How to cut a double opening triple mat?

[Larry Peterson]

On my web site where I sell changable framing for ephemera and paper collectibles, I recently have been receiving a number of orders from comic collectors who want to frame a piece of comic art (typically around 11x17) and the comic that the art was drawn for (around 6.5 x 10). These are normally done side my side, double matted.

For an order that I am working on today, the customer is having me do this with a triple mat. I've done the mat but am wondering if there isn't a better way to do this. This matis shown below.

<img src=http://thePaperFramer.com/images/TripleMat1.jpg>

<img src=http://thePaperFramer.com/images/TripleMat2.jpg>

I split the mat up into two parts. First I did normal double mats for each of the opening using the middle and bottom mats. I cut the top mat by itself and positioned the two double mat below it and ATG'd the top mat to the two double mats. You can see that in the back image above. Finally (not shown), I filled in the open spaces with matboard before attaching the mat to the sink foamboard piece that the mylar sleeves for each piece will sit.

While this works, I'm wondering if there is a better way.

[ 09-11-2003, 02:22 PM: Message edited by: Larry Peterson ]

[smitten]

my first suggestion is get a CMC.

Short of that:
Cut all the blanks at the same time so they are all EXACTLY the same size and shape.

Mark the tops of all the mat edges (I like on the actual cut edge. You will alwats be able to see it.)

Draw the entire mat (All 3 layers) on the back of the top mat being sure to carry all the lines right off the edge.

Circle the corners of the openings of the top mat on the back of the top mat.

Put the middle mat on the back of the top mat with the mark you made matching up.

Move the middle mat up about 1/8" to see all the marks on that edge. Transfer the marks for the middle openings the the back of the mat. Repete this for all 4 sides.

Connect the marks and circle the corners for this set of openings.

Repete this for the last layer.

With 3 sheets rather than 5 and really one drawing to work with, we found this to be easier and more acurate.

Richm

[B. Newman]

I think I've quoted Darrell Scott's song before - "Ain't No Easy Way" tongue.gif

Personally, I have done it several different ways, but now I mostly use Brian Wolf's method from his book, "Cutting, Carving, and Decorating Mats". That is to lay out all your lines for all the cuts on the top mat, all the way to the edge of the matboard. (I use colored pencils for each "layer" of mat to make distinguishing them easier.)

Then you can either use full pieces for the subsequent cuts, or smaller pieces like you did.

But still, "ain't no easy way..." (unless of course you got a cmc!)

Betty

[Emibub]

Multi's are a breeze for me. I use that trusty little wheel I talked about in the "Quilters Quarter" thread. I cut my top mat first and flip it bottom side up over the next layer to be cut which is also bottom side up. I trace with the wheel and pencil all around the opening. The wheel gives an exact 1/4" line from original opening. It gets a bit complicated there but if you need say a 1/8" reveal after tracing the line you can take a clear ruler and go out or in on that line and retrace new lines from the original one.(sounds complicated but it is not.)

I used to struggle with them and I always did them in bits an pieces like your image. I have cut them this way for years and I don't recall the last time I biffed one except due to a mismeasurement. In fact a couple of weeks ago I did a 12 opening triple mat with a 1/4" reveal and a 1/8" reveal and it took about an hour. The hardest part is laying out your top mat, each subsequent mat probably took maybe 15 minutes to trace and cut twelve openings.

[Melinda Tennis]

OK, here's how I have done it for the past 21 years. You cut the top mat blank, to size, and you cut the other two blanks slightly smaller in each dimension. ATG the bottom mat on the top (right side) edge and stick it to the back of the top mat. Mark your lines for the opening. You use the top mat as the benchmark. Cut, then ease the bottom mat off the top and adhere the middle mat the same way and cut. Then the top. The reason to do this is that no matter how exact you cut your blanks, you are human, and you are using the same size piece for all the cuts. Melinda

[wpfay]

An antiquated system, but it works for me:
I cut from the top mat down. I use short lengths of milled aluminum bars to scribe the second/ third etc mats from my top mat. If I want a 1/4" reveal on mat 2 I use the 1/4" bar set against the bevel of the mat (face down on back of mat 2) and use a sharp 4H pencil to scribe the line.
I only use this on multiple opening mats.

[RevBev]

You could cut the bottom mat first (full size blank) and then trace those openings onto the back of the next mat up. Project out from those pencilled rectangles the appropriate amount, using a compass, square stock metal, acrylic slabs, or whatever. Repeat as neccessary.

[frame farm]

Ok I have found cutting multi opening mats are easier for me if I use math. I do draw the outside boarders on the bottom mat first then I use math. Add the outside boarder plus the opening and the space betwen to get the next cut, flip mat and cut again, this only works if the openings are the same size. I still use this method for different size openings,only i use the caculator alot for verification. For the next mat you adjust your measurements, but you have all the settings for the top mat just subtract or add according to your mat cutter and amount of mat showing. One of these days I will have a CMC but for now I rely on the caculator.

Candi Dunlap
Curry's Frame Farm
Waynesboro VA

[Bill Henry-]

If I understand your problem correctly, are you frustrated by your inability to set the guide bar to cut the interior bevels?

If so, consider using the stop on the squaring arm on the right side of your mat cutter. My slide bar is exactly 2-1/2” wide. If I were to cut a bevel 15 inches from one side of a 30” mat, I would just do the arithmetic, 30 – 15 – 2.5 = 12.5. I would set the stop on the squaring arm at 12-1/2 inches, slide the blank mat against the stop, then make the cut as usual.

If you have a spreadsheet program, you can set up a template and have the math done for you. Sure beats forking out $14 K for a CMC!

[Frank Larson]

Ok I guess I do it different from everybody. I stack all my mats together by ATGing where the openings will be or lightly ATGing by the edge of the mats. Top mat is a hair larger than the others. I then mark out and cut my inner mat then use the cut lines that leaves to mark out and cut the next mat. I've cut as many as 6 layers without a problem, including one that had a triangle opening.

Oh...for marking out from the cut lines I use various sizes of key stock I bought years ago at a decent hardware store. If you don't know what that is...When you put a pully on a shaft there is a groove on the shaft and one on the pully which you line up and into which you put a "key". Basically it is a piece of square metal that you cut to be as wide as the pully. You can buy it in 12" long pieces aka: "Key stock". Available 1/8" square to about 1/2". I just lay it against the cut line then mark on the other side. Easy and fast.

[ 09-12-2003, 10:54 PM: Message edited by: Frank Larson ]