Mounting prints to board, how to trim?

[CRFTony]

I recently invested in a heat press to mount prints up to 20" in size.  I'm using mat board for 8x10 and smaller and foam core for anything larger.  It's going well, but the problem I'm having is in trimming the finished piece properly.  If my print is slightly larger than the board, I'm left with a thin bit of board showing.  That's not a problem for prints that are framed but I feel it looks unprofessional.  If the print is slightly larger than the board I have to try to trim the print but I don't feel I ever get smooth enough lines. I've tried using a razor blade for foam core and for mat board, I used my rail cutter but it really struggles to get through the board.

Any advice on a proper cutting tool to remedy this issue?

[Phil Indeblanc]

i know this maybe obvious, but changing blades very often would likely cure your rail issues. That is what I use, a Fletcher wall mount.
You have the blade in a holder and up against a strait edge of some sort, right?

[jferrari]

Razor blades, scalpels, box cutters and X-Acto knives are usually inadequate for cutting prints mounted to foam core board as they are too flexible and will wander in the cut. A stiff utility knife blade is a better choice and is often used in rail cutters.

[hugowolf]

I always print larger and trim with a 60 mm Ofla (Japanese) handheld rotary trimmer. And it is easier to trim off 5 mm than 1 mm.

Brian A

[Justan]

I used to use my matt cutter for this kind of thing but found it more effort than it is worth. Now I use a utility knife that doesn’t let the blade wobble, and a straight edge up to 8’ long. I have several of these, in the form of roughly 2" wide rules, in varying lengths. For some delicate stuff I use a straight edge with some soft felt on the side that contacts the work. Sometimes the straight edge is secured at the ends with C clamps.

There are also some utility knife blades which are only sharpened on one side, and you don’t want to use these as it will tend to push the blade around, plus not give the cleanest cut.

A razor blade is a really bad idea as it is too delicate for cutting through stiff and thick media, and tends to (ouch!) cut the person holding it more readily than anything else it contacts.

[dwswager]

It is not my intention to hijack the original poster's question, but I am following this because I am about to try flush mounting to gatorboard standouts.

It seems there are 3 possible methods listed below.  Having never done this before and trying to avoid making everyone else's mistakes, which method generally provides the best results?

1. Cut the gatorboard to size (or buy pre-purchased to size).  Cut the image to size.  Try to mount the image perfectly square on the gatorboard.

2. Cut the gatorboard to size (or buy pre-purchased to size).  Mount the image square with some overhang and then trim the image down to the gatorboard.

3. Mount the image to an over-sized piece of gatorboard and trim the image and gatorboard to size.

[Justan]

^Depends on the size of the piece. I mostly make larger works and always cut the gator about ¼” to ½” over on the x and y axis, and then mount the work. That way if I’m a little off it’s not an issue. After the work is placed and the mounting materials dried, I trim out the excess. Better to have the extra space and not need it than the other way around.

For smaller works it is easy to mount to exact size.

[Richard.Wills]

We tend to use a bench mounted cutter  - Keencut Javelin - which holds a Stanley (utility) blade and makes a very clean 90 degree cut. For soft substrates (kapamount / foam core), we'll leave at 2mm board to trim off. For rigid PVC, better to have at least 1/2 inch to trim. For taking really fine slivers off, a 10A scalpel and steel edge is the way to go. Often, a series of cuts, first through the print, then through the skin of the foam board can help. Again for this, the Javelin cutter is very useful.

Echo the change blades often - we have half a dozen scalpel handles on the bench - some material / paper combinations demand one blade per edge!

[jferrari]

It is not my intention to hijack the original poster's question, but I am following this because I am about to try flush mounting to gatorboard standouts.

It seems there are 3 possible methods listed below.  Having never done this before and trying to avoid making everyone else's mistakes, which method generally provides the best results?

1. Cut the gatorboard to size (or buy pre-purchased to size).  Cut the image to size.  Try to mount the image perfectly square on the gatorboard.

2. Cut the gatorboard to size (or buy pre-purchased to size).  Mount the image square with some overhang and then trim the image down to the gatorboard.

3. Mount the image to an over-sized piece of gatorboard and trim the image and gatorboard to size.

Here's the order: Three first, then two, finally one. The reason numbers' one and two are not as popular is because of difficulty to be accurate consistently and because foamcore board will often arrive with damaged edges and will need to be trimmed anyway.

[Wayne Fox]

It is not my intention to hijack the original poster's question, but I am following this because I am about to try flush mounting to gatorboard standouts.

It seems there are 3 possible methods listed below.  Having never done this before and trying to avoid making everyone else's mistakes, which method generally provides the best results?

1. Cut the gatorboard to size (or buy pre-purchased to size).  Cut the image to size.  Try to mount the image perfectly square on the gatorboard.

2. Cut the gatorboard to size (or buy pre-purchased to size).  Mount the image square with some overhang and then trim the image down to the gatorboard.

3. Mount the image to an over-sized piece of gatorboard and trim the image and gatorboard to size.

If the work requires a perfectly flush cut, then 3 is the only real option, but only if you have the right tools. A good straight edge and sharp utility knife with a stiff blade will suffice although there will probably be the occasional mistake. (I would recommend a Keencut straight edge, well worth the additional price)

Cutting gator prints is easier, cut carefully from the front through the print and into the gator and then break ... as long as the gator can be at least an inch or so oversized.  If trimming a narrower strip of gator, you probably need to cut all the way through and not break. Foam core slices easily if the knife is sharp, I would still trim from the front.  have to be careful not to dent the foamcore with the pressure from the straight edge.

