Mountcutter Wars: Keencut v Valliani

[pichousepreston]

Hi everyone

I'm looking to upgrade my Keencut Ultimat Gold to a 60" cutter. Went to the NEC and tried both a Keencut Futura and a Valliani Astra.

I liked them both, the Valliani had the edge for me but wondered if I liked it enought to warrant the extra cost.

Does anyone have any preference or comments to help me decide please?

Thanks
Heather

[Not your average framer]

The Valliani uses Valliani blades only, but the Keencut uses a universal pattern of blade giving you a choice of blade suppliers.

If you are comparing the Valliani Astra and the Keencut Futura, then the standards of construction are quite similar.

How do they compare on price?

[mikeysaling]

Never heard of the 'ASTRA' - anyone have one ? Could you possibly summarize the main dirfferences between the two? Plusses and Minusses (spell) etc. When I bought my 'gold' the main plus for the gold against the Fletcher was the quickly demountable squaring arm on the gold - i need the space and the gold is very quickly moved to vacate the bench space it occupies. Without worry about recalibrate.

[pichousepreston]

Show offer, Valliani £1100, Futura £920 (although I expect to get this down to under £900!)

I liked the look of the futura, more modern. They have improved the blade holders and the head, but it almost slides too easily now. I have a bad habit of not using all the stops and found it hard to use this way with the new model.

The Valliani looked more old fashioned but I liked its 'magnetic' cutting head which picks up a separate measuring stop and you don't have to press the stop down as it is already set low. It also has a small metal spacer that keeps the card slightly off the bottom bar which in theory should make very piece of board dead square. Also comes with cross bar from the base to the right hand measuring arm which keeps that more rigid.

They both cut through extra thick board with ease. and I'm sure that either would be suitable. Just wondered what other framers are using.

[Steve N]

The Valiani Astra is a re-badged Fletcher Terry, which until the launch of the Keencut Future, I would have said go with the Fletcher, due to the blade cartridge, you can have a set of them all set at different depths for different mountboards, now the Keencut I believe has similar system, so there is not much difference in them now.

[Abacus]

I wouldn't buy either! I'd use the money to get a good second hand valliani mat pro 120 with squaring head. You won't be sorry. My fletcher sits gathering dust.

[pichousepreston]

I can't use a fletcher. The noise it makes goes right through me, like nails down a blackboard! The Valliani seemed different to a Fletcher

[Steve N]

Well I think they are more or less the same, most probable made under license

Fletcher1.jpg (182.76 KiB) Viewed 5195 times

ValianAstra1.jpg (77.08 KiB) Viewed 5195 times

Both companies have a close working relationship

[pichousepreston]

Interesting, I wonder if the bearings are different, because they certainly felt different

[prospero]

I don't like these tinny mountcutters. Very unfriendly on a cold frosty morning.

I'll stick to my trusty C&H.

[ChrisG]

I only have experience of Keencut but they are British and have excellent support, not just helpdesk - you speak to the designers when calling and they seem to have the time for you. Maybe Valliani are just as good can't say.

[John Ranes II, CPF, GCF]

Well I think they are more or less the same, most probable made under license... ...Both companies have a close working relationship

Absolutely FALSE. The Fletcher-Terry F-2200 is made by Fletcher. The Valiani Astra is made in Italy by Valiani. It originally had a wooden base and like many Valiani machines goes through evolutionary changes. Valiani CMCs were distributed in the U.S. at one time by Fletcher-Terry, but that relationship is now finished. Valiani CMCs are supported currently by Crescent Cardboard.

The are very similar in construction and finish and share similar design logic.

John

[Steve N]

Sorry I said anything