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How Do I Choose the Right Paper Cutter for My Office?
In this series of posts, “How do I choose?”, we will help you take a little of the guesswork out of selecting the best print finish product for your shop or office. It’s sometimes difficult to find the right machine to fit your needs when there are so many models.
What are you cutting at the office? Yes, I know someone has to cut the cake for the secretary’s birthday, but that’s not what I mean. It seems we all end up doing some sort of paper crafts once and a while. Trimming down those photos for the traveling exhibit, cutting out stacks of pamphlets to fill the marketing rack in the reception area, slicing up that spreadsheet that mistakenly printed on the ginormous paper in the bottom drawer.
Every office needs a paper cutter, the only question is, which one?
Paper cutters basically come in two flavors these days – Guillotine and Rotary. Like many other items in this series of posts, you need to consider volume and speed. But, you also need to take into consideration the safety of your staff and how accurate cuts need to be.
Guillotine paper cutters are commonly found in offices. They’re sharp, can cut through multiple sheets with ease, and there are some great measurement guides on the working surface. Multiple sheets at a time speaks to the volume necessity, but often works against accuracy. The clamps and lockable gauges of the Kutrimmer tabletop trimmer assist with accuracy, but its most impressive additions are safety features. Different models of guillotine cutters basically allow for larger sheets and more working space.
The most accurate cuts will always be made with Rotary cutters. My personal fav is sold at Lloyd’s. The Roll-Blade rotary trimmer not only has great measurement guides and a self-sharpening tungsten blade, but it also cuts through cardboard and some plastic with just as much accuracy a it does with paper. And, unless you’re really trying, it’s virtually impossible to cut yourself with this rotary.
MBM BC-12 Tabletop Card Cutter
There are a lot of business card cutters on the market, but if you’re going to get a machine that cuts cards, why limit yourself to a business card sized cut? MBM designed the BC-12 Tabletop Card Cutter to give your office some versatility for in-house jobs. It’s perfect for business cards, post cards, digital photos, checks, and more.
How is it Used?
If you’re mainly interested in the business card function, the BC-12 Tabletop Card Cutter will cut 12 standard size business cards per page (up to 60 cards per minute) – which is pretty fast. However, you’ll also find 10 other pre-set cutting modes and quick-change cartridges to switch out easily (without tools) for different cutting formats. Like other MBM models, this one is quiet and compact. It will soon become your favorite machine in the office.
And How Much Does it Cost
The BC-12 Tabletop Card Cutter is $5,350 at Lloyd’s. We’ll throw in free shipping and a gift with your purchase.
MBM BC-10 Tabletop Business Card Cutter
Stop outsourcing your business cards! Save some cash and the hassle of placing orders every time somebody runs out or a new employee joins the ranks. The MBM BC-10 Tabletop Business Card Cutter is such a great asset, you’ll want to name yours and give it a business card of its own.
How is it Used?
Print out your business cards on your in-house printer on the stock of your choice and load them into the BC-10 Tabletop Card Cutter for trimming and cut 10-up. This little powerhouse will give you an accurate cut every time. It’s got quick and easy set-up and adjustment, and the control panel features a LED 4 digit counter with addition and preset subtraction functions. It’s compact and quiet enough to run in your office’s common work area. I would put it next to the copy machine.
And How Much Does it Cost
MBM BC-10 Tabletop Business Card Cutter is $4,229 at Lloyd’s. We’ll throw in free shipping and a gift with your purchase.
Formax FD 572 Cut-Sheet Cutter
If you’ve ever needed to perforate your own checks, coupons, tickets, or membership cards, the Formax FD 572 Cut-Sheet Cutter is what your office needs. This cutter will feed your pre-printed sheets — up to 50 per minute — and cut, slit, or perforate them in the desired position.
If you need a membership card embedded inside a welcome letter, a perforated coupon on a sales letter, or even want to print your own checks and receipts, this is the machine for you.
How is it Used?
The Formax FD 572 has 6 pre-programmed paper cutting sizes, including: 8.5” into 1, 2, 3 or 4 even cuts 11” into 1, 2, 3 or 4 even cuts; 14” into 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 even cuts. This is ideal for use with checks, coupons, tickets, notices, membership cards and labels. There are 100 memory selections available for custom cutting operations.
And How Much Does it Cost
The Formax FD 572 Cut-Sheet Cutter is $6,650 at Lloyd’s. We’ll throw in free shipping and a gift with your purchase.
Scrapbooking with the Right Paper Cutter
Scrapbooking is a great hobby. It’s creative, relaxing, and sometimes social. Most importantly, it’s a process that creates a tangible record of our lives. So, whether you’re making a scrapbook of your wedding, or a chronicle of the last 40 years, you’ll want tools to do the job right. The first essential tool is a quality precision paper cutter.
Roll With It
You’re investing in this hobby, right? Printing quality pictures, buying different paper and accessories, special pens, and those little thingies that hold the pictures to the paper. The last thing you want is to ruin a picture of Great Aunt Ruth with a dull paper cutter. And, you would hate to waste a piece of that pricey acid-free paper with a mis-measured cut.
I’ve seen the cutters you can get through the scrapbooking club. They’re tiny! There are others available at hobby stores that use a little razor like blade, that dull after just one creative session. To do this right, and to save money, you need a rotary cutter.
Good rotary cutters slide effortlessly on a rail system. The blade depth is adjustable and it’s sharp enough to cut through not just paper, but newsprint, cardboard, plastic films, vellum, aluminum foil, vinyl, and whatever else your creative brain comes up with. And, you don’t just need a sharp blade, you need one that stays sharp (without costly replacements), yet safe enough to have in a house with kids. Plus, your rotary cutter needs to be big enough to hold your project, and should include measurement guides to reference.
You’re creating something to be enjoyed by generations of people in your family. Don’t waste money on something that won’t last, and may ruin parts of your project. Invest in a quality rotary cutter from Lloyds of Indiana to get the job done right every time.