davidfl
Grumbler in Training
Do most custom framers have a need for rotary trimmers, if so, what size and brand do you recommend?
rotary trimmers
- Thread starter davidfl
- Start date
Framar
WOW Framer
Hi Davidfl - welcome to the Grumble!
By rotary trimmer, do you mean those wheelie-jobs that substitute for scissors??? I have tried to use them on both fabric and paper and much prefer a good old-fashioned hand-held #12 razor blade! Or a sharp pair of good scissors.
What do you plan to cut with this rotary trimmer?
By rotary trimmer, do you mean those wheelie-jobs that substitute for scissors??? I have tried to use them on both fabric and paper and much prefer a good old-fashioned hand-held #12 razor blade! Or a sharp pair of good scissors.
What do you plan to cut with this rotary trimmer?
Kit
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Welcome to the Grumble, David.
You'll need a rotary cutter if you are planning to cut fabric for quilt squares. They also work very well when trimming wallpaper along the ceiling and floor moulding.
In the frame shop, I never encountered any project that couldn't be cut better with an x-acto knife or a razor blade.
Kit
You'll need a rotary cutter if you are planning to cut fabric for quilt squares. They also work very well when trimming wallpaper along the ceiling and floor moulding.
In the frame shop, I never encountered any project that couldn't be cut better with an x-acto knife or a razor blade.
Kit
Puppyraiser
PFG, Picture Framing God
I use a rotary cutter for the few times I cut polyester batting to put behind needleworks for the few stitchers that I haven't converted to glass. I suspect that the main reason framers don't use them is that we have lots of razor blades that are always close to hand.
A rotary hand-held trimmer or a rotary wheel stationary paper trimmer?
In either case, they're cool but see above...
In either case, they're cool but see above...
McPhoto
MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Welcome to TG - David
Perhaps you meant the rotary trimmers that replace the "dangerous" guillotine cutters - we have mostly used the "Dahle" brand - can be a little pricey for the professional models - but they are rugged and will last longer than the "cheapie" brands. see:
http://www.dahle.com/rolling_trimmers.htm
Perhaps you meant the rotary trimmers that replace the "dangerous" guillotine cutters - we have mostly used the "Dahle" brand - can be a little pricey for the professional models - but they are rugged and will last longer than the "cheapie" brands. see:
http://www.dahle.com/rolling_trimmers.htm
Rozmataz
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
I love using my handheld rotary trimmer - if you are trimming delicate paper or newspaper articles - there is no drag to tear the paper as you cut which can happen with an exacto - even if it is fresh/sharp.
The rotary trimmers in place of a paper cutter also get my vote!!
Don't get me wrong - there are still many things I still cut with an exacto blade!!
The rotary trimmers in place of a paper cutter also get my vote!!
Don't get me wrong - there are still many things I still cut with an exacto blade!!
JbNormandog
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
I was thinking you meant a rotary tool like a drummel.
I have one at the shop and use it for those challenging jobs but not as part of everyday use.
The tools everyone else mentioned I have no idea what it is.
Hope this helped.
I have one at the shop and use it for those challenging jobs but not as part of everyday use.
The tools everyone else mentioned I have no idea what it is.
Hope this helped.
Bob Doyle
SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Normdog, a rotary cuttery is like a really nice, sharp pizza cutter.
You get them at fabric shops and they are great for cutting fabric for quilting because you can cut through many layers of fabric at once.
Having one would be nice for cutting magazine and newspaper clippings, when I first bought the shop I used mine for that purpose. But as the others have alluded to we have ready access to numerous mat cutter blades.
Invariably when looking for my rotary cutter I would give up the search and grab a scrap blade. Now I have lost my rotary cutter, but I know where 200+ sharp blades are!
You get them at fabric shops and they are great for cutting fabric for quilting because you can cut through many layers of fabric at once.
Having one would be nice for cutting magazine and newspaper clippings, when I first bought the shop I used mine for that purpose. But as the others have alluded to we have ready access to numerous mat cutter blades.
Invariably when looking for my rotary cutter I would give up the search and grab a scrap blade. Now I have lost my rotary cutter, but I know where 200+ sharp blades are!
Bob Doyle
SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Welcome to the Grumble Dave!
If you want to cut bevels in a mat with a rotary cutter, the corners would be terrible! You might get a good cut along the straight aways, but cornering would be a nightmare! (Kinda like the old Corvairs!)
Get a Fletcher 3000 for cutting matboard, fome core and glass, and a C&H 48 or Fletcher 2200 for cutting mats. (Or a CMC!)
If you want to cut bevels in a mat with a rotary cutter, the corners would be terrible! You might get a good cut along the straight aways, but cornering would be a nightmare! (Kinda like the old Corvairs!)
Get a Fletcher 3000 for cutting matboard, fome core and glass, and a C&H 48 or Fletcher 2200 for cutting mats. (Or a CMC!)
Dave
SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
I used to sell rotary cutters, stationary and hand held. Dahle, Myers Precision Cut, Friskars and Carl.
