manual die cutters - some considerations

When I started out stamping years ago, the notion of using a die cutter to cut shapes, particularly intricate or delicate shapes, was an attractive one.

I started out with the original red Sizzix. It did the job for quite a while and there are a lot of folks out there who are still quite satisfied with that machine. Tinker a bit and you can use many types of dies and embossing folders. You can emboss with brass stencils, too. The drawbacks to this machine are its weight. It's definitely not portable. It takes a pump type action to use it and you have to manually move your platform through the machine. Some people find that difficult. It also has a narrower opening and a narrower platform so some of the bigger dies (and by this I mean big from the standpoint of width; thickness is not an issue) and most texture plates cannot be used with it. They just won't fit through the opening.

As I recall, the Wizard was one of the next machines that became the subject of many discussions. People like the fact that it's metal and durable. Early on there were complaints that it was difficult to crank dies through, but it cut and it embossed beautifully according to the ones who persisted and learned to love it. I don't have one, so I won't comment any further.

My next foray into the world of manual die cutters came when the Big Shot was released. I liked the Sizzix, but I liked the Sidekick even more. The Big Shot seemed like a bigger version of the Sidekick, so I went with it.

The advantages of the Big Shot in its current incarnation:

• crank action - You simply turn a crank to roll your platform through the machine.
• large platform - This allows the machine to accept all of the non-commercial dies out there. You can also cut multiple dies in one pass.
  
• versatility - It is a die cutter--anything from wafer thin dies to thick dies like the Bigz. It embosses. You can use Cuttlebug embossing folders, Sizzix folders, texture plates like the ones by Sizzix or Fiskars, even brass stencils. Yes, you do need other accessories like an embossing mat, but you'd need those with other machines as well. You can also use a wide variety of materials in it. And with the largest opening of the current die cutters, it can accept all cutting plates--it can be trickier to use competitors' dies if you don't have plates that will fit through your machine.
  
• multipurpose platform - This makes life so simple! One platform, hinged, with tabbed "pages" that allow you to change the thickness. The instructions and diagrams are printed right on the platform. You don't need to memorize or pull out a printout of what "sandwich" to use for which dies or folders. It's all right there.
• durability - I've had my Big Shot for a few years now. If you stop by here often, you know that I experiment a lot. LOL! I tend to challenge this machine by running things through it that people don't normally use. It's done great!
  
• stability - The Big Shot does have a bigger footprint. Space isn't so much an issue for me. It's actually better for me to have a machine that I can use almost anywhere, like the floor or on a counter, or on the dining room table. I tend to move around with my crafting. But the bigger footprint keeps the machine from moving as I crank things through it.
• convenience - I store my cutting plates and multipurpose platform on the bed of my Big Shot. Everything is right there where I can find it.
• longevity - So far it has stood the test of time with me and my experimenting!
  

The disadvantages:

• size - Some people want and need a machine that takes up less space.
• not as portable - The Big Shot doesn't fold up. It does have a handle that makes it easier to carry, but it's certainly larger than the Cuttlebug and the Wizard.

Okay, now about the Cuttlebug. Most of the recent buzz had been about the Cuttlebug, at least until Stampin' Up decided to team up with Sizzix to offer the Big Shot and some exclusive dies. I have one of these and have played with it a bit.

Here are what I perceive to be the advantages:

• size - The machine folds up and takes up little space when folded.
• portable - Because of its small size when folded, it's one of the more portable machines. It's not light though. It still has some heft to it. It has a nice carrying handle, too.
  
• crank action - Again, this is a machine that you roll your platform though.
• suction - When you open up the platform of this machine, the base will attach to the surface of your work area via suction to stabilize it.
• versatility - This machine will take all non-commercial dies, thick or thin. It can emboss with folders, brass stencils, and texture plates given the proper accessories. It should be noted that to use some of the Bigz dies, particularly the XL dies, some tinkering will be necessary to get those to work, but they will fit.

