Mat cutter advice

[Breadman03]

I’m pretty new to framing (4 frames in) and free hand cutting mats with an exacto knife is the bane of my existence. I’m looking to make professional quality frames for my family but also as a side hustle to help fund my shop and restoring my 1890’s home windows.

As such, I’m looking to purchase a mat cutter. It seems like a 32” capacity is about it for hobby grade tools. Issue: My daughter makes large paintings up to about 40”. I’d like a model that can do vertical or bevel cuts, but prefer bevel if I have to choose.

I’ve seen Logan models recommended frequently but am unsure which model might serve me best. I don’t mind taking my time setting up a piece of equipment, but don’t want something that’s fiddly to use. I have very limited storage space in my basement untilI get around to setting up my workbenches and storage cabinets. I also want to be quite budget minded and avoid overbuying as I’m going to be laying out a good sum of money on materials to set up my shop.

The Logan 440-1 seems attractive with a 40” capacity and low price of about $80, but doesn’t have a parallel guide for the mat board. The Logan 450-1 Artist Elite would likely work for all of my needs, but is about $250. I haven’t found getting my straight edge parallel to the edge to be terribly frustrating (though it definitely eats time), and it could add flexibility to my projects. A smaller model like the Logan 301 would cover a lot of my needs and be a good bit cheaper, but I’d need more capacity several times yearly and may not be a good choice.

If you were in my shoes where I can’t justify a big expense for commercial production efficiency, what would you be looking at?

Thank you for the help. I’m hoping that your experience can help guide me to a well informed choice.

 

[Mary Beth van der Horst]

440-1 looks the same as my Logan Adapt-a-Rule and I have a smaller version of the 450-1. I used both before buying my shop and inheriting a nicer 40" mat cutter, and later investing in a cmc. Many of us will poo poo on Logan products for being only hobby quality, but that's honestly what it sounds like you're looking for. And I will come out with the unpopular opinion that I love my Adapt-a-Rule! It's finicky. It can slide around on you, but if you practice with it and just get used to bearing straight down on it and USING IT ON A FLAT SURFACE then it's honestly fine. I still use it on occasion when I have to hand cut an oversized mat because I can draw the opening size on the back of the mat, line up that mat cutter, go as far as the rail will let me, and then carefully move it over and continue the cut. I'm not going to say it's easy to match up on that cut, but it makes it possible for me to cut 48x96" mats which no-one's going to look at super close anyways.

I love that mat knife that comes with it too... its much stronger for straight cuts than an exacto. I got through some really dense chipboard some wall art was mounted on the other day in just a few passes when my brand new exacto barely scored it in a dozen passes. For a cheap straight edge cutter, it plus a metal ruler is perfect

 

[wpfay]

You can cut decent mats on less expensive mat cutters, but the learning curve is decidedly greater, and the level of eye-hand coordination is as well.

A Dexter or Dexter Mini will do the job if you have a decent straightedge and talent. Brian Wolf used to make the most beautifully intricate mats using a Dahle Cube and handheld Xactos.

That said, most framers that I know have upgraded their mat cutting tools several times as speed and ease of production became more important to them.
Keep in mind that the mat cutter is probably the most important tool in your kit as a beginer framer. Keep an eye out for good used equipment, and pay a visit to some of the local framers and see if they don't have an old manual mat cutter gathering dust that you could buy off them.

 

[Scott Lewis]

With all respect to previous commenters, I say skip the Logan. I’ve been down that road, you’re buying headaches. Get a Fletcher. There are tons of them out there, they age well, and there are parts available. I have a 40” and with some shenanigans, it would cut anything I ask it to. I’ve also worked on 48 and 60” cutters so I know what I’m missing—basically nothing for 90% of jobs.

I remade storm windows and screens for my 1890 farmhouse. I’d be happy to compare notes with you.

 

[Breadman03]

Thank you for the input so far. I doubt I’ll be doing 100 per year, but I could see occasional orders for a dozen or more as an art league and a local school have both asked me to make frames for them. I suspect that if they do order, they’ll just want basic frames that are well built.

@Scott Lewis, I don’t have notes yet though the sash profile sure looks like a match for my Stanley 45’s sash blade. I’m believe that I’m going to need a shoulder plane to clean up the edge where the glazing sits, but maybe sharpening the plane’s nicker will do the trick. The pic is just a quick test cut on some knotty pine with an unsharpened iron. My plan is to do it the same way they made them last 130 years so far. The cessation of maintenance in the 1980’s was their downfall and I haven’t gotten around to them as setting up my basement has been a long process due to lacking time and finances for it, but I’m not too far away from it now. I need to build a bench with storage for my Shopsmith, and hybrid table for my table saw and hand tools, and an assembly table big enough for my largest window first. The assembly table will likely have a smaller base with a flip up wing since I’ll rarely need that much assembly space, but always be short of floor space.