention to a few details that not everybody might be aware of.

First of all, you will be quite hard pushed to get a decent result cutting thicker mounts without using some really solid and top quality mount cutting blades. The blades need to be really stiff blades that strongly resist and tendancy to flex and produce hooked cuts. S you will need some which are made from top grade steel and nice and thick as well. I use Keencut 0.015" inch thick blades and I always a new blade before I get started.

Blunt blades are the kiss of death when it comes to cutting thicker mounts. In order to cut thicker mounts with a blunt blade, you will need to resrt to more force and since that blade is being forced into the mountboard at the angle required for cutting the bevel of the mounts window, that will increase the blades tendancy to deviate side ways and change the angle of cut. So pay the extra and get some blades that are up to the job and be sure to start with a new nice sharp blade without fail.

Like it, or not you will need the adjust the blade depth on a piece of mountboard of exactly the same depth and it's a trial and error thing. As you set the blade position for more of the blade to extend out of the cutting head, this will in part increase how far forward the blade will penerate the mountboard at the start of cut, but you will still need to zero in the correct start of cut position to produce a spot on setting with no undercuts, or overcuts. In spite of extending the blade advancing the start of cut position, the end of cut position will remain unchanged and will require considerably more adjustment to zero in the end of cut position.

I only set the blade depth and the start of cut and end of cut settings the once and then proceed to make each cut in two, three, or four passes, depending on the thickness of the mountboard. Cutting thicker mountboards is not as difficult as it may sound, but it does require attention to detail and like everything else, if you want to be good at it, you need to practice to get good at it, but is not that the same with all things.

If you are going to cut an oval mount in thicker mountboard, it can sometimes be not that easy with a Keencut Oval 6, you can do it, but there is a bit of a nack to get the right cutting pressure to keep the blade cutting within the original cut. However, the Fletcter Terry 1100, is the buseness, because the mechanism which guides the blade ensures total accuracy. I hope at least some of this will be helpful.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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prospero
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Re: Thick mountboard window cutting service?

Post by prospero »

I'm going to take a the opposite view re. blades. :lol:

Thinner is better as there is less resistance when cutting. :clap:
Watch Out. There's A Humphrey About
jay
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Re: Thick mountboard window cutting service?

Post by jay »

Wow, thank you so much for this NYAF, very helpful indeed!! I probably need to accept that I should to buy a pack, as opposed to a sample of the board and get practicing! My Rep has been trying to persuade me for a while to offer thick boards, but I've been resitant after my first, and only attempt.... I suppose it's all too easy for us to settle into our comfort zones to make life that bit easier..... especially, if there appears to be no "call" for it..... hands up, guilty!! :oops:
jay
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Re: Thick mountboard window cutting service?

Post by jay »

Prospero, I will compare blades as Keencut send me samples to try. :D
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Re: Thick mountboard window cutting service?

Post by Not your average framer »

prospero wrote: Fri 20 Sep, 2019 5:51 pmThinner is better as there is less resistance when cutting. :clap:
True, but thinner blades are less ridgid and I found that it made a big difference for Me.
Mark Lacey

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Re: Thick mountboard window cutting service?

Post by Chris_h »

I remember always struggling with thicker boards on a Keencut Gold until I read a few tips on here. One of those was to use the thinner blades which I was always under the impression the thicker blades were better. It did seem to work though and now I just use the s012 blades.

You can also draw a line on the area where you set the blade depth so you can quickly switch back. With really thick boards try not to cut in one go and as said above always use fresh blades.
Not your average framer
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Re: Thick mountboard window cutting service?

Post by Not your average framer »

I've long had a problem with 0.12 inch thick blades and hooked cuts on my mount cutter, even on normal thickness mounts and I've certainly got a problem with cutting thicker mounts with thinner blades. If it works differently other peoples machines, then something must be different with my mountcutter, but I'm not aware of why that would be.

I was not be expecting to suspecting that anything was likely to be wrong on my mountcutter. I'm not sure how this makes sense just now. I need to get my head around this I think.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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