cutting 8 ply mat board

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fortuna

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san miguel de allende mexico
please give me some tips on cutting bainbridge 8 ply rag board. i set the lower stop on my fletcher 2200 to .5cm less than the measurement of the cut. this works fine at the lower stop, but the beginning of the slice (upper stop) always seems to be an overcut or undercut. i just can't get it to work reliably. any other suggestions will be appreciated. thank you all so much. karen
 
I've never used the "2 pass" method often described but I understand that works well.

On my C&H I use my own method and I get perfect cuts every time. I put in a fresh blade that extends almost 5/16" out of the assembly. After I mark my crop lines onto the back of the mat, I measure "start/plunge" marks 3/8" on the vertical axis of each intersection. I stop the cut when the end of the blade assembly reaches the bottom horizontal line.

I understand the above sounds very confusing and is hard to visualize, but my point is if you play with the blade depth and the starting and stopping points a few times, you'll find the right method for your Fletcher. Just be sure to record the results and keep them posted near your cutter. After a while, you'll have it memorized!
 
Hey Erin!! 3 more days to go!!!

Fortuna, good luck with the cutting of 8 ply. Like Erin I just "cut it". It may not be much help to hear, but after a while you just "get a feel" as to where to insert the blade and when to stop. My production stops were left in the box on my old C&H and I didn't even get them for my new Fletcher 2200. Just don't use them! Sorry I can't be of more help.
 
I use and sell Speed-Mats and it cuts 8-ply boards in one pass with no over cuts. I have never used a Fletcher but you could ask John Raines when you see him in here.
 
On my Chronomat which is similar to the Fletcher, I use a seperate blade cartridge for 8 Ply that I setup just for 8 Ply. The blade extension is set further out like Kittyfaces describes and I use .015 blades rather than .012 blades and cut in a single pass. I set the production stops 3/16" more (top) and 3/16" less (bottom).

The key for me was to experiment with the settings up front so I would not have to play with it each time I cut 8 Ply. After changing to an 8 Ply setting, I always test on a scrap of 8 Ply.

Part of the key to setting up intially is to have a feel for what the right setings are. Like Bob, I could cut 8 Ply without production stops and knowing where the blade needs to enter and stop is key to setting up production stops.

Experiment on scrap and after a little while it should become easy.
 
I always undercut my 8 ply mats just slightly then finish the cut with a Gillette blade. Then finish sand the corners with a fine sandpaper emery board. This is more work but I am more concerned with a perfect non-hooking, non-overcut mat than how quikly I can get it done.
 
I use a 1200 blade instead of a 1500 blade... when you want to cut a tomato thin, don't use a meat cleaver! I don't use stops either (or guides). I tend to plunge the blade in about 5/16" above the cut line; lock my wrist, and then cut using my shoulder and elbow to pull the cutting head until the blade is about 5/16" behind the line. When in doubt, do a practice cut or two on a squared off bit of scrap. Hope this helps.
 
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