Stack cutters are very useful machines. They can be used to cut down card stock, prints, business cards and so much more. There is a new stack paper cutter in town called the Tamerica Guillomax Plus. This cutter has been around for about ½ a year. So, the question of the day is: Is this a paper cutter you should consider buying? I’ll give you some of the pros and cons.

First off, the Guillomax Plus is eerily similar in look and design to the MBM Triumph 4705 stack paper cutter. The handle design, the clamping mechanism, the adjustable backstop and the Plexiglas guards all make the Guillomax Plus look like a Triumph clone. This is a good thing.

Because this cutter appears to be a reverse-engineered Triumph, it works in a very similar way. The handle pulls down in a similar way. The cutting resistance is about the same. Making length adjustments with the backstop is just as easy as well.

My favorite feature of the Guillomax Plus is the included stand. This isn’t just a flimsy sheet metal stand. This is a solid metal stand that is designed to be used with the Guillomax Plus.  The price is about $1,000 less than the Triumph 4705 as well, which is a pretty good deal.

The biggest con with this paper cutter is that it is relatively new and doesn’t have the time-tested trials our other stack cutters have. Tamerica, however, is a reputable company.

Overall, I really like the Tamerica Guillomax Plus. Time will tell if this becomes a customer favorite, but I feel it is off to a very good start. You will find the Tamerica Guillomax Plus stack paper cutter here. You will find our entire selection of stack paper cutters here.

Not all paper cutters are created equal, especially when it comes to precision cutting. There are several reasons for this.  If you are a photographer, or require precision cutting, you may want to consider using a Rotatrim Professional “M” Series paper trimmer. These Trimmers used to be known as the Rotatrim Mastercut series.

Why choose Rotatrim and what is so nice about the Professional line of paper cutters? There are several reasons why Rotatrim is the king of rotary (roller) paper trimmers and cutters. I am going to break down this cutter and explain why you may want to consider using a Rotatrim.

• Cutting Blade: The cutting blade is really big in this Rotatrim cutter. This allows the blade to easily cut through thick paper and card stock without stumbling. Smaller blades require more force to get the same job done.
• Rails: The Rotatrim Professional series paper cutters use two round rails. This adds a lot of extra stability to the cutting blade. If you have ever used an alternate rotary trimmer, you may have noticed how much play there is in a single-bar system.
• Clamping Mechanism: The Rotatrim Professional series paper cutter has a plastic clamping mechanism that keeps paper in place. The clamp is activated by the cutting head, which means the maximum amount of cutting pressure is being applied where the blade is cutting.
• Base: Many rotary paper trimmers and cutters use a folded sheet metal base. Rotatrim uses a wood bade which is much heavier. Because the base is heavier, there is a lot less movement in the cutter on the surface of a table. This allows for straighter cuts.

Rotatrim paper cutters are no longer just being used by photographers. There is a growing movement in the scrapbooking world by scrapbook to start using Rotatrim cutters. Most realize Rotatrim costs more than a Fiskars or Purple Cow trimmer, but they also realize that the Rotatrim cutter will last a decade or more and the cutting quality is unsurpassed.

There are eight different sizes available. These are the M-12, M-15, M-18, M24, M-30, M-35, M-42 and M-54. The number is the length of the trimmer in inches.

I like to think that I am open minded when it comes to Rotary paper trimmers. I have used Carl, Dahle, Fiskars, Keencut, Foster and other cutters. I have to say that Rotatrim is the king of them all. You can find our Rotatrim Professional Series paper cutters here. Our entire line of rotary paper trimmer and cutters can be found here.

I recently had an opportunity to play around with the Dahle 852 stack paper cutter. I did more than just play around with it. I got to pull it out of the box and assemble it. A few of my first thoughts as I put it together were, “safe, easy-to-use and stylish.” It is made from solid metal, not just slabbed together sheet metal.  This is my official review of the Dahle 852 premium stack paper cutter.

First off, Dahle has taken a different approach to this stack cutter versus previous designs. One of the most notable differences is the ambidextrous handle, able to be used by left or right-handed operators. The handle literally comes right out of the center of the table. Other manual stack cutters have the handle coming from the side, which is ideal for right-handed operators.

The Dahle 852 stack paper cutter is one of the most affordable stack cutters in its class. The optional stand has a shelf for storing paper and is especially nice if you don’t have a table or countertop for a cutter. The base is made from solid steel and is very solid. The stand isn’t required. You can save a little money and simply put it on a table or work bench. The cutter comes with rubber pads for use on a table or counter.

The backstop is a little simplistic, which is pretty common for Dahle stack cutters. The backstop is adjusted by loosening a dial, which then allows the operator to manually slide the backstop forward and backward. The backstop points to a measuring ruler on the side of the machine that gives the operator an idea on where the cut will be made.

One really cool feature about the Dahle 852 is the laser guide. A laser is built into the housing of the cutter that paints a line on the paper, letting you know exactly where the blade will cut. Along with this feature is a lighted control panel on the left side of the machine that lets you know at what stage you’re at in the cutting process.

Safety features are nice, including a safety Plexiglas shield that has to be brought down prior to making a cut. There is a shield on the front and the back of the machine.

Cutting sticks are sometimes tough to change on stack paper cutters, but the Dahle 852 makes it really easy. Simply push down on a button and the cutting stick pops out. It’s that easy.

The clamping mechanism on the Dahle 852 is very different from most manual stack cutters. Where most stack cutters have a separate lever and control for the clamp, the Dahle 852 engages the blade and the clamp at the same time.  Although the clamp is different, I never experienced a problem cutting paper with it.

