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Just started cutting my own mats/mounts for my photos for sale- even getting some straight edges now I think I'm getting the bug and wondered about if and when I want to move onwards if you can spare the time to give advice I'd be grateful . I know that taking it steady is the first and best advice but here are my questions;
- I've seen v-nailer machines but it seems to me that for early attempts getting cheap moulding chopped/mitred and holding in a vice while putting nails in with a small hammer would work , right or wrong ?
- I use a rule and cutter for the mats (Maped - not the best but starting cheaper makes hobbies less costly if you give up) . If I get interested do board systems like Longridge and Logan produce offer anything other than a more repetitive, reproducible system that makes higher production easier - some of the costs are eye watering !
I thought I would give you my thoughts as a relatively new framer. I started just cutting a few mounts for paintings I had purchased and moved into framing before starting to offer it to paying customers. At first, I thought there was little point spending a fortune before I knew whether it would work out to be profitable.
However having purchased a mitre saw, a mitre trimmer, a cheap underpinner with compressor and a Logan 750 (my biggest expense), I thought that this would be perfectly adequate to make good frames. However, you soon realise the error of your ways and learn that you really need.
Morso guillotine
A decent mount cutter preferably a Keencut Ultimat Gold
A proper underpinner, there are a few to choose from. I personally would avoid foot operated and go for pneumatic. Cassese are good as are Alfa, Inmes. I actually got a second hand Euro 9000 which although quite old, does everything I need. The most useful thing I found is that it has adjustable fences making it easier to get 4 perfect joints.
All these can be purchased second hand, a decent Morso will set you back about £500, Ultimat about £400-500, and underpinner for between £250-£500
You could remove the need for a morso if as you say get a chop service for all your framing jobs, but the other 2 are musts. I started out wit a Logan and they are just not accuarte enough so it is better to invest that bit more for a keencut if possible.
Nick is absolutely dead on. There is an old saying from woodworkers and that is that buy the best tools you can possibly afford because its only those that will give you professional results. It doesnt really matter how good you are manually doing any of these tasks, but without the proper equipment you will not get the professional results your pictures (and customers) deserve.
Nick has summed it up perfectly in the order and equipment you should get and all I can add is that companies like mine do work for the trade as well as public and could provide you with the parts you are missing.
But do get a Keencut Ultimat Gold as I believe it the best manual mountcutter around.
Welcome to the forum. When I first got started, I didn't have much money, so I had to be content with what I could afford. It mat sound a bit daunting, but it's still a good place to start.
I started with an old C & H mount cutter, a Lion manual underpinner consisting of a magnetic wedge driver fitted into drill stand and a Nobex mitre saw. In spite of my limited knowledge and experience at that time, with time and practice I learnt how to get professional results.
If you can find a good, but older mountcutter, you may find that with care and practice you can turn out some top class work. Ask around, speak to your suppliers and reps, or post a request in the "Wants, Sales & Adverts" section of this forum. Someone may have just what you need that's just sitting around gathering dust, either going cheap, or even free to a good home.
Stick with it and you'll be surprised what you become capable of doing!
Mark Lacey
“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
I think I'm getting the bug and wondered about if and when I want to move onwards if you can spare the time to give advice I'd be grateful . I know that taking it steady is the first and best advice but here are my questions;