Hello...I'm relatively new at using the Logan 350-1. I'm doing OK, but I seem to be having trouble getting perfectly measured squares. I'm cutting 18" mats and backing boards, but when I go to measure them, at least 2 of the sides of a cut square will be off by 1/8" from a corner. The top of the square is 18", but the bottom is 18 1/8", and same with the L & R sides. It seems like when I try to fix one side by cutting from the corner, it messes up the next side, and so on. I've been so careful loading the full mat board along the squaring guide and measuring stop. Any ideas how I can improve without going broke on nice mat boards? This also makes it challenging when I'm creating a hinge joint to the backing board. Thanks in advance.
I think I might prefer to position the stop at the far end. It seems to me that it's relatively easy to start in the right position but harder to control the point at which you stop, especially with arm outstretched when cutting larger mats - plus the possibility of parallax error. Is there any reason why the stop can't be placed at the end of the cut?
You are welcome to use the stop at the top only. Whichever works best for you. The 350-1 comes with two guide rail stops for use when repeat cuts are being made. Setting the stops up for one side to pre-cut half of all the blanks and then reset the stops for the other side to be cut speeds up the process of production mat cutting.
Hello, Our mat cutters will be scaled in either inch or metric depending on where they are being sold. But no, there are no specific marks for A3 or A4. Thanks.
Hello. The capacity of the 350-1 Compact Elite is 32" from the squaring bar at the bottom to the far hinge at the other end. So yes you can insert a 24x32 blank into the machine. As long as the blank fits into the machine, you can set the mat guide for borders 3/4" up to about 4 1/2". Or you can remove the mat guide and mark out wider borders manually.
Hello. Please use our where to buy dealer section on our website and contact a retailer in Mexico. www.logangraphic.com/where-to-buy/index.php Thank you.
I have tried everything I can think of, and I can’t get my mat cutter to cut a straight line. Double mats look especially horrible. What am I doing wrong?
Hello. You need to make double mats using the proper technique. Do not cut two mats separately and then try to tape them together. That never works. Please see our videos on how to do a double mat and make sure you are following those steps. You are welcome to call us and we can discuss on the phone. 847-526-5515. Thanks.
Hi how am I supposed to cut a .5 inch mat with this? I bought the product but no idea how to get a .5 inch mat set up properly, there i not enough room to scale it and I am eyeballing it
Hello, Our board mounted mat cutters have a minimum border size of 3/4" (19 mm). However you can achieve a thinner border if you intentionally cut borders exactly 1" larger then the border size you want and then use the straight cutter to trim 1" off all four sides. In your case, set the mat guide to 1 1/2" borders, cut the bevel opening mat and then use the straight cutter to trim exactly 1" off all four sides. That will result in the small 1/2" border size you need. Thanks.
I'm trying for the first time and I can't get the blade to cut into the mat. I tried to adjust it as shown in the video, but it's too hard to push down to make a cut. Is that normal? And I just realized that the blade is cutting into the guide bar and leaving a score on the bar instead of the mat.
Hello, Make sure the blade is installed so part of it goes through the thin blade slot beneath the blade holder. Part of the blade disappears through the cutting head and only a small amount comes out the bottom of the cutting head. If you blade is cutting into the guide rail, then the blade is not installed properly. Watch this video starting at 1:08 to see how a single #270 blade is properly installed. You are also welcome to call us at 800-331-6232 or email at cs@logangraphic.com
@@LoganGraphic Thank you so much for your reply. I did have it installed improperly and now that I have it correct, it works perfectly. I'm looking forward to cutting lots of mats for my art. Thanks again.
Hello, A slip sheet is simply scrap mat board placed under the mat you are cutting. It needs to be only large enough to cover the area you are pushing down and bevel cutting. You do not use a slip sheet when straight cutting or downsizing blanks of mat board. Only when bevel cutting. The slip sheet protects the face paper of the mat you are cutting it by supporting the face paper when you are cutting from the back side of the mat. Only use scrap mat board as a slip sheet and nothing else. Keep your scraps as they may be possible to use as a slip sheet. I hope that helps, thanks. LGP.
