Was looking at the CMC websites, yesterday, and noticed the one of them has an "embosser" attachment....goes on the cutter head and presses designs into the mat.........(I "think" I remember it as a GUNNAR system) looks like a really niifty way to add to mat decorations w/o having to learn how to carve mats or deal with French lines/pens .... My question is: anyone using this system? does it actually deliver as advertised? Has anyone heard rumor, etc if the WIZ might get a gadget like it?????
CMC's etc
- Thread starter BILL WARD
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Bill,
Embossed mats have been around for ages. They first really appeared on die cut mats sold at a variety of places. Since die cutters didn't really cut into the mat, they were open to anything they could do to dress up their product.
The Fletcher-Terry F-6100 CMC offered this embossing wheel with their machine, and although some folks embrassed it, most did not. Personally I have never been a supporter of the "look". Why would I desire to replicate a mass produced appearance to my custom framing product?
When a beautifully executed V-groove still looks better.
Again...just an opinion. To each his own. There is always the argument that it is better to offer more, than less.
John
Embossed mats have been around for ages. They first really appeared on die cut mats sold at a variety of places. Since die cutters didn't really cut into the mat, they were open to anything they could do to dress up their product.
The Fletcher-Terry F-6100 CMC offered this embossing wheel with their machine, and although some folks embrassed it, most did not. Personally I have never been a supporter of the "look". Why would I desire to replicate a mass produced appearance to my custom framing product?
Again...just an opinion. To each his own. There is always the argument that it is better to offer more, than less.
John
Meghan MacMillan
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Just in case any CMC developers are reading I'd like to cast a vote in favor of the embossing feature.
Rather than cheap mass produced mats, to me they (if done properly) evoke the beautiful folios in which studio portraits were often presented.
I would welcome that as an addition. I did hear from another framer that he thought he might have heard that Wizard is working on it.
Rather than cheap mass produced mats, to me they (if done properly) evoke the beautiful folios in which studio portraits were often presented.
I would welcome that as an addition. I did hear from another framer that he thought he might have heard that Wizard is working on it.
Lemon_Drop
Grumbler in Training
Gunnar have released the embossing head for their range of mount cutters a few months ago. They also say that the attachment can be used for making presentation boxes, and other types of cases. I have not seen it working yet. I only got a flyer from Gunnar. If it works as good as their mount cutters, then its gotta be worth a look.
Roland from GUNNAR
Grumbler in Training
Hello folks
Let me give you some more information about our system (in fact we have only introduced this during the spring fairs early this year):
The new GUNNAR Toolhead T1 is a tool which is put on the bevel head position of any current GUNNAR CMC. It has different tips like embossing balls in two sizes (not wheels, John) for elegant embossing to decorate mats. Alternatively you can put different wheels to do scoring jobs. This is mainly thought in addition to our box templates which come with the software. This means that as easy as you do a mat, you click on a box template, enter 3 dimensions and your box (to order!) is finished. The CMC would then score the folding lines and the second head (on our double head CMC's) would cut the outside. The most difficult part is then the folding of the box. Like this you can create gift boxes or packaging boxes for special pictures in exactly the right size. Many more applications are possible.
On the single header GUNNAR F1 you would simply change the T1 head after having scored the respective lines and put the cutting head back in its place. Like any other feature this only takes seconds and the necessary tool is delivered with the T1.
The embossing facility is great, because you can not only use our own ClipArt’s that you will receive with the GUNNAR Software SPT32 (hundreds!), but with our brilliant Font Mode feature, any font that you own (or download from the net, there are thousands) can be used. This is not only great for writing, but especially for decoration purposes. Simply have a look at the webding and wingding fonts, you find funny little "clip arts" and signs. Or we already found company logos, movie logos, decorative signs, Japanese writing, etc. etc. All for free on the internet.
The big advantage of an embossing compared to a V-groove is that there is no restriction in radius (every CMC has a minimum radius for cuts!) and as you don't cut, but only emboss, it can not be "too complicated". An even bigger advantage is that you can use embossing even if you only want a slight decoration on a mat. The picture is still attracts the biggest attention and the mat will not become more important.
Have a look at our website www.gunnar-europe.com and you'll see some fine pictures. We're about to add some more pix soon. Our website has also been redone lately and we're still adding pictures.
Oops, I didn't want to write such a long article. But you all know marketing guys: once they start writing, they never stop.
So let me simply add: we have sold a more than 200 T1's this spring during the 3 main shows only and as far as I know, all customers start to experience it now. The main advantage for the framer is again to be different than their direct opposition and to be able to offer something additional.
As in North America GUNNAR is the market leader for production machines and this is a tool for individual framers and not for big quantities, you won't easily find someone who already uses it. But in he rest of the world, the race has just begun.
Happy embossing and scoring
Roland
Let me give you some more information about our system (in fact we have only introduced this during the spring fairs early this year):
The new GUNNAR Toolhead T1 is a tool which is put on the bevel head position of any current GUNNAR CMC. It has different tips like embossing balls in two sizes (not wheels, John) for elegant embossing to decorate mats. Alternatively you can put different wheels to do scoring jobs. This is mainly thought in addition to our box templates which come with the software. This means that as easy as you do a mat, you click on a box template, enter 3 dimensions and your box (to order!) is finished. The CMC would then score the folding lines and the second head (on our double head CMC's) would cut the outside. The most difficult part is then the folding of the box. Like this you can create gift boxes or packaging boxes for special pictures in exactly the right size. Many more applications are possible.
On the single header GUNNAR F1 you would simply change the T1 head after having scored the respective lines and put the cutting head back in its place. Like any other feature this only takes seconds and the necessary tool is delivered with the T1.
The embossing facility is great, because you can not only use our own ClipArt’s that you will receive with the GUNNAR Software SPT32 (hundreds!), but with our brilliant Font Mode feature, any font that you own (or download from the net, there are thousands) can be used. This is not only great for writing, but especially for decoration purposes. Simply have a look at the webding and wingding fonts, you find funny little "clip arts" and signs. Or we already found company logos, movie logos, decorative signs, Japanese writing, etc. etc. All for free on the internet.
The big advantage of an embossing compared to a V-groove is that there is no restriction in radius (every CMC has a minimum radius for cuts!) and as you don't cut, but only emboss, it can not be "too complicated". An even bigger advantage is that you can use embossing even if you only want a slight decoration on a mat. The picture is still attracts the biggest attention and the mat will not become more important.
Have a look at our website www.gunnar-europe.com and you'll see some fine pictures. We're about to add some more pix soon. Our website has also been redone lately and we're still adding pictures.
Oops, I didn't want to write such a long article. But you all know marketing guys: once they start writing, they never stop.
So let me simply add: we have sold a more than 200 T1's this spring during the 3 main shows only and as far as I know, all customers start to experience it now. The main advantage for the framer is again to be different than their direct opposition and to be able to offer something additional.
As in North America GUNNAR is the market leader for production machines and this is a tool for individual framers and not for big quantities, you won't easily find someone who already uses it. But in he rest of the world, the race has just begun.
Happy embossing and scoring
Roland