"You can buy an ordinary trimmer, or you can invest in a Rotatrim"

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Author Archives: Tim Ogborne

  1. Guide to Choosing The Right Paper Trimmer

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    There are so many options available when looking for a paper trimmer. So, how do you find the right paper trimmer for you? To find out, you need to ask yourself what do you need it for? Is it home use or to use professionally? This is an example of a change that could make a big difference in which paper cutter is perfect for you.

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  2. The Best Paper Cutter for Cards

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    As easy and convenient as it is to buy greetings cards from shops and online, nothing is quite so satisfying as making and sending your own cards to your nearest and dearest.

    When it comes to cutting out your own cards, precision really is the key.

    A straight, square cut will take your card from looking homemade to professional.

    Many card makers and crafters choose to invest in a Rotatrim to ensure precision on every cut.

    What to Look for in a Trimmer

    When looking to invest in a trimmer, the best place to start is by looking for a trimmer that has the whole package. Safety, precision and ease of use should all be at the top of the least.

    A good quality paper cutting machine should be one of the most important pieces of equipment in the craft/card makers kit.

    There are many different makes and models of trimmers on the market so it can be difficult to know which one will be the best choice for you.

    Here we will tell you about the best two trimmers we offer to suit the crafter/card maker’s needs.

    Mastercut Range

    Our Mastercut range is what we could class as our entry level range of trimmers. Ideal for the new starter or occasional crafter.

    The Mastercut range comes in a handy range of sizes from A4 through to A0.

    With its flexible 2-way cut on some models the Mastercut will cut through most material from tissue to card.

    Mastercut Paper Trimmer

    The Mastercut is built with a solid laminate gridded baseboard with a single square chrome steel guiderail which eliminates any head swivel.

    The transparent clampstrip and metal curser allow for accurate work placement whilst the enclosed blade allows the trimmer to be completely safe to use by people of all ages and abilities.

    Pro Range

    The brand-new Pro range is our top of the range, world renowned trimmer. The perfect trimmer for any professional and career crafter.

    Using the finest quality, absolute precision ‘Sheffield’ steel blades and twin stainless-steel guide rails which will eliminate any head swivel the Pro range will cut to absolute precision.

    With a model range from 12” to 54” there will be a trimmer in this range to suit your need.

    The Pro range has a solid 25mm thick laminate grid baseboard with crosshair paper size guides.

    With its completely enclosed cutting head the Pro is completely safe to use by people of all ages and abilities.

    If you would like to find out more about our trimmers, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01234 224545 or via the enquiry form on our contacts page.

  3. How to Safely Use a Rotatrim

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    As you will be aware, the huge selling point of a Rotatrim trimmer is the precession and accuracy of the blades. However, before using a trimmer its worth getting a basic understanding of how your cutter works and how to keep yourself safe when maintaining your trimmer.

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  4. DIY Paper Christmas Decorations You Can Make at Home

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    Paper Decorations You’re Bound to Love

    This is the season to be jolly, but it is also the season that can get expensive! A lot of folks like to spend a fair bit of money on purchasing Christmas decorations. But those looking to save money could consider some DIY decorations. It is not all about saving money though, it is a nice activity for your family and friends to get creative and make some paper decorations. So, with this in mind, let’s look at some paper Christmas decorations that you can begin making in time for Christmas.  (more…)

  5. Paper Trimmer Uses

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    A Rotatrim paper trimmer is a useful piece of equipment for any home, office, workplace or organisation.

    Our trimmers are famed for their longevity, durability and reliability. Made from the finest quality materials including Sheffield Steel our trimmers are built to withstand continual everyday use.

    The unique rotary cutting blade runs along a steel flat blade which works much like a scissor cutting motion while producing a clean, precise cut whilst self-sharpening the rotary blade at the same time.

     

    Scrapbooking

    Scrapbooking is long-established but ever-growing in popularity a people find new ways to combine their photographs and show their crafty side. Scrapbooking is a great way to do this. A great tool to help with you scrapbook is a Rotatrim Mastercut. Our smallest model in this range comes in A4 size so will make cutting and trimming your prints and materials easy and satisfying leaving you with a personalised photo book.