Hello. Yes the mat guide can be removed easily from any of our mat cutters. However on the 350-1 Compact Elite, the mat guide is not what's limiting the capacity from end to end. That is 32" capacity is limited by the squaring bar at the near end and the hinge at the far end attached to the aluminum guide rail. Removing the mat guide from a 350-1 Compact mat cutter allows you to freely slide the material left to right through the machine. Which is helpful if you had a multiple window mat being cut where the mat guide could not be used. But the capacity still remains at 32". Unless maybe you remove the squaring bar also. But then you would have to re-square it later on. The 301-1 Compact Classic does not have a squaring bar so being an open end mat cutter, you could do a process of cut and slide to cut mats longer than 32". If you think you will be doing this often, it is recommended to go up one level to the 450-1 Artist Elite which is a 40" capacity mat cutter. Thanks.
@@TJFNixon Yes. In general, any of the tools we make that "hook on" to the guide rail are interchanging with each other. The same cutting heads that come with the Compact series can be switched for any of the cutting heads on the Artist Elite or Simplex series. Thanks.
@@TJFNixon Yes a Team System Plus would certainly work but then it becomes a full two hands operation not having the benefit of a base board mounted unit with a mat guide and squaring bar. It all depends on your volume. All Logan mat cutters produce the exact same looking finished mat. It depends on how much production or repeat cutting you plan to do. The higher up you go, the faster production orientated the mat cutters are with more features to speed up the process.
I’m confused! When making the las mat cut using production stops, you only made 1 line for one side on the back of the mat. How did you know where to stop without the other 3 mark lines?
Hi, You can go off the cut in the back of the mat to tell you where to start your next border cut. That is the reason after each cut, you turn the mat black clockwise so the cut you just made now serves as reference where your next cut starts. This works best on even border mats. If the borders are uneven and you have multiple mats to do of the same size, then you set up the stops for either the long or short sides first, make those cuts and the reset the stops for the remaining sides and finish the cuts. Hope that helps. Thanks. LGP
Hello, yes the 350-1 Compact Elite Mat Cutter comes with a 701-1 Straight Cutter Elite that will 90 degree straight cut foam board up to at least 3/16" (5 mm) thickness. The bevel cutter may be able to bevel cut thinner foam board but in general, its not really designed for that use and meant for bevel cutting standard thickness mat board. Thanks.
The measuring bar is not sitting in the hole properly which means the cutter jams into it and doesn’t finish the cut. I am nervous of using brute force to make it fit. Am I right in thinking it should fit into the hole so it makes a smooth surface for the cutter to do it’s cut. Try as I might I can’t get a good glimpse of the fitted bar on the tutorial so would appreciate it if someone would take a picture of how the bar sits in the hole. Thank you
Hi Jean, The bar should sink flush to the top of the base board and not interfere with the straight cutter passing over it. Please call us at 800-331-6232 or 847-526-5515. Use extension 27 so we can get some more information and take care of this problem for you.
Hello. Each machine should certainly be square when new. Can you tell me how you determined the machine was not square? Understand that a new full sheet of mat board is not going to be square. Not that this typically causes a problem as a slightly unsquare piece of mat board generally has zero effect on double mats or even fitting into the frame. If you have questions, please contact us at 847-526-5515 or cs@logangraphic.com. Thank you.
@@LoganGraphic I used a large metal carpenter's set square that I know to be completely accurate. In order to get the unit into square, I had to loosen the screws as advised in the instructions. But even that did not get it completely into square. I had to enlarge the adjustment holes to get the unit into square. I suggest some attention to QA at Logan. Interesting note: now that the unit is properly in square, the slot cut into the MDF base no longer aligns with the metal bar all along its length.
not as easy as it looks. On bevel cut my blade will not extend down enough to go thru, I have made sure I loaded only one blade in the cutter tried adjusting depth of blade there is only so much you are willing to do as you don't want to damage equipment or throw something out of adjustment. I tried different mad boards same thing blade rubs on rail and only slightly scores mat board. I did manage to cut a thin piece if construction paper. If this is whats it"s like cutting your own mats, I may just have it done at a frame shop. I can cut glass and even make my own frames, too bad.
