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I had the best now irreplaceable Trimmer, Genesis?, and I had all the 4 and 5 hundred dollar ones, Dahle? But now I am ancient and poor and want a simple one that will cur a straight line without too much effort or risk. Do you have a favorite trimmer suggestion?
I have two that cut straight and are easy to use - Tim Holtz's guillotine trimmer (self-sharpens and can cut even the tiniest sliver of paper; I think it was under $30) and Stampin' Up!'s trimmer (also under $30 and you don't have to swing the arm out to cut a standard A2 card base).
I'm surprised there are so few comments in this thread, especially since a paper trimmer is key to so many different types of papercrafts.
I have had only a few trimmers in my years of crafting. I keep going back to my trusty ol' Fiskars portable rotary trimmer. Mine is the older version of this model: https://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-Porta.../dp/B000NUX180
What I love: It's doesn't take up a lot of room, yet it can still cut a 12"x12" sheet of paper. It's rotary blade seldom needs replacing. In fact, I don't think I've ever replaced the blade in mine. Maybe it's time? It's lightweight yet is a real workhorse.
What I hate: Precise measuring between the 4.25" and 5.5" is difficult for me. That is where the swing arm with the ruler joins to the board. I've learned to work around it by either not worrying so much or by marking the back side of the paper with a pencil and cutting it back side up.
I used to have one with the blade that you drag along the paper but it was always going dull and tearing the paper. I had a cheap "Carl" knock-off, but I couldn't get a precisely measured cut -- and it was heavy. I even splurged and bought myself the full-size Cutterpillar Pro. I can't seem to get a straight cut and almost as bad, it's too big for my tiny little workspace and too much of a hassle to pull out and put away with each use. So, it just sits in a box.
The Tim Holtz guillotine trimmer that Nicole mentioned intrigues me. The size and weight look right and I like the paper holder for safety reasons. But knowing my luck, I'd likely still find a way to cut off the tip of a finger.
I've had a number of trimmers over the years, and my first one was an 11 inch Fiskars. Still keep that one in my travel bag, but I needed one that cut 12x12 papers. So I bought a Carl trimmer, which I really loved until it started cutting crooked. I guess the plastic guide starts bowing or something, because that seems to happen with those slide type trimmers. I even replaced the cutting bar thingie on the bottom, but it still didn't cut straight anymore (sad). Then I bought a big Fiskars rotary trimmer....the large, heavy one. This one is a dream for cutting multiple sheets of cardstock or even chipboard. Only changed the blade once in about 10 years! However, it's way too large to fit on my small craft table, so I have to cut on the floor. I need one for my table. Have used the Stampin' Up slide cutter by Fiskars, the Cutterpede , the small Tonic guillotine cutter, and then a friend gave me the Cricut portable 12" cutter. The Cricut cutter is lightweight and easy to use but the blades go dull SO QUICKLY...argh! Once they start to dull, they tear the paper and it's frustrating.
Wow, didn't think I've gone so many trimmers over the years, but I think I would stick to rotary cutters from now on. The slide ones are easy to use but the blades don't last long enough for me.
Karen
I have three different sizes of Tonic guillotine trimmers and use them all. Self sharpening blades was the number one selling point for me. I can cut the smallest sliver off a piece of card stock with any of the three.........even the larger one. It has a 6" base with an extension to take it up to 12".. Now I find myself wanting the Tim Holtz Tonic cutter because it cuts half sheets of card stock where my medium size one only goes to 4 3/4 inches.
I've had a number of trimmers over the years, and my first one was an 11 inch Fiskars. Still keep that one in my travel bag, but I needed one that cut 12x12 papers. So I bought a Carl trimmer, which I really loved until it started cutting crooked. I guess the plastic guide starts bowing or something, because that seems to happen with those slide type trimmers. I even replaced the cutting bar thingie on the bottom, but it still didn't cut straight anymore (sad). Then I bought a big Fiskars rotary trimmer....the large, heavy one. This one is a dream for cutting multiple sheets of cardstock or even chipboard. Only changed the blade once in about 10 years! However, it's way too large to fit on my small craft table, so I have to cut on the floor. I need one for my table. Have used the Stampin' Up slide cutter by Fiskars, the Cutterpede , the small Tonic guillotine cutter, and then a friend gave me the Cricut portable 12" cutter. The Cricut cutter is lightweight and easy to use but the blades go dull SO QUICKLY...argh! Once they start to dull, they tear the paper and it's frustrating.
Wow, didn't think I've gone so many trimmers over the years, but I think I would stick to rotary cutters from now on. The slide ones are easy to use but the blades don't last long enough for me.
