Types of Mat Cutters
Picture this: you’re trying to cut a cardboard mat for your framed art piece—all with just a paper cutter and a cutting mat. Apart from struggling with getting the exact frame mat dimensions, you’re having a hard time producing seamless, professional-looking cuts.
This is where a mat cutter comes in handy.
As the name suggests, a mat cutter is used to cut mats. But it does more than that. It offers smooth glides, sharp cuts, and safety with every use. Plus, most mat cutters are designed to cut several mats at a time, so they’re efficient as well.
Whether you’re a professional framer, photographer, artist, or hobbyist, a mat cutter is an absolute must-have in your framing kit. But before you buy a mat cutter, it’s best to understand the different mat cutter types to help you make an informed decision.
Most handheld mat cutters come in a small, handy size, making them easy to put in your bag or toolkit. And because of their simple mechanism, they come at a pretty affordable price too, so they’re perfect for DIY use.
When choosing a handheld mat cutter, you have to find one with a marker bar mechanism, which allows you to easily mark your guides on your mat before cutting. You might also want to consider using this type of mat cutter with a guide rail for accurate cuts. Most importantly, get one with an ergonomic knob for comfort (especially if you plan to cut mats for several hours at a time) and a blade that’s housed in a protective cover for safety.
Made for professional use, board-mounted mat cutters can cut cardboard, foam board, and even glass and plexiglass. Most of them can cut various sizes of up to four sheets of materials and provide both bevel and straight cuts. Some even come with squaring arms for easier cutting.
While most models cannot be used for sizing mats, this type of mat cutter offers a more affordable option than heavy-duty mat cutters.
What makes these mat cutters different from board-mounted cutters is that they can handle up to eight sheets of materials. Plus, they can accommodate larger mat boards of up to 60 inches. If you need to cut tons of mats a week, then a heavy-duty mat cutter is your best bet.
This is where a mat cutter comes in handy.
As the name suggests, a mat cutter is used to cut mats. But it does more than that. It offers smooth glides, sharp cuts, and safety with every use. Plus, most mat cutters are designed to cut several mats at a time, so they’re efficient as well.
Whether you’re a professional framer, photographer, artist, or hobbyist, a mat cutter is an absolute must-have in your framing kit. But before you buy a mat cutter, it’s best to understand the different mat cutter types to help you make an informed decision.
Handheld Cutters
Commonly found in schools and homes, a handheld cutter is the simplest type of mat cutter there is. But make no mistake—while it offers a relatively simple operation, it’s specially designed to give you straight cuts. Some models are even designed for clean bevel cutting.Most handheld mat cutters come in a small, handy size, making them easy to put in your bag or toolkit. And because of their simple mechanism, they come at a pretty affordable price too, so they’re perfect for DIY use.
When choosing a handheld mat cutter, you have to find one with a marker bar mechanism, which allows you to easily mark your guides on your mat before cutting. You might also want to consider using this type of mat cutter with a guide rail for accurate cuts. Most importantly, get one with an ergonomic knob for comfort (especially if you plan to cut mats for several hours at a time) and a blade that’s housed in a protective cover for safety.
Board-Mounted Cutters
Professionals and hobbyists alike can find board-mounted cutters to be some of the best mat cutters out there. Because these mat cutters are mounted on boards with measurement guides, they let you cut mats with the utmost accuracy.Made for professional use, board-mounted mat cutters can cut cardboard, foam board, and even glass and plexiglass. Most of them can cut various sizes of up to four sheets of materials and provide both bevel and straight cuts. Some even come with squaring arms for easier cutting.
While most models cannot be used for sizing mats, this type of mat cutter offers a more affordable option than heavy-duty mat cutters.
Heavy-Duty Mat Cutters
The best choice of mat cutters for professionals, heavy-duty mat cutters are exactly what they sound like: they are built for heavy day-to-day use. They come standard with squaring arms for precise sizing of full-size mat boards or foam boards, and they can also cut plexiglass, glass, and more.What makes these mat cutters different from board-mounted cutters is that they can handle up to eight sheets of materials. Plus, they can accommodate larger mat boards of up to 60 inches. If you need to cut tons of mats a week, then a heavy-duty mat cutter is your best bet.
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