+Steve Branch Hi Steve, Make sure you have the blade installed properly. If you can see the entire blade after you replace the blade screw, then the blade is in wrong. Part of the blade needs to pass through a thin slot cut into the aluminum directly below where it sits on the movable blade holder. Then make sure you use the screw on the underside of the cutting head to adjust the blade depth so that it barely passes through the mat board and only scores into your slip sheet which should be scrap mat board only. This machine is designed to cut standard thickness 4 ply mat board which it should have no problem doing. Please watch the video on this machine to see the proper way to install the blade and adjust the depth. This video clip starts out using a similar cutting head as the #302 you have showing how to adjust blade depth. th-cam.com/video/RMh7t2saEqw/w-d-xo.html. If you still have problems, please call us at 800-331-6232. Thanks
This video is a hell of a lot better than that damn manual.
Hello...I'm relatively new at using the Logan 350-1. I'm doing OK, but I seem to be having trouble getting perfectly measured squares. I'm cutting 18" mats and backing boards, but when I go to measure them, at least 2 of the sides of a cut square will be off by 1/8" from a corner. The top of the square is 18", but the bottom is 18 1/8", and same with the L & R sides. It seems like when I try to fix one side by cutting from the corner, it messes up the next side, and so on. I've been so careful loading the full mat board along the squaring guide and measuring stop. Any ideas how I can improve without going broke on nice mat boards? This also makes it challenging when I'm creating a hinge joint to the backing board. Thanks in advance.
Hi Patricia
Please give us a call at 847-526-5515 and we can walk you through squaring up your mat board before cutting out the openning.
I think I might prefer to position the stop at the far end. It seems to me that it's relatively easy to start in the right position but harder to control the point at which you stop, especially with arm outstretched when cutting larger mats - plus the possibility of parallax error. Is there any reason why the stop can't be placed at the end of the cut?
You are welcome to use the stop at the top only. Whichever works best for you. The 350-1 comes with two guide rail stops for use when repeat cuts are being made. Setting the stops up for one side to pre-cut half of all the blanks and then reset the stops for the other side to be cut speeds up the process of production mat cutting.
@@LoganGraphic That's very helpful - thank you.
On the measuring ruler, lengthways and widthways, are there markings for A3 and A4? Many thanks
Hello, Our mat cutters will be scaled in either inch or metric depending on where they are being sold. But no, there are no specific marks for A3 or A4. Thanks.
Thank you
I have just bought on of these.
Could I use this on a 24x32 inch mat to cut a window of 22.5x32? Thanks.
Hello. The capacity of the 350-1 Compact Elite is 32" from the squaring bar at the bottom to the far hinge at the other end. So yes you can insert a 24x32 blank into the machine. As long as the blank fits into the machine, you can set the mat guide for borders 3/4" up to about 4 1/2". Or you can remove the mat guide and mark out wider borders manually.
Hello, do you ship to Mexico, what is the price with shipping?
Hello. Please use our where to buy dealer section on our website and contact a retailer in Mexico. www.logangraphic.com/where-to-buy/index.php Thank you.
I have tried everything I can think of, and I can’t get my mat cutter to cut a straight line. Double mats look especially horrible.
What am I doing wrong?
Hello. You need to make double mats using the proper technique. Do not cut two mats separately and then try to tape them together. That never works. Please see our videos on how to do a double mat and make sure you are following those steps. You are welcome to call us and we can discuss on the phone. 847-526-5515. Thanks.
