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I can't seem to cut or score a straight line. The cards I cut look okay from the front but turn them over- and what a mess. I have a Fiskars (with the extending arm) and a Carl 12" Profesional Rotary Trimmer. How do I cut the "pefect" card?
You may already be doing this but be sure to alway pull the cutting blade toward you on the Fiskars cutter (if your paper is lined up at the bottom edge). When cutting in the other direction it can often move the paper away from you since there isn't a "brace" and will cause it to be crooked.
__________________ Sarah CAS Challenge Spring 2013 Design Team Member Visit my blog
My suggestion is to buy a Making Memories rotary self sharpening cutter. AC Moores and Michaels sell them for about 54. If you use a 50% coupon you get it for half that. My reason for suggesting it are these: 1) you get straight lines with a rotary cutter 2) it has a self sharpening blade 3) it comes with a magnetic ruler 4) it folds in half to about 6 inches, but when it unfolds it has a base of 12 inches, not the little stick part that most cutters have that fold out so you can lay a 12 inch piece of paper on it flat, 5) great customer service - there was another thread posted that others claim to have trouble with the marks for different sizes wearing off and they wrote the company about the problem and they sent them a new cutter. Did not ask for a receipt or for the old one to be sent back. I have 3 of them. one for the car for travel, one for home, and one I use at school. Have not had my lines wear out, but I may have the newer verision in which I think they fixed the problem. I went through many different cutters before I found this one and I love it. It is heavy, but that doesn't bother me as long as I have straight lines, and it is not heavy enough that it bothers you to carry it from place to place if you need to do so. Hope this helps.
sam
My suggestion is to buy a Making Memories rotary self sharpening cutter. AC Moores and Michaels sell them for about 54. If you use a 50% coupon you get it for half that. My reason for suggesting it are these: 1) you get straight lines with a rotary cutter 2) it has a self sharpening blade 3) it comes with a magnetic ruler 4) it folds in half to about 6 inches, but when it unfolds it has a base of 12 inches, not the little stick part that most cutters have that fold out so you can lay a 12 inch piece of paper on it flat, 5) great customer service - there was another thread posted that others claim to have trouble with the marks for different sizes wearing off and they wrote the company about the problem and they sent them a new cutter. Did not ask for a receipt or for the old one to be sent back. I have 3 of them. one for the car for travel, one for home, and one I use at school. Have not had my lines wear out, but I may have the newer verision in which I think they fixed the problem. I went through many different cutters before I found this one and I love it. It is heavy, but that doesn't bother me as long as I have straight lines, and it is not heavy enough that it bothers you to carry it from place to place if you need to do so. Hope this helps.
sam
Amen, Sam. I'm one of those that got a brand new trimmer when the lines faded on mine. This is a wonderful trimmer, and a great company makes it.
I think you are right about them fixing the fading problem. My trimmer was purchased a while back. The new one they sent me seems to have a different finish on the base, so the lines don't fade at all.
Like you said, this is the best trimmer I have had, and I had several different ones before I found it.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
Ok, I really, really think some of the paper we buy is cut crooked to begin with. I can't tell when I have cut it, but then when I score and fold a card, the edges do not meet perfectly. My trimmer cuts very straight unless I do not put it in straight to begin with. And I am using my scor-pal to score. The edges never, never meet perfectly straight on my cards.
Ladies.....I have several different cutters that are each very good for different purposes.
The trimmers with the extension arms are fine but you need to remember to extend that arm out so it is totally lever with the top of the cutter. Also don't bend your paper down to see the marking for length of your cut, you will add on a fraction of extra paper.
All cutting should be from top to bottom no matter what cutter you are using.
When you use your Scor-Pal also score from top to bottom. Then gently fold the paper with the mountain to the inside. Take your bone folder and work from the middle of your fold out to the end creasing. Go back to the middle and do the other side from center to outside edge. Then finally crease from top to bottom. That way your corners will line up.
I do also agree that not all paper is cut square from the manufacturer. The only way to deal with that is to use a T ruler to mark and cut the paper square.
A way to check also is to measure from side to side in 3 different places on your paper to see if it truly is squarely cut.
(by square I mean corners are at perfect right angles)
I bought a 30-60-90 drafting triangle from Staples. I butt it up against the top or bottom of my trimmer at the right measurement and then snug my paper into the 90 degree corner that it makes. I get MUCH straighter cuts when doing this. There is just too much chance to "wiggle" the paper particularly if there is no line all the way down for the measurement that you are using.
It was only about $4 or $5. And if you have two triangles, you can make amazingly accurate parallel lines by sliding the triangles against each other. ;) (I spent quite a bit of time drafting LOL~)
I bought a 30-60-90 drafting triangle from Staples. I butt it up against the top or bottom of my trimmer at the right measurement and then snug my paper into the 90 degree corner that it makes. I get MUCH straighter cuts when doing this. There is just too much chance to "wiggle" the paper particularly if there is no line all the way down for the measurement that you are using.
It was only about $4 or $5. And if you have two triangles, you can make amazingly accurate parallel lines by sliding the triangles against each other. ;) (I spent quite a bit of time drafting LOL~)
While I've never 'drafted', I do use a similar straight-edged quilting ruler with my Carl Cutter to be sure the paper is butted up snugly to a straight edge. My cutter makes a marvelous 'cut', but I do feel the added straight-edge barrier is a requirement for straight cuts. ;)
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