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I bought and returned a Gemini Jr. to HSN because the 2nd time I ran a die through it got stuck. Now I have read the reviews on HSN and find it's only got a 50% rating as many people are having trouble with it getting jammed or not cutting. I agree some dies are not made for the machine and/or material being used to cut. However it took over a week for Crafter's Companion to get back to me to tell me how to release the die. They should publish this in the manual. Hold down the middle button for 10 sec. and it will release. I had already shipped the machine back to HSN by the time I found out the release button. It's like someone either gets a wonderful machine that works, or one that does not. I'm now waiting to see what Jennifer McGuire thinks in her review of it and the new Sizzix Big Shot Express coming up soon I hope. Lesson learned the hard way......READ THE REVIEWS
HSN has 115 reviews for the Gemini Junior with an overall 4 star rating. There are 86 4/5 star ratings and 23 1/2 star ratings. Answering the question "would you recommend this to a friend" is optional so isn't on everyone's radar or some may take the question literally so don't reponsd or answer "no" if they don't know someone else who die cuts. IOW, that one question doesn't usually reflect the ratings.
Some 1-stars are by people maybe unfamiliar with die cutting. For example, some reviewers say it's impossible to make dies stay in place. So they don't know to use washi or the like.
One reviewer said the packaging was terrible, hard to open, too heavy and there was so much to recycle. Huh? The box has an easy-open tab and there are two moderate sized pieces of foam. I was so impressed with the packaging I emailed a friend about it.
Another person said an embossing folder from the bundle didn't fit. Could she have been using it sideways? Or if too thick, not using the right sandwich?
I agree CS leaves a lot to be desired. I left two phone messages and twice used their on-line form, and finally got a short email that didn't answer my question. I basically responded with, "You don't have an emailed auto-response, your CS extension doesn't alert you that you won't be called back, no one answers their phone and I get a two-line non-response?" The rep apologized profusely, said they felt terrible since they pride themselves on good CS, and offered me a $20 coupon. My sense is the office is tiny and they get backed up - maybe due to HSN. They apparently stand behind their warranty, but don't expect much beyond that, at least during peak sales times.
Just my take - YMMV and should.
Last edited by bjeans; 01-18-2018 at 07:57 AM..
Reason: Spacing
shopduchess, were you happy with the die cutting up until the point of the jam and lack of CS response/info telling you how to clear it? And was the jam with a sandwich listed the manual? (Obviously I'd like to avoid a jam, but appreciate your explaining how to fix one.)
Thanks for all of the great info here! I've got my eye on the Gemini Jr. and am working up the nerve to spend the $$. I'm kicking myself that I didn't catch it on HSN.
Thanks for all of the great info here! I've got my eye on the Gemini Jr. and am working up the nerve to spend the $$. I'm kicking myself that I didn't catch it on HSN.
Good morning ladies.....another fabulous SCS thread going on here!! I just saw Jennifer McGuire this morning in one of her videos here saying that shes used her Vagabond Jr. because it cuts intricate dies really well. That is definitely one of the things I'm looking for in a machine, so I've been researching it all morning. Thanks for all the information from all of you here. The other thing I'm looking for in a machine is deep embossing. I find any machine I've ever used gives me deep embossing when I use an embossing folder, but I've never used a machine yet that gives me good embossing when using a thin steel die. I LOVE the look of just a simple rectangle with the edges deeply embossed (think Spellbinders rectangles) but I've never found anything that works to my satisfaction. Can anyone tell how the Vagabond (or Vagabond Jr.) measures up? Thanks, ladies!
You clarified in a later post you meant Gemini or Gem Junior. (That kind of mistake is so me! : )
I'm not sure how to answer because what might be deep enough embossing for me might not be for someone else. But I like that look you're talking about too, have Spellbinders Card Creators A and B, plus their small Classic Squares, which I've used for centered, embossed squares with more than one outline on my Cuttlebug.
But if you want me to try something specific using the Gemini Junior, just post what you'd like. I can try to take a photo though with my old cell phone and no color contrast who knows if it would show up well.
I bought the Gemini Jr at the launch from HSN in November and luckily, have had great luck with mine. Packaging was great, no issues. Cutting and embossing following the sandwich in the manual works very well. If something happened to my Gemini Jr I would replace it. I was having such a hard time cranking my Cuttlebug that I've had since about 2009, I was giving up trying to use it. I was able to order my Gemini Jr for the $149.95 bundle sale price and so glad I did. I definitely recommend it. But, just to be safe, I recently ordered extra plates for it from their web site in California. I am using it quite a bit now and if something happened to any of my plates (clear plates, plastic plate, magnetic plate, metal plate, and rubber mat) I didn't want stranded since no one locally sells them. I hear Holly Lobby carries Crafters Companion, but there aren't any stores near me.
Last edited by mac4551; 01-18-2018 at 01:33 PM..
Reason: for to add that I ordered extra plates from the web site
