CMC slip sheet

printmaker

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
Joined
Mar 4, 2003
Posts
356
Location
Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
I was intrigued by the comments on the "Ideas for left over matboard?" posting regarding the apparently copious amount of matboards that are used up as CMC slipsheets:

This may sound silly, and be a bit difficult to answer but:

How many mats does one typically cut on a CMC before having to replace the slipsheet?

Curious minds want to know.

Thanks all, in advance.
 
Unlike your straight-line cutter, a CMC trashes the slipsheet in at least four directions - sometimes many more, if you're cutting a bunny rabbit window, for example. :D

If I'm cutting smaller mats, I'll rotate the slip sheet between mats and sometimes reverse it. When pieces start to fall out, I know it's time to change it, and it happens pretty fast.

I go through a lot more board cutting test mats, though - especially multi-or odd-shaped windows. Those are usually the things I'm cutting on the CMC.
 
we've started using cheap crescent 40 x 60 paper mats for our slipsheets on the Wizard. Like Ron we replace when they're finally cut thru and/or about twice a week or so. Also use 32 x 40 flaw (can't get flaw in 40 x 60--why???) for dummy cutting of mats that are intricate or different.

I'mhaving a time--stll--with ragged edges on 100%rag; in about a week am switching to the superlonglasting Wiz blades. Cost more but, hey, it's only money, huh???
 
Michael, is the problem with the Crescent solid rag, the Bainbridge or both?

They definitely cut differently and there are significant differences among the Crescent rags themselves.

In the solid rag boards, I prefer the Bainbridge, whether cutting on the CMC or the Fletcher 2100.

(It's okay, Crescent. I prefer the Crescent suedes.)
 
I have only used the Fletcher CMC, so maybe this won't work for the wizard, but after cutting several mats, and rotating the slip sheet, I would trim about 2" off of the sides of the slip sheet & then place it back on the machine. Most of my mats seemed to fall within the same 3 1/2" - 4" range, so the wear & tear always seemed to be in the same area. When the mat would start to wear again, I would trim a little more. When the slip sheet becomes too small, you replace it. Would this work with the Wizard?
Patricia Weekley, CPF
 
pat--probably not since we need the full 450 x 60 size (oops--40 x 60) to cover the entire cutting area.

Ron: dunno. Long time ago tossed all my Crescent, or traded it in to Bainbridge for all new Bainbridge mats. Had this problem a few weeks/months ago (checdk archives) and some folk were quite helpful.

Love the Bainbridge suedes only 'cause they're the same depth as the rest of the Bainbridge line and do not affect the blade cutting depth of the Wiz. we config the wiz once and that's that: no additional configs for somewhat thicker crescent-type.
 
We have used Pats suggestion for many years.

We also will use a "FALL OUT" if we are producing ready made mats. For an 8x10 we will use a 11x14, or there abouts, scrap. Of course we have a full 40x60 slip sheet behind the actual slip sheet being cut.
 
I have used about 50 flaw boards as slip sheets and tests since acquiring my Wiz in September. I am NOT a high volume framer. Probably averaging about 15 a week, with a peak period during the holdiays.

I also, trim and "re-use" the center of the slip sheet.

Michael, you only need the slip sheet under where the head is going. If you are not cutting over to the right or up high then the slip sheet doesn't need to be there. Of course, I size my boards on the wall cutter first. If you are using the Wiz to cut the outside, then you probably need the slip sheet to fully support the size of the board you are cutting from.
 
Our Fletcher 6100 uses up a lot more slip sheets than the Wizard we used to use. On the Wizard you can adjust the blade depth so that it barely penetrates the slip sheet. The fletcher uses blade cartridges that puts the blade well into the slip sheet. I'm hoping that someday soon someone will come up with a self repairing slip sheet, much like the ones that where used on drafting tables in days gone by.

There it is folks, your chance to get rich beyond your wildest expectations. Invent a slip sheet for CMCs.

John
 
John;

Here is a special trick for your eyes only ;)

The head has set screws for adjusting the depth of the cut. There is a pin that rests against them on the cartridge.

I have never changed them from the original setting; but, might do so to allow for reversing of my slip sheets.
 
John--I've never changed the depth cut on my 6100 and it doesn't go very far into the slip sheet. I routinely use both sides without any problems. Maybe your blade depth is set too deep.
 
cliff: yeah that's what we do, have ol' Wiz cut the outside. And seems we do a lot of oversized jobs. PLUS I'm real anal: hate for the blade to go skipping across the joints of two 32 x 40s, plus I love to see that huge expanse of white paper mat on my Wiz wall; sometimes I ask for outrageous colored mats just to liven things up.
 
Jerome, thank you for the tip. I wonder if that would change your corner cutting configurations. I think I will give it a look and see what happens. That has been one of my employees biggest complaints about the Fletcher, it's good to know that we can solve it.

John
 
John, this will make your cutter undercut by a small amount, which I can only imagine is very easy to fix.
We set our Gunnar to cut through the thickness of two sheets of paper (80gsm) as per the instructions we were given during initial training.
 
Back
Top