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Help! Marred both top and bottom Big Shot cutting plates with single die cut
I've read and watched many tutorials about die cutting before getting a Big Shot for my bday this week, many of which said to keep one of your cutting plates clean and nice while only cutting/marring the other plate. Well, the first die I ran through my big shot cut into the bottom plate of course but also drastically marred the top plate as well with the impression of the top of the wafer thin die. When I placed a piece of cardstock between the cutting plates and ran it through the Big Shot, my "supposed to be nice top plate" was marred enough to emboss marks into the cardstock. So despite my best efforts, neither plate remains "the nice plate" after just one use! What am I doing wrong? I'm assuming the top plate (when the cutting blades of the die are facing down) should not be getting marked up, just the bottom plate. FYI, I had my extended multipurpose platform on tab two and sandwiched a My Favorite Things Die-Namics between two cutting plates (cutting blades facing down). Help, I feel like I can't touch my Big Shot anymore until I get this figured out. Thank you so much for any advice you can share!
I just opened a fresh pack of plates and they got marred with the first use, also. I guess that means our machines have the right pressure for quality cuts. I've seen people using plates that you can't even see through anymore but they still work. I toss mine way more often than that.
Mary Beth
Try as I might I always end up with some marks in my "nice plate". Most of plates are scratched beyond belief and they work fine. If you are getting scratches in your paper, you can always put a piece of scrap printer paper between the paper and the plate. I prefer to put my die cut side up, good side of paper down towards the cut edges and then I rarely get scratch marks and it helps me keep my "nice" plate clear.
The bottom line is at sometime you'll have to replace your plates just like refilling an ink pad. It's part of the cost of using the machine.
As the others have said, it's completely normal. I get scratches and dents on both sides. I don't know if anyone else remembers this, but way back when the original Sizzix machine - the one with the lever that you had to press down - was the only machine consumers could buy, the company did something that was really annoying. They did a "test cut" on every plate, so that when you purchased new cutting plates, they already had cut marks in the shape of the die they used. I found this really annoying, but as soon as I started using the plates, the original cuts quickly became mixed in with the rest.
You all are wonderful. Thank you for responding so quickly and clearing that up! I'll have to play around with facing the die cut side up and see if that lessens the pressure on the "nice" cutting plate, but good to know it really doesn't matter. And thanks for the tip about putting in an extra sheet of paper to protect the cardstock from getting embossed with scratches.
Always keep a clean unused plate on bottom - it will never get cut. Then die, cutting side up, then paper (tape if you need to) then grungy plate. Intricate die cuts will NEVER be a problem again if you always do this.
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I never knew until a few years that you might want to keep one plate for cutting and one nice. My cuttlebug is 8 yrs old and I have the original plates. They are both a mess and work fine!
Don't worry!
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
Mine are both a mess too..... also - the new plates (with rounded edges) seem less durable than the old ones...? I had mine a little crooked in the machine and it chewed up the side of one plate. :(
Always keep a clean unused plate on bottom - it will never get cut. Then die, cutting side up, then paper (tape if you need to) then grungy plate. Intricate die cuts will NEVER be a problem again if you always do this.
I just ordered a new set so I will endeavor to do this . Sometimes I like the look of the grungy plate adding texture but other times not so much
Mine are both a mess too..... also - the new plates (with rounded edges) seem less durable than the old ones...? I had mine a little crooked in the machine and it chewed up the side of one plate. :(
I've had that happen to ef's that were slightly sticking out . So frustrating
I can't imagine placing the die with cutting side up then covering with cardstock! How can you tell where it's actually going to cut? I think the magnetic platform was created for using with blade side down on top of cardstock, which holds the cardstock in place.
Plastic plates can't help but get marred with all that pressure. It's no problem.
I can't imagine placing the die with cutting side up then covering with cardstock! How can you tell where it's actually going to cut? I think the magnetic platform was created for using with blade side down on top of cardstock, which holds the cardstock in place.
Plastic plates can't help but get marred with all that pressure. It's no problem.
For me, 95% of the time I'm cutting plain cardstock or Bristol paper so I don't need to see anything except is the die is fitting inside the piece of paper. IMHO the die adheres better to the mag plate with the flat side towards to magnets.
I can't imagine placing the die with cutting side up then covering with cardstock! How can you tell where it's actually going to cut? I think the magnetic platform was created for using with blade side down on top of cardstock, which holds the cardstock in place.
Plastic plates can't help but get marred with all that pressure. It's no problem.
I just stick a small bit of washi or micropore tape on it if placement is important. You can see some card makers doing that in their videos too.
My 'keep it nice' platee. Has a few cut marks in it where I've accidentally cut up instead of down but it is a lot less marked than my other plate.Also, brand new machines have a lot more pressure so the marking of the top plate purely from the pressure should dissipate over time.
Remember that the plate has 2 sides so maybe use one side with intricate dies and the other with nesting dies.
