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I have the Sidekick - which I noticed was advertised a bit ago at Tuesday Morning, so worth checking if you’re near one. It’s surprisingly smooth and handier than I thought it would be. It's very stable, doesn’t move when the lever to hold it still is engaged.
I have a minor, permanent injury and arthritis but can crank this little machine without any problems, probably helped because it’s only a few cranks.
WRMK is owned by American Crafts now (for quite a while) and my personal take is that Customer Service is not as good as it was.
I have the Gemini Go and like it. It can be plugged in or will run from a battery pack. It is more expensive but I have problems cranking any kind of manual machine so it has really been a blessing for me. Got it from a craft day on HSN
I have the Tim Holtz Mini Die Cutter. I have no complaints. Lots of power in that little thing. I keep it near me so when I want to cut something small, I use it. The plates have not warped at all. I don't think they will.
BUT, I bought the Gemini Go a while ago. It is indeed more mighty and mighty more expensive since it is electric. It is packed with power and won't let you down. I got it on sale, so, I was quite a happy person. It also has a wider plate size.
Now that I have been struck with right shoulder and arm dysfunction (lol) I can't crank so much. So, I have to use the electronic die cutters of which I have.
So, in ending, if your budget will allow, go for the Gemini Go. But it is a bit larger and heavier than Tim's mini. However, if you want something that you can put right along side you in a small space, Tim is it.
Hope I have been helpful.
I have the Diamond Press. it's very small, hand cranked, and only dies under 2" can be used. But, I use it just as much as my Gemini Jr and love them both. HSN has all kinds of Diamond Press dies, some come with stamps to match. I always order something on their HSN Craft Days and have never had a problem with the machine nor dies. Some of the reviews on the machine said the handles broke after a few uses and the dies don't cut clean. I've had mine over a year now and it's awesome.
I have the Spellbinders machine (Sapphire?), which I think was only available from Create and Craft TV and was the first of its kind. They say we die-cut more with small dies than with any other size. Certainly found it useful when I was die-cutting hundreds of Art Deco corners for nephew's wedding stationery a few years back. The pressure is superb: they say that the far left and right sides of die-cutting platforms has the best pressure but, as these cutters are so small, there is no centre as such.
I'm curious, is the opening for mini machines about the same or does it vary from brand to brand.
It varies from brand to brand, if you google the different machines it should tell you the size of dies that will go through. I bought the Diamond Press, but it was too small for what I wanted and then I bought the Baby Blue, I am keeping the Diamond Press for my granddaughter.
The Sidekick (Tim Holtz) can take dies (and tiny embossing folders) up to 2.5 inches. Starter kits vary depending on whether white or brown. Amazon happens to have both for comparison (with brown being about $6.00 less at the moment).
Whichever die cutting machine you buy, checking that there’s excellent suction to hold onto the work surface, and that cutting pads are readily available could be worth considering. Enjoy!
The Sidekick (Tim Holtz) can take dies (and tiny embossing folders) up to 2.5 inches. Starter kits vary depending on whether white or brown. Amazon happens to have both for comparison (with brown being about $6.00 less at the moment).
Whichever die cutting machine you buy, checking that there’s excellent suction to hold onto the work surface, and that cutting pads are readily available could be worth considering. Enjoy!
There's also an all black one now (with starter kit) which I just ordered from Marco's. Hoping it will be a good helper to my much loved BigShot!
I have the original old red Sidekick from years back, that a friend passed on to me. Once I got my Big Shot though, I never use it. The small dies work on the Big Shot and I don't have room on my craft table for both machines. However, I hang onto it for taking when I travel.
I should start trying some of the small dies and embossing folders on it because it would be faster, with less cranking, than my Big Shot. I was surprised when they came out with the Tim Holtz Side-kick though
Kazeka, maybe the red one uses different plates - not sure - so if you need new ones, you might want to double check?
I used my Gemini Junior almost all the time, but that tiny Sidekick does come in handy sometimes, especially when it’s one little die - faster to put it through the Sidekick - which cuts like buttah - then to use a big machine.
And Happy-Stamper, yes, that is what I’ve been telling myself! lol Besides, I have lots of white in my office/craft room - trim, furniture, etc., so my white Sidekick is fine. (But I hope I don’t see the blue one in person.)
Kazeka, maybe the red one uses different plates - not sure - so if you need new ones, you might want to double check?
I used my Gemini Junior almost all the time, but that tiny Sidekick does come in handy sometimes, especially when it’s one little die - faster to put it through the Sidekick - which cuts like buttah - then to use a big machine.
And Happy-Stamper, yes, that is what I’ve been telling myself! lol Besides, I have lots of white in my office/craft room - trim, furniture, etc., so my white Sidekick is fine. (But I hope I don’t see the blue one in person.)
