skip tesch
Leading Member
A search came up with nothing. I have tried a couple of methods but am not happy with my results.
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Skip Teschendorf
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Skip Teschendorf
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Best Way to Cut GatorBoard/Foamboard?
- Thread starter skip tesch
- Start date
They're quite different, with gator being more rigid/tougher. For foam, I use my Logan Framer's Edge 650's built-in straight cutter.
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Eric Chan
http://people.csail.mit.edu/ericchan/photos/
http://people.csail.mit.edu/ericchan/dp/Epson3800/index.html
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Eric Chan
http://people.csail.mit.edu/ericchan/photos/
http://people.csail.mit.edu/ericchan/dp/Epson3800/index.html
ddan daniel
Senior Member
Gatorfoam has a hard brittle shell. A table saw is the best way to cut it. Use a blade for laminates like formica or plastics (10 inch diameter, 80 tooth triple chip works great). Hand-cutting will usually lead to chipping of the laminate unless you are very patient- lightly score again and again and again etc. You'll eventually work through the laminate, then you get to lightly do it all again for the back side.
Fomecor cuts with a razor or x-acto blade, or a mat cutter. If doing it by hand, I use a few light cuts to break through the top paper, then one or two more cuts to get through the back paper. But some people swear by one heavy cut to avoid snagging and pulling the inner foam. Either way, any dirt on the blade can grab and ruin the foam. Finding the right angle for the blade is key- 45 degrees isa good starting point. Be careful with pe on to fomecor- it will dent very easily.
Running fomecor through a table saw is, well, let's just say- dont...
Dan Daniel
Tom Monego
Senior Member
Didn't think I could use the Logan cutter with anything that thick, thanks Eric for the info.
You can cut gator foam with a utility knife but you get at the most 2 cuts with one blade, must be sharp. Dull blades are the curse of any sort of foam material, just bunches up the foam and makes an ugly edge. Best to use a protected straight edge too. I'm a big fan of the in between foam core, much harder surface than standard foamcore but not ceramic enhaced like gator foam. One brand name is hardcore....
Tom
You can cut gator foam with a utility knife but you get at the most 2 cuts with one blade, must be sharp. Dull blades are the curse of any sort of foam material, just bunches up the foam and makes an ugly edge. Best to use a protected straight edge too. I'm a big fan of the in between foam core, much harder surface than standard foamcore but not ceramic enhaced like gator foam. One brand name is hardcore....
Tom
I can second the comments about a sharp blade. Having just started cutting foam myself, I found that in addition to the sharp blade, I got much better results with a piece of scrap mat underneath. I am cutting with the Logan straight cutter on the mat cutter itself.
D.
D.
chris172
Well-known member
Hi... not sure what you mean by Gatorboard ??? I.m in the UK and for foam board I use a Javelin straight line cutter. Comes in lengths up 5m !!!! that one is expensive!!!
http://www.dcpsystems.co.uk/cutters_fa/keencut_javelin.htm
http://www.dcpsystems.co.uk/cutters_fa/keencut_javelin.htm
skip tesch
Leading Member
Do you still make multiple passes with the knife?
Unfortunately the mat cutter will not work for the project I have. Here is my problem, I am trying to to mount a 16" by 72" print onto foamboard. The foamboard I have is 48" requiring me to glue 4 pieces interlocking to get a double thickness 72" long. Using an exacto type blade has left me with edges that are rough, uneven, and unprofessional. This print will not be put in a frame, so the backing must support hanging as well as having some presentation style.
I was hoping there was some kind of hot wire or edge cutter that would cut and seal the foam.
Anyone have any other ideas for mounting a print this size. I have thought of formica, but it seems too flexable, leaving me with plywood which seems heavy.
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Skip Teschendorf
Unfortunately the mat cutter will not work for the project I have. Here is my problem, I am trying to to mount a 16" by 72" print onto foamboard. The foamboard I have is 48" requiring me to glue 4 pieces interlocking to get a double thickness 72" long. Using an exacto type blade has left me with edges that are rough, uneven, and unprofessional. This print will not be put in a frame, so the backing must support hanging as well as having some presentation style.
I was hoping there was some kind of hot wire or edge cutter that would cut and seal the foam.
