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Okay ladies, I caved! I wasn't going to do it with all the dagnabit die cutting machines I already have but I CAVED! I also got three of the honkin' dies and I'm so excited to get them!!!
What are your favorite/most versatile dies so far to use in this machine and do you have projects you can share that use them??? TIA!
Let us know how you like it! I was just considering the Wizard. I don't have an embossing machine at all. But that grand calibur looks pretty awesome! I like how small it is. I had a Big Shot, but got rid of it because of it's size.
I love mine - and I know you will love yours! It's such a smooth roll through. I've made a mini book with the 2 largest of the Labels One die, and am working on a sb page now using the largest of the grand circles ( a closeup of DGS which first was enlarged to an 8x12.)
I don't know why some of you are unhappy with the fact that an 8x11 paper/cs doesn't fit the opening. Just cut your paper to fit over the dies you have arranged on the base plate.
Have you gone to the Spellbinders "To Die For" CHA Winter Release Blog? You will be impressed with the first 3 reveals.
Amber, I love my Grand Caliber. So smooth and the platform allows you to cut so many dies at once! I just bought the Grand Labels 1 and plan on playing with them today!
Erin - Spellbinders just announced they are retiring the Wizard so the Grand Caliber is THE machine now! You won't be sorry if you decide to get this it is awesome and so easy to use!
Debbie can you use embossing folders in the Grand?
Yes, Lesa!
C Cutting Plate
Embossing Folder with cardstock
Steel-Ruled Die Adaptor Mat (this plate came with your Wizard or available on Spellbinders Website under Accessories)
This is the recommended sandwich on the Spellbinders website and works really well. Hopefully Spellbinders will come out with a Adaptor Mat that is bigger - that would be my only complaint about the machine - and I don't think that is a big deal!!
Thanks for all the info ladies! I'm so excited to get it (although I got a paypal invoice emailed to me today that it requires another $25 to ship, EEEK!)
I saw the new nesties coming out and all my self-restraint went out the window, I have a feeling there is LOTS more to come for this machine!
So you say it DOESN"T take 8.5x11? I thought I read that it does? I'm going to have to go back and re-read, lol!
I just take about 1/4" off the cardstock to get the whole sheet to fit. If you want to you can remove this little pull-out tray and then you can put the whole sheet thru.
How large is the footprint on the grand calibur? I'm thinking about getting this, but I'm not sure. I've just discovered the nesties, and how many things they can do, and I love them! I sold my big shot because it took up too much space, was just too awkward. I don't have much room in my little space.
Also, I just got finished reading the Spellbinders website, and I can see why people would be upset that an 8 1/2 X 11 sized paper doesn't fit through the opening. They say:
"The Grand Calibur accepts 8� x 11” paper without trimming"
That's a quote directly from their website about that machine. I won't mind trimming, but that would make me get out a tape measure and measure my paper, because if it's no bigger than 8 1/2 inches, I'd probably tell Spellbinders they need to change the wording on there, to avoid confusion.
Great info ladies - This is a machine I am trying to talk myself out of, but I have some christmas money calling out that I need one...lol! However, I am confused by the comment on 8.5 x11 not fitting. In the videos I've seen it looks like the plates are the size of a 8.5 x 11 piece of paper - and in a some the people even say that is the size paper they are using... is this not the case? Does a sheet of paper hang over the edge of the cutting plate?
How large is the footprint on the grand calibur? I'm thinking about getting this, but I'm not sure. I've just discovered the nesties, and how many things they can do, and I love them! I sold my big shot because it took up too much space, was just too awkward. I don't have much room in my little space.
Here is a review that shows the size comparison between the Grand Calibur and the Big Shot. Hope this helps
Thanks! Boy, that's big. It sounds awesome though. And it looks less cumbersome than the Big Shot. I overthink my purchases, I think. Last night I spent too much time in Hobby Lobby and almost talked myself out of the purchases I drove there to make!
Eek!! The dh has started asking me what I want for my birthday (March 17) and I am thinking the Grand Calibur should be it...where are the best deals? free shipping? die set included? Ebay or another online store? Any info would really help...thanks ladies
Ladies, if you have the Big Shot and get the Grand Calibur, did you just sell the BS?? Is there any reason you would have to keep it??
I'd love the GC . . . but I do have limited space and selling the BS would be a requirement.
I think I read somewhere that to run 8-1/2 x 11 cs through the GC, you have to remove the "white tray??" Just thought I'd toss that out there - can't remember where I read it though!