Good tip on checking whether the old red one uses the same sized plates as the newer ones. I think they do because I recently bought some replacements and they didn't have more than one size (thickness). I bought the Cuttlekids die cutting machine years back, before I got my Big Shot, and thought that my grandkids would use it. Turns out that uses completely different dies, with different cutting plates. I think it may use the regular thin dies if I fiddle around with the cutting sandwich, but for now it's sitting up in my closet.
Good tip on checking whether the old red one uses the same sized plates as the newer ones. I think they do because I recently bought some replacements and they didn't have more than one size (thickness). I bought the Cuttlekids die cutting machine years back, before I got my Big Shot, and thought that my grandkids would use it. Turns out that uses completely different dies, with different cutting plates. I think it may use the regular thin dies if I fiddle around with the cutting sandwich, but for now it's sitting up in my closet.
I still have my Cuttlebug - spa blue. (I had a green one but... well, blue.) It’s put away like your Cuttlekids. I have a minor permanent injury in my hand plus some arthritis so would rarely use it, but if we lost electricity and it was mandatory to cut large dies in the dark there it is.
I still have my Cuttlebug - spa blue. (I had a green one but... well, blue.) It’s put away like your Cuttlekids. I have a minor permanent injury in my hand plus some arthritis so would rarely use it, but if we lost electricity and it was mandatory to cut large dies in the dark there it is.
Oh my gosh, never thought of that! So I guess it's good that I stuck to my basic Big Shot. It cuts even in a natural disaster...although cutting dies in the dark might be a problem. Oh wait, I have a flashlight ;)
Karen
P/S: I didn't even know the Cuttlebug ever came in blue.
For one brief shining moment in Camelot (or HSN) there was a light blue, mint, and a rose - and someone recently posted she saw pink ones at JoAnne so that might be the rose. Here’s a screenshot of the mint one - which actually might be mine. It’s not a real greeny mint, and my walls are a pale blue that aren’t a real bluey blue so they play nice. ;) I bet they’re still around on eBay or Etsy.
Now if only my white Gemini didn’t have Barney purple on the sides.
For one brief shining moment in Camelot (or HSN) there was a light blue, mint, and a rose - and someone recently posted she saw pink ones at JoAnne so that might be the rose. Here’s a screenshot of the mint one - which actually might be mine. It’s not a real greeny mint, and my walls are a pale blue that aren’t a real bluey blue so they play nice. ;) I bet they’re still around on eBay or Etsy.
Now if only my white Gemini didn’t have Barney purple on the sides.
oooh, I have to say that mint version is a beauty! I wish my Big Shot wasn't the one with pink on black but as long as it works fine I'm happy. Yes, one turn off for me on the Gemini is that purple. I like my craft tools to be either neutral, or something that soothes the soul (like your blue). I'm not a fan of pink so it really bugged me several years back when everything came in PINK!
So OT
I have the white Gemini Junior, so there isn’t much Barney purple, and I will likely cover it on the sides with a cut-out piece, maybe covered in washi (since it’s right there to hold dies down) or nice patterned paper. Or white CS. Or spa blue... ;) I’ve had it quite a while though and don’t really notice it, though now I will.
My green Cuttlebug was making terrible noises a few months ago so I found a blue one on sale at the manufacturers and by signing up for their emails I got an additional amount off......it was a good price. Little green got to where it would only work if I cranked it backwards and then it quit completely. It sat on the kitchen counter for a few days because I didn't have the heart to place such a treasured friend in the trash. Hubby noticed it.........asked why it was there..........took it to the garage and took it apart as best he could and now it works just fine. He says he didn't do anything to it because he couldn't get all the way into it but figures something was just loose or caught up inside it. I'm not questioning anything..........I'm just happy! Baby blue is in the cupboard for when little green does finally give up the ghost.
I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I'm using my daughter's CuttleKids machine that I bought her way back in 2006. She hardly used it, and I'm still using the original plates. I was able to get a set of brand new replacement plates, and I've bought some other brands that I figure I can shim when those give out. That is, if the machine doesn't give out first; but it's a tough little machine. I love it!
I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I'm using my daughter's CuttleKids machine that I bought her way back in 2006. She hardly used it, and I'm still using the original plates. I was able to get a set of brand new replacement plates, and I've bought some other brands that I figure I can shim when those give out. That is, if the machine doesn't give out first; but it's a tough little machine. I love it!
that's great to hear that you're using it now! The only reason I don't use it more when I travel is that the die-opening is so small that I can only use my smallest dies in it. I need to experiment with different cutting plate sandwiches some time to see what works with my small dies. I have the original Sidekick, which I also never use, but it's heavier than the Cuttlekids.
I did buy extra plates for the Cuttlekids some years back, with the expectation that I would be using it a lot. That was when I didn't even have my Big Shot, so it was my only die machine.
Mini die cutting comparison?