My overall impressions are pretty high. The cutter is clearly made from high quality metal and the machine is well constructed. Using the optional stand is awesome and assembly is pretty simple. You will find this cutter in print shops, copy shops and other organizations where reams of paper are cut daily. You will find the Dahle 852 stack paper cutter here.

Have you used this cutter? Post your comments here!

So you need a stack paper cutter and are considering the Dahle 842 stack and ream paper cutter. So what are some of the advantages and disadvantages and is this a cutter you should consider? Here are a few things you may want to consider prior to purchasing a Dahle 842 stack paper cutter.

This cutter feels and operates much like many other manual stack cutters, such as the Triumph 4205. In fact, the clamping mechanism and the lever arm is extremely similar to the way the Triumph 4205 works. This is a good thing. The angled lever arm gives the user enough leverage to easily slice through paper.

Although this cutter is very similar in look and design to a Triumph stack cutter, I don’t personally feel they are on level ground quite yet. I would rate the Dahle 842 cutter as a small to medium-volume cutter, but not up to the level of high-volume cutting the Triumph machines are capable of.

However, priced under $1,000, I would definitely consider using this cutter over other Chinese-made stack cutters. The Dahle stack cutter is German engineered and built, so the build quality isn’t bad.

Who uses the Dahle 842 stack cutter? This cutter is most ideal for copy shops, schools, churches and other organizations that need to cut down brochures, printouts and more. At less than 100 pounds, this cutter can be used on a table or countertop, however, an optional steel stand is available.

At under $1,000 and with current free shipping, the Dahle 842 stack cutter may just be your most affordable way of getting a stack paper cutter. You will find our Dahle 842 stack paper cutter here.

Questions? Post them here.

So you’re in need of a stack paper cutter, but don’t have the budget to buy a high-end Triumph cutter. So what do you do? Have you considered the Tamerica Guillomax stack cutter? If you’re on a limited budget, you may want to consider it. You will find our Tamerica Guillomax Stack Cutter here. We have one of these cutters in our showroom and I had a chance to play around with it.

To begin with, the Guillomax is much cheaper (in price) than most other manual stack paper cutters. This is due in part to the fact that it is made in China versus Germany (like Triumph and Dahle). Manufacturing costs are simply going to be lower when made in China.

The stability definitely isn’t there when compared to a Dahle or Triumph model. This isn’t to say it’s going to fall apart on you, but the handle has some play in it that I’m not used to. The blade itself, however, seems to be pretty stable and the cuts I have made so far seem to be accurate and reliable.

Setting up the backstop on the Tamerica Guillomax is pretty easy and straightforward. You first loosen the backstop knob, where you then manually slide it back and forth on a rail and then tighten it back up once adjustments are done.

The cutting process doesn’t require much manual effort. It isn’t as easy as a Triumph cutter, but you won’t be using the Guillomax as much as you would a Triumph cutter anyway.

Safety features in the Guillomax aren’t the same as in a Triumph cutter. There is no safety Plexiglas guard in place, so keep that in mind. The blades themselves are very sharp and seem to get the job done, but they cannot be re-sharpened like the Triumph blades. Once the blade is dull, it has to be replaced.

My biggest annoyance with the Tamerica Guillomax is the cutting stick. As with any stack cutter, the cutting stick has to be rotated every so often. Getting the cutting stick out and back in is a beast of its own. It can be done, but don’t be surprised if you’re at it for 5-10 minutes.

My overall feeling about the Tamerica Guillomax is that it’s a decent cutter for the price. You can’t expect a cutter of the quality found in Triumph for $500 or less. I wouldn’t use this cutter for high-volume jobs, but it is more than adequate for low to medium-volume jobs.

If you need to make more than a dozen cuts per day, you may want to consider going with the Dahle 842 or the Triumph 4205.

Have you used the Tamerica Guillomax? Post your thoughts.

Stack paper cutters are useful machines. They can be used to cut reams of copy paper, stacks of cardstock paper and much more. They are commonly found in printing presses and can even be used to cut down business cards. The MBM Triumph 4205 is one of the best examples of quality and precision in a manual stack paper cutter. You will find the MBM Triumph 4205 stack cutter here.

If I were to come up with a comparison, I would have to say Triumph is the Porsche of the stack paper cutter world. These things are nice. German engineered and German built, the Triumph 4205 is designed to last for years. The Triumph 4205 replaces the popular Triumph 3905 stack cutter.

Although the Triumph 4205 is a manual cutter, and does not have the bells and whistles of digital / programmable designs, I would consider this cutter to be capable of commercial and industrial cutting jobs with its only limitation being speed.

So I have personally used this cutter, in fact we have one out on our showroom floor right now. It is very similar to the 3905 with one significant change. The cutting sticks are now much easier to change because they now slide out from the side of the cutter. The older 3905 required that you fish the cutting stick out from within the machine.

The cutter itself has several safety features. The cutting blade won’t work until the Plexiglas cover is down, preventing bodily injury. There is also a lever that has to be pulled before the cutting arm can be brought down, requiring two hands.

The arm is geared in such a way that it requires very little effort to pull down. I have actually tried cutting a stack of paper using only my pinky finger, and it worked!

Adjustments are easy enough. The backstop is adjusted by using a handle located on the front of the machine. A ruler-style measuring device is positioned next to the backstop, making measurements easy.

The only weakness I feel this cutter has is the clamping mechanism. It is a manually set pressure-style clamp that is engaged by pulling down a handle. As long as the handle is pulled down properly, you won’t have any problems. If you haven’t pulled down the handle enough, there could be some play in the paper, causing crooked cuts. If this is a concern, we do sell the Triumph 4705 that uses a screw-style clamp that is more effective. You will find the MBM Triumph 4705 here.

I hope you have enjoyed this review. Please feel free to post any questions or comments you have about the Triumph 4205.