The Framers Forum

I have just got some 10mm foamboard from Wessex Pic's and am finding that I am having problems cutting it I used firstly my straight edged cutter that came with my Logan cutter and it seemes to catch and full out some of the core foam, the same thing happened when i used my trusty stanley knife. I never had this problem with 5mm foamboard any ideas or is there a recomended foamboard cutter?

You will probably find you need to use a brand new blade. Any slight wear and tear can cause it to drag foamcore out from the centre. This is much more likely to happen the thicker the foamboard.

+1 for that new blade.

Blades are cheaper than foamcore.

other thing is some foamboard is just shite, the trick is to use nice thin blade

for example a stanley blade creates drag where a scapel blade does

I have found that using only the weight of a stanley knife and making two or three passes you can get clean cuts even if the foamboard is not the best. Use a new blade too.

I always use a new blade everytime I cut foamboard. I'm using some nice cheap blades, which as far as I can remember were bought from Simons.

I stopped using more expensive stanley type blades years ago, but I would be very interested in buying titanium nitride coated blades if anyone was planning on doing some. (Big hint to suppliers)

Lion were kind enough to send me some free samples of some titanium nitride coated mount cutting blades. I really liked them, but when I tried to order some they weren't available. I'd be interested to know if there is any chance of these becoming available!

Ty for the advice it looks like new blades then lol

I use my Keencut Excalibur 5000, and put a mount cutter blade in the opposite side of the glass cutter, it works fine each time, and I have cut quite a few 10mm boards

IOW you use the excalibur!

Yes, it seems to get the best out of the foam core,I used the old system 4000 before that, and never envisaged having to cut it by hand, hence that's the only way I have ever done it and the blade from the mount cutter as you know is still sharp as it only uses the edges.

I tend to cut thin slices, perhaps 30mm for using on sports shirts.

Norrie.

We cut all our foamboard on the excalibur 5000, cuts perfect everytime.

I use this bad boy right here. I used to use a stanley blade and it kept catching. Then I tried my mountcutter but I could only get half a cut.
Perfect results every time on this and I haven't changed the blade yet in a few months.

We have no problems with Kapa mount on either the Steeltrak, or Javelin cutters, but we are having a devil of a time finding Really sharp, consistent blades for cutting RC laminated mounted prints. Seems that one edge of a stanley medium duty type blade will be perfect, but the reverse face can cause snaggies. It's not the order the blades are inserted - sometimes the first end will be good, sometimes bad (so I don't think it's to do with the blade being chipped on insertion to the cutter).
We've tried Keencut, Fletcher Terry, & Lion generic blades, with the same results. Also, not due to the orientation of the Forex, Kapa, print or laminate. For a short period, we had some lovely blades from Lion, that were paper wrapped, and not oiled, but have not seen them for a fair while (no fine oil on your fingers, or gloves).

Would love to try some TiN blades - we tend to go through at least one normal blade per print, sometimes one per edge, so an increased unit cost (no more than 10x) for reliable, consistent blades could save us a small fortune.

Thanks for that Pramsay.
That bad boy right there is now on my shopping list

Richard Photofusion wrote:We have no problems with Kapa mount on either the Steeltrak, or Javelin cutters, but we are having a devil of a time finding Really sharp, consistent blades for cutting RC laminated mounted prints.

i use scapel blades, i think the problem with blades like stanley blades are to thick, where as scapel as its a bit thinner seems to work fine

Yes, I agree! Also scalpel blades are made from top quality surgical steel. Unfortunately scalpel blades don't fit my Keencut System 4000.

I still use the Swann Morton "SMO-R" retractable blade handles with the S-M 01 blades and they are good too!

Swann Morton also make a retractable handle to suit the most popular size /shapes of their scalpel blades.

We've got a couple of these, which my framer prefers to my weapon of choice

But wherever possible we'll use the Excalibur, far safer, cuts in one hit, cuts to size, the point of the blade is not used and there's no cutting surface to worry about or to help dull the blade. We'll use the CMC too.

i use

http://www.lionpic.co.uk/product/SCALPE ... 366,0.aspx

with

http://www.lionpic.co.uk/product/BLADES ... 072,0.aspx


also have stanley with dual metal blades from screwfix. although not for trimming prints

Has to be retractable here, I have a habit of fumbling about for things!