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Die Cut and Paper - Keeps separating before embossing
My cuttlebug arrived in the mail yesterday, but I'm having a little problem with the embossing with Nestabilities/Spellbinders. (It's just the basic frames). No matter what I do, the paper inside the die I had just cut refuses to stay put.
On all the YouTube videos I've watched, people do their die cut and then simply flip it over to emboss. (The paper never budges, so the embossing line is perfect).
This never happens after I die cut.
So... since the die and paper separate, I have to manually line it up perfectly before I emboss. Every single time I do this, and then run it through the machine again to emboss... the paper inside the die has moved. The result is one ugly mess I have to throw away.
What can I do to make the paper and die stick together so that I won't have to line it up after cutting? Is there a particular cardstock brand which will help? I'm really at a loss, and I figure you peeps can help me out. I've been perusing this board for a while now, and I know YOU know what you're doing. ;)
Thanks in advance! I do appreciate any help you can offer.
Kristin
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Oh, sister, I feel your pain! This is the same thing that happens to me! I've tried cutting with the die on top, with the die on the bottom, and they separate no matter what.
I think the problem might be that my plates are warped, and I keep meaning to try new plates. But if that works, those plates will also warp fairly quickly, so that's not a lasting solution. So, I cheat. I have some Scotch repositionable tape and tape the die to the paper with it, then run it thru my machine. The tape is strong enough to hold things in place, but it peels back off without ruining my paper or becoming permanently stuck to the die.
Thanks for the suggestions! I do have some double-sided Scotch tape, so I'll have to give that a go. I thought about it earlier, but figured it would just destroy the paper.
If the tape works, I don't think I'll be getting much sleep tonight. :p
Kristin
PS - Cheryl with a "C".... are you an Anne of Green Gables fan, too? ;o)
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*~"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." ~*
Click HERE If Bored
Thanks for the suggestions! I do have some double-sided Scotch tape, so I'll have to give that a go. I thought about it earlier, but figured it would just destroy the paper.
If the tape works, I don't think I'll be getting much sleep tonight. :p
Kristin
PS - Cheryl with a "C".... are you an Anne of Green Gables fan, too? ;o)
And the regular double-stick tape might destroy your paper - the stuff I'm using isn't double-sided - it's the Scotch repositionable and comes in a blue box. They also make something called drafting tape that would work, since it's made hold paper temporarily and remove without tearing it. Probably blue painter's tape would even work, but I haven't tried that one.
Sounds like your cardstock might be a tad too heavy for the die. Also, you do need to be very gentle when lifting the Nestabilities off the cutting pad. It is very easy though to put the paper back in the die. Just line it up and press it in the die very gently. There is no reason it shouldn't stay in place. I've never had mine come out and I've used 110# cardstock.
Personally, I wouldn't use the tape. I could damage the cut image.
Sounds like your cardstock might be a tad too heavy for the die. Also, you do need to be very gentle when lifting the Nestabilities off the cutting pad. It is very easy though to put the paper back in the die. Just line it up and press it in the die very gently. There is no reason it shouldn't stay in place. I've never had mine come out and I've used 110# cardstock.
Personally, I wouldn't use the tape. I could damage the cut image.
Patti
Patti - I know, I see Gina K do these on her videos and it looks so easy. I use her cardstock and mine still pop out of the die. And the problem with putting it back in is that it sometimes shifts (unless I use the tape).
Patti - I know, I see Gina K do these on her videos and it looks so easy. I use her cardstock and mine still pop out of the die. And the problem with putting it back in is that it sometimes shifts (unless I use the tape).
You saw those videos too, huh? ;) I love her videos. And yes, it does shift. It's pretty annoying. :(
The cardstock I'm using isn't thick, as it's just the regular packets of cardstock you buy at any hobby store. That's why I was wondering if maybe I needed thicker cardstock. (I hope not, as I know I'll have to shop online which I don't like to do. Our mailman is always delivering packages to the wrong houses). I'm gonna try the repositional tape, so thanks cbet for that suggestion.
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I, too, have trouble with the cutout coming out of the die. When I lift the plate, it removes the cutout. I have tried a piece of thin paper on top before I cut and also rubbing an anti static bag over the acrylic plate. Neither seems to help. It happens with different paper weights but not on every one of the dies. I just don't emboss when it happens because I have been unsuccessful at placing the cutout back into the die. When I try to replace it, the embossing becomes crooked.
You will sometimes find that with less intricate dies. If there is less cutting surface or blades, there is less for the paper to "grab" onto and it comes out of the dies much easier.
Tried the drafting tape last night, and it worked! 8-) I just used tiny strips of it on all 4 sides, taping from the solid flat edge of the die to the inside of the paper. It takes very little, holds well, and peels off fairly easily.
Thanks for suggestion, cbet. You've rescued my sanity.
Until your suggestion, I was so close to not buying anymore of the same brand dies. I had seen the same one's on YouTube, and they never separated so it was really frustrating.
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*~"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." ~*
Click HERE If Bored
A little while ago, the thought occurred to me that while the tape works beautifully, it does become tedious. (Cutting the tape into 4 smaller sections, applying them to the frames, then peeling them off carefully and one-by-one).
So today I thought about embossing first, then cutting second. I tested that out, and it worked like a charm! Sometimes the die does separate, but when lining it back up with the paper you can feel it coming together and not shifting easily. I am careful about not letting the die move around though - when placing the plate on top before running it back through the machine - but so far that hasn't been a problem... and this B plate I'm using right now is already really warped.
So here's what's worked for me....
EMBOSS FIRST:
"A" plate... B plate(clean one with a little scrap of cardstock on top, to protect the plate a bit more. I don't think this is necessary, but I saw on a YouTube video once that they like to use a clean B plate for embossing because over time the scratch marks on the plate can show up on your embossing)... Die (ridge-side up)... paper for your die... embossing mat... a shim... "B" plate.
CUTTING SECOND:
(If you used a scrap of cardstock earlier to protect the clean "B" plate a little, you can remove it now)
"A" plate... "C" plate... Die (ridge-side down)... "B" plate
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*~"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." ~*
Click HERE If Bored
Die Cut and Paper - Keeps separating before embossing
But the name came from back in grade school - at my weekend religion class, there was another Sheryl - with an "S" 