Far and away the best quality was the Myers from England. Pricey, but darn well worth it. Dealer discount was low so don't expect any great deals...Available from good art material stores through Alvin & Co. an importer and distributor...probably only by special order.
Dahle is a German brand and they make excellent cutters off all types, but I wasn't thrilled with the performance of their large (about 40") rotary cutters. Smaller sizes were fine.
Best value...Carl Cutters out of Chicago. Inexpensive and good quality for everyday paper cutting for the price. I actually have about 5 or six of the Carl cutters still on hand in their boxes and would be willing to make a good price to any Grumbler wanting one. I don't have them in front of me now, but I think I have two sizes on hand...about 18" and 24" and extra blades too. I wouldn't recommend cutting matboard with these though as they aren't as heavy duty as Myers or Dahle. Dahle shouldn't be used daily for cutting board either, but the Myers is a tank.
If interested in a Carl, email me. With shipping should be less than $ 100.00.
Friskars makes some small rotary cutters that are fine for trimming photos, etc. You can pick these up at any good craft store.
You can cut mat board, acetate/mylar, tissue, vinyl, paper, fabric, thin metal, and almost any other thin material very precisely with a good rotary trimmer. Razor thin trimming too.
Dave Makielski
Far and away the best quality was the Myers from England. Pricey, but darn well worth it. Dealer discount was low so don't expect any great deals...Available from good art material stores through Alvin & Co. an importer and distributor...probably only by special order.
Dahle is a German brand and they make excellent cutters off all types, but I wasn't thrilled with the performance of their large (about 40") rotary cutters. Smaller sizes were fine.
Best value...Carl Cutters out of Chicago. Inexpensive and good quality for everyday paper cutting for the price. I actually have about 5 or six of the Carl cutters still on hand in their boxes and would be willing to make a good price to any Grumbler wanting one. I don't have them in front of me now, but I think I have two sizes on hand...about 18" and 24" and extra blades too. I wouldn't recommend cutting matboard with these though as they aren't as heavy duty as Myers or Dahle. Dahle shouldn't be used daily for cutting board either, but the Myers is a tank.
If interested in a Carl, email me. With shipping should be less than $ 100.00.
Friskars makes some small rotary cutters that are fine for trimming photos, etc. You can pick these up at any good craft store.
You can cut mat board, acetate/mylar, tissue, vinyl, paper, fabric, thin metal, and almost any other thin material very precisely with a good rotary trimmer. Razor thin trimming too.
Dave Makielski
Baer Charlton
SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
1/4 horse Porter Cable with 1/8" collet. I also have a metric sleeve for some of the more exotic bits.
as for sales to framers....
about one in 1,000 framers would know even what I'm talking about and what to do with it.
So I'm thinking you might be asking about either the paper trimmer, or the pizza cutter.
as for sales to framers....
about one in 1,000 framers would know even what I'm talking about and what to do with it.
So I'm thinking you might be asking about either the paper trimmer, or the pizza cutter.
Bob Doyle
SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Baer, do you do your hand carving with the PC? (I do mine with the Fiskars Pizza cutter!)
CAframer
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Baer
Have you looked at the Bosch PR20EVSK? Very sexy! Now this would have made a great Valentine's gift! Wish I had thought of it at the time!
Have you looked at the Bosch PR20EVSK? Very sexy! Now this would have made a great Valentine's gift! Wish I had thought of it at the time!
davidfl
Grumbler in Training
I'm not only a grumbler in training I'm a framer in training. My wife has a flower shop and suggested I start custom framing when I retire in 10 months. I have been reading how to books on the subject and one recomended a rotary-style trimmer. DAVE 4314 nailed it. I'm not sure at this point what tools invest in, underpinners presses, guillotine frame cutters. I am open for suggestions.
DavidFl, You've got time, invest in education.
Baer, maybe more like 1 in 500. There aren't that many of us.
Baer, maybe more like 1 in 500. There aren't that many of us.
Baer Charlton
SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Andrew, logged about 15 minutes on a Bosch once. Then tore it apart and rebuilt the brushes and then checked the true on the armiture and took it all back in the torn down condition....
They stopped carrying Bosch that day. And now that PC is really a Asian version of Delta which is a DeWalt disguised Black & Decker pecker wrecker.... I may never buy a power tool again....
Sorry, I just can't bring myself to tell you how I really feel about it all.
And I used to LOVE Bosch. Had 17 VWs and a Porche... all Bosch, all the time.
Wally, there are more than let on. National average is 1.6/10,000 in population.
I'd do the math, but the population of the US is a moving target...pick a number.
They stopped carrying Bosch that day. And now that PC is really a Asian version of Delta which is a DeWalt disguised Black & Decker pecker wrecker.... I may never buy a power tool again....
Sorry, I just can't bring myself to tell you how I really feel about it all.
And I used to LOVE Bosch. Had 17 VWs and a Porche... all Bosch, all the time.
Wally, there are more than let on. National average is 1.6/10,000 in population.
I'd do the math, but the population of the US is a moving target...pick a number.