Karen
My Carl started cutting crooked, too! I was so disappointed because I used it for class prep. I called the company about it and his fixes didn't work. Now it sits collecting dust and I have no idea how to get it to cut straight. Such a shame when the thing cost almost $100 and it cut down on my class prep time immensely.
For inexpensive, reliable and ease-of-use, I'll recommend Fiskars any day. Have several other brands (some mentioned above), but my Fiskars never lets me down.
I'm here for suggestions to. I have the Tim holtz guillotine cutter but it seems to be cutting crooked now. I have also had both of the su trimmers and my problem with the most recent one is that it leaves a rough edge where you cut. I have to use a bone folder to smooth out the edge or scissors to cut off the fuzzies.
Thanks for the suggestions. i was really surprised the ONLY heat gun that was in stock was the WOW, which I bought but have not yet used. There are many sellers of the other mentioned guns, but why were so many out of stock, I wondered?
In moving from one state to another, my belongings didn't all make it, so I'm like starting out new, because I hadn't stamped in a few years and forgot way too much where to shop for new supplies. i especially had trouble getting the right ATG tape, 3M #908, AND the right applicator, the #714, so I would suggest if you prefer the acid-free tape, you buy it now. It's $4.99 a roll if you buy a full box, which is 12 rolls.
I'm here for suggestions to. I have the Tim holtz guillotine cutter but it seems to be cutting crooked now. I have also had both of the su trimmers and my problem with the most recent one is that it leaves a rough edge where you cut. I have to use a bone folder to smooth out the edge or scissors to cut off the fuzzies.
I just bought the 12" Tim Holtz trimmer because I make A6 or A7 cards. It's not easy to see where the blade is, and the bed on which the paper lays before cutting is angled. which doesn't help in lining large pieces of paper up correctly. Hind site is wonderfulo....I wish I had bought the Fixkars
Bahb, I don't have a suggestion, I'm just happy to see your face! Hope you are well.
Hi Dina or is it Dini? Thanks for noticing I was gone. Now that I'm back, I'm wanting to branch out and do all the things i never did, like Alcohol inks and PrismaColor pencils, the FIRST coloring product I bought lo those many years ago. I have two sets and I never took the time to read or see the videos for techniques...using Gamsol like I did with watercolor Prismacolors was a no-no, I discovered just last night. DUH! I'm wondering now if you yourself use the blender pencils or the Gamsol, and if there is a reason for using both or one instead of the other.
Blender pencils should work with watercolor pencils. I use gamsol with my prismacolor pencils that are not watercolor. (Maybe they are wax based?) Dina will definitely know, as she is such a great artist! Just thought I did my two cents while you wait for her response.
Thanks for the suggestions. i was really surprised the ONLY heat gun that was in stock was the WOW, which I bought but have not yet used. There are many sellers of the other mentioned guns, but why were so many out of stock, I wondered?
In moving from one state to another, my belongings didn't all make it, so I'm like starting out new, because I hadn't stamped in a few years and forgot way too much where to shop for new supplies. i especially had trouble getting the right ATG tape, 3M #908, AND the right applicator, the #714, so I would suggest if you prefer the acid-free tape, you buy it now. It's $4.99 a roll if you buy a full box, which is 12 rolls.
I returned to papercrafting to find the cost of ATG acid-free refills to be crazy expensive. And I can no longer find any locally. Staples is asking almost $50 for 6 rolls (3 boxes with 2 rolls each) and even the places I've researched online that sell in bulk want $7 a roll. I have 3 boxes of acid-free and 2 boxes of general use left. When they are gone, I will likely quit using my ATG gun and use Sookwang (Scor-Tape) for all my taping needs.
BTW, did you move from California to Arizona? If so, how do you like it?
Edited to add:
If you end up not liking your WOW heat gun, you might consider picking up a cheap heat gun from a hardware store. They are a bit heavier but the Wagoner that I picked up from Home Depot works very well and is comfortable to hold. Downside is that it does not have a stand, so I place it on my ATG gun holder when I'm using it.
__________________ Melissa59 ♥
Last edited by melissa59; 02-19-2021 at 01:53 PM..