Some disadvantages:

• stability - I don't always use a smooth surface when working, so if the base can't stick to something, I have to make sure to stabilize the machine myself as I roll things through. Even if I am using a smooth surface, the suction can sometimes fail and I'm stuck pinning the machine down myself, especially if I'm in the middle of cranking something through. With the Sidekick there was a separate lever to re-do the suction. With the Cuttlebug you'd have to close and reopen the platform--something you might not be able to do if you're in the middle of cranking.
• sandwiches - I suppose if you use the machine often enough you'll eventually learn all of the sandwich combinations for the various dies, folders, and texture plates. I find that I have to refer to a printout, which is okay, but inconvenient.
• storage - The machine doesn't take up much room, but I do have to have a way to keep the A, B, and C plates all together as well as keep them near the machine. Again, this is something that I find to be a disadvantage given the way that I tend to craft here.
• durability - So far so good as far as my experimentation goes, but I do get the impression that this machine isn't as tolerant of my weird combinations. I can't quite bring myself to push things as far with this machine for fear of breaking it. I know this is very subjective.
• no long cutting plates available for use with the XL dies
  

I'm sure that it's clear that I'm a big fan of my Big Shot. It does everything for me. The multipurpose platform is a big plus! The fact that I can use the Sizzix XL dies and the long cutting plates is also a plus. Add in that I can use the crease pad to cut and emboss Nestabilities dies in one pass and that's another advantage.

The Cuttlebug is a good machine, too. For me it comes in second. I don't mind tinkering and looking for ways to make things work in it, but when it comes right down to it, quicker and simpler and more foolproof will generally win out for me and in most cases that will be the Big Shot way of doing things.

At some point I'm hoping to update a couple of the charts that you can find here. That's on my To-Do list. I'll just remind anyone who may not know that they can always be found in my sidebar in the Tutorials for the Big Shot and Cuttlebug menu. I'm talking about the Die Cutter Comparison chart and the chart showing die cutters and their compatibility with various materials.

It seems like there are a lot of questions out there at the moment about these two die cutters, so I just thought I'd put in my 2 cents since I have both. I'd also like to point out a YouTube video made by Spellbinders that shows how their dies can be used in the Cuttlebug, the Quickutz Revolution, the original Sizzix, and the Big Shot/Big Kick machines. It gives you a good look at how these machines work and what's entailed in cutting and embossing with each. You get a look at the multipurpose platform and at the embossing mats. You won't see the crease pad in use--you'll just have to take my word for it that it can be a simpler process than what was shown in the video. Click on the crease pad label at the bottom of this to read more. Maybe this will help some decide which machine will work best for their needs, because that's what it really boils down to.

two kraft cards

I decided to make some cards using kraft cardstock for a different look.


This first one uses the With Gratitude Cuttlebug A2 embossing folder. I also embossed the patterned cardstock using the Distressed Stripes folder and accented the stripes with some Memento dye ink. The stamp images are all by Chatterbox and stamped using Mementos. I embellished with a couple of Robin's Nest dew drops.


This card was made using the Sizzix XL scalloped card die. I embossed using the new Argyle Cuttlebug A2 embossing folder and one of the new border dies. The patterned cardstock was cut using a scalloped rectangle Nestabilities die and the white layer was cut and embossed using a regular rectangle Nestabilities die. The stamps here were also Chatterbox and stamped using Memento dye inks. I embellished with leaves and a flower by Prima and a Robin's Nest dew drop.

Here are a couple of tips I'd like to mention here:

• Usually 12" long cardstock needs to be used with the XL scalloped die. I cheated since I only had 8 1/2" by 11" kraft cardstock. I used the 11" length, scored, and folded it in half, that is, at the 5 1/2" mark. I then placed the prefolded card so that the fold was parallel to, but about a 1/2" below the scoring bar, and the rest of the card covered the blades. The scallops were cut out, but the fold was left untouched. You could do this using the Cuttlebug as well as the Big Shot. Just a way to "cheat" a little if you don't have 12" X 12" cardstock.
• This next tip is one that I touched on before, but it's worth mentioning again. If you have the Sizzix crease pad, you can use it to simultaneously cut and emboss using your Nesties. That's what I did here and it really is a time-saver! Just use it in place of the clear plate that you'd normally use on top of your stack.

That's it for now. I'll just add that anyone is welcome to enter my celebration giveaway. Feel free to scroll down to see the prize and put your name in for a chance to win if you're interested. And thanks to all who've had such nice things to say in the comments. :-)

2 birds, 1 stone

Nope, this has nothing to do with any nifty stamped bird images or with a polished stone technique.

Sue Nelson of Heartprints read my idea for preventing folder lines when using those Cuttlebug border folders and small folders, and she took it one step further. She had one of her spare B plates cut down to the sizes she could use for the small folders and for those two sizes of border folders. She tacks them down with mini glue dots to keep them from slipping. A person handy with tools like a band saw or scroll saw could do this.