Hi how am I supposed to cut a .5 inch mat with this? I bought the product but no idea how to get a .5 inch mat set up properly, there i not enough room to scale it and I am eyeballing it
Hello, Our board mounted mat cutters have a minimum border size of 3/4" (19 mm). However you can achieve a thinner border if you intentionally cut borders exactly 1" larger then the border size you want and then use the straight cutter to trim 1" off all four sides. In your case, set the mat guide to 1 1/2" borders, cut the bevel opening mat and then use the straight cutter to trim exactly 1" off all four sides. That will result in the small 1/2" border size you need. Thanks.
I'm trying for the first time and I can't get the blade to cut into the mat. I tried to adjust it as shown in the video, but it's too hard to push down to make a cut. Is that normal? And I just realized that the blade is cutting into the guide bar and leaving a score on the bar instead of the mat.
Hello, Make sure the blade is installed so part of it goes through the thin blade slot beneath the blade holder. Part of the blade disappears through the cutting head and only a small amount comes out the bottom of the cutting head. If you blade is cutting into the guide rail, then the blade is not installed properly. Watch this video starting at 1:08 to see how a single #270 blade is properly installed. You are also welcome to call us at 800-331-6232 or email at cs@logangraphic.com
@@LoganGraphic Thank you so much for your reply. I did have it installed improperly and now that I have it correct, it works perfectly. I'm looking forward to cutting lots of mats for my art. Thanks again.
@@mebharris Thanks for letting me know. Enjoy the mat cutter.
can i cut regular 200gsm posters??
You would need to purchase our paper trimmer. Please give us a call at 847-526-5515 and we can help you purchasing the item.
I have one of these but don't have a slip sheet. What can i use instead?
Hello, A slip sheet is simply scrap mat board placed under the mat you are cutting. It needs to be only large enough to cover the area you are pushing down and bevel cutting. You do not use a slip sheet when straight cutting or downsizing blanks of mat board. Only when bevel cutting. The slip sheet protects the face paper of the mat you are cutting it by supporting the face paper when you are cutting from the back side of the mat. Only use scrap mat board as a slip sheet and nothing else. Keep your scraps as they may be possible to use as a slip sheet. I hope that helps, thanks. LGP.
Can you remove the mat guide to cut longer mountboard? In multiple cuts?
I guess I could use the Team System Plus?
Hello. Yes the mat guide can be removed easily from any of our mat cutters. However on the 350-1 Compact Elite, the mat guide is not what's limiting the capacity from end to end. That is 32" capacity is limited by the squaring bar at the near end and the hinge at the far end attached to the aluminum guide rail. Removing the mat guide from a 350-1 Compact mat cutter allows you to freely slide the material left to right through the machine. Which is helpful if you had a multiple window mat being cut where the mat guide could not be used. But the capacity still remains at 32". Unless maybe you remove the squaring bar also. But then you would have to re-square it later on. The 301-1 Compact Classic does not have a squaring bar so being an open end mat cutter, you could do a process of cut and slide to cut mats longer than 32". If you think you will be doing this often, it is recommended to go up one level to the 450-1 Artist Elite which is a 40" capacity mat cutter. Thanks.
@@LoganGraphic OK thanks - will the Logan 701-1 Straight Cutter Elite fit on the 301-1 Compact Classic?
@@TJFNixon Yes. In general, any of the tools we make that "hook on" to the guide rail are interchanging with each other. The same cutting heads that come with the Compact series can be switched for any of the cutting heads on the Artist Elite or Simplex series. Thanks.
@@TJFNixon Yes a Team System Plus would certainly work but then it becomes a full two hands operation not having the benefit of a base board mounted unit with a mat guide and squaring bar. It all depends on your volume. All Logan mat cutters produce the exact same looking finished mat. It depends on how much production or repeat cutting you plan to do. The higher up you go, the faster production orientated the mat cutters are with more features to speed up the process.
I’m confused! When making the las mat cut using production stops, you only made 1 line for one side on the back of the mat. How did you know where to stop without the other 3 mark lines?
