Carefully lay out each
sheet before you start cutting.Find the best cut pattern to give you the most pieces out of
the sheet.If the sheet will be folded, be sure grain of the paper is running
in the same direction as the fold or you will get a rough
edge on the fold.
If an accurate cut is necessary for
close register work, you MUST have a sharp blade in the cutter.A dull blade will pull or draw the paper and cause uneven cutting.Increased clamp pressure will not eliminate draw caused by a dull
knife.
The correct clamping pressure varies
from paper to paper.The
general rule is that you should have enough pressure to hold the paper
securely but not so much that it marks the surface of the paper
excessively.Excessive
pressure causes pile distortion and inaccurate cuts.
Mark the gripper edge and the guide
edge of printed paper and make sure the first cuts are with these guide
edges against the backgauge.
Measure printed paper to check for
shrinkage or expansion of the paper from humidity.You may have to disregard the printed cut lines and make your own.
When cutting narrow strips (1” or
less), place lifts of equal height on opposite sides of the table to
prevent wear of the clamp guides.