As I was thinking about Cuttlebug users, I could see taking this idea even one step further. LOL! Now we're getting out there, eh? But here's where my mind went with this. Sizzix makes the XL plates that are too wide for the opening of the Cuttlebug. Why not cut these down to where they'll fit through the opening and then save the scraps? You just might have some leftovers the right size for using with those border dies. Remember, some of them are only the width of a craft stick. Just make sure the image is covered by the scrap piece and the edges are not, and you'll be all set. Now that's frugal use of your supplies!

Just a thought. I'm still a fan of my Big Shot and so I don't have any issues with those XL plates, and I'm fine with using craft sticks and shims for my selective embossing. I might consider cutting down one of my cutting plates when I can't use it for cutting any more. It's completely etched by cuts on both sides and it's beginning to crack in places from years of use, but it looks so well-loved! We'll see.

Cuttlebug workaround for those XL Sizzix dies

Okay, it seems like I've spent quite a bit of time talking about Cuttlebug folders and Sizzix dies lately. I thought I'd make some cards this afternoon. It's wicked hot today and a good day to stay inside in air-conditioned comfort. Well, I was cleaning up some of the mess I'd made and had a new idea occur to me. *AHA! moment*

Now, the problem with using those XL Sizzix dies in the Cuttlebug is that the Cuttlebug cutting plates are only about half the length that you need, and the Sizzix cutting plates are long enough but too wide to fit through the machine. You can use the short plates, but because of the way they hit the rollers as the trailing edge passes through, you get a crease in your cardstock. That's the dilemma.

Here's the workaround....


Up above you can see the Cuttlebug, a mostly hidden B plate at the bottom, the Sizzix XL scalloped card die, a piece of cardstock, and.... two of the Sizzix long narrow plates side by side. Together they cover the cutting blades of the die--not the entire die surface, but enough to cut out the entire shape. Because of the way that these roll through, perpendicular to the rollers, the edges don't get pushed down and into the cardstock die cut, leaving an unsightly crease.


See? I wanted to show you that this stack did cut out the full shape of the die and left no creases other than the faint line left by the scoring bar (that's supposed to be there).

Now I'll just let you know about the one other thing that I learned the hard way. You can cut in one pass, but you'll need to use the two B plates end to end at the bottom of the stack. Once you get the stack rolling through and start feeding that second B plate into the machine, keep steady forward pressure on it as you crank! It will tend to want to slip back out. Guess how I know. ;-) Or if you happen to have two pairs of those long Sizzix plates you could use one pair on the bottom and save yourself having to worry about that.

So, I think that's a pretty decent workaround for the Sizzix XL die issue. It's probably the best of the alternatives. Cuttlebug users may have to invest in a pair of these longer narrow cutting plates if they don't have them already, but until there are long cutting plates available for the Cuttlebug, this sandwich combo will at least give decent results.

Addendum to Using XL Sizzix Dies in Cuttlebug

Cindy made a comment in my post about using the XL Sizzix scalloped card die in a Cuttlebug. I thought that her suggestion was brilliant, so I tested it and wanted to post it here as an addendum.


Up above you see the two B plates sandwiched around the Sizzix XL scalloped card die and cardstock. What's different is that this is a 4 1/2" X 12" piece of cardstock that has already been scored and folded! Such a simple change, but it makes using this die with the undersized plates so much easier and foolproof! You know that's what I'm always going for around here, eh?

So, line up the fold of the card with the scoring edge of the die, run it through the Cuttlebug and....


Perfect! No stray creases. Placement is easy because there's no guesswork involved. This is excellent! Way to go, Cindy! Thank you so much for sharing that brainstorm. :-)

So, this will work out great for the scalloped card die and to a certain extent with the other card dies, too. Not sure that it can be expanded for use with some of the other XL Sizzix dies, like the boxes, bags, or the onesie--I don't have any of those to test. For those you might still have to just deal with the crease left by the edge of the too short clear plate unless the design is such that you can roll it almost all the way through, but back out before getting to that trailing edge, then roll through again from the other direction.

Ahhh, that's what I love about the crafting community, the willingness to share and exchange ideas. :-)

Edited to add: Yep, doesn't it figure that I've come up with another workaround for this. Click to read my latest workaround for using these XL dies in the Cuttlebug.