If you do enough trimming/cutting, including things like glass for frames and stuff then consider investing in a  Fletcher cutter, makes it easy and painless to get very clean and precise trims after mounting.  That’s what we use here in my store.  there are some other brands and models that cut only board that may be cheaper.

[LenR]

I use an Imedger to trim media that's larger than the substrate.
Not sure where you can get it but it's a really handy tool that cuts clean and flush.

[Richard.Wills]

We tried one of those (from lionpic in the dot co dot uk). Couldn't stop it from scratching the surface of the print (pretty much any print surface), and it wanted to snag on mounting adhesives, if these hadn't been trimmed absolutely flush prior to mounting. Only good thing we got from it was an introduction to backed razor blades - get through a few hundred on an average month.

If we hadn't been silly busy when we got it, then we would have returned it under the no quibble 30day guarantee.

Now notice this is mentioned on the UK reseller's website "Works best with hot mounting tissues and laminates.

The soft adhesive on pressure sensitive materials can sometimes clog the blade."

So, as you've got a heat press, it might work out OK - assume they still have the 30day offer.

[dwswager]

I use an Imedger to trim media that's larger than the substrate.
Not sure where you can get it but it's a really handy tool that cuts clean and flush.

Found these 2 things:

The Image Edge

IMEDGER Mounted Print Trimming Tool

Which one might work to trim prints?

[enduser]

We use products from the German company Martor.com with great success.

[dwswager]

We use products from the German company Martor.com with great success.

Which Martor product do you use for the trimming of prints mounted on substrate?

[enduser]

We use one of their rails on which we mount a sliding blade holder.  It'about 48" long.  The holder is height adjustablewith a thumb screw and you can set the blade's cuttring depth very acurately.

Rather than using a flat surface, we've modified a mat cutter that has a groove along it.  We the mounted the rail with two spring hinges so we can just slide the item to be cut under the rail, press down and cut.
 
The Condex 203 cutter and rail 206 are no longer available (strange!).  See http://interim.martor.com/cutting_guides.html  which shows what we use.

[jferrari]

Any advice on a proper cutting tool to remedy this issue?

Check out this video. They're often available used for under $300 USD.

[LenR]

Neither but it's closer to the second one (Imedger).
I remember it cost a lot more than that one though.
I think I paid @ $250.00 when I bought it.
It may be that they redesigned it.
I'll dig it out and send a picture if you like.

[dwswager]

Neither but it's closer to the second one (Imedger).
I remember it cost a lot more than that one though.
I think I paid @ $250.00 when I bought it.
It may be that they redesigned it.
I'll dig it out and send a picture if you like.

Thanks, a photo would be helpful.  The Codamount folks seem to expect you to cut first and properly place.  I found a PDF showing doing this in a cold press.  I'm doing this for personal stuff and wouldn't be over 16x20 or 16x24 unless I did a pano one.  My wife can help so I might actually try cutting 12 and then using a brayer to roll it on before I go to specialty cutting tools though.

[Steve76]

Wayne:

You had the below response. I'm starting down the road of mounting my own large prints (up to 30"x45"). I am using Option 3. Which is mounting the print to an oversized piece of 1/2" gatorcore with Self Adhesive Mount (Coda is who I'm using) and then trimming the print and gatorcore to size. You mentioned that you use a Fletcher Wall mount to make these cuts. Currently I am using a 60" C&H mat cutter, which works, but it is slow and the final cut I have to snap the gator core AND, making a perfect 30"x45" is difficult as I have to measure exactly. It looks to me with a Fletcher wall cutter I could set the guides lock and make sure I have perfect cuts at the exact size I want. That said, the link you have for the Fletcher is no longer active, and I'm sot sure which Fletcher you use.
1. Could you please share which model of fletcher you use?
2. Also, when you use the Fletcher does it provide a perfectly clean cut and not mar the surface of the print? Sometimes I get a little flaking on the print surface cut - SO, I have to cut very lightly and keep re-cutting with more and more pressure (up o 6-10 cuts with a new blade)- to cut the paper clean. Then I snap the gator. Does the Fletcher provide a perfectly clean cut to the paper and the gator?
3. If you would share other direction or thoughts on this matter it would be greatly appreciated as I hope to invest in a cutter in the near future.


RESPONSE:
"If the work requires a perfectly flush cut, then 3 is the only real option, but only if you have the right tools. A good straight edge and sharp utility knife with a stiff blade will suffice although there will probably be the occasional mistake. (I would recommend a Keencut straight edge, well worth the additional price)

Cutting gator prints is easier, cut carefully from the front through the print and into the gator and then break ... as long as the gator can be at least an inch or so oversized.  If trimming a narrower strip of gator, you probably need to cut all the way through and not break. Foam core slices easily if the knife is sharp, I would still trim from the front.  have to be careful not to dent the foamcore with the pressure from the straight edge.

If you do enough trimming/cutting, including things like glass for frames and stuff then consider investing in a  Fletcher cutter, makes it easy and painless to get very clean and precise trims after mounting.  That’s what we use here in my store.  there are some other brands and models that cut only board that may be cheaper."