The Framers Forum

Does anyone know what the maximum cutting depth for a Fletcher Terry 1100 oval and circular mount cutter would be? I am interested in cutting some nice deep spandrels for fixing into frames. Having recently seeing a photo of a stunning spandrel frame on the forum made by Geospectrum, I could not stop thinking what an attractive effect the deep bevel on the spandrel produced.

As you have probably already guessed, thinking about if I can cut a similar spandrel using my Fletcher Terry 1100. My hunch is that I can probably come up with something would look more that acceptable. I'm not all that sure about the cutting depth, but I would like to be able to cut 6mm thick MDF. I'm guessing that 6mm MDF would probably use up more than one blade per spandrel, but that remains to be seen.

I've cut 2.5mm MDF on an Oval 6. But only straight cuts and only 90% though, breaking out the final bit and sanding it smooth.

Cutting 6mm MDF on a bevel with a conventional blade is not really possible I don't think.

I'm only guessing, so I don't really know for sure what to expect, but a deep bevel that is less than perfect probably will be a less than totally stunning frame and finished result. I've still got my old Keencut Oval 6, but I am intending to give it away to a friend and to be honest, I not confident that it is as precise as the Fletcher Terry 1100, which has a very precise mechanism.

I know that it is possible to cut grey board on an oval mount board, but I don't regard grey board as being such a durable material as would be the case with MDF. Also I am particularly wanting a nice deep single bevel with completely flawless cutting. Without perfect and flawless presentation, I think that the saleability of such a frame is compromised, in which case why is it worth doing it.

My experience has been that nothing sell like something that is totally stunning and posses that I must have it factor, which hits customers when they first see something that is just so stunning and perfect.

You can download a manual here
http://www.framersequipment.co.uk/fletc ... utters.htm

just had a read of it and it says it can cut mounts and foamcors up to 1/4" (6mm) thick

Hi Steve,

Thanks for that, it's really helpful. I wonder what effect a 6mm thick piece of MDF will have upon the blade, I dont supose that it will stay sharp very long. It uses a Dexter No 3 type blade and I don't know how long these blades keep cutting for, when cutting MDF perhaps not very long, but time will tell.

If you take it slow, it should be fine, you might end up using a blade each one

Thanks Steve.

I strongly suspect that I will have to provide additional clamping to stop any 6mm MDF from moving while cutting the operture in the spandrel, because the force required to cut through the MDF is going to be considerably greater that that required for cutting normal mount board and if the MDF can move out of position while cutting the spandrel, the spandrel will be ruined.

You will have to use small G-Clamps, I would cut the hole at first a bit smaller (10mm maybe) so you get the bulk out, and if the MDF starts to move , you have not ruined it, then re-cut at the desired finish size, again taking it slow, might work

Hi Steve,

I am thinking of cutting some pieces of MDF, which will butt up against the edges of the spandrel and reach to the edges of the oval cutters base board, so that I can easily clamp these and the baseboard together. I am guessing that I will need some very solid clamping, to avoid any even slight movement. The baseboard of the machine is melamine coated of both sides, so preventing any movement, may be not so easy!

Unfortunately, the Dexter 3 blades that this cutter uses, and not made from a very durable grade of steel and the pointed end of the blade, does not seem to been very durable. It's nowhere near as durable as the Swann Moreton blades, such as used on the Keencut Oval 6 and from my own experience, the Swann Moreton blades on the Oval 6, will cut MDF, but only just. Cutting MDF with even a top quality blade, is really pushing it as far as expecting the blade to stand up to the task.

I was hoping to cut deep single bevel spandrels from MDF, but this now seems to be beyond what I can do with an oval mount cutter. I can possibly get away with cutting the spandrels from grey board, but getting the same finish of grey board is unlikely to be viable. Therefore the finished result won't be so stunning to look at and as I counting on producing something that looks really stunning to attract the top price, it is probably time to have a rethink.

I'm not saying that producing spandrel frames won't be possible, but the resulting frames would be aiming at a lower priced market and the potential for profit might not be the same. I still think that the deep bevel spandrel is the right look, to interest the customers, but hand finishing grey board won't look the same.

Why not use get one of these and use with a v groove router cutter.



I realise it is quite expensive, but if you look on youtube, there are loads of videos showing ways to make your own.

A router will give a nice finish to work with as well.

Nick

The item you wanted to show on you post, does not display, but I have figured out that it is the Trend oval and cirrcle router jig. I don't think that these are exessively expensive, for what they are and what they do, but I'm not that keen on routing MDF. I just don't like the idea of the health risks that are related to the MDF dust. However, using a mout cutter instead of a router, solves the dust issue quite nicely from my perspective.

I'd prefer to be cutting the spandel out of grey board and not to be generating the MDF dust. I'm pretty sure that the grey board won't produce as nice a finish as the MDF, but I want to err on the side of safety. However, thanks for the suggestion!

It has crossed my mind that I might cut a spandrel from grey board and apply a few coat of a chalky primer, followed by sandind doun to reallly nice smooth finish. I lot would depend upon how much effort, was involved to produce a satisfactory finish and I would not know this without trying this first, but I have got a fairly reasonable random orbit disc sander, which may, or may not produce the right result and I might just give it a go to see what happens.