Using Sizzix XL dies in Cuttlebug

Cindy asked me about the scalloped card that I posted the other day. I'm answering here because I want to give Cuttlebug users some hints about using the Sizzix XL dies. I know that I said before that these could probably be used with the Cuttlebug, but I don't think I went into detail. [Please note that since I first wrote this post, I've added at least two other workarounds, the simplest and cleanest of which would be using two plates for Sizzix border dies.]

Yes, the scalloped card was made using that Sizzix XL die. I didn't use it in the Cuttlebug. I used it with my Big Shot and those XL clear cutting plates. Those XL plates are just a bit too wide to fit through the opening of the Cuttlebug, however, so CB users have to improvise. You can use your clear B plates as substitutes, but you'll have to make two passes to cut the full length of the die.

So, here's the scoop on using these XL dies in the Cuttlebug. I'll use the scalloped die as my example. [Let me add here that this is described on the Sizzix site as being 6" wide, but it actually isn't--it's a fraction less and it fits easily into the Cuttlebug. Need proof? See my Catch-all post where I debunk the rumor that Bigz dies won't fit either. :-) ]

You'll need 12" long paper or cardstock cut to a width of about 4 1/2" to cover the cutting surface of the die.


This card die, as well as the other XL card dies, has a metal ridge that scores the card as it cuts it out. I'm pointing this out for a reason! :-) I'm so subtle.


If you place plate B on the die's surface, you'll see that if you align the top edge with the scoring gizmo, the bottom edge comes to the top of that label on the plate. Convenient, eh? Keep this in mind. It'll help you position the plate later.


Here's the stack that I'll run through the machine. From bottom to top: plate B, XL die with cutting side up, paper or cardstock facedown, plate B.


I picked up the stack and aimed it through the slot as you can see above. Those two free ends of the plates made it easier to feed the stack through.


After one pass, you can see that I was just a little off in my placement of the top plate. But this is why I wanted to point out where that score mark would be--if you can align the crease made by the edge of the plate and that score line, then you won't have any stray creases. And actually, as long as you're close you're in pretty good shape. You just don't want it much farther off that I had it here.


So now it's time to make a second pass and cut out the rest of the card. Slide your clear plates to the other end of the die, keeping the paper in place. You can see where the score line should be now and it'll be easier to line up that edge of the plate where it needs to be. If I didn't have the XL plates, I'd probably mark my die at the outside edges so that I could line it up more accurately every time.


There. I was much closer that time, eh?


And here's the die cut folded into a scalloped card.

So, Cuttlebug users, that gives you an idea of what would be involved in using these XL Sizzix dies in your machine. I thought I read a rumor a while back that someone would be coming out with long clear plates that would fit through the Cuttlebug opening, but I haven't heard anything recently. If anyone knows more about this, please feel free to chime in.

Edited to add: I've posted an addendum after receiving a suggestion in the comments. Here's the post: Addendum. I think you'll find that it makes using this die in a Cuttlebug much easier.

more Cuttlebug border fun

I made this first card using the Sizzix XL scallop card die. I embossed the top layer with one of my new Cuttlebug Just My Type embossing borders and cut out the windows using a Sizzix movers and shapers die. The stamped images and sentiment are all by Inkadinkado and stamped using Memento dye ink. I colored the images with Prismacolor pencils blended with the Goo Gone Mess-free pen. The embellishments are Prima leaves. The "berries" are faux dew drops from Michael's.

I like having fun with transparencies. I used a heavy weight transparency as my card base. The green layer was embossed with another one of the new Cuttlebug Just My Type embossing borders. The corner punch was Tonic. The toad and sentiment die cuts are both by Cuttlebug. The toad is attached by a pop dot to lend more dimension. The corner embellishments are Robin's Nest dew drops.

A couple of quick cards

I just love stamping with the Inkadinkado clear Mini Sets. They're such fun!


This first card was stamped using one of the Inkadinkado sets and Memento dye ink and then colored with Prismacolor markers. These inks are great with markers--no smudging or bleeding, and I didn't heat set them. Love that! I embellished with Primas and Robin's Nest Dew Drops.


