Cutting, trimming prints.

CONMIKE12

Hopefully someone can help me with this. I was asked to do a few prints , 8x10's so i used A4 photopaper. Now I'd like to tim the edges off and was thinking the bast way would be with a sharp craft knife and a long steel ruler. is there a better way that this? I've tried using my mount cutter before with les than stellar results . My main question is though, does anyone have any idea where i could get a good strong, long steel ruler? i have tried easons with no joy so if anyone knows of somewhere I'd be very much obliged for the info.Thanks, Conor.

trooney

Try the art supplies shop on the top floor of Stephens green shop centre. Or downstairs in Reids on Nassau st.

daedalus2097

I got a 2ft one in Reads on Nassau St., and an A3 cutting mat for that very purpose, only a few quid and, well, it's a steel ruler

Mount cutters won't do a good job at all really, I've tried using them before too, though my dad has a small roller guillotine which is excellent with ~250gsm paper anyway. Must find out where he got it . . .

deRanged

B&Q, next to the sledgehammers.

Seriously, they have straight edges, basically metal rulers in various sizes (.5-1.5m or so), cheap and effective.

CONMIKE12

Great stuff lads, thnaks for the info.I'll check b&Q tomorrow. That guillotine sounds deadly. Maybe there is one purpose built for photography needs. If you can find out more Daedalus I'd appreciate it.I'll check out reids when I am more mobile again. Thanks again dudes.

haz

CONMIKE12 wrote:

If you can find out more Daedalus I'd appreciate it.I'll check out reids when I am more mobile again. Thanks again dudes.

I have an A3 guillotine with 1.5 inch circular blades. It does a neat cut along a guide rail on the edge of the steel baseplate, marked in A4, A5, A6 and some other sizes, with a magnetic hold down to place the paper and a lock-down when you slide the blade. Most office suppliers should have similar guillotines, and unlike the old chopper styles they are very safe.

I have a steel channel ruler from Kennedy's art supplies off Stephen's Green (but any art shop or framing shop should have similar) - the channel is for your fingers, so they are protected from the razor / Stanley knife. Looks like /\_/\ from the end. An 18" roofer's square is useful too.

And I have a mount-cutter which is a razor mounted at 90 or 45 degrees in an aluminium block, which has its own guide rule (with a channel the block slides along) or any reasonably thick ruler. They do a 45 degree bevel for the mounting card on top of photos or paintings in frames.

(Cost-wise, the whole lot cost is not much more than having one picture professionally framed, but I bought them over decades)

CONMIKE12

Thanks Haz, that channeled ruler seems ideal and i was checking out those rotary cutters on ebay also and they're not too expesive for the A4 type, which is all i need for the time being.Looks like I'll be taking a trip up around The NassauSt./ Stephens green area in the not too distant future. Thanks for all the suggestions.