Anyone cut their own mats?

[Furgus]

I just got a new Mat cutter to try my hand at making mats for pictures. I really like the way they dress up most pics. DOes anyone do their own, and have any tips? I would ask bobquincy but he left for Disney this weekend, and left me alone at work

I have a Logan 301-M kit. $100 but I got for $50 thanks to Michaels have a %50 off coupon

 

[makinorlando]

I don't cut my own mats, but you answered a question that I had... I am 99% positive I saw bobquincy in MGM yesterday afternoon. He was walking towards the exit of MGM, and Tara and I were people watching on a bench. I knew I would not catch up with him without looking like a fool, and then if it would not have been him.... OH MY! There have been a couple of pics that he has posted with him in the picture, and I immediately thought of him when I saw this particular person!!!

 

[mhutchinson]

I use to cut my own, I used a solid metal straight edge for a guide when I did. But then again I also did my own B&W processing in a darkroom then as well.

I doubt I will see Bob at Disney unless he is staying a few weeks. Two more weeks and Martha might see me there taking hundreds of more pics.

Mike

 

[extreme8]

Interesting thread.
I was looking for a mat & frame for a 12x18 print just the other night. After checking prices of a double mat and simple frame I decided that for the cost of that one frame I could almost purchase the equipment to make my own.
So that's what I'm doing. I'm going for the 301-M. I also ordered a V-nailer, corner clamps and point driver. I have a good miter saw & a guillotine so that's taken care of.
Hopefully with some practice I will be able to mount and frame some of my best photos at a reasonable cost (mat board, frame material & glass).

I look forward to hearing from some folks with experience in this area.

 

[Furgus]

I did learn last night that the 301-M/S will only take sheets 29 1/2 inches. So better get a good T square to chop down the 32X40 sheets. Shich are very cheap compaired to pre-cut mats. I think I can get 12 8x10 mats of a sheet.

 

[Anewman]

For 8x10 and smaller I always just purchased packs off of ebay, they come in multiple colors and I really do not think I could save much by doing it myself. For anything larger than that I usually cut my own using school equipment(we must provide our own blade).

 

[mabas9395]

My sister in law bought a big fancy mat cutter. She used in once and it sat in her garage for ages. So she gave it to my wife who thought it would be fun to try. That was over a year ago and it is still sitting in my garage.

 

[AZ JazzyJ]

Yes I cut my own mats. In fact I am in the process of cutting 65 double mats right now for a craft project my wife is teaching this Saturday. I use a Logan Model 655 which works pretty well. I especially like the production stops and the dual cutting heads for straight cuts and bevel cuts. I've been meaning to get the V-groove cutter but never seem to get around to it. I did just get their oval/circle cutter but haven't tried it yet. I want to create a mat shaped like a baseball diamond with the circle around home plate and the pitchers mound but haven't had the time to lay it out yet. Logan produces some videos and books that have a lot of creative ideas. You might want to see if your local art supply store carries them.

Jeff

 

[Furgus]

I really wish the 301 could use the stops, but they told me it could not I am not sure why if the rail is the same on all of them, but O well. We have a 20X30 pic of NIagra Falls haning up in out living room in a 24X36 frame. I bought a $5 matt board last night and cut it out. Amazing how easy and how much nicer the pic looks now with the big matt on it. I think that right there, just justified the cost of the cutter.

 

[AZ JazzyJ]

A lot of art supply stores that sell mat board will do a straight cut for you either for free or for less than $0.25. So if your mat cutter will only handle sizes up to say 29 inches, ask the mat board supplier to make the necessary cut for you when you buy the mat board. This can save time and hassle of dealing with large sheets of mat board.

I agree, a mat makes a huge difference to finishing up a picture (photo or anything else). I wish I had a work room capable of keeping the mat cutter out, I would use it a lot more often than I do. Not only for framing pictures but other things as well. Lately I have created mats for formed paper craft projects, pin collections, baseball photographs, and posters for my daughter's bedroom. In some cases it may have been cheaper for me to buy a ready-made mat but there is something about seeing your photo in a mat you have created that makes the picture a little more special.

Jeff

 

[rtphokie]

I bought a mat cutting kit that does straight cuts for something like $15 at AC Moore. It paid for itself pretty quickly.

Now cut my own mat and bring that with whatever I want framed and have it framed at a less expensive place and get as good of a job as a much more expensive place. The less expensive chains (i.e. AC Moore, Michaels, etc.) really do a crappy job of matting IMHO but their framing is okay.

 

[Furgus]

Jeff, you said it right. I felt good after I made that mat because I did it. It might not be great cause it was my first one, but I felt I made that photo better then it was. I even took the picture

It will take a little while to recoupe the money for the cutter, but not too long considering that mat was 5 bucks, and if I took that pic somewhere to frame and mat, it would have been over $100.

 

[boBQuincy]

I have the 301-S and purchased the 4000 series cutter because it works better for me than the one that came with the kit.

It works well, most of my mats are as good as store bought ones.

If you have a Jerry's Art-a-rama nearby, their matboard selection and prices are much better than Michael's or Moore.

 

[boBQuincy]

I don't cut my own mats, but you answered a question that I had... I am 99% positive I saw bobquincy in MGM yesterday afternoon...

A boBQuincy sighting!
Very likely, DW Suzie and I were at the Studios most of Sunday afternoon, me with a 10D and her with a Rebel XT, taking lots of photos.

And wasn't this week a great time to go to WDW? No crowds at all! Count us in for early September trips from now on.

 

[makinorlando]

A boBQuincy sighting!
Very likely, DW Suzie and I were at the Studios most of Sunday afternoon, me with a 10D and her with a Rebel XT, taking lots of photos.

And wasn't this week a great time to go to WDW? No crowds at all! Count us in for early September trips from now on.

I was going to try and remember the colors of the clothing that you both had on, but it's gone from my mind now - it was late afternoon - and you were walking in the direction of the exit - I'm thinking you might have come from the direction of Hollywood & Vine, as I don't remember seeing the person I think was you pass in front of me - DD and I were sitting on a bench at the intersection of Hollywood & Sunset!

It was a wonderful week here - not too much rain! I hope you had a great vacation!