Ladies, if you have the Big Shot and get the Grand Calibur, did you just sell the BS?? Is there any reason you would have to keep it??
I'd love the GC . . . but I do have limited space and selling the BS would be a requirement.
I think I read somewhere that to run 8-1/2 x 11 cs through the GC, you have to remove the "white tray??" Just thought I'd toss that out there - can't remember where I read it though!
TIA!
I have had the Grand Caliber since before Christmas. I didn't initially plan to sell my Big Shot but now that I have used the GC, I decided to my Big Shot. Since the majority of my dies are Spellbinders, it really isn't a big deal for me. I had, maybe, 8 Sizzix Bigz dies that I hadn't used in a long time.
I did remove the white tray and you can run your 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock thru without any trouble. But honestly, I don't usually die cut with that big of a sheet of paper. I have cut cereal-box weight chipboard and felt using my Spellbinders dies and the Grand Caliber. Plus the embossing I get with the Cuttlebug embossing folders is awesome!
You can use low profile dies like sizzlets in the Grand Caliber but you CAN"T use the Sizzix Bigz dies in it. So if you have alot of those types of dies, I would keep the Big Shot.
How come all of you did'nt use your big shot to cut spellbinder dies instead of buying another machine? I've got the big shot -the cricut--smalll and large-sizzix embossing machine--sidekick and now I'm wondering about the grand after listening to all of you....please let me know????
How come all of you did'nt use your big shot to cut spellbinder dies instead of buying another machine? I've got the big shot -the cricut--smalll and large-sizzix embossing machine--sidekick and now I'm wondering about the grand after listening to all of you....please let me know????
I ordered one because I loved the super deep embossing that people are getting with the Grand Calibur. I've also heard that you can cut and emboss in one pass. Now I don't know if that's true since mine won't be here until Tuesday, but if it is, that'll just be like icing on the cake.
I have a Big Shot, Big Shot Pro, a Cricut Expression, and a KNK XL. Oh and a really old, buried in my cabinet QK Squeeze. ;)
Ok, I'm lucky. I got one directly from Spellbinders as a gift because I was on the Waltzingmouse design team at the time.
I have to say that I really love it. And I don't have to say that!
the only con to it is that it doesn't take the large thick sizzix dies but I am ok with that.
if you have a Big shot do you NEED a Grand Calibur? Not really. But sometimes if you have the $$ crafting is want vs. need anyway.
Here are the advantages --
Its large platform allows you to put an A2 card in (open) and cut out a window or emboss the front without having the plate leave a mark on the back side of the card. This is a big plus for me.
It is very stable and the large platform makes it much easier to put a die on paper or a card without having to tape it down to keep it from moving. The large plates are more stable going through the machine and don't shift before entering the machine the way they do with the big shot or cuttlebug.
You can buy large wide grand spellbinders dies. I will probably not get more than one or two of these but they are really big and I saw on line someone cut through a thin wood sheet and make a gorgeous picture frame.
You can put a bunch of dies through at once, which saves time.
So I give it a 2 thumbs up!
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
Last edited by Joan B; 01-30-2011 at 03:06 PM..
Reason: add
thanks so much for comparing machines--your right about time in doing an item and each company has a special technique different then another company...I just say it on sale for ninety some odd dollars--that isn't too bad for a machine.....I'll see if you can use any coupons.....
I caved too! I already had a Cuttlebug and Wizard, but the deep embossing and some of the new Grand dies kept calling my name! I purchased mine from Scrap-Mart under $100 and free shipping.
How come all of you did'nt use your big shot to cut spellbinder dies instead of buying another machine? I've got the big shot -the cricut--smalll and large-sizzix embossing machine--sidekick and now I'm wondering about the grand after listening to all of you....please let me know????
I bought the Grand Caliber even though I had a Big Shot AND a Wizard because of the size and price. I had been looking at the Big Shot Pro but the price was definitely too high for my budget. I wanted to cut the big Spellbinders Grand dies plus having the bigger platform means you can cut more dies at once. When I got a Hobby Lobby coupon for 40% off, I bought the Grand Caliber for around $82.00 versus $250+ for the Big Shot Pro. Since 99% of the dies I own are Spellbinders.....it was a great deal for ME!
HELP! I only have a Cuttlebug, which I love, but don't like the limitations of the folder size. I'm looking to get into doing Wedding Invitations as a small business and am thinking of getting the Grand Calibur as my main tool, so I can make a normal size wedding invitation. I've been to Joann's and they don't carry it and called Michael's and they never heard of it! Does anyone know where I might be able to get one and possibly a discount???? Also the dies too. Working on a "barely there" budget to try and get my little business up and running!
