Die Cutting Tips
Can't remember the "recipe" for stacking your plates and dies in your Cuttlebug, Big Shot, Big Kick or Vagabond? This will help!
WARNING: **DAMAGE CAN OCCUR TO ANY DIE CUTTING MACHINE IF YOU TRY TO FORCE THE MACHINE TO TAKE MORE LAYERS THAN IT CAN HANDLE. IF YOU ARE HAVING A VERY DIFFICULT TIME WINDING YOUR "SANDWICH" THROUGH THE MACHINE, STOP AND CHECK THE LAYERS. PAPER THICKNESS MATTERS TOO!
WARNING: **DAMAGE CAN OCCUR TO ANY DIE CUTTING MACHINE IF YOU TRY TO FORCE THE MACHINE TO TAKE MORE LAYERS THAN IT CAN HANDLE. IF YOU ARE HAVING A VERY DIFFICULT TIME WINDING YOUR "SANDWICH" THROUGH THE MACHINE, STOP AND CHECK THE LAYERS. PAPER THICKNESS MATTERS TOO!
Embossed Stencil Backgrounds
YES, you can emboss your stencils! Just replace the metal adapter plate in the instructions below with a rubber embossing pad for beautiful results.
Big Shot ~ Big Kick ~ Vagabond ~ Vintaj DIE CUTTING sandwich
- • clear acrylic plate *TOP*
- • paper
- • die (cutting side up)
- • metal adapter plate
- • clear acrylic plate
- • cutting platform (with tabs or extended platform without tabs) *BOTTOM*
Cuttlebug DIE CUTTING sandwich
- • B plate *TOP*
- • metal adapter plate
- • die (cutting side down)
- • paper
- • C plate
- • A plate *BOTTOM*
Tips for Cutting Intricate Dies
Since machines may vary, and the thickness of the paper you are cutting through can also make a difference, try these tips to achieve the best die cuts:
Keep the die from moving around by attaching the die to the paper with removable tape
You may need to rotate the die after the first cut and run it through your machine again
If an area in the design is not cutting through all the way, you can create a shim from a sheet of card stock cut into a strip (wide enough to cover the area that needs some extra tension)
Emboss the die into your paper first (using thin & thick embossing pads) then cut using the metal adapter plate as a shim
Finding it difficult to remove the paper cutout from your die? Try cutting through a piece of wax paper along with the paper you are cutting. Place the wax paper between the die and paper you want to cut out, this helps to lubricate the die so the paper comes out easily. ***This step is NOT needed for Cheery Lynn brand dies as they have a special release built into the paint on their dies***
Paper bits stuck in your die cut? Here's a quick video on how to remove them.
Keep the die from moving around by attaching the die to the paper with removable tape
You may need to rotate the die after the first cut and run it through your machine again
If an area in the design is not cutting through all the way, you can create a shim from a sheet of card stock cut into a strip (wide enough to cover the area that needs some extra tension)
Emboss the die into your paper first (using thin & thick embossing pads) then cut using the metal adapter plate as a shim
Finding it difficult to remove the paper cutout from your die? Try cutting through a piece of wax paper along with the paper you are cutting. Place the wax paper between the die and paper you want to cut out, this helps to lubricate the die so the paper comes out easily. ***This step is NOT needed for Cheery Lynn brand dies as they have a special release built into the paint on their dies***
Paper bits stuck in your die cut? Here's a quick video on how to remove them.
