Fletcher or Keen

[Perfection]

Don't laugh - when we set up, we managed to get sold a Logan Framer's Edge 655 Matboard cutter. OK, you may all collapse now!

Seriously though, we're going to replace it. Would welcome any thoughts on Fletcher versus Keen - budget up to £1500.

Cheers

Paul

[David]

Hi Paul

I've used both and prefer the Fletcher. Both are good machines and will cut a wide variety of designs, there is very little, if anything, to choose when it comes to speed of use, quality of the cut, customer service or reliability. Most will favour the machine they started on. I started on the Fletcher then had to use a Keencut(almost new), I had thought there was nothing between them, after a month I couldn't stand it any longer and replaced it with a Fletcher 2200.

For me the main difference is in the feel and handling of the cutting head, the Fletcher runs on a ground steel shaft and 3 bearings, this gives a very firm precise feel. The Keencut runs on an aluminium channel and to me doesn't feel as good. Like I said it is what you start on that will most influence you but I just love the engineering and feel of the Fletcher, it's a pleasure to use, firm but smooth, fine sensative control, sorry too much information, I think I enjoy it too much. The only other significant difference is that the Fletcher cutting arm is held up by a spring loaded support just requiring a flick of the arm to clamp the mount leaving 2 hands free, the Keencut has a handle that has to be manually turned to lower the cutting arm.

If you can get to a supplier that has both and give them a try.

All the best David.

[Perfection]

Thanks David, excellent appraisal - exactly what I was hoping for. I do believe my friends at Wessex offer both Fletcher and Keen so I will indeed go and play with both.

Paul

[Bagpuss]

I had this discussion with David during the week, I use the Keencut and can't really comment on the Fletcher but someone did say recently that it's possible on the Fletcher to have one cartridge setup with your normal blade, set to cut a 1500 mic mounboard and have another cartridge setup to cut thick mountboard ( say 3500 mic ). When you want to cut thick mountboard you just swap the cartridge out and don't have a load of callibration to do, I haven't looked into it yet but thought this would be a real bonus if you were regularly having to cut thick mountboard.

cheers,
Adam (Bagpuss)

[mikeysaling]

think my post just timed out !!!! john it does get a bit annoying

anyway years ago i had a ? (heavy cutter with a base like a kitchen worktop) eventually it had to go looked at both your options decided on keencut as it demounted quickly ie the measureing arm and matt guide - i am short of space - and need to move the cutter out of the way regularly i think the fletcher has a more 'fixed' arm system . anyway the wife appreciates me being able to clear the dining room table quickly!!

for what its worth!!

mikey

[mikeysaling]

what was the name of that big heavy cutter i bought bout 15 years ago? was s/h any suggestions

[mikeysaling]

timed out - think it was c & H are they still going?

[Custard]

Paul, I'm not a hugely experienced framer, certainly compared to many on this forum. But I was in exactly your situation, upgrading from a Framer's Edge and faced with the Keencut/Fletcher choice.

I spent quite a bit of bit of time operating both, and in terms of quality of cut there's absolutely nothing to choose between them. However I eventually went for the Keencut Ultimat for two specific reasons. Firstly, I found I was quicker on the Keencut compared with the Fletcher, maybe it's just me but I found the "roller lift and hold" system speeded up my production by quite a bit. The second reason was the ease of attaching and removing the squaring arm, back mount guide, and the accessory mount support arms that I also use. In a small workshop I found this added significantly to the versatility.

On the Fletcher i really liked the pre-set holes on the back mount guide set at 10mm intervals. Personally I didn't find the removable bevel guides on the Fletcher made such a big difference when switching from standard to extra thick mounts (something I do fairly regularly), in reality I tend to split the week's framing into two batches depending on mount thickness and then just get on with it!

Whatever your choice I'm sure you'll see a huge step-up between the Fletcher or Keencut and the Logan Framer's Edge. I found the MDF base on the Logan warped fractionally, and I had to support the slip sheet with a couple of paper shims to get an accurate cut, plus there was quite a bit of slop and play in the cutting head when compared with my current Keencut. One interesting thing that I noticed since upgrading is how much less mount board wastage I get. I found it was an upgrade that paid for itself in saved mount board alone much faster than I expected.

Whatever your choice I'm sure you'll be delighted with the results. Best of luck!

[mikeysaling]

another thing - not sure if it matters to you is the angle of cut is different between the two not alot but well never know it may be important to you?

[Not your average framer]

At various times, I've used just about all the mountcutter I've ever even heard of. This includes various different Keencuts, Fletcher-Terry, various different C & H's, Magnolia and Keeton.

There is one significant difference between what almost all american mountcutters will do as standard and what most british mountcutters won't do.

That is, if you are marking out using a pencil on your mountcutter on an american mountcutter you will find that when cutting the blade position is set so close to the slide bar that the pencil line and the blade cut fall in the exact same position.

This may not sound like a big deal, but if you are doing really difficult fancy mountcutting, then this makes a big difference to how you are able to work.

I have four Keencut mountcutters, an Ultimat gold, an original Ultimat, a Dart (early Keencut) and an Oval 6. My other mountcutter is a C & H 4060A.

So here's what I think:

The Fletcher-Terry is very well engineered, but I don't like the hassle of having to keep cleaning the roller bearing on the cutter head block.

The original Ultimat was not bad, but the Ultimat gold has a different cutter head block bearing method and is far better than the original Ultimat in many respects.

If you don't mind cleaning the rollers on the Fletcher then the Fletcher may just about have the edge, but if you keep the head block bearings on your Ultimat gold well adjusted, then there's not a lot in it.

I would really like to get a C & H Vantage Pro, it's an awesome piece of kit (with a really serious looking bronze bush head block bearing and IMHO I think it it the best mountcutter I have ever come across. It's in a class of it's own and when I get the chance, I WANT ONE!

Having said all that, I still really like my Ultimat Gold.

[Big Ada]

Hi Paul,

I use a flecher 2200 and it is the only mountcutter I've owned so I can't comment on the keencut, anyway the flecher has a really smooth cutting action, but I clean it every week with lighter fluid wpied clean then a silicone spray for that smooth action. I use three interchangable blade cartridges set a different depths to suit mount board thicknesses and you'd be surprised on the time saved in not calibrating. So the flecher has a thumbs up from me.

I hope this helps.
Adrian