__________________ Lynne Life is short, enjoy what you have! :cool:
Ladies, if you have the Big Shot and get the Grand Calibur, did you just sell the BS?? Is there any reason you would have to keep it??
I'd love the GC . . . but I do have limited space and selling the BS would be a requirement.
I think I read somewhere that to run 8-1/2 x 11 cs through the GC, you have to remove the "white tray??" Just thought I'd toss that out there - can't remember where I read it though!
TIA!
Removing the white tray is a video tutorial on the Spellbinders blog, I think.
I don't believe it will take the Bigz dies, so that would be a reason to have to keep the Big Shot, in my opinion. It was why I got a new Wizard to replace my old one, rather than going for the Grand Calibur.
I broke down and just bought a Calibur machine through Hobby Lobby--they've got a 40% off coupon so I paid $77.90 plus $10 and something shipping and handling --can't wait until I get it --thanks girls--now I'll have to buy some dies--I only have one set ---which ones do all of you use the most? NOte---the 40%off coupon is good until Feb. 5th ....
I really want one. 40 percent off at Hobby Lobby is also good online? Cool beans! I'm hoping that I can get one of these. It's the next tool I want. No need about it. I just like the idea of cutting out more than one die at a time!
__________________ It always feels like somebody's watching me. Hey, is it YOU?
I ordered the calibur online and got 40% off at lobby hobby--saves me goinh 30 miles to the store even though I had to pay about $10 shipping and tax....New York State tax which are the highest anywhere except California...
Removing the white tray is a video tutorial on the Spellbinders blog, I think.
I don't believe it will take the Bigz dies, so that would be a reason to have to keep the Big Shot, in my opinion. It was why I got a new Wizard to replace my old one, rather than going for the Grand Calibur.
Does the wizard take the bigger mega dies? I really really want one machine that will work with them all rather than having to have multiple machines... but without the price tag of the Big Shot Pro!
I got my Grand Calibur on Tuesday. And I have to say that I'm a bit disappointed. :( I have a Spellbinders die (Fleur d' lis) that won't cut in one pass with my Big Shot. I thought that the Grand Calibur would solve this given how much pressure it claims to produce.
So I ran it through my new GC and it STILL doesn't cut in one pass. :( It did cut all the way through when I embossed it. But that's not the point. I used the right "sandwich" and it didn't work to cut.
Maybe I have a defective die, but I can't even begin to tell you where I bought it so I can't exchange it. I guess I expected too much from this machine to think that it would actually cut the dies that it's design to go with. :rolleyes:
I do like the suction-y thingy. That works tons better than the Cuttlebug one ever did.
I too have just bought a Grand Calibur machine and only had it one week.
It is a great machine and does the job it was built for very well. I specifically bought it for the Grand dies and all my other Nestabilities. I have a Cuttlebug also and totally LOVE it.
The only thing I have to say against the Grand Calibur is that it take 31 revolutions of the handle to get the A4 size cutting pads through the machine. The cutting pads move forward only 3/8 " with each revolution of the handle.
While this is something I never thought about before I bought it, I find the number of hand cranks one has to do Excessive!
The rollers have a very narrow diameter and possibly the machine has no internal gears which would decrease the number of revolutions one has to do to operate it.
Not good for sufferers of RSI and 'Tennis Elbow'.
There could have been more thought put into the design.
Lucky I have handy husband and sons and they will attempt to set up the machine with a small external electric motor. Possibly with a small pulley and attachment to the protruding metal bit that is visible when the handle is removed. Lets hope that works.
Firstly , as general info, the cutting plates are exactly 8 1/4" wide.
This also means that if you have paper that is 8 1/2" wide and put it through the machine, the edge does go 'curly' and gets damaged. I have tried it.
The Grand Calibur Dies are all Different Sizes.
I will list the Width of the LARGEST Die in the Grand Calibur sets that I have:
Grand Square- 7 1/4" wide
Grand Scalloped Square - 7 1/4" wide
Grand Scalloped Circle- 7 1/2 " wide
Grand Oval- 6 1/8 " wide
Grand Scalloped Oval- 6 3/4 " wide
My CB broke a few days back (talk about lost) and I might want to get one of these....perhaps I will get some $$$ for the birthday next week...it has never happened before but you never know...lol.
blessings.
Just bought a Grand Calibur!
Reply to 'lupelu'