Anyone have any other ideas for mounting a print this size. I have thought of formica, but it seems too flexable, leaving me with plywood which seems heavy.
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Skip Teschendorf
chris172
Well-known member
One pass... 5mm thick foam-x
we can buy foamboard upto 10mm thick and 94" (2.4m) here so joining board is not a problem.... just getting the print to stick to it!!! smoothly..LOL!!!!
we can buy foamboard upto 10mm thick and 94" (2.4m) here so joining board is not a problem.... just getting the print to stick to it!!! smoothly..LOL!!!!
Jon Shiu
Forum Enthusiast
Hi, if you glue some strips of wood in a rectangular shape to the back of the masonite it will be stiff and provide a place to hang it. I have seen it also done this way for pictures mounted to aluminum sheet.
Jon
Mendocino Coast in Black and White: http://www.jonshiu.com
Jon
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Mendocino Coast in Black and White: http://www.jonshiu.com
ddan daniel
Senior Member
'Sintra', a brand of PVC 'foam' board is an option (other brand names are out there). Llight in weight, rigid. Commonly used for signage. Should be available from a local plastics store.
Dan Daniel
This is an OLD thread, but I have a piece of information which may be helpful to people (like me) who flush mount their prints on gator board. Of course, this means that there needs to be a way to trim gator. In my case, I make a rough trim slightly larger than the print, mount the print (which has a thin layer of glue from a Daigue Maxit), then I trim the gator to the exact size I wish, flush. It takes just one pass both for 3/8 gator and for 1/2" gator. If the blade is not fresh it might take two passes, but the cut still looks fine.
The trimmer is the Logan T300 trimmer, which I paid a machine shop $100 to modify. The modification is described in my review of the T300 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003A00YUS#customerReviews.
The trimmer is the Logan T300 trimmer, which I paid a machine shop $100 to modify. The modification is described in my review of the T300 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003A00YUS#customerReviews.
jpegman
Senior Member
Old old thread- but Lester Picker just put a YouTube video on this subject for anybody who uses Gatorboard.
Print Mounting On Gatorboard
Print Mounting On Gatorboard
Rob de Loe
Veteran Member
+1 for this video!
I have to mount a lot of prints on Gatorboard and this video is a huge help.
Dan Berg
Forum Enthusiast
We have two Keencut's.
A Steeltrak is best for cutting down full sheets. and the Evolution can trim Gator with prints attached.
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Dan Berg
bergsprintstudio.com
Printmaking and Photo Mounting Workshops
A Steeltrak is best for cutting down full sheets. and the Evolution can trim Gator with prints attached.
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Dan Berg
Workshops - Bergs Print Studio
bergsprintstudio.com
Dan Berg
Forum Enthusiast
Our 7 foot Evolution # Keencut.
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Dan Berg
bergsprintstudio.com
Printmaking and Photo Mounting Workshops
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Dan Berg
Workshops - Bergs Print Studio
bergsprintstudio.com
Rob de Loe
Veteran Member
Whoa, that's serious gear!
Can you cut Dibond with that setup?
Can you cut Dibond with that setup?
I'm happy to see this thread!
Bonus question: can you cut it on a table saw with the print mounted?
I'm looking for an alternative to taking my large-scale prints to a framing shop to be dry-mounted on acid-free foam core (and cut with a reverse bevel). My first experiment is going to be Coroplast, but Dibond was the other suggestion.
Rob, how do you mount your prints to Dibond?
Bonus question: can you cut it on a table saw with the print mounted?
I'm looking for an alternative to taking my large-scale prints to a framing shop to be dry-mounted on acid-free foam core (and cut with a reverse bevel). My first experiment is going to be Coroplast, but Dibond was the other suggestion.
Rob de Loe
Veteran Member
I haven't mounted any to Dibond yet. I'm at the stage I call "What's better than this crappy foam board I've been using?"
I've used Dibond indirectly. Last year it fell to me to organize an exhibition of someone else's work, and I farmed out the printing and mounting to a shop that used Dibond. The result was excellent, but I don't know how they got them on to the board, or how they cut them. They certainly knew how to do a neat edge.
