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#Post#: 2735--------------------------------------------------
Machines?
By: Joan Date: March 23, 2014, 11:11 am
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I was given some money for my birthday and thought when I went
to the Craft show I would buy an embossing/ die cut machine.
That idea was scuppered as all they had was a really expensive
electric one! I have the old big red Sizzix and also a Craft
Robo, neither are used very much! I wondered about a Big shot
or something similar. Please can you tell me if you have a
machine, what it does and which dies you can use. People in
shops say their machines are fantastic but they are just wanting
to sell them! I know a lot of you have machines, I was always
impressed by embossed things Pat used to post. Help needed!
#Post#: 2750--------------------------------------------------
Re: Machines?
By: Nettte Date: March 23, 2014, 8:18 pm
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I have two old red sizzix machines, ex partner found one for
£1.25 in a charity shop and just had to buy it for me!!!
I also have a big shot and a cameo.
As you have the old sizzix, if you still want to be able to use
your steel rule dies in a new machine, you are somewhat limited.
As far as I am aware, the big shot, big shot pro, Vagabond and
eBosser will handle these dies, but the Grand Calibre and
possibly the Joy Travaille will not.
If you want to go A4, you need the Grand Calibre, Joy Travaille,
Vagabond, eBosser or big shot pro.
Electric versions are the Vagabond and the eBosser.
I would love an A4 machine, because I would love to be able to
do large pieces of embossed paper, but the problem for me is
that the machines cost more than I can afford and of course the
embossing folders also cost more as they are bigger.
The wider the machine gets, the less useful it is in the centre
section, so be aware of this. The bars in the machine are held
tightly in place at the ends, but this is not possible in the
middle and the lose some pressure.
I have a cameo and love it to bits, although I don't use it
enough. I love the flexibility of designing my own things,
tweaking existing designs and most of all, being able to resize
- not an option with a metal die!!!! Also, there are about
43,000 designs available to buy on just the silhouette online
store and most are £0.60 each. Soooo much cheaper than the
dies!!! Loads of other designs to buy and also masses and masses
of free ones are offered on many blogs.
The downside of the cameo is that it will not emboss:(((( and if
you are in production line mode, it can be stressy as you can
only cut one sheet at a time, but you can cut up to 12x24 if you
have the large mat and you can space things very close together
to waste as little as possible and get the most out of it.
If you are going to want to cut loads of a particular design for
groups or schools etc, then steel rule dies are best as these
can cut several sheets at a time, they also cut fabric really
well without any messing around with stabilisers.
I have seen the new brother scan cut on tv. It has its good
points but for me it is a no-no. I want to design in detail on
the pc and cut directly from it. Not design, print, scan, adjust
then cut.
The Cricut is bound up in proprietry! the manufacturers don't
want any software other than theirs talking to it. You also need
to buy cartridges, I am not happy having to buy these as I am
sure I would never use a fraction of the contents, leaving the
designs that you do want being very expensive.
The Mi DigiDi in Aus sounded really terrific, but the two people
I know who had them have either sold them or have them up for
sale, so I guess something does not work terribly well on them.
I have heard of other cutting machines, bit know nothing about
them.
I am sure there are many many more options available.
You need to think about what you want out of your machine then
you can match your requirements to the machines available. I am
sure this way, some will very rapidly fall off the list:))))
Quite a ramble, but I hope it helps a bit:))))))
#Post#: 2759--------------------------------------------------
Re: Machines?
By: Joan Date: March 24, 2014, 1:54 pm
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Thanks Nette, i will have to make a list of what I want it to do
and doros and cons! Probably use it more for wmbossing but it
would be good to cut some embellishments but as you say you have
to check what the dies etc cost too.
Hmmm. I shall have to think hard!
#Post#: 2805--------------------------------------------------
Re: Machines?
By: DinkyJenny Date: March 27, 2014, 12:39 pm
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i've just started using my silhouette cameo which was bought at
xmas, and its quite good actually, although it doesnt emboss,
you can cut out on embossed card, which i havent tried yet (only
cos i dont have any lol) but i am slowly attempting different
types of card. I originally wanted an embossing machine but as
i mostly buy embossed card packs alongside plain, i decided
against it. It would be nice to find something like that in a
charity shop lol.
I will put some finished cameo cards into my album soon when my
pc lets me, at the moment the uploader isnt working, and i dont
know why!!! grrrr!
#Post#: 3519--------------------------------------------------
Re: Machines?
By: craftyrae1 Date: May 4, 2014, 9:15 am
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This may be a bit late for you......I have a Cuttlebug, which
cuts the Sizzix Bigz dies, all the steel dies like Spellbinders,
Marianne, Cottage Cutz, etc, etc, plus it will emboss. I also
have an A4 machine from Sullivans, which I can use for the
bigger dies. Also have a Silhouette Cameo, which is terrifific
for cutting, designing your own, etc. Have read a bit about the
Brother Scan n Cut, but it is limited to what it can do. If you
have a printer/scanner already, the Cameo is the better buy -
far less expensive, so many designs available through the
Silhouette store and other sites, plus all the free cutting
files from lovely people like Bird from Bird's Designs
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