AltosEzMat

Why Alto's?

	WHY BUY ALTO'S MAT CUTTERS? Three traditional ways to mat your work: • Using a T-Square and a utility knife - difficult and exasperating. • Using costly "professional" machines that range in price from $600 to $1,200 - difficult to set up and maintain in working order. Less expensive machines are compared below. • Paying someone else outrageous prices to cut mats for you (we've seen from $25 to $65 for just one double mat!) Alto's offers a Simple Alternative to an expensive tradition: The 4501 allows you to easily cut "professional quality" mats • in less time • with less frustration • for less money • How can we make this claim? By combining excellence in engineering and manufacturing, we are able to keep our cost down while producing a top quality tool. • Alto's Mat Cutting Tools will pay for themselves by cutting your first few mats.


	Frequently Asked Questions		Alto's 4501 and 4505 Mat Cutting Systems

	LIFETIME WARRANTY?		YES!

	Complete, thorough INSTRUCTIONS?		40 pages - set-up, simple, to advance

	SUPPORT SERVICES? If we are not the best, call 1-800-225-2497 and tell us how to improve.		800#, Books, Video

	CUTTER - Material?		Indestructible glass-filled nylon

	CUTTER - Degree of Bevel?		45°

	CUTTER - Soft Edges, Comfortable to Hold?		Yes Ergonomic: Design factors intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort.

	CUTTER - Fits the Hand?		Yes Long pivot for blade entry. Uses the entire hand. Easier to use than most other cutters for people who are arthritic or have weak hands.

	CUTTER - Fully Exposed Blade Point?		Yes

	CUTTER - Automatic Blade Retraction?		Yes

	CUTTER - Corners Without Overcuts?		Yes A square corner without overcuts is the norm rather than the exception.

	CUTTER - Easy to Set Blade Depth?		Yes Simply turn an exposed thumb screw up or down for setting blade depth. Necessary for different mat thicknesses, inlays, and various other techniques.

	CUTTER - Attach to the Straightedge?		No With our design it is not necessary for quick and accurate results. Hundreds of thousands of customers have proven it.

	CAPACITY - Border Widths?		4501 - 6" border width, 4505 - 8" border width. The 4501 handles most people's needs. If larger border widths are needed, "how to" is provided in the instructions.

	CAPACITY - Edge Lengths?		Any length Simply start your cut, remove the cutter handle, slide mat, reinsert blade before the end of the last cut, move forward to finish cutting.

	OPERATIONS - Quick Change of Border Settings?		Yes Simply pick up the cutting guide and relocate the arm - a fast, accurate method.

	OPERATIONS - Instant Reading of Settings?		Yes Instantly see the setting at any 1/8" increment by reading the number on the arm and the fraction on the post unit.

	OPERATIONS - Exact Settings?		Yes Every time a hole is placed over a post the setting is always exactly the same - very accurate!

	OPERATIONS - Infinite Settings?		Yes Setting the arms on the posts at any 1/8" increment will provide 99.9% of your desired settings. If settings are needed in between the 1/8" increments, simply move out the thumb screws on the handle to the desired width. Marks on the Model 45 are provided for 1/16" settings. Less than 1/16" settings are possible.

	OPERATIONS - Quick Parallel Movements?		Yes Quick parallel movements mean that additional border designs are easy to make. Such as French Matting, Southwest designs, Inlays, Art Deco designs, Victorian designs, etc.

	LAYOUT TECHNIQUES - Speedy Layout of any Design?		Yes Pick up the cutting guide and relocate to any desired border width. Simply set the cutting guide at any 1/8" increment, insert the matboard, draw reference lines. Ready to cut. Easy and quick to set for different border width designs. Easy to return to the same setting for cutting.

	LAYOUT TECHNIQUES - Multiple Layout without Math?		Yes The positioning of the cutting guide is fast because the cutting guide is moved post by post. One post movement is 1/8", two posts is 1/4", etc.

	CUTTING TECHNIQUES - Cutting of Edges Fast and Easy?		Yes With Alto's Model 45 you can see exactly where the blade point inserts. Adjustments can be made for different thicknesses of matboard.

	CUTTING TECHNIQUES - Recutting an Exact Edge?		Yes To recut an edge later (for example, if on your first cut the blade depth was improperly set), the cutting guide exact positioning will line up the blade exactly on the cut.

	CUTTING TECHNIQUES - Are Multiple Openings Cut Easily?		Yes Simply locate the mat under the cutting guide and over the center section of the stops for quick layout and cutting. The soft edges of the stops will not damage the mat. "How to" is provided in the instructions.

	CUTTING TECHNIQUES - Are Narrow Borders Cut Easily?		Yes Placing a 2" mat strip against the stops and placing a mat against the 2" strip enables one to set the guide and cut a 1/4" border. "How to" is provided in the instructions.

	SPECIAL TECHNIQUES - Cutting Exact Sized Mosaics?		Yes Only Alto's 4501 and 4505 Mat Cutting Systems can quickly cut mosaics of exact repetitive sizes. Cut a series of parallel strips, turn the mat 90 degrees and cut more parallel strips. Little beveled squares are the result. "How to" is provided in the instructions.

	SPECIAL TECHNIQUES - Scoring for Surface Inlays?		Yes Parallel movement and exact positioning of the cutting guide provide the accuracy needed for scoring an inlay in a mat and cutting an identical inlay in another mat for replacement.

	SPECIAL TECHNIQUES - Drawing of Parallel Lines?		Yes Expect to save 80% to 90% of the time needed for laying out and inking a French Mat design. Placing a single line for artistic emphasis is quick, accurate and easy.