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.