KEENCUT ACE!!

[jacjag]

HI AGAIN!
ANYONE TELL ME THE BEST BLADES TO USE FOR THE ACE?
CHEERS
JAC

[Not your average framer]

As far as I know, it is my understanding that the Keencut Ace, Dart and Laser mountcutters were all designed to use the Stanley 1991 shape blades. The Personna made blades are cheaper than the Stanley blades , but not as stiff and the Keencut 080 blades (same shape) are much stiffer than either Stanley or Personna and stay sharp longer too.

Besides the Keencut Ultimat which I use in my workshop, I also have a Keencut Dart. This is the smaller version of the Ace and I've been able to make adjustments to my Dart so that it will work with the normal rectangular blades (in my case these are Keencut .015" Tech-S). This is not very helpful though, if you want to cut your mountboard to size on your machine as the same blade is used for normal mountcutting and cutting the board to size.

If you are going to use your machine for both cutting operations, then stay with the Stanley shape blade. Also since the blade is unsupported for a larger distance from the board being cut to the blade carrier than normal for more modern machines, take care not to use blades too many times. When the blades are blunt you will start to get hooked cuts. Also be sure to check that any excessive mechanical play on the rotating blade carrying turret is removed by releasing the lock srew in the knerlled nut a retating the knurlled nut to correct the problem. Then lock the nut by re-tightening the screw.

There are also screw adjustments to correct any excessive play in the sliding head block. If they are still available, I would consider getting a new set of the nylon sliding headblock bearings, as they no longer make spares for this machine.

It's quite a decent machine, if correctly adjusted and used properly.

Another little tip: If like me you keep releasing the wrong knob on the start of cut stop finger, then paint it red to remind you not to release that one. Hopefully, this was save you having to keep re-calibrating the machine, because you released the wrong knob.

[Jonny2morsos]

Not familiar with the Ace but on our Ultimat Gold we went over to using the slightly thicker single sided blade (Tech S .015).

The advantage being there is less flex on the blade especially when using thicker boards and those with a denser core.

Here is a tip given to me by Pete Bingham. Insert a new blade from the far end and push it back into the holder. His logic behind this is that you are not dragging the cutting tip of the blade along the metal holder hence dulling the blade before the first cut has been made. He has removed the spring loaded adjuster for his mount cutter and put pencil marks for the blade depth position for various mount thicknesses.

John.

[Roboframer]

That only works with single edged/sided blades - with double edged blades you can use both ends and you'd (maybe) be dulling the other end pushing it in from the front.

There is a tiny amount of play in the blade holder (on mine anyway - dunno about the ace) just make sure the blade - single or double edged - is lifted up as you slide it in.

[Not your average framer]

That's not a problem on the Ace as the blade slides in from the right end already.

It's a interesting thought for on the ultimate. I wonder if it is possible to modify the blade holder so that the the blade depth adjuster can be made to operate against the other end of the blade. That way you get to slide it in the right end to avoid touching the business end of the blade, but still get to keep the adjuster as well.

[Roboframer]

I've never had a problem with sliding blades in to housings or the adjuster as it comes - you're applying no downward pressure, it's just sliding along a smooth surface. If it was a problem then why, in time, would the blade not wear a channel in to the housing?

[Not your average framer]

As far as I'm aware, the Keencut Ultimat is probably the only mountcutter where the blades are fed in from the back end of the blade carrier. Having used various mountcutters by Keencut, Fletcher, Magnolia, Keeton and C & H and Speaking from experience, there have been times when I've cut myself changing blades on other mountcutters, but I can't actually recall doing so on the Ultimat, so I assume that the Ultimat was designed like this to reduce the risk of drawing blood when changing blades.

Since no one on this forum has questioned any problems of blunting the blades while sliding them into the blade carrier, I would assume that there is no such problem.

It would be interesting to hear forum members mountcutter preferences and why. I don't think it's a subject which gets discussed very much and I think that's surprising.

I use an Ultimate, largely because there was one available secondhand and the timing was right for me, but if I had the cash to buy new, then I would try and get a C & H Vantage Pro, which is an egineering work of art and just does the business.

[Roboframer]

I have the keencut ultimat (gold 60") because I was weaned by Euro Mouldings and that's the only make they stocked, bar hobbyist ones (used the maped for years and the non-slip straight edge is still the best I have, two of them; one just for drawing lines on mounts)

But I wished I'd had the Fletcher-Terry as it uses ball bearings and not nylon bushes and also has blade magazines which means you can have several pre-set for different board thicknesses and not have to re-calibrate each time. It's also easier to do reverse bevels with the FT as the squaring arm on the ultimat cannot be set to much less than 4". But then the FT uses pegs for the start/end of cut stops, which I don't like, and I do like the way over/undercuts can be 'dialled' out in the ultimat.

So, who has the machine with everything? Ball bearings, squaring arm that goes down to one inch, blade magazines - adjustable stops.

[yankee]

hello jac fw holroyd do keencut blades and stanley blades 1991 and 1992 im sure if you give them a call they will post them to you saves you paying normal carridge costs for blades