I have all kinds of trimmers. I have a Carle and love it but it's so big and takes up a lot of space. Cuts great though! I also have a Cutter Pillar Pro I got for a great deal. I love it too and use it to cut big projects of the same kind of cut quite often. I keep it on a separate desk along with my Big Shot die cutter. Great work station for those things! Nice and clean cuts from this Cutter Pillar Pro! I don't use the light on it much as it hurts my eyes and feels like I'd get a migraine real quick if I kept it on for several cuts. I mostly don't use the light. I have a Cricut paper trimmer because it had some good reviews but I'm not a fan of the style of blade it uses. Has to be replaced often. I wanted it for quick trims at my desk but I found my trusty ol' Fiskars12" lightweight rotary cutter still works great for that. I use at my desk the most now. It's been steady and reliable and it cuts O.K. Not always straight, but I have work-arounds for that. I'm not going to buy anymore trimmers as I have plenty. I did use the Carl at our VFW Post for cutting out Fish Fry tickets and perforating papers for easy tear off tickets. It was great for that, so I may donate that cutter to the VFW but someone would probably pilfer it eventually. I think like many craft tools, with so many versions of cutters out there, we eventually find one or two that work best for the way we work! Everyone uses their favorite because of their style of crafting. You'll just find a good one by some good suggestions but it may take a few tries to find the one that works best for you.
BTW, did you move from California to Arizona? If so, how do you like it?
Hi Melissa, I did move from California to Arizona. 85 years living in California spoiled me for living anywhere else. But my daughter had a casita built on to her new house, for me. So I don't think in terms of whether or not I like it. I am here to stay and so far I've been busy filling in my card making workshop with items that got lost in the move. NOW I am looking for paper for card inserts. I used to use sand-colored paper a little nicer than copy paper, I bought at Papers and More, online.I was shocked to find all the paper merchants I used to use are gone. These days, the paper merchants are focusing on kids' crafts. What do you use for card inserts?
Here is where you need to buy your ATG tape: The Tape Depot
$26.00 for 12 rolls & $3.95 flat-rate shipping
I have used this brand for 14 years and have never had a problem with it; and their customer service has been superb. I order it by the case.
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
Here is where you need to buy your ATG tape: The Tape Depot
$26.00 for 12 rolls & $3.95 flat-rate shipping
I have used this brand for 14 years and have never had a problem with it; and their customer service has been superb. I order it by the case.
What a bargain. Do you use a #714 Applicator? MANY thanks! I was in despair, because the 3M 908 tape i paid $64 for (12 rolls, 36 ft. per roll, 1/4 inch tape} is so sheer it keeps breaking.. Your screen name looks familiar. Are you an Eldorado County geocacher?
Last edited by Bahb; 03-03-2021 at 08:01 AM..
Reason: typo
I returned to papercrafting to find the cost of ATG acid-free refills to be crazy expensive. And I can no longer find any locally. Staples is asking almost $50 for 6 rolls (3 boxes with 2 rolls each) and even the places I've researched online that sell in bulk want $7 a roll. I have 3 boxes of acid-free and 2 boxes of general use left. When they are gone, I will likely quit using my ATG gun and use Sookwang (Scor-Tape) for all my taping needs.
BTW, did you move from California to Arizona? If so, how do you like it?
Edited to add:
If you end up not liking your WOW heat gun, you might consider picking up a cheap heat gun from a hardware store. They are a bit heavier but the Wagoner that I picked up from Home Depot works very well and is comfortable to hold. Downside is that it does not have a stand, so I place it on my ATG gun holder when I'm using it.
Hi Meliss, turns out I love my WOW heat gun because it heats up FAST, has two speeds, and is easy to switch from one speed to the other mid-stream. I'm not liking my Tonic Guillotine Trimmer, but for perfection, I have a print shop machine-cut my cardstock to A4 and A6. They cut 250 sheets for $7.76. And it takes less than 5 minutes.
Hi Meliss, turns out I love my WOW heat gun because it heats up FAST, has two speeds, and is easy to switch from one speed to the other mid-stream. I'm not liking my Tonic Guillotine Trimmer, but for perfection, I have a print shop machine-cut my cardstock to A4 and A6. They cut 250 sheets for $7.76. And it takes less than 5 minutes.
So glad you like your new heat gun! Sorry about the Tonic trimmer. That was on my list as the next go-to if something ever happens to my old Fiskars rotary trimmer.
The Fiskars is not good for exact cuts either. To be honest, I don't know if there is an affordable trimmer that is accurate for precise cuts. I find even my costly Cutterpillar Pro isn't accurate. Of course, in my case, it could easily be user error.
BTW, I thought you had lived in California before. I remember you from way back before we both left SCS and returned. My eldest son and his wife are considering a move to Arizona. I'm staying put for now, though I've long dreamed of getting out of SoCal.