For this card I used the scraps from some cardstock that I'd cut using the Sizzix XL scalloped card die. The scraps make great waves, especially when layered. Again, the sentiments and images were stamped using Memento dye inks. I'm particularly fond of the London Fog, which I use when I plan on doing some coloring. It's just a bit more subtle than stamping an outline in black ink. This time I colored with my Copic Spica glitter pens. I then went back over that and simulated some fish scales with my Sakura Stardust pen which added most of the sparkle that you can see on the fish in the photo. I'd accented the smaller bubbles with my clear Sakura Glaze pen, and added dew drops on the others. The four toward the bottom of the card are all faux dew drops--the ones from Michael's. The one near the fish is a clear Robin's Nest Dew Drop. It's just a bit smaller and doesn't have as high as profile as the others.

Ahhh, it feels good to be stamping again, even if I'm multitasking and doing laundry, too. :-)

Two cards from before the hiatus

I made these two cards a couple of weeks ago, but didn't find the time to photograph them and upload them until today.


This one was made using the Sizzix XL scalloped card die in my Big Shot. The main flower image and the sentiment are both by Cornish Heritage Farms. The background flower images are by Tim Holtz. I used Core'dinations cardstock cut with a Nestabilities scalloped rectangle die and embossed with the Cuttlebug A2 script embossing folder for the main image layer. I also used the Martha Stewart Lace Doily border punch to embellish.

This next card was a lot of fun to make. I'd found a huge package of chipboard on clearance at Joann's not too long ago. I'd never really used chipboard much. I like the look, but I'm not patient enough to paint it and let it dry, and I'm not enthralled by the notion of covering it with patterned paper and having to do all of that cutting and gluing. Well, the layer with my Inque Boutique sentiment is chipboard and so is the star. They were regular old chipboard color, but I inked them up with Adirondack pigment inks and they looked great! Love the way that pigment ink covers! The colors are so vibrant, too. I embellished the stamping with some accents using my Inkssentials opaque white pen and a black Pigma micron pen, and voila! It was an easy card with some fun added dimension. Can't wait to do more. :-)

8th Anniversary - DCM

It's been a while since I've gone a daring cardmakers challenge. It's just that time of year around here with a lot of end of the school year activities. I had to chuckle when I saw this midweek dare though. I'd just been to Hancock Fabrics to pick up something school-related and had come across some lace remnants that insisted on making their way to the checkout with me. Perfect!

In short, this is the fourth in their series of anniversary-related themes. This time around it's 8th anniversary time and so the call is for cards using bronze, pottery, linen or lace. Here's mine....


This card was made using the XL scalloped card die by Sizzix. The chipboard scalloped heart was cut out with a Nestabilities die by Spellbinders. The stamped images are all by Inkadinkado and stamped with Memento dye inks. The clear heart rain dot embellishment is by Cloud 9 Designs.

Sizzix XL scalloped card die

I figured that I'd invested in those XL clear plates, I might as well get another die to use with them. :-) Any excuse, eh? LOL!


The finished size of this card is 4 1/4" by 5 7/8". I mention this because you have to use 12" long paper or cardstock when using this die. The standard 8 1/2" by 11" just isn't quite long enough to cover the entire length of the cutting surface. This die also provides the folding score for you, just like the A2 card die that I described a while back.

The stamped images are by My Favorite Things and stamped using Memento dye inks. The dot doodles are mine and were made with a Copic warm grey marker. Yep, I'm getting braver about doodling. The embossing was made using a Sizzix texture plate, Flower Power. And in case you'd been wondering, you can selectively emboss with these, too--similar to creative Cuttling. That's what I did in that card--I used that same triple layered chipboard with the heart cutout that I described yesterday. I did have to change my stack to fit this through my Big Shot. Again, if you try this, you'll have to experiment and see what works best for you and your particular machine. Start thin, and gradually add shims so that you don't break your machine! Just a friendly reminder. :-)

Here's the lowdown: I used my multipurpose platform, but with no tab. I also replaced the black Impression pad with the thinner clear cutting plate since I'd added some thickness to the stack by adding in the chipboard cutout. Just FYI, the stack was as follows, from the bottom up: multipurpose platform with no tab selected, texture plate with desired design facing up, card front facing down on top of that, black silicone embossing pad, chipboard cutout, clear cutting plate. I did not mist my cardstock and still got a nice impression. That is an option though if the embossing seems too shallow to you.

For you Cuttlebug users, sorry, I haven't tested this die in the CB yet. I would guess that you could run this huge die through twice using the CB's clear plates, just like I did with the A2 horizontal card die. I'll update when I get a chance to try that and know for sure.

These huge scallops on this card die are a lot of fun, and it's great to have a variety of ways to make scallops on cards!