...there must be an easier way - Ultimat Gold 48

[Bagel Framer]

Hi all,

Such is my setup at home that I have to ferry my Ultimat Gold 48 down from upstairs (where it's stored vertically in my wardrobe). The "arms" are stored separately in the loft.

I had a mount to cut yesterday and the limit stops must have moved (as there were significant overcuts) - I fixed that so they're now spot on and the aperture just falls out

Prior to that I had to set the depth, so to do that I used a piece of Peteboro Conservation Mountboard - that took me a good hour to get it to my liking so there was no hooking. I practiced and practiced on the scrap board to get it working.

I then came to cut the mount in a different piece of Peteboro and I had the same depth issues again, so I spent another hour calibrating it and the mount eventually was fine.

Ok, different boards are different thicknesses, ie. Crescent, Colourmount and Peteboro but I'm perplexed why the same make of board gave me problems.

I was hoping I could set the depth and check it with some feeler gauges each time to save the agony, but that's not possible such is the setup of the UG 48.

Has anyone else struggled with this or am I missing something?

I was originally looking at the Fletcher Terry machine (as that have removable blades) but I couldn't store that as easily as the UG!

Thanks,

Sean

[CanvasChris]

every time I use it I have to set it up.... even on same boards!

If I have a number of same sizes to cut they are all cut very very slightly different. Even if I change the blade half way through I am having to recalibrate... uh?

Mine stored flat on a rack to the side of my bench so maybe it doesn't like being moved.

[Graysalchemy]

Board will vary between batches and quite considerably.Having your equipment permanently set up in a dedicated space would make a lot of difference but this is obviously not practical for some of you working from home. However this much impede on your profitabilityif you are having to re set up you machine eacvh time you cut a £5 mount.

[CanvasChris]

Any offcuts I have are trimmed to 5" x 5" and I use these to set the m/c up. Starting with a 1" hole adjusting and building to a 3" hole. I then use these for a little desk frame...

[Bagel Framer]

....another night, another mount to cut and you've guessed it - I have to recalibrate my UG 48 again!!!!!!!

I can't believe I'm going to have to do all this setting up everytime - it's daft! £715 I parted with for my Ultimat Gold last year - why should I have to recalibrate it every single time I use it????!!!

Not happy - there's the expression a bad workman blames his tools but hooking abounds and the best bit is that when I set the depth, the blade goes comfortably into the slip mat then when you cut the mount it doesn't penetrate and I have to cut the aperture out with a spare blade!!!

I am rapidly thinking I've paid £715.00 for a glorified board trimmer - come back Logan 750, all is forgiven!!!!!!

[Roboframer]

All I can say is that most framers set up and calibrate their mount cutters ...... and then leave them where they are, they aren't designed to be portable.

Having said that I have a 60" UG - but I also have a CMC so I rarely use it, it's stored vertically in a corner of my workshop and the margin guide is above it on a shelf in its two parts - so no different to your wardrobe & loft really. But when I do need it, it works just like it did last time, perfectly, so something is going on with you/yours that isn't with me/mine.

[Bagel Framer]

yes RF, it's all very heartbreakingly odd!

I go out of my way to store the parts that have the limit stops on them with as much care as I can, so as not to risk moving the limit stops. Such was the inaccuracy of it tonight that the parallel guide at the bottom of the machine was out by a mm - I'm adament I've not moved anything since the last time I used it (last weekend).

Being an occasional framer, I pride myself that I have the proper equipment - i have the UG48, a Cassese CS88 and a dewalt mitre saw so it's not as if I'm taking it lightly.

Maybe i have bought a "faulty" machine and perhaps I should get Keencut in to see what's going on....?!

[Roboframer]

What do you do with the cutting head when you store the machine vertically? I secure mine at the top with elastic bands, otherwise it'll slide to the bottom and be part of what the thing is standing on, which isn't good.

I'm 40 miles away from Aldershot, drop in any time, with your mount cutter and we can compare.

[Bagel Framer]

I do the same and secure it with elastic bands, plus a token tea towel over that part to guard against dust!

I may well take you up on that offer, assuming I haven't booked myself into Broadmoor

If I was the designer at Keencut I would have clamps on the limit stops so they can't move - even the action of cutting a board to size is probably enough to aggravate the stops, such is the clatter that it makes coupled with the judder one gets when installing the parallel guide.

Meanwhile I'll muddle through which panes me as I'm a perfectionist.

Sean

[kuduframes]

Hi, been following this with interest, I use an Ultimat gold and also move it about from time to time but do not have any problems such as you describe. Calibration takes a few minutes but that's all.
My frame shop is pretty close to you if you want to get in touch please do so, give me a ring on 07722 089156

[CanvasChris]

I have found on smaller mounts that the blade sometimes doesn't go all the way through and found that the measuring arm does bend only very slightly, especially with the thicker board and have remedied it by putting a bit of scrap at the top to 'level' it off.

Another thing ... are you sure the board you are cutting is straight? it could be your straight cut measuring arm is not right. Mine sometimes won't clip in fully and I now make sure it is before I cut.

Offer the cut board up to the left and bottom guide on all 4 sides before bevel cutting to be sure, checking for gaps on the left fence.

How old is this? who did you get it from? contact them if it's still in warranty.... or contact them anyway. I am sure whoever it was would offer some guidance.

Not sure where you are but Keencut are in the UK in Corby and can do a 'service' on your unit if out of warranty.

Sorry if the above is being told how to suck eggs.

[AllFramed]

Also, are all the feet of the cutter on a flat surface when you are cutting with it? I have had a problem sometimes cutting larger mounts where the blade doesn't go all the way through for part of the cut. There is a thread on here somewhere about the base of the machine sagging slightly when it is not supported fully. I had the closest feet to me when cutting just off the bench at first because the bench wasn't deep enough. Now it is fully supported I have no problems on longer cuts. I do generally do a test cut still though as per Canvas Chris if I change between board manufacturers or types.

[Bagel Framer]

Thanks all for the valid comments - you only get out what you put in they say, so the first port of call for me is to run through the manual in it's entirety to ensure that everything is setup properly.

It came with a manual (I bought it off a fellow framer off Ebay) but rather alarmingly the manual at home is missing some pages compared to the one I downloaded off Keencut's website this morning!! For one, I've definitely not got the page that shows you how to line up the guide using the two coins.

Hopefully I can turn this around as if anything I'd like to add to the machine and get all the add ons, so I can do even more when I've got nothing to do one day....

I'll also check the main bed for flatness, as when I originally installed it on the dining room table it slid around all over the place so I had to put two pieces of lino on each end where the rubber feet are.

Am pretty sure I've got no play in the cutter head as that was very sloppy and ran too freely - I then set it so that it's quite stiff to use - maybe I've gone to the other extreme now.

I also suspect that I'm using the cutter head wrong, ie. am holding it wrong. I'm naturally left handed and the orientation of it is such that it's on my right.

....So after all this is said and done, I might take Kudoframes up on the offer and bring the cutter round for a a masterclass to check I'm using it right.

Thanks again.

Sean

[grahamdown]

When i bought my UG earlier this year it came with 6 stick on feet and although the manual shows sticking just 4 feet on when you think about it it's a long machine and will sag in the middle. i have therefore added the two extra feet at the halfway point.