My Fiskars is my present go to trimmer. At first I didn't like the wire in the cutting area until I figured out it is to see exactly where the cut will be made. I have the original WRMK score and trim board, but it goes through a lot of blades. I saw the newer WRMK score and trim board on HSN several months ago and put it in my favorites.. it was around $79. Just this past week it was on sale for $39.47 and I jumped on it. THEN I read the reviews much later - a lot of people say it doesn't cut good, can't cut multiple papers and several people who did buy it previously returned it. Should have read the reviews BEFORE ordering. Maybe that is why it was nearly half price. I'll just need to judge for myself. I usually only cut one page at a time anyway. I also have a small Fiskars Guillotine cutter that I love, but it's only 8 1/2 inches long and can only cut 5 1/2 inches wide. I think I purchased it at Michaels many, many years ago.. way back when they accepted coupons (new coupons are extremely limited on purchases). It cuts perfectly so I usually use it to cut my 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock in half to use as base cards. I always wanted a big guillotine but could never afford one.
I have always used the SU guillotine Trimmer and it is dying a slow cutting death, so I know I need to replace it. I bought the Pro Cutter Pillar thing - HATE it!!! I spent a fortune on it and it frays my paper bad. It doesn't cut at all. I knew I should not have strayed from a guillotine. It never works for me to do that. Back to the drawing board I guess. I want another SU Trimmer WAAAAAA!
Crafter's Companion Large Guillotine-- anyone else have-- and have issues with it?
I've had several trimmers in my 20 years of paper crafting. I had the Tonic maxi, mini and the large Stampin Up version with extender arm (the last of which I still have as my backup). I bought the Crafter's Companion Large Guillotine trimmer because: (a) it was white, pretty and matched my decor (b) it was compact (c) CC promised clean precision cuts (d) it was a guillotine (no changing blades) (e) the extender arm did not obscure crucial cutting measurements (f) it was lightweight (g) the paper guard was not too wide (h) it had a bottom ruler and (i) it offered an embossing grid that I thought would replace my Martha Stewart embossing board (which I sold). At first, I was thrilled with the trimmer. It cut cleanly and crisply. However, the embossing was bad-- the horizontal grooves created indents in the vertical scoring lines and the board only begins to score at the 1" mark and does not go beyond 7". The paper does not always butt up against the blade properly, so it can skew if not careful. Nevertheless, since its primary purpose was a trimmer, I overlooked that. Then I noticed that the markings are in between the embossing grooves, so I have to place my paper in the middle and that could cause issues. That was not a deal breaker. However recently, I noticed that the cutting is off-- way off. I really noticed this when cutting a plastic grid for my stamp positioner. No matter how I placed the grid, the trimmer would pull in the bottom portion to cut at least 1/16" off. Then the other day I was cutting through rice paper and noticed the bottom portion of my paper would not cut through. I thought the blade was self-sharpening like my Tonic trimmers. I had those for 17+ years without much of an issue. I'm sad. Has anyone else had this issue with the CC guillotine?
I have the orange Tonic guillotine cutter with the 6 inch base. Got it for half the price of the similar one that SU used to sell. I also have the Fiskars trimer with the wire guide and it has never given me issues. Had both for at least 10 years. Glad I never spent a fortune on trimmers hearing that they can fail, be discontinued, etc!
The trimmer I've used for years is one I got back when I was a teacher (no name on it). It is finally starting to give out. I'm looking for a new one. For most cutting I use a quilting ruler and a rotary cutter. But if I'm cutting out card bases, I like to use the guillotine cutter. I'm looking at the Tonic one, but will have to do more research and watch this thread.
__________________
"The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake--you can't learn anything from being perfect."
What a bargain. Do you use a #714 Applicator? MANY thanks! I was in despair, because the 3M 908 tape i paid $64 for (12 rolls, 36 ft. per roll, 1/4 inch tape} is so sheer it keeps breaking.. Your screen name looks familiar. Are you an Eldorado County geocacher?
Sorry I haven't revisited this thread! I do use the #714, and no, I'm not a geocacher.
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
Here is where you need to buy your ATG tape: The Tape Depot $26.00 for 12 rolls & $3.95 flat-rate shipping I have used this brand for 14 years and have never had a problem with it; and their customer service has been superb. I order it by the case.
I am sorry I know this is an older thread. Do these tape's roll like the Scotch Pink ATG tape? I use the tape without the gun, most of the time. I need the tape that is sold with the pink ATG gun. I know there are two different types of tape. I get them confused constantly.
Bahb- It is nice to see you again. Sorry, no recommendations on trimmer's. I cuss mine out for the most part, lol.
I had the best now irreplaceable Trimmer, Genesis?, and I had all the 4 and 5 hundred dollar ones, Dahle? But now I am ancient and poor and want a simple one that will cur a straight line without too much effort or risk. Do you have a favorite trimmer suggestion?
I have had many trimmers but love my 12 inch Fiskars trimmer. I can open it up to cut 12x12 paper or not and cut up to 6 inches. It is very durable and the blade lasts a long time.
Favorite Trimmer?