I just wish marked plates were my only problem. You can work around that as advised above. The newer beveled edged sizzix plates "bow"'so much they do not produce a good cut. I can "ruin" a plate in twenty cuts. I tried all the cutting and straightening advice out there and all it does is cost me valuable time. I just threw out $120.00 worth of plates in frustration and bought a different brand new machine. It turns out it will not cut my favorite snow flakes and other xmas dies that are not thinlets or steel die. (Namely the small padded sizzlets and some full frame memory box dies) So back to a new big shot on a Black Friday deal.
Agree with Dini and Estamps completely about premature bowing of the thinner "new" Big Shot cutting plates. You can give yourself a headache reversing, flipping, manipulating position, etc. etc. etc. to prevent the distortion that inevitably occurs no matter what you do. The rounded edge also makes it more difficult to visualize the penciled cut line on partial die cuts. My last treasured set of the straight edge plates is close to extinction. Sigh.
I keep a set of plates for embossing only. Took a fat sharpie and wrote in large letters Embossing Only. Even those - the new style - are warping with my very old loved big shot. Very frustrating as I agree with all the comments on the fact that the new style is not as sturdy. I am trying to use my little purse boutique for embossing instead of my big shot.I actually broke the shaft off one of my big shots trying to cut a small padded sizzlet with the new style cutting pads. It never actually cut after many many combination layers. Did you hear me screaming?
Yes, it's off to Crafts Direct up in St. Cloud on Friday to get a new big shot!
Great ideas ladies! I use a piece of copy paper to keep the scratch marks off the card stock, especially when cutting foil sheets. Happy Thanksgiving to all
I just stick a small bit of washi or micropore tape on it if placement is important. You can see some card makers doing that in their videos too.
Beth
I use blue painters tape or those magnets you get with ads on them. They work ok and when they are yucky I toss them. I get them in the mail & on the front of the phone book.
The metal precision plate would be a good cutting plate for you to place the cutting side on. It doesn't warp. Then you would only mark one plastic plate with the back side of the dies.
I have two die cutting machines and they both have marred my plates. At first I was upset but then realized that it didn't affect the die or the project so what the heck. I use my Cuttlebug the most and my plates have gotten pretty beat up but still work great. I also have to deal with warping but again that doesn't affect the die or project. I just flip it back and forth. Turn it over when it bends one way then turn it back when it turns the other way. Have only bought new plates twice and have owned my CB for around 7 or 8 years.
Buy a couple of the smaller plates intended for the standard Big Shot. Use one of them on top unless you are cutting with a large die. This is less cumbersome, not so expensive and saves wear and tear on your hands and wrists.
I know this is off subject, but I have a cuttlebug and purchased the SU cable knit embossing folder and it doesn't fit through it! It is 6" wide - cuttlebug is just under 6" wide. I had planned to make my Christmas cards with it and now have to change everything. I am so mad! I sent an email to SU and also my demonstrator.... will have to return it I guess.
__________________ Ginny , A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be. -Douglas Pagels
I know this is off subject, but I have a cuttlebug and purchased the SU cable knit embossing folder and it doesn't fit through it! It is 6" wide - cuttlebug is just under 6" wide. I had planned to make my Christmas cards with it and now have to change everything. I am so mad! I sent an email to SU and also my demonstrator.... will have to return it I guess.
In another posting, it was suggested to cut a strip off to make a border die to match. Many have had success with this.
I still have and use only a Cuttlebug---of the original variety. I have 2 sets of B plates and keep a pristine pair for embossing so I don't get that textured look on the cardstock from the very cut up set that I use exclusively for die cutting. I have had my Cuttlebug for at least 12 years and am still using the same plates. I flip over the plates when they get curved and that takes care of that problem. I don't have many intricate dies and I always cut with the blade down unless I'm using the thicker, solid metal Provo Craft ones that must be used blade up.
In another posting, it was suggested to cut a strip off to make a border die to match. Many have had success with this.
I ended up breaking off a bit of the edge after scoring it many times with a new box cutter on both sides. It's a bit sharp but working on sanding it down. I didn't cut enough off to make a border folder. FYI. Someone told me that there will be another folder coming out in January that's 6 inch wide also.
You all are wonderful. Thank you for responding so quickly and clearing that up! I'll have to play around with facing the die cut side up and see if that lessens the pressure on the "nice" cutting plate, but good to know it really doesn't matter. And thanks for the tip about putting in an extra sheet of paper to protect the cardstock from getting embossed with scratches.
I freaked out today when I used by new Big Shot for the first time and immediately marred a new cutting plate. I immediately registered for this forum and found I was not alone, and that what I was doing was normal even through it wasn’t what I expected. So I am off to try again with your suggestions. PLUS I am eager to learn more from all of you experts. This is a whole new undertaking for me.
Help! Marred both top and bottom Big Shot cutting plates with single die cut
