Using PTI and other wafer thin dies - questions

[Rachelrose]

I just got a Big Shot and some stuff to use with it. I bought a couple of sets of dies to go with my PTI stamps sets. In one of the sets (Frilly Flowers), there are several plates with grouped dies. I have been playing with them, and have some questions.

First: If you want to die cut only ONE of the dies in the group, is it okay to just put a smaller piece of cardstock over it and crank the thing through? I don't want to waste cardstock cutting flowers I don't need for my project. I figure the top plate is going to get cut up either way. Or should I not do this, and always put cardstock over the whole plate?

Second: I watched Nichole Heady's tutorial on using dies and followed her tip about making a dot on the die and on the back of the stamp with a sharpie so you can line the stamp up with the die cut paper correctly. I'm pretty sure I'm doing this right (she tells you to flip the paper when you take it out of the die, still keeping the marked point at the top). But even doing that, it is tricky to get that stamp centered on the little cardstock cutout. And I"m not even working with my smallest dies (the Flower Fusion set is going to be a real challenge, the dies are so small). I used Dotto to adhere the cardstock to a piece of dark cardstock before I stamped so I could get clearest view, but still stamped a bit askew. I'd appreciate any tips for stamping on die cut shapes (besides the obvious - practice!).

Thanks guys. I wasn't sure where to put this thread. Tools and Products? Techniques? In the end I figured if I put it in the general section I couldn't go wrong and lots of people would see it.

RR

[KatarinaM]

Of course you can cut out only a portion of your die, no need to waste paper! I do it all the time.
As far as lining up the stamps with the die cuts, here's what a lot of people do...

Get a piece of scrap cardstock and use your die to cut the shape out. Throw away the die cut shape, you want the negative space.

Stamp your image onto another piece of paper. Take your negative cut out and put it over the stamped image until it lines up correctly. Use low tack masking tape to hold it in place.

Now you can place the metal die within the negative space, the cardstock should 'hold' the die in place when it is lined up correctly.

Run through your machine.

Perfect cuts!

HTH.

[Rachelrose]

Katarina, this is brilliant! My question is - do you then work with your die facing down? It would seem easier to keep the die inside the negative image if you just put it down on top of the cardstock. Or do you flip the whole thing so the die is facing up?

And I assume the one extra layer of cardstock doesn't change your "sandwich? I still use the multi-purpose platform with both tabs?

I am going to try this. It will be a little more challenging with those grouped dies! I wish I could cut them apart!

[Alice in Md]

I have cut the thin dies (Nesties or others) with the cutting edge upeither or down. I don't notice a difference, but frequent users may have. ... To hold the think die on the cardstock, I use a tiny piece of blue painter's tape, and I manage to re-use the same pieces several times.

[kphorse]

I have Post-it-note negatives for every die that has matching stamps! It's how I line up everything! And yes we all just throw a scrap of paper under the part we want to cut! LOL

[maryrose]

I usually cut out the card stock with the die and then stamp afterward. It helps if you put the die-cut piece of card stock onto a dark background, and then stamp on them with the clear stamps. I always have a scrap piece of black card stock at my work area for this purpose.

I've never tried using negatives, but that sounds like a good tip!

[Kegbo]

One of the DT members at PTI did a video tutorial on using the negative from the die cut to line up the stamp. It was a great video - does anyone remember who it was? I keep thinking Erin Lincoln, but can't find it on her blog.

[terry serman]

I diecut first,then stamp.....it's easy to do with the clear stamps. Sometimes I use a stamp positioner.

[uncbballfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rachelrose

Katarina, this is brilliant! My question is - do you then work with your die facing down? It would seem easier to keep the die inside the negative image if you just put it down on top of the cardstock. Or do you flip the whole thing so the die is facing up?

And I assume the one extra layer of cardstock doesn't change your "sandwich? I still use the multi-purpose platform with both tabs?

I am going to try this. It will be a little more challenging with those grouped dies! I wish I could cut them apart!

You can cut the dies apart; I have separated all of mine using Wiss snips that I bought at Lowe's. Here's what they look like: Grinders & Cutoff | Shears, Scissors & Snips | MultiMaster Snips, COOPER HAND TOOLS WISS M300 | B324862 - GlobalIndustrial.com

[Rachelrose]

Wow, and it didn't bend them? How hard was it to do?

I don't like those grouped dies at all. The ones I have are PTI and they match my stamp sets. If nothing else, they waste paper.

[ladybugtwin]

Wanted to share this video from Wplus9 regarding separating dies: Stamp Away With Me: Wplus9 Tips & Tricks: Separating Your Dies. They do not recommend cutting apart dies that are not meant to be cut apart. I would think you run the risk of warping your die. I just cut my paper to just a little bit bigger than the size of the part of the die I want to cut. It doesn't waste much paper at all.

[Rachelrose]

Interesting video.

I can't see how you could separate the grouped dies, even with strong snips. They would have to bend.

[uncbballfan]

I have a ton of PTI dies, and have cut all of them apart with the exception of the hot-air balloons, which were too close together and too curved to attempt.

I wouldn't recommend using anything but the snips I mentioned above to cut them. The dies were not difficult to cut, and I had no problems with any of them bending.

[buggainok]

Here's a good tutorial from My Favorite Things. She uses acetate to make a template as a guide for die cutting a pre-stamped image:

MFT Dienamics Tutorial: Die-cutting pre-stamped or digi images with Die-Namics - YouTube