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I hope this wasn't covered in a previous thread. My big shot plates warp - which seems to be a problem with many of us. I have read the treads on SCS and it seems that the best way to prevent this is moving my paper/die cuts around so that you are not cutting only in the center of the plates.
However, especially when I use my Thin lit dies, with a warped plate, the dies also warp somewhat. I try to bend them back gently but what am I missing here? My husband said that dies can break!
The reason I need the dies to be flat or straight is because I store them on thick cardboard covered with magnetic sheets, by company and if they are warped, they fall off the magnetic cardboard.
I make all my Christmas cards and I teach (volunteer) adults crafting, so when we work with paper crafting projects, I use the plates and machine many, many times. My last Christmas card had 20 separate die cuts (it was a fence, with a cottage, fence decorated in a swag and lights, cottage decorated for Xmas with pines in the background and snowman, deer, etc.) and I make about 35 cards. So you can see how much I'm using my machine and die cuts.
Someone suggested that when your plate becomes engraved and warped, it is a good idea to cut that plate (like into 4ths) and use the smaller plates (even if they are warped) with your thin lits dies. Many people are blaming tiny thin lit dies for warping your plates in the first place?
Is anyone else having this issue? I don't mind having my husband cut the plates, especially if they are yucky anyway and he is always willing to help when he can. It does make sense to use a smaller plate for smaller dies.
Thank you for any information you may be able to provide me.
One idea that may/may not help: try running the dies through face up one time, face down the next. Maybe alternating will keep them from becoming overly warped...?
I keep one plate for using only as the bottom plate (on top of my mag plate) and the warped/curved plate is on top of the die and I haven't had any of my dies curve. I did break a die - the very tip of my swallow tail butterfly was over the edge and it snapped off.
Thank you Stamphappy. I do try to keep one plate flat and nice but sometimes I do cut onto it accidentally. Oh well.......the spoils of "happy stamping/die cutting/coloring, etc."
I'm with stamphappy. I know that it's really nice to have the messy cutting plate on the bottom, paper next, and die cutting side down on top of that, then the nice cutting plate on top. But I did end up with some dies getting a slight bend if the messy plate is too curved.
I had better luck with the nice plate against the magnetic platform, taping the die to the paper and putting that combo on the plate face up...cutting edge and paper up...then the messy plate on top. The die doesn't bend.
Of course - that makes sense Fionna51. Perhaps that would help to keep the die from bending slightly. I'll try what both you and Stamphappy suggested. I appreciate all the replies from you crafty ladies!
My sandwich is mag plate, nice plastic plate, die cut side up, paper good side down, and then the bent plate. The benefit is that I can keep my nice plate longer and the scratches from the bad plate are on the back side of the paper. Every now I just loose a brain cell and will cut into my nice plate but generally I can keep my flat plate clean. If needed, I'll use my metal plate on top of the curved plate. If the metal plate gets a curve I just flip it over and run it through the BS to flatten it.
I do switch the bent plate different directions to minimize the curve but no matter how hard I try the top plate will eventually curve. I just keep using the curve plate until it breaks or I treat myself to a new set.
That seems to be the consensus from the others in the group and in the thread I found that seems to touch on this topic briefly. That's the winner, then! Thanks so much stamphappy!
thinlit dies warping