     

    Photo Print Trimming

    When you have taken the photo shot you love and want to frame it to display for friends and family you will naturally invest in the best quality photo paper. Once printed your photo may need to be trimmed to fit your chosen frame or mount. Many people will attempt using scissors, don’t!! It is a lot harder than it would seem to cut in a straight line with scissors and may leave your print looking uneven or not sitting straight in its frame or album. This is where a Rotatrim Professional will become a necessity, every cut will be straight, precise and square leaving all you printed images looking every bit as good as you intended.

     

    Poster or Larger Prints

    If your requirement is for larger than average prints, for example, posters or signage you should look straight to the Rotatrim DigiTech or Technical range where the cut length can be as large as 2.5 metres. So no matter the size of the display or image it can be cut and sized correctly.

     

    Thicker Material

    At Rotatrim we appreciate our trimmers will not just be required to cut photo paper and card but all sorts of different materials in varying thicknesses and sizes. Although our trimmers will not cut the larger quantities that a guillotine would, many of our trimmers have cut capacities of between 3mm and 4mm enabling them to cut and trim tougher material such as Mountboard, Shim Metal and Vinyl, making them ideal for industrial use. Our Rotatrim PowerTech is a favourite for larger companies as it is a large-format power-driven trimmer with a self-clamping strip which is capable of cutting through material 3mm in thickness.

     

    All Crafting Projects

    Essentially wherever you need a clear cut or precise trim a Rotatrim trimmer will be the best piece of equipment for the job. From card making to photo albums, our trimmers can help you achieve the professional finish you deserve. To compliment our trimmers we also offer a range of 5-layer Cutting Mats from A4 size all the way up to 1m x 2m mats. We also manufacture three sizes of Straight Edges, which when combined with our mats, make a great alternative to a full-sized trimmer where space or budget is limited.

     

    At Rotatrim Ltd, we manufacture the worlds finest paper trimmers. For any enquiries please contact us on 44 (0) 1234 224545 or send us a message here.

  6. 6 Reasons Why Every School Should Own a Rotatrim

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    In the classroom, you are likely to see a range of office tools being used from stationery items to printers and laminators. However one, often, overlooked item of classroom equipment is a good quality paper trimmer. Here in this blog, we will discuss why you should ensure that your school has a Rotatrim paper cutter. (more…)

  7. Scrapbooking | Make a home for your photos

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    Thinking of new and creative ways to show your printed images but have run out of frames or space on the shelf?

    Why not try scrapbooking? It could be a fantastic and fun way to store and show your prints, whilst showing off your creative, arty side!

    Scrapbooking is a great hobby to be enjoyed by anyone of any age and any ability, a really fun way to display happy memories and special moments whilst enabling you to put your own individual touch to the presentation by decorating the pages and arranging the prints in your own unique style.

    Here, we bring you some simple steps on how to get started on this fun and fulfilling hobby.

    Things you will need to start your scrapbook

    1. Scrapbook
    2. Photos
    3. A high-quality paper trimmer such as a Rotatrim paper trimmer
    4. A high-quality self healing cutting mat such as a Rotatrim cutting mat
    5. Craft paper, stickers and decorations
    6. Writing and drawing materials
    7. Glue and scissors etc.

    Rotatrim paper cutter

    5 Simple steps to get you started

    1. Decide on your theme or topic

      Scrapbooking is a great way to give your photos a home, a story you can tell in your own words. It can be an amazing holiday or a special moment with a loved one, once you have decided on the topic, it couldn’t be easier to put together. Here are 2 ideas to narrow things down a bit:

      Go small – start with something that means a lot to you.

      Organise your photos around your theme or topic – This can be an easy way to get you focused. A theme around a birthday, travel experience, graduation or holidays with family, any highlight of your life.

    2. Choose your preferred album size

      The standard size of a scrapbook is 12” x 12”but larger and smaller sizes are available in craft stores and on line.

    The size you choose will depend on the amount of photos you plan on mounting, however the standard or smaller size book is a good place to start.

    1. Choosing your photos

      Choose your photos sensibly, good quality photos are best and remember, less is more.

      – Use photos with the best focus and lighting
      – Avoid blurry and dark images
      – Embrace the creative photographer that you are! Choose images that are more than just smiley faces and staged photos, perhaps a baby’s little feet or hands, candles on a birthday cake, an insect on a flower!
      – If possible, print photos on to a matt finish paper as it will be less likely to show fingerprints.