Hi,
You can go off the cut in the back of the mat to tell you where to start your next border cut. That is the reason after each cut, you turn the mat black clockwise so the cut you just made now serves as reference where your next cut starts. This works best on even border mats. If the borders are uneven and you have multiple mats to do of the same size, then you set up the stops for either the long or short sides first, make those cuts and the reset the stops for the remaining sides and finish the cuts. Hope that helps. Thanks. LGP
Can this be used for cutting foam board as well?
Hello, yes the 350-1 Compact Elite Mat Cutter comes with a 701-1 Straight Cutter Elite that will 90 degree straight cut foam board up to at least 3/16" (5 mm) thickness. The bevel cutter may be able to bevel cut thinner foam board but in general, its not really designed for that use and meant for bevel cutting standard thickness mat board. Thanks.
Hi, I think I'll buy one.
Did you get your hands and arms waxed just for this tutorial, or is it more a genetic thing?
I'll ask the woman here at Logan if she recalls waxing her hands and arms before we shot this video.
How many cost this mechine?? Please tell me ..
The US retail price is $225.95
The measuring bar is not sitting in the hole properly which means the cutter jams into it and doesn’t finish the cut. I am nervous of using brute force to make it fit. Am I right in thinking it should fit into the hole so it makes a smooth surface for the cutter to do it’s cut. Try as I might I can’t get a good glimpse of the fitted bar on the tutorial so would appreciate it if someone would take a picture of how the bar sits in the hole. Thank you
Hi Jean, The bar should sink flush to the top of the base board and not interfere with the straight cutter passing over it. Please call us at 800-331-6232 or 847-526-5515. Use extension 27 so we can get some more information and take care of this problem for you.
Logan Graphic I am happy to say the bar sank into the fitting flush and everything is working fine. Thank you for replying to my query
Great to hear this. Any time you have any questions, feel free to call us at 800-331-6232.
I didn't receive blades with 350-1
This mashine cutting 5mm pvc foam bord
Mine arrived out of square
Hello. Each machine should certainly be square when new. Can you tell me how you determined the machine was not square? Understand that a new full sheet of mat board is not going to be square. Not that this typically causes a problem as a slightly unsquare piece of mat board generally has zero effect on double mats or even fitting into the frame. If you have questions, please contact us at 847-526-5515 or cs@logangraphic.com. Thank you.
@@LoganGraphic I used a large metal carpenter's set square that I know to be completely accurate. In order to get the unit into square, I had to loosen the screws as advised in the instructions. But even that did not get it completely into square. I had to enlarge the adjustment holes to get the unit into square. I suggest some attention to QA at Logan. Interesting note: now that the unit is properly in square, the slot cut into the MDF base no longer aligns with the metal bar all along its length.
I.want..send..me..rate
Send..me..sir..address
@@narayand491 Please tell me where you are located.
not as easy as it looks. On bevel cut my blade will not extend down enough to go thru, I have made sure I loaded only one blade in the cutter tried adjusting depth of blade there is only so much you are willing to do as you don't want to damage equipment or throw something out of adjustment. I tried different mad boards same thing blade rubs on rail and only slightly scores mat board. I did manage to cut a thin piece if construction paper. If this is whats it"s like cutting your own mats, I may just have it done at a frame shop. I can cut glass and even make my own frames, too bad.
+Steve Branch
Hi Steve,
Make sure you have the blade installed properly. If you can see the entire blade after you replace the blade screw, then the blade is in wrong. Part of the blade needs to pass through a thin slot cut into the aluminum directly below where it sits on the movable blade holder. Then make sure you use the screw on the underside of the cutting head to adjust the blade depth so that it barely passes through the mat board and only scores into your slip sheet which should be scrap mat board only. This machine is designed to cut standard thickness 4 ply mat board which it should have no problem doing. Please watch the video on this machine to see the proper way to install the blade and adjust the depth. This video clip starts out using a similar cutting head as the #302 you have showing how to adjust blade depth. th-cam.com/video/RMh7t2saEqw/w-d-xo.html. If you still have problems, please call us at 800-331-6232.
Thanks