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My big shot is very old and my platform has the tabs attached to it with a hinged. I know Sizzix has platforms where the tabs are not attached to each other.
I am working with some tiny fiddly dies and think a magnetic platform would make cutting these easier than my scotch tape system .
I think the magnetic platform is just the thick bottom part and the tabs are separate , correct?
If I buy a magnetic platform does it come with the tabs or will I also need to buy a new set of the tabs that are not attached with a hinge ?
I hope this question make sense.
Thanks,
Barbara
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
The magnetic platform is the right thickness to use with thin dies. That's really it's only purpose AFAIK. It does not come with or work with other tabs.
I will tell you that you may still get some occasional jumping with those really tiny dies. That's just the way the magnets work. If you know someone nearby who has one, perhaps you could try one out first.
Having said all this, I do own, use and love the magnetic platform.
To solve the tiny dies jumping between magnets, i took a sharpie and circled the magnets on my platform - the circles show clearly thru the cutting plate so i can position the paper/die directly over a specific magnet. That seems to help with the jumping issue quite a bit.
To solve the tiny dies jumping between magnets, i took a sharpie and circled the magnets on my platform - the circles show clearly thru the cutting plate so i can position the paper/die directly over a specific magnet. That seems to help with the jumping issue quite a bit.
To solve the tiny dies jumping between magnets, i took a sharpie and circled the magnets on my platform - the circles show clearly thru the cutting plate so i can position the paper/die directly over a specific magnet. That seems to help with the jumping issue quite a bit.
So the magnets are spaced randomly under the plastic top of the platform?
Great idea to designate where the magnets are located .
The dies I am using are the Sue Wilson Exquisite Poppy and I am using the smallest ones plus the centers . The smallest petal die is about ⅜ " in diameter and the smallest center die is about ⅛ " in diameter - When I said tiny fiddly dies I was not exaggerating
I may need to break out a new set of cutting plates just for tiny dies . Mine are about 6 years old and so scratched I can't see thru them. :lol:
I have extra cutting plates but the old scratched ones work fine so I keep using them .
Thanks
Barbara
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
I was happy to see this today.. I just got my magnetic platform in the mail yesterday and have not had a chance to use it yet. I also wondered about the tabs.. it doesn't have any. So as far as I can tell, you would only use the magnetic platform for the thinlits etc... any other items such as sizzlits or embossing frames would take the platform that came with your BigShot.
I was happy to see this today.. I just got my magnetic platform in the mail yesterday and have not had a chance to use it yet. I also wondered about the tabs.. it doesn't have any. So as far as I can tell, you would only use the magnetic platform for the thinlits etc... any other items such as sizzlits or embossing frames would take the platform that came with your BigShot.
I got my magnetic platform and it is helpful. Most of my dies need to be embossed after they are cut . So I set up the original Bigshot platform on tab 1 so I can use the embossing sandwich.
I discovered I needed a small piece of tape on dies that must be embossed. When I moved the die with the paper cut in it to the other platform the paper cut moved or fell out of the die. It is difficult to perfectly align the paper die cut back in the die .
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
I got my magnetic platform and it is helpful. Most of my dies need to be embossed after they are cut . So I set up the original Bigshot platform on tab 1 so I can use the embossing sandwich.
I discovered I needed a small piece of tape on dies that must be embossed. When I moved the die with the paper cut in it to the other platform the paper cut moved or fell out of the die. It is difficult to perfectly align the paper die cut back in the die .
Barbara, try embossing your die before cutting it. I've been doing the embossing first, cutting second for awhile and like doing it this way; no more paper falling out of the die.
Barbara, try embossing your die before cutting it. I've been doing the embossing first, cutting second for awhile and like doing it this way; no more paper falling out of the die.
Thanks Diane I never thought of that - I will try it tonight -Barbara
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
Barbara, try embossing your die before cutting it. I've been doing the embossing first, cutting second for awhile and like doing it this way; no more paper falling out of the die.
I just tried it and it works . Since most of my dies require embossing I would not have needed to buy a magnetic platform for those dies. :(
I have a few Memory box/Poppy stamp dies and a set of WE R Memory Keepers nesting circles and those are not embossed so I can use the magnetic platform on those , but I don't use those dies often
The magnetic platform doesn't work if I need to position a die exactly over a sentiment or image. The magnets move the die .
