CMC Comparisons

Computerised Mount Cutters, Computers, other gadgetry.
Roboframer

CMC Comparisons

Post by Roboframer »

I've been drooling over CMCs again - getting close to being able to create some space for one!

Found This Site on The Grumble - useful.
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Merlin
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Post by Merlin »

Hi Robo
Yes a very comprehensive site. Lots of info.

Stick that info into your webbing sacks and hit the NEC. Go armed with and idea or even a template that you want cutting in front of you. I suggest something with small to medium circles and definately a triple mat.

The sale depends on it being demo'd to you there and then..

I did this and went to four of them. The Valiani Mat Pro 120 was the only one that had the speed that I needed and small circles. PLUS it was cut within 30 minutes.

OK CMC's have come a long way in the past - nearly 2 years now - but I am still impressed with my V.

You will not regret the outlay......
John GCF
Lemon_Drop
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Post by Lemon_Drop »

Hi John,
Have you got a photo of that triple mount lay out, just under 30 minutes seems like a long time to cut a triple mount. How many openings were on it :?:
Maybe I read the post wrong. :roll:
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Post by Lemon_Drop »

Yea I read it wrong :oops:
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Merlin
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Post by Merlin »

Hi LD

No do not have a photo, but basically I asked for a triple mount 10 x 12 inches. In the top half the typical rectangular cuts.
The lower half - top and middle mount as oval, then the bottom mount with a 3/4 inch circle.

The time taken was from talking to the reps, to watch them set the software up and cut it.. Plus there were other interruption from interested customers as well....

Whilst I was doing this - on the Tuesday by the way because it was a lot quieter - another guy appeared with a .PLT file of the Man United logo and was quite loud when he announced. Whoever can cut this by close of play gets an order for two machines....

I never found out who got the order, but I will say that Valiani at least had done a 'trial cut', that I did see. I did hang around just to see if any of the others had the logo up on any screens or had done the job. Didnt see any...
John GCF
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Post by Lemon_Drop »

Only after I posted I thought what happened, that most of the time was spent talking to the guys on the stand.
Its a good idea to see the CMC'S working, at least you can compare one with against the other.
And also to bring a mount lay out that you would like to see cut. I would also add a V-Groove to that test mount also, some posts on the Grumble suggest that some CMC's struggle with that is added. May as well throw in a reverse bevel also.

Man United logo. ouch! Copyright :roll:

Its happened here that some company were using football team logos to do resign designs or mirrors, it lasted for a while but then it got a bit nasty.

Needless to say they stopped producing that line fairly fast.

But I suppose a couple of Man United logos would go unnoticed if done on a small scale :wink:
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Post by Moglet »

Lemon_Drop wrote:May as well throw in a reverse bevel also.:
That reminds me of a couple of CMC questions I have:

1. How does a CMC handle a double mount with a double-bevel on the top mount?

2. How good are they at inlay mounts?
........Áine JGF SGF FTB
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Post by Merlin »

They were only 'test drive pieces' ????? to find out which was the better machine.

Yes I agree with you about V grooves on the test piece.

I was looking at the engineering and the software mainly.
John GCF
osgood

Post by osgood »

Moglet wrote:
Aine,
What is a double bevel????

By the way, people, I just went to a trade show in Sydney recently and after watching demo's of Gunnar, Valiani and Wizard, my preference for Gunnar was reinforced. The F1 is an amazing machine and the software is so easy to use!
I have a Gunnar Rapido which is now 10 years old and still performs like new. I wish I could afford an F1 because of some of the new features, but alas that cannot be! Sob, sob, weep, weep, boo hoo, etc, etc.
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Post by Merlin »

I am lost at double bevel as well.

As for inlay mounts. No problem, as the cutting head following an exact cutting profile each time and every time.
So as long as you keep the same cutting 'graphic' whatever you cut out of one mount will fit into the holes cut out of another mount.

I did a Cornish sheild a while ago, using a black mount and a gold mount.
I will take a photo next time I am in the shop and post for you.
John GCF
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Post by Moglet »

Double-bevelled "inset" on double mount:


Image
........Áine JGF SGF FTB
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Merlin
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Post by Merlin »

That is just a wide V groove. No problem at all..
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Post by Moglet »

Merlin Framers wrote:...wide V groove.
Does that mean that the colour of the underlying mount will be visible after the cut (e.g. left with a drop-out that exposes a 5mm border of lower mount colour)?
........Áine JGF SGF FTB
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osgood

Post by osgood »

Moglet wrote:Double-bevelled "inset" on double mount:


Image
Aine,
That looks suspiciously like a "triple" bevel to me!

Actually they are commonly called an "open vee groove" in some quarters!
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Post by Merlin »

Thats about it..
I am not in shop tomorrow. So on Friday, I will take pics of the shield and open V grooves mounts and post pics on thread..
John GCF
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Post by Moglet »

Cool! 8)
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Post by Moglet »

osgood wrote:That looks suspiciously like a "triple" bevel to me!

Actually they are commonly called an "open vee groove" in some quarters!
Just using the term I was introduced to when I trained, and also used in Viv Kistler's "Mat Cutting" book.

Good entries for the wiki-to-be, methinks! :)
........Áine JGF SGF FTB
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Roboframer

Post by Roboframer »

That double bevel thing - it's a whole strip cut out and discarded - not a wide 'V' groove - can give the impression of a washline - a band of exposed colour.

Don't like it and haven't seen it done for donkey's - very yesterday.

(On normal rectangular cuts I mean - I can see the potential on fancy cuts - but you are still left with a loose floppy band that you have to stick down)
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Post by Moglet »

Roboframer wrote:That double bevel thing ... very yesterday.
Ah, but I'm an old-fashioned girl, John! :wink:
Roboframer wrote:...you are still left with a loose floppy band that you have to stick down...
I've come up with a method that keeps it parallel, and avoids a lot of wiggling and jiggling to get it square. But for the life of me, I couldn't describe it without doing another one and making notes as I went along. :roll:

I haven't mastered washlines, so at least the technique gives me some way of adding a band of colour to a mount.
........Áine JGF SGF FTB
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Roboframer

Post by Roboframer »

Moglet wrote: I've come up with a method that keeps it parallel, and avoids a lot of wiggling and jiggling to get it square. But for the life of me, I couldn't describe it without doing another one and making notes as I went along.
How about putting the whole thing together over the bottom mount and then removing the bits to discard?
I haven't mastered washlines, so at least the technique gives me some way of adding a band of colour to a mount.
I leeeeeerve doing washlines - wanna volunteer for a demo/seminar at the Spring Fair?

I'd call up a previous thread here, but the photos are no longer in my photobucket album.

Still in my pictures though - got a washline job or two coming up too- I'll shoot one step by step.
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