For this exhibition I'm going to put the prints onto the board myself. I've watched videos of people cutting Dibond with a razor knife and a large ruler. It is possible, but also it doesn't look like a job I'd want to do.
Gatorboard is cheaper and because it is wood, easier to cut. It also looks hard to cut though with hand tools. A serious cutter like the one a few posts up would be ideal. My preference is to find someone who can cut them for me. Ideally I'd use the self-adhesive Gatorboard, but if that's not possible in Canada, I'll try using Breathing Color Glamour 2 (rolled on).
I would not want to cut with a table saw and prints mounted. What about using a board that is very slightly smaller than the print, mounting the print, and then carefully trimming the edge that overhangs? Personally, if someone can cut the boards to the correct size, I can fit the prints properly so no trimming is necessary.
Thanks Rob.
Actually, is it cheaper than Dibond?
If not, I'll think about how to make a jig to cut it with a box cutter or similar.
I've done a lot of woodworking (and I make my own frames), so that kind of thing isn't beyond me.I haven't mounted any to Dibond yet. I'm at the stage I call "What's better than this crappy foam board I've been using?"
I've used Dibond indirectly. Last year it fell to me to organize an exhibition of someone else's work, and I farmed out the printing and mounting to a shop that used Dibond. The result was excellent, but I don't know how they got them on to the board, or how they cut them. They certainly knew how to do a neat edge.
For this exhibition I'm going to put the prints onto the board myself. I've watched videos of people cutting Dibond with a razor knife and a large ruler. It is possible, but also it doesn't look like a job I'd want to do.
It's also not archival, so I don't use it. Also, I had a gallery owner say "Gatorboard?! That's a poster!"
Actually, is it cheaper than Dibond?
Well yeah, but it's big and an investment! That's definitely the right tool, though, and if I ever have to make over a dozen frames then it might pay (because I must have spent $1K having them mounted on acid-free foam for my last show).
That self-adhesive Gatorboard is temporary at best. Glamour 2 might be worth trying, but I'm sticking (yuk yuk) with Lineco glue for now.
I'll have to try it on a small piece, but I don't think it would hurt the print if it's glued properly. The bigger issue would be that my blade tilts to the left, so making a reverse bevel cut would mean doing it with the print face-down - in other words, no bevel cut.
If not, I'll think about how to make a jig to cut it with a box cutter or similar.
Rob de Loe
Veteran Member
I think our use cases are different. These pieces are not destined for a gallery. If they last for a decade, and I don't see why they wouldn't, that's enough. Priority one is to look good for a one day exhibition, and then survive transport to a new home.Thanks Rob.
I've done a lot of woodworking (and I make my own frames), so that kind of thing isn't beyond me.I haven't mounted any to Dibond yet. I'm at the stage I call "What's better than this crappy foam board I've been using?"
I've used Dibond indirectly. Last year it fell to me to organize an exhibition of someone else's work, and I farmed out the printing and mounting to a shop that used Dibond. The result was excellent, but I don't know how they got them on to the board, or how they cut them. They certainly knew how to do a neat edge.
For this exhibition I'm going to put the prints onto the board myself. I've watched videos of people cutting Dibond with a razor knife and a large ruler. It is possible, but also it doesn't look like a job I'd want to do.
It's also not archival, so I don't use it. Also, I had a gallery owner say "Gatorboard?! That's a poster!"
Good question. It depends a lot on whether custom cuts and shipping are involved. I'm seeing 4' x 8' 3/16 sheets of Gatorboard for USD $125. Similar size at 6mm in aluminum composite (Dibond) is more, but not necessarily a lot more.
Well yeah, but it's big and an investment! That's definitely the right tool, though, and if I ever have to make over a dozen frames then it might pay (because I must have spent $1K having them mounted on acid-free foam for my last show).
That self-adhesive Gatorboard is temporary at best. Glamour 2 might be worth trying, but I'm sticking (yuk yuk) with Lineco glue for now.
I'll have to try it on a small piece, but I don't think it would hurt the print if it's glued properly. The bigger issue would be that my blade tilts to the left, so making a reverse bevel cut would mean doing it with the print face-down - in other words, no bevel cut.
If not, I'll think about how to make a jig to cut it with a box cutter or similar.
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