Keencut Ultimat - Original vs Gold vs Futura

[Jag62]

Good morning all,

Please can anyone advise the key differences between the 3 versions of the Ultimat ? I have an option on an original model but not sure if I should spend a little more on a gold or futura. Is it worth buying the original & later updrading it to the futura head. Do the older models show any significant wear ?

Many thanks,

Neil

[Ed209]

Go for the Futura I had one before I upgraded to a Valiani CMC and it used to work fantastic admittedly it was a bit of a learning curve and tweaking to get it just right. I would almost go so far to say it does a nicer cut than the CMC. I found the gold edge blades from Lion worked best.

[Not your average framer]

The original Ultimat used nylon bearings for the sliding cutting head and when the Ulimat Gold came out it had a different design of nylon bearings for the sliding head and a different design of sliding head and the bar along which the bar slides. The bearings, the main cutter head and bar are not interchangible between the original Ultimat and the Ultimat Gold. I've had both the original Ultimat and the Ultimat gold. The were both satisfactory mount cutters, but the Ultimat Gold was clearly better that the original Ultimat.

I have not owned a Ventura, I heard that they are very good and since the cutting head runs on ball bearings, I expect that from the aspect of the bearing it should be significantly superior. I do not like Keencuts policy of producing different designs of nylon bearing, which they no longer stock replacement bearing for after a certain period of time and forcing you to buy a later model, before the machine has truly worn out. My next mount cutter will be a Fletcher Terry, because they still supply spars for just about everything.

Having said all that, Keencut mountcutters are one of the best available.

[pepper]

I think I am right in saying that in the last thirty years or so there has been very little functional change in the Fletcher so its easy to supply spare bearings for a thirty year old machine when the design hasn't changed, just saying!
The Ultimat changed to the Gold in the mid-nineties and the cutter bar and bearing design greatly improved also on the Ultimat you had to slide the measuring scales to calibrate for under/over-cuts whereas on the Gold you had the calibration adjuster screws on the stops that just make calibration so much easier than faffing around moving the scales.

You say about spending 'a little more' on a Gold or Futura, if that is all it is it is a no-brainer the Gold only went off the market last year (although there are probably still some about) and the Futura is current so if you want to depend on a machine a 25+ year old one that you may not know the history of could be a bad deal. The other thing is that the Futura deals with tough mount board well, the steel bearing system is rock solid and glides really well, zero wobble on the head and really easy to maintain.

[Not your average framer]

[David]

If you can go for the Futura then the Gold, I wouldn't go earlier. The only things that really wear on the Gold and earlier models are the nylon bushes, the Futura uses sealed roller bearings that don't need adjusting/maintaining, they are also low friction making it easier to use through the day. The Futura also incorporates a number of engineering tweaks in the cutting head that improves the quality of the cut, the blades also have individual cartridges for easier, quicker changes. It is possible to upgrade the Gold to Futura spec, this involves changing the whole cutting head and rail and costs around £500 so by the time you have bought a decent Gold machine and upgraded it you are not going to be far off a second hand Futura or even possibly a new machine.

[Jag62]

Many thanks everyone for your advice.

Neil

[Jag62]

Just for completeness, I just found out that Keencut no longer produce the upgrade kit for conversion of Ultimat Original or Gold to Futura spec.

Neil