Not sure the magnetic platform was a good investment for me .
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
I have the magnetic platform and you just have to Give In to the magnets pulling your dies around...just move your paper to that place.....Great idea to mark magnet placement!
I wish the metal plate I use for detailed dies allowed the magnetic power to come through.
I definitely kept my tabbed original platform for embossing folders and the older sizzix 'padded' dies I still use.
When I use Spellbinders and want the embossed edge to show, I remove the die cut with the die and turn it over, then run a bone folder around the edge to make the edge show up instead of fiddling with putting a pad under it and running through the Big Kick again. It's just faster.
I have the magnetic platform and you just have to Give In to the magnets pulling your dies around...just move your paper to that place.....Great idea to mark magnet placement!
I wish the metal plate I use for detailed dies allowed the magnetic power to come through.
I definitely kept my tabbed original platform for embossing folders and the older sizzix 'padded' dies I still use.
When I use Spellbinders and want the embossed edge to show, I remove the die cut with the die and turn it over, then run a bone folder around the edge to make the edge show up instead of fiddling with putting a pad under it and running through the Big Kick again. It's just faster.
I have some very small dies such as Sue Wilson's Exquisite Poppy and some of the dies are ⅜' to ⅛" in diameter so that idea won't work for my dies. My Spellbinder intricate dies have interior embossing so not sure how I would emboss those with a bone folder. It may work for my basic geometric shaped die , but that seems like more work than just using an embossing pad and sandwich
I tried lining the paper up with the magnets holding the die and I found that tedious . everyone has their own system
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
If a bone folder would be too big-you could try using a stylus? They come in some very tiny heads.
I never thought of the bone folder or the marking of the magnets. Good tips!
What are the mfgs doing? They must have demos for the tiny dies on YT?
My cutting plates are opaque now too. They are so old dies stick to them now. But I have some new backups around here somewhere....
Years ago before manual die machines were available to the retail market we used tiny ball stylus to emboss using metal stencils . We had to trace each shape in the stencil with a stylus . It was very time consuming . I Still have some of the stencils . Then we used an X-acto knife to cut the inner shapes they way metal dies cut them now . The idea of going back to the old way of embossing does NOT appeal to me
BTW we could only emboss on white or cream card stock because the metal stencil was "under" the paper illuminated by using a light box and we could not see the lines of the stencils through colored or dark card stock . So it was very limiting.
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
Last edited by Barbara Jay; 10-02-2016 at 04:51 PM..
Barbara, try embossing your die before cutting it. I've been doing the embossing first, cutting second for awhile and like doing it this way; no more paper falling out of the die.
I just tried this on a larger die and it works GREAT ! I wish had known this before I bought the magnetic platform
Thanks Diane!
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
Barbara, it wasn't my original idea; someone posted it ages ago on one of the forums here and since I was having trouble embossing after cutting [and ruined too many die cuts] I tried it and wondered why I never thought of it. Glad it worked for you. I have a magnetic platform and use it for all dies that I don't emboss and I like it but still have to tape down some dies to keep them in place.
I tried the magnetic platform with a Heartfelt Creations die and I think it worked better than using tape. It seemed easier to line up the die with the stamped image .
Anyone not familiar with Heartfelt Creations dies the cut ridge is placed directly on the stamped edge of an image. Precision placement is vital to get a good cut. Their dies are not embossed so one pass is all that is needed to cut with them
So I have a use for the magnetic platform
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
Years ago before manual die machines were available to the retail market we used tiny ball stylus to emboss using metal stencils . We had to trace each shape in the stencil with a stylus . It was very time consuming . I Still have some of the stencils . Then we used an X-acto knife to cut the inner shapes they way metal dies cut them now . The idea of going back to the old way of embossing does NOT appeal to me
BTW we could only emboss on white or cream card stock because the metal stencil was "under" the paper illuminated by using a light box and we could not see the lines of the stencils through colored or dark card stock . So it was very limiting.
Question about Magnetic platform for Big Shot
