That is just lovely Ellie, I adore that background paper and of course I have to know who it is by?:D
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That is just lovely Ellie, I adore that background paper and of course I have to know who it is by?:D
Thank you Susie.
It's from Kaisercraft Frosted Collection.
Some lovely papers in their Christmas papers.
I bought a die from the range today.
Not the tonic wreath one, but a wreath from,
Creative Expressions. It was a toss up between that and one fron X-Cuts.
I have just used it, with varying degrees of success . One properly
cut one ,out of three attempts.
I struggle getting the right amount of pressure for the card.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't!!
Still got to keep trying.
Ellie
Wow, you lot have been busy !! Some great cards there.
Ellie, you're making good headway with your Christmas cards, I must follow your example :)
Hopefully I can show something here before the end of the month
Alison, thank you for the lovely messages, you're very kind. You're right, both Ellie and Elaine have made an amazing amount of Christmas cards, I am so jealous!:)
Ellie, I love Creative Expressions dies they cut beautifully. Which die cutting machine are you using?
Susie, I'm using an XCut Express machine. I got it earlier this year, but
haven't used it much. I seem to get the pressure wrong on the card
or paper that I'm using. I've watched tutorials, but sometimes it works,
and sometimes it doesn't. Will keep trying.
I've managed 3 wreaths so far.
Ellie
Ellie, I'm not sure if this is going to make you feel better or worse but here goes... I also had the X-Cut, in fact I tried three different machines and not one of them would cut properly. If I was using a big die, it would cut, then not cut, then cut and then not cut all along the same die, very weird.
The first machine went back and Docrafts said it was faulty and there was an 'acceptable' 3% that wouldn't work. The next machine was the same and so was the one after that. I thought it was just me not being very good but eventually they changed the machine to another make and it works like a dream.
I was lucky that the company I bought it from were amazingly understanding and I can send you photographs of the problems I had if you want to see if they are similar to yours.
What I wanted you to know is that it probably isn't you, it may well be the machine. Don't forget, these machines have a lifetime guarantee on them so if it isn't fit for purpose you should be able to return it. I know other people think they are the bees knees but for me to have three machines that didn't work says something.
I doubted myself so much I took it into two craft shops that sell them and they couldn't believe it and when they went back to the on-line store they couldn't get them to work either. Smaller dies were not much of a problem if I used them right on the outer edge just bigger dies, would you like to see a photo if that helps? By the way, I watched the tutorials too, but they won't help if the machine isn't working properly.
Thanks for that Susie.i have taken a photo of the ones I've managed to
sort of do.
The white one didn't cut the middle , the red one cut some of the middle,
and the brown one was all skew whiff. The die had moved, so I just
removed the middle. It cuts the flower singly ok.
The other red one it partially cut
Ellie.
Can you see how the cutting mat has bowed,
Is that normal, perhaps it's that!
Ellie
No, I've used far more warped cutting mats than that and they bow very quickly from X-cut. I'll post the photo's of mine and you'll soon see that you're not alone.
How much pressure are you using on the dies and what make are they?
Here's one example. You can see how it tried to cut, then cut the middle perfectly then wouldn't cut the other end. Hope this isn't too big a photo.
Attachment 192679
On this one you can see how it cut the inner edge of the of the bottom die but when it was put through again it didn't cut in the same place.
Attachment 192680
Yep, I can see what it like, and mine is doing the same, missing bits.
I've tried different pressures, but 5and a half seems the most acceptable.
Thanks for your info.
I will persevere a bit longer, and if it's still the same I will take it back.
What card stock do you use?
Ellie
Finally, bearing in mind these are 3 different machines all with the same problem, still it doesn't want to cut the edge but cuts further up and then stops again. Yet when I put the circular die in it started to cut a few little holes quite cleanly. It was a nightmare. It was okay cutting small dies on the edges but I wanted a machine to take the dies my cuttlebug couldn't. I never had this sort of problem with my cuttlebug and thank goodness I don't have this problem now.
Okay, it won't let me upload another photo at present, but you get my drift. I'll send it if and when I can.
The trouble is if you are using A4 card and large dies there is no way you rotate the die and card stock so it cuts on all outer edges and I personally don't think you should have to go to all that trouble. If some machines can do it why can't they all!
I'll get off my soapbox now but I spent about 2 years messing about with these machines and I'd given up until I was in a craft shop and started chatting with the girls and they reminded me the machine had a lifetime guarantee.
Ellie, I tried a variety of card stock, the one in the picture was a 250gsm. I wanted to cut a die in the centre of the card (eventually) and fold the card in half, so I couldn't cut it down to A5 as I didn't want to mat and layer it.
I can now cut that card stock no problem. You could try using shims but the whole point of having the dial is to do away with the shims and all that messing about.
The store told me to reduce the pressure and not to worry if I broke the machine but all I did was pull a muscle in my chest. It isn't supposed to be that difficult and I wouldn't suggest you try putting on too much pressure because I can see part of your design is cutting but part isn't.
Yes that's good to know Susie, I will keep it in mind.
And yes I did try turning the A4 card, and as you say it doesn't work.!
I agree, why should you have to.
Oh well back to the drawing board :lol:
Ellie