B. Cutting a Beveled Opening Using Marked Lines
1. Always use a backing sheet when bevel cutting.
2. To release mat guide loosen the black knobs two turns. Slide the mat guide in the angled slots until the front edge of the mat guide is along the increment of the mat guide scale of the border width you wish to cut. Fig 1
3. Lift the handle bar and place a backing sheet on the cutting board. Then place your pre-sized mat board color side down against the squaring arm and to the left against the mat guide.
4. Lower the handle bar. With a pencil draw a line on the back of the mat board using the left side of the cutting bar as a guide. Do this for the remaining three sides of the mat. Fig 2
5. Slide the cutting head into position so that the edge of the metal near the green dot on the indicator plate is directly over the marked line. Fig 3
6. Rotate the bevel blade holder down completely to seat the blade into the mat. TIP: Hold the cutting head firmly enough to not allow it to “creep forward” when first inserting the blade which will produce an overcut. Fig 4 Maintaining downward pressure, pull the cutting head towards yourself until the red dot on the indicator plate is directly over the bottom marked line. Fig 5
7. Rotate the bevel blade holder up to the neutral position and lift the handle bar to an upright position.
8. Turn the mat 1/4 turn to the right and make sure that the mat is down against the squaring arm and against the mat guide on the left.
9. Continue steps 5 through 8 until all four sides are cut.
TIP: Do not push down on the handle bar when cutting, this will flex the cutting bar upwards and prevent the blade from cutting through the mat board.