    2. Designing your layout

      Designing a great layout can sometimes be the challenge of scrapbooking. Below are some key points to help you in designing and creating your scrapbook.

      – Choose a focal point on the page. What do you want to draw the attention to? Put your photo on that focal point and arrange your design around this to make it stand out (to the best of its potential)
      – Trim your photos to different shapes and sizes. There is no limit to what you can do, use collages or grids to put smaller images together, this will give you more space to get more photos on your page.
      – Websites such as Pinterest are great places to look to get ideas for your scrapbooks

    – Remember this is YOUR scrapbook, have fun, there are no rules, let your imagination and creative side run free! A scrapbook is something to look back on and not only remember the great images inside but also the enjoyment you had putting something so personal together.

    Get in touch with your enquiry

    We hope you have enjoyed reading the post and have found it helpful. If you are looking into purchasing a new paper trimmer or cutting mats for your craft projects, please visit our product page which highlights all our main paper cutting machine models for more information, we have a wide range of robust and high-quality paper trimmers that are suitable for use in homes, offices and schools. For any enquiry, contact us on 01234 224545 or send us a message via our online contact form.

  8. Why You Should Invest in a Rotatrim Paper Trimmer

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    Are you on the search for a paper cutter

    Using scissors or an art knife with cutting mat to get the perfect edge can be a very tedious task. 

    A paper trimmer is a tool which cuts material in a smooth, gliding action.

    A paper trimmer is designed to handle a small volume of material at one time. 

    A paper cutter is also very handy when it comes to cutting large pieces of material such as posters, banners and photographs.

    What is a Rotatrim paper trimmer?

    Rotatrim trimmers have a round rotary cutting wheel which is encased by a metal or plastic head. The blade moves along metal guide bars and a flat blade to ensure a straight, smooth cut. Rotary trimmers are essential for cutting a perfectly straight line. 

    Paper cutters are used for projects that are precision critical and where multiple cuts are needed. To cut multiple amounts of material, the material is clamped under a clampstrip and butted up to the corner of the measurement rule to give as little movement as possible. Each model has a ruler measured in centimetres and inches.

    Things you should consider when searching for the best paper cutter

    There are many factors that go into deciding on the best paper cutter to suit your needs. Some of the features you should consider before purchasing your paper cutter is the size of material you wish to cut,the type of material you wish to cut, the volume of product you wish to cut at any one point, how the measurements are displayed on the cutter, if the paper cutter has a grid on the body to help with centering and attaining the correct size of cut, the construction and make-up of the trimmer and it’s base. You should also be aware of customer reviews regarding the product.

    Benefits of a paper cutter

    Benefits of using the paper cutting machine include faster cutting, accuracy, the ease of use and the longevity of our products. Our paper cutters are portable and safe to use. 

    Our trimmers have been designed to be safe to use by people of all ages and abilities. Rotatrim paper cutters are made of stainless steel, MDF and other high-quality materials that can withstand heavy and consistent use either in an office, classroom or photo lab. 

    Here at Rotatrim, we understand that when you are looking for a precise, clean-cut a pair of scissors simply won’t cut it! 

    It is worth investing in a high-quality paper cutter to assist with your workload or simply an immaculate finish. If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us on 01234 224 545 or alternatively fill in our online contact form.

  9. Expert tips for printing professional photos

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    Rotatrim were lucky enough to be invited to showcase our world-class paper trimmers at this year’s Photography Show at the NEC in Birmingham. We spoke to loads of talented aspiring and professional photographers, and found that one of the most common issues they faced was ensuring that they printed high-quality, professional photos that truly displayed their brilliant work in it’s best light. If this sounds like an issue you’ve faced, keep reading for our expert guide on printing professional photos.

    With the forecast set to reach a colossal 2.5 billion smartphone users this year, there have never been so many high-resolution cameras available at the touch of a button. More and more camera’s are being used by not just photographers, but DJ’s, musicians, artists, and the rest as an important piece of equipment. Musicians have been moving back to digital camera’s from using their phones because the quality of the print can be compromised. Unlike the previously popular disposable camera, we can now store all our photos on our phones and view them at any time we may wish. Yet we rarely turn our digital images into prints.

