MAT CUTTERS ON THE MARKET

Adding a mat is an excellent way to give a framed photograph or artwork a professional, finished touch. Whether you order a custom size matboard from your local print shop, or you decide to undertake cutting it from home, there are many mat cutters on the market that fit a range of budgets and decor styles. While a regular utility knife is capable of cutting a matboard, such a tool will not give the finished piece the same clean, bevelled border of which a dedicated mat cutter is capable. The following article outlines the most common brands and styles of mat cutter for both home and commercial use.

SUMMARY Depending on the production volume, there are four basic styles of mat cutter. Handheld: For home and light commercial use; $50 or less Tabletop: For regular home and mid-range commercial use; $100-$1,000 Wall Mounted: For mid-range commercial use or space restrictions; $500-$3,000 Computerized: Called CMCs (computerized mat cutters), these machines are self-standing with a built in computer; $9,000-$45,000

MAT CUTTERS UNDER $100

The mat cutters in the following table are very basic, most of them a small, handheld tool. A good choice for individuals who enjoy occasionally cutting their own mats, handheld cutters are not ideal for repetative mat cutting, since there is no way to ensure each cut will be exactly the same. Though these cutters work well for small jobs, they can be difficult to use for extended periods of time. This is because they are designed to run along a straightedge or ruler. As such, manual pressure must be applied to both the ruler and the blade, and any slipping will damage the mat. Perhaps the most appealing quality of these mat cutters is the price, and the ease with which they can be stored. Because most are no more than six inches long, a dedicated tabletop is not required. A handheld mat cutter is certainly a step up from a basic utility knife, and as long as the blades are regularly changed, a clean, sharp edge is possible every time. BRAND MODELS DESIGN MAX. SIZE SHAPES PRICE X-ACTO Handheld Cuts matboard and foamboard 90° cut, attachment for bevel Unlimited Rectangular Square $12 LOGAN GRAPHIC Handheld Compact, lightweight Push or pull along mat 90° and 45° cut Unlimited Rectangular Square $20-$30 DEXTER Handheld Adjustable for depth Adjustable for angle Unlimited Rectangular Square $30 FLETCHER Handheld Adjustable for depth, up to 1/4" thickness 90° and 45° angle cuts Double-sided blade can be pushed and pulled Unlimited Rectangular Square $40 LOGAN GRAPHIC Oval and Circle Mat Cutter Compact, handheld design Simple, 3-step system Multi-opening, double, triple mats 4" to 20" diameter Oval Circular $50 LOGAN GRAPHIC Tabletop, Model 301-1 Long, rectangular design Manual sliding blade 32" Rectangular Square $80 - $100 Dexter X-Acto Logan

MID-RANGE COMMERCIAL MAT CUTTERS

Each of the mat cutters listed below is ideal for commercial framers for whom mat cutting is not the primary aspect of the business. While they still require manual pressure to move the blade, a number of additional features make an easy task of cutting multiple mats of the same size, and a fixed blade and base mean slipping is next to impossible. These mat cutters feature stop guards that can be set to exact measurements, forcing the blade to start and stop exactly where the cut needs to be. In this way, each mat is certain to be exactly the right size, every time. Though the blade is still pushed by hand, the rolling track on which it is mounted eliminates some of the physical effort. Mid-range, tabletop and wall mounted mat cutters can cut small to very large mats, including a range of border widths and board thicknesses. Wall mounted cutters can be easier to use because the blade slides up and down, instead of side to side, with a vertical dimension of up to 65". Some of the higher quality cutters can also cut foamboard, gatorboard, plexiglass, and even glass. BRAND MODELS DESIGN MAX. SIZE SHAPES PRICE LOGAN GRAPHIC Tabletop: Compact, Artist, Simplex, Framer's Edge, Platinum Rectangular, tabletop design Cut foamboard and up to 8 ply mats Up to 8" border width From 32" to 60" Rectangular Square $150 to $850 FLETCHER Tabletop: F-60, GeminiPro, 2200, Titan Wall mounted: 3000, 3100, FSC Rectangular design Some models cut PVC, foamboard, glass, etc. From 40" to 65" Rectangular Square $700 to $2400 ESTERLY Wall-mounted: Starter, Standard, Production, Advanced Cuts glass and foamboard as well Multiple stops mean no marking the mat Attachment cuts oval/circle mats 40" width Rectangular Square Circle/oval Leased at $80-$200/month KEENCUT Tabletop: Artist Plus, Ultimat Gold Stop guards and detachable squaring arm 45° and 90° blade heads Up to 62" Rectangular Square $950-$1,700 Logan Platinum Tabletop Fletcher 2100 Tabletop

COMPUTERIZED MAT CUTTERS (CMCs)

CMCs are heavy-duty mat cutting machines that are ideal for companies that cut hundreds of mats a day, but not practical for smaller-scale production. Fully automated, these machines usually come equipped with a computer and software dedicated to creating every type of matboard imaginable. General computer knowledge is useful, but physical effort is limited to placing the uncut matboard on the table. In addition to basic rectangular and square, straight edge mats, many CMCs feature a 360°-capable blade head that can cut circles, intricate corner designs, and even shapes derrived from complex digital images. Some also include a stylus, which moves an ink pen in a pre-programmed design around the face of the mat to create French lines, and other line decor. Very specialized cutters even have a deboss feature. The opposide of embossing, this creates slight indents in the mat - designs, letters, or other images. Because the blade head moves up and down and back and forth, the mat does not need to be rearranged for each cut. Rather, multiple mat openings can be made from one stationary piece of matboard. Though this does limit the length of board that can be used, most matboard is not available in sizes greater than 60". BRAND MODELS DESIGN MAX. SIZE SHAPES PRICE ESTERLY Esterly CMC Cuts 20" per second 45° cuts Up to 6 ply matboard 40x60" Software allows for many shapes $9000 to $10,000 WIZARD 8000, 8500, 9000, Eclipse Debossing and drawing capabilities 45° and 90° cuts 32x40" Software allows for many shapes $13,000 to $25,000 TRUCUT Elan, Excel, Alpha Cuts double and triple mats 45°, and 90°, reverse bevel cuts 48x66" Software allows for many shapes $22,000 to $40,000 GUNNAR AiOX, 4001, F1, SPT32 Cuts 20" per second 45° and 90° cuts 49x74" Software allows for many shapes $24,000 and up VALIANI Plus, Geminus, Libra, Gto, Supreme, Pro Ultra Also cuts gatorboard and foamboard 45°, 50°, and 90° cuts Stylus for drawing up to 40x60" Software allows for many shapes $22,000 to $50,000 Wizard Gunnar 601 Valiani Mat Pro

Whatever your artwork and photograph mat requirements, there is a mat cutter to suit your budget and production needs. From a small, palm-sized push blade to a fully computerized design system, any mat style you can image can be created. For more information on picture matting, read our in-depth article All About Mats. At KeenART Media, we use a high quality Fletcher tabletop mat cutter to create matboards with sharp, clean edges and beautiful bevels for all your picture framing needs. To see our full selection, visit our Matboards product page. We also offer uncut, 32"x40" matboards, which you can find in our Product Store. If you have any questions about our services or products, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our knowledgeable staff is always happy to help.