Problem with Logan mat cutter

I got a Logan 301S mat cutter for Christmas and have had the chance to use it only a little. Yesterday I cut a mat and every cut started like this (yeah, bad shot; handheld). The cut isn't initially on the cut line, but falls into place after about 3/4 inch.

So after a little reading I tried again, (a) with a new blade, (b) with a new slip (background) sheet, and (c) making really, really sure the blade was all the way down before it moved. After that the cuts were straight.

That's great, but I can't replace the blade and slip sheet after each cut, and I really felt like I was getting the blade down properly before. So does anyone actually know which one of these things was the real culprit? Because frankly I can't see how any one of them would cause it. (I wrote to Logan a couple days ago but haven't heard back yet.)

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I don't use a matte cutter and it may take a while to hear from someone with that model who has had that experience.

My advice is to just take a step at a time to unapply one of the three things you did that got things right and see what made the difference!

I have a logan Matte Cutter and I don't have that issue. Make sure that it is calibrated, meaning that the edge you stop the matte against is the same distance from the blade all the way down. See if you can find something on their site here: http://www.logangraphi​c.com/how-to/

Sevan

S.E.V. wrote in post #11695601
I have a logan Matte Cutter and I don't have that issue. Make sure that it is calibrated, meaning that the edge you stop the matte against is the same distance from the blade all the way down. See if you can find something on their site here: http://www.logangraphi​c.com/how-to/

Sevan

Well that wasn't the problem, since my cuts are coming out straight now and I didn't change the cutter, but that's a good page to know about anyway. Thanks for the link.

ncjohn wrote in post #11695740
Well that wasn't the problem, since my cuts are coming out straight now and I didn't change the cutter, but that's a good page to know about anyway. Thanks for the link.

Oh ok, Well make sure that the matte does not move when you are cutting it, and that the matte itself is square when you draw your cut line. Good luck finding the issue.

Sevan

you have to have a sharp blade but not necesary for each cut, just inspect and replace as needed. The problem you are having it from forcing the blade in, use the "pin" that keeps the cutter from slipping, and push down at the angle the blade is set at, you just needed to get the feel for it and do not rush the cut. As you have found out, you are getting better cuts. I have saved a TON of money cutting my own matts and doing my on framing.

I had that issue when starting out with the Logan stuff - I wasn't pressing down*enough to begin with which is why it took it an inch or two to sink all the way through, causing that uneven edge. May not be your issue but it certainly was mine. Hasn't happened on any of the times that I've made sure I'm pressing down hard.

Are you putting the mat board you're cutting into on top of a layer or two of other board and not a hard cutting mat? Is that what you're calling a slip sheet?

ralff wrote in post #11716594
The problem you are having it from forcing the blade in, use the "pin" that keeps the cutter from slipping, and push down at the angle the blade is set at,

I don't know what pin you're referring to.
My cuts are better, the last mat I did had 3 straight cuts and one bad one, but I still don't know what I did different.

Jim G wrote in post #11716621
I had that issue when starting out with the Logan stuff - I wasn't pressing down*enough to begin with which is why it took it an inch or two to sink all the way through, causing that uneven edge. May not be your issue but it certainly was mine. Hasn't happened on any of the times that I've made sure I'm pressing down hard.

The cut goes all the way through (the waste part of the mat drops out at the end like it should) it's just not straight at the beginning.

It actually came with the cutter, but I think it's just mat board. You just move it around so you're not cutting on the same part all the time, although I can't see why that would make a difference, because once the blade is through your mat your cut is already in place.

The sacrificial undermat (scrap) holds the tip of the blade in place, keeping it from wandering. Remember, you're cutting at an angle, which imposes lateral forces on the blade that don't really exist if you were cutting straight down.

That undermat really helps make a consistent cut AND it prevent any fraying of the actual mat window edge. It's much like a stacking a scrap piece of wood and a nice piece of trim, cutting through the trim and into the scrap to prevent any edge blow-out on the trim.

I have the Logan 750; it works very well. I tend to flip or change blades every 4-5 mats I make. If I forget the undermat (which I do a surprising number of timesops the quality of the cut is definitely worse.

Cheers,

Gary

B-ham Gary wrote in post #11718425
The sacrificial undermat (scrap) holds the tip of the blade in place, keeping it from wandering. Remember, you're cutting at an angle, which imposes lateral forces on the blade that don't really exist if you were cutting straight down.

That undermat really helps make a consistent cut AND it prevent any fraying of the actual mat window edge. It's much like a stacking a scrap piece of wood and a nice piece of trim, cutting through the trim and into the scrap to prevent any edge blow-out on the trim.

The most important thing to note with my problem is that the blade isn't wandering off course. (In fact, it's wandering "onto course.") If you look at the photo, you can see that the blade is off the pencil line when it emerges from the top mat, and then it merges with the pencil line. And it does it in a very consistent fashion. That's why I say that I don't see how the condition of the blade or the absence of a slip sheet would affect that; it's just coming out of the top mat at the wrong place.

And I still haven't received any response at all from Logan, after 3 1/2 business days. That puts them on my **** list.

ncjohn wrote in post #11717670
The cut goes all the way through (the waste part of the mat drops out at the end like it should) it's just not straight at the beginning.

No experience with Logan, but used mat cutters way back when.
There's a bit of sideways "play". If you initially press in the blade, this might cause it to wander a bit if you don't take care. When you start cutting, the blade "tracks" sideways to the proper place...

Start cutting while moving, don't start by pushing in the blade without moving it.

René Damkot wrote in post #11719904
Start cutting while moving, don't start by pushing in the blade without moving it.

Actually the Logans are designed to give you clean corners without any "over-cut." (When you look at the front of the mat, the corners are exact.) If you do what you're describing, you'll cut past the corner. Also the instructions specifically say to push the blade all the way in before you move it.
I was playing with an idea I had, to try and see what could be causing this, and couldn't get anything but perfect cuts.:p That's great but... sigh... I'd like to know what I was doing wrong so I don't do it again.

So you found a procedure that works and you're disappointed?

Could the blade not be all the way in the cutting tool, allowing for some extra flex? The 301s doesn't have the little pin that holds the tool in place as you plunge the blade and it doesn't have the 90-deg backstop that some of the other models do, so I'm not surprised blade wander and/or matboard movement could happen.

I'm glad you got it figured out, though. Cutting you own mats is rewarding -- as well as a great way to cut costs.

Cheers,

Gary

P.S. I miss the Asheville area; it's such a nice part of the country. (I lived in Greenville, SC for 10 years.)

ncjohn wrote in post #11720161
Actually the Logans are designed to give you clean corners without any "over-cut."

Sounds good. Might have to check them out