    Whether you’re an amateur photographer wishing to take your smartphone photos to the next level, or a professional photographer working from a home office and want to make sure you achieve the highest quality print for your clients, there’s a lot of important information you need to know to get your prints just right.

    To print photos at home, you need a printer, this will generally either be an inkjet or a laser printer. An inkjet printer runs on ink cartridges, whereas a laser printer works with toner powder. Of course, standard devices can also print photos very quickly, but the quality is not to a professional standard.

    Comparing Inkjet and Laser Printers

    In laser printers, the colour dots are relatively wide, because they work with granular toner, which is also melted. Inkjet printers, on the other hand, have ink nozzles that produce tiny dots of colour. Laser printers usually print with four colours, while special photo inkjet printers juggle many more colours.

    Inkjet printers are known and proven to have a better print quality than laser printers. If you want photos with intense colours, smooth colour transitions and clear contrasts, the inkjet is the printer for you. Another advantage of an inkjet printer for printing photos like a professional is that they can use special paper for photos – called “photo paper”. The choice of paper plays a big role in image quality, which is often underestimated.

    The third benefit of inkjet printers is their low purchase price. The purchase is followed by high printing costs if you only use original cartridges from the printer manufacturers. Cheaper and more environmentally friendly are “refill ink cartridges”. Used, empty printer cartridges are cleaned and filled with new ink. This protects the environment as well as your wallet.

    Professional photography setup

    How are the High-Quality Images Produced?

    Traditional inkjet printers have four ink cartridges for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black) – also known as a CMYK printer. Photo printers, on the other hand, also have photo inks for black and white and colour photos. An ink set can contain up to ten individual inks. For example, photo printers print a wider colour gamut than conventional inkjet printers, allowing for much richer, higher-contrast images.

    Optimising your photos on your PC before printing will ensure the photo is clear and crisp. With just a bit of post-processing, you’ll get a lot more out of your shots. There are loads of processing programs available: from simple software to extensive software for professionals. All programs have basic functions. This allows you to crop images and adjust their brightness, colour or sharpness. You can refine these functions: not only regulate the brightness of the whole photo, but also the contrast and the exposure; light surfaces can be highlighted, shadows emphasised. If you want to set as little as possible, the automatic image correction and the red-eye correction are basic options that quickly make a huge difference.

    Adjust the Printer Settings Correctly

    You now have a suitable printer and have optimised your photos – it’s time to print.

    Modern devices offer various settings. You probably already know some of these, such as paper orientation or two-sided printing. There are also options to improve your photo print. These include first and foremost the quality settings, the paper size and the paper type – especially important when printing on photo paper. If you feel like it, you can also have your images printed in mirror image using the printer settings.

    Note: If you want to print fine black-and-white photos, DO NOT use the Grayscale option in the printer settings. Instead, use a black-and-white editing program to colour the images and then print them regularly in colour mode. The reason: especially with conventional inkjet printers for private use, images printed in grayscale mode are far from as colourfast as colour mode prints.

    Once the photo has printed and looks sharp it’s time to frame it. When deciding on your frame be sure to take the style and colour scheme of the room into consideration. Whether your photo is a little too big for the frame, or you want a clean, crisp edge – using one of our high-quality paper trimmers you will be able to achieve just that. Our Professional M12 Paper Trimmer will allow you to cut materials up to 305mm and 3.0mm in thickness, the transparent clamp strip will provide accurate work placement, so no need to worry about slanted or skewed edges.

    Side ruler paper cutter

    You can easily print your photos at home by yourself, especially if you own an inkjet printer. But before doing so, invest some time to optimise your images and set up your printer properly. Investing in some high-quality printer cartridges and photo paper will make those photos pop even more.

    If you would like to find out more about how we can help you, feel free to browse our website. If you have any questions or queries about our paper trimmers and how they can help you print professional photos, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

  10. The Best Rotatrim For You | Everything You Need to Know.

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    In the year 1966, we started up our business and now the world’s largest manufacturer of rotary action cutters. In 52 years, we have been successfully supplying the world with high-quality Paper Cutters, we have produced some incredible new models with adapted features to help you as the customer as much as possible. A UK based company that is renowned for the durability of our products, as well as safety and versatility. We supply a wide range of models, so no matter what size office space you have, there is a large variety of rotary paper trimmers available for you.

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