with Lesley Kilner
Friday 12th July 2024
Lesley Kilner, who is the Treasurer of Frimley & Camberley Society of Arts at present, offered to demonstrate mount cutting with a Logan Cutter. As can be seen from the equipment on the table she ensures that she has everything ready before she begins. She is fortunate that her husband attached a long steel rule to a long piece of wood so that wing nuts could be used to attach the steel to the wood making it secure and adjustable.
Lesley uses a spare piece of backing board pushed between the wood and the steel as the base to cut into, as can be seen in the photo above.
She will choose the colour of the mount to suit the painting and the frame. Measuring the frame’s backing hole carefully is essential. The frame’s backing board is not always absolutely square. Measure top to bottom, side to side and diagonally.
Having got the frame size and ‘window’ draw out on a piece of paper first, check the measurements and then draw it on the BACK of your mount board. When deciding the size of the mount be sure that the signature will be visible when the painting is mounted. One of the advantages of making your own mounts is that you can determine how wide you want the mount to be.
Feed the card under your ruler so most of the card is on the side away from you.
Using a Stanley knife cut round the outer edge of the backing board, always cutting on the side of the ruler away from you. It is a good idea to cut a second piece of board the same size to be your backing mount.
The Logan Cutter is used to cut the bevelled edge for the inside of the mount. The blade is already set at the desired angle. Always push from the outside in. The Logan Cutter cuts from right to left regardless of whether you are right or left handed. Lesley is in fact left handed.
When attaching the painting to the mount always use mounting tape not masking tape. The picture should only be attached at the top. Remember any backing board needs to be acid free. Lesley likes to use card but some people use watercolour paper. There is another method using three hinges which enables you to adjust the painting and then secure it by taping across the hinges.
Before taping the painting and mount into the frame make sure the glass is clean and that there are no specs of anything on the mount. The best way to remove unwanted marks is with a putty rubber that can lift them off. Once the painting is clipped in place put framing tape around the edges. It is very important to ensure that nothing protrudes as this can damage yours or other people’s frames when paintings are stacked together waiting to be hung. D-rings should be used and not the screw-in eyes. Picture chord should be used and never wire for the same reason.
Lesley’s Handout
EQUIPMENT
Logan Cutter
Steel rulers
Mount Board
Stanley knife
Sharp pencil
Putty rubber
Glass cleaning equipment
D rings
Hanging cord
Self Adhesive framing tape
Mounting tape
Screw drivers
Bradawl
Gimlet tool
Scissors
Masking tape
Cutting the Mount Board.
1 Make sure you have clean surfaces and hands
2 Gather equipment as above
3 Choose a mount board to colour match with the frame and the picture
4 Measure the frame
Ie top to bottom, side to side and diagonally.
5 Check the backing board to see how well it fits the frame
6 Decide on the size of the ‘window’
7 Having got the frame size and ‘window’ draw it out on a piece of paper, check the measurements and then draw it on the BACK of your mount board, check it again for size against your picture and backing board.
Make sure the signature can be seen when it is mounted.
8 Feed the card under your ruler so most of the card is on the side away from you.
Using a Stanley knife cut round the outer edge of the backing board, always cutting on the side of the ruler away from you. Check it fits snugly in the frame.
You may want to do a second mount the same size while you are at it. This will be your backing mount.
9 Feed the first mount back under the ruler and take the Logan cutter so it aligns with the ‘window’
The Logan Cutter cuts from right to left. Cut each side in turn and the centre of the window should just fall out. If it does not, you can gently cut any remaining tags with a Stanley knife.
The art is to just cut the exact length, and to keep the tool steady against the ruler. The blade of the Logan cutter needs to be adjusted so that it goes through the top mount board but not through the protective mount board underneath.
Attaching the picture to the mount board
The picture needs to be attached only on the top edge so that it hangs free and does not buckle if the atmosphere changes.
There are two ways –
1 Put your mounting tape across the top of the back of the picture so half the tape is ‘free’. Turn the picture over and adjust it in the window. When you are ready just gently press down to attach the tape firmly to the back of the front mount.
2 Take your front mount and the back mount and attach together on the reverse of the front mount, with a hinge using mounting tape across the length.
On the back of the picture put several hinges at right angles to the picture with half stuck to the back of the picture and half free. Place the picture between both pieces of mount board and move it around until it is in the correct position. Carefully put tape across the hinges to secure the picture to the back mount.
Clean the glass on the front and back.
Insert the picture in the frame. The picture is now between two sheets of mount board. The acid free mount board protects the back of the picture from the backing board. Add the mount board and – making sure no dust is trapped – secure the pins.
Put tape framing tape around the edges of the backing board.
The picture is hung by D rings and cord at approximately 1/3rd down the side of the frame
12/07/2024 LK