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Good morning! I am considering buying a large die cutter as I only have a Cricut now and its so tedious to use with lightweight paper (intricate designs rip the paper even with a new blade sometimes - UGH)... so which would be better?
I am just a stamper/card making hobbyist and I plan to cut light to medium weight cardstock, regular papers and probably cork and chipboard. They cost about the same ... there is a sale going on right now at Accucut apparently... the GrandeMark is slightly more, though.
I have read that the GrandeMark is tougher to use because the dies slip around a bit and there is sometimes a distortion issue? But I have not heard one bad thing about the Big Shot Pro ... so thats where I am leaning, but I would love to get your opinions!
I am thinking the Big Shot Pro might be easier to resell (if needed) since everyone knows the Sizzix name... besides cost and the GrandeMARK being able to handle a bit bigger dies... is there anyone able to offer any other pros or cons?
The BSP will resell better to other crafters. The Accucut Grandemark can cut larger shapes, if you are interested in larger 3D boxes and forms. The BSP can take ANY Accucut dies EXCEPT the Giant Size, which is the largest size. Some of the Giant Size dies, however, do require larger than 12 x 12 paper.
So, if you are not interested in super sized dies, then you can consider the two machines equal in capabilities.
I went with the Accucut Grandemark because I did want some giant dies (that don't need larger than 12 x 12 paper) and I got it for the same price as the BSP with a sale. The Grandemark has a larger footprint than the BSP. It truly is a behemoth that pretty much needs its own desk. (And it's not pretty, so if you are particular about having a gorgeous studio, the Grandemark is a little industrial looking.)
The reason I chose the Grandemark over the BSP was because:
1) At the time, the machine cost was the same.
2) The Grandemark can cut everything the BSP can plus bigger. Even if I don't want the big stuff, I figured, for the same price, why not buy the one that does more?
3) The replacement parts of the Grandemark are cheaper (cutting mats and the die cutting tray). Therefore, long term upkeep will be cheaper.
I'm not considering any resale value, however. I do not anticipate dumping this machine. (If I really had to, though, I'd approach a school since they may be more familiar with it than other crafters.)
Can't compare them, as I have never used the GrandMark, but I LOVE my Big Shot Pro. Can't imagine needing anything else, or wearing this thing out. It is solid, and weighs a ton! I went through two Cuttlebugs, then jumped straight to the BSPro - It is one of top tools.
I found a ridiculous deal on an Accucut Mark IV so I am going to buy it.
But... can you use Sizzlits with it?
What adapter would I need?
I am jealous! Seething with jealousy. Congrats on the great deal. I would snag it too if I found a good deal. I am so excited for you.
I have no clue the shims for the Sizzlits and Embossing folders. I do know AccuCut has great customer service. I bet they have the sandwich stacks and shims for other dies if you write or call them.
Thanks, DA, don't be seething just yet, LOL ... its a Craigslist deal and its "lightly" used for $150, so ... its all relative. I did email them and Amanda got back to me explaining that I will need the Tray Adapter to use with Sizzix regular thickness dies. But there is nothing available right now to use with the Sizzlits or embossing folders... so I will need to figure out my own shim with cardboard or chipboard... which is fine. I suppose if I use Sizzlits enough, I should get a big shot or something for $50 bucks (with coupon at Michaels) to make my life easier.
I think that is still a great deal. I wonder if anybody has come up with a hack to use Sizzlits & Embossing folders with the AccuMark. I would probably go for a smaller cutter too to cut my Sizzlits. I like my CB for Sizzlits. I do have a Big Shot. I use that for fabrics mainly.
But there is nothing available right now to use with the Sizzlits or embossing folders...
Nothing from Accucut, no. But there *IS* something that works fantastic. (Well, at least for me, I have the Grandemark.) I saw a video (just google for it) that shows how to use wafer thin dies and embossing folders. So, first, I have the tray adapter that allows me to cut Sizzix thick dies. Once you are at that thickness, then go buy the Sizzix adapters for the big shot. I got the Solo Platform so that I can cut Sizzlets and use embossing folders and I got the Solo Wafer Thin Die Adapter to cut my Quickutz and cookie cutters.
Here's the embossing folder video. The same woman did the wafer thin die video. She has a Grandemark and used the Big Shot Pro adapter plates, but I bought the regular big shot ones.
OMG, Scrap this is exactly the info I was looking for - thank you so much.
I love my new Mark IV... it works like a dream (though I could use a new roller)!
It's interesting because I went to my local scrapbooking store and they have a Grandemark and the rep there gave me the completely wrong info on what I would need to use my new machine ... she told me I would need a cutting pad... but the Mark IV cuts right on the roller ... not like the Grandemark ... and I told her that... glad I didn't listen to her; I knew I would have to go home and read the free downloaded manual ... and I did.
What you are saying makes total sense, though, and I knew there had to be a way to use sizzlits and folders (love the 12x12 embossing folders available for the Grandemark only) ... esp since they had an adapter to use Sizzix stuff.
Glad you are liking it and that you got a good deal! I don't own nesties. Spellbinders is not angel friendly (at least not when I emailed them to ask in 2007). I do make cards to sell on Etsy and they said I could not with their dies.
I do own wafer thin QK dies including cookie cutters. Yes, I use the wafer thin die adapter. I kept my clear cutting mats from my Epic 6 to use with them, but the purple Accucut ones are fine too.
Yes, that is the difference between the GM and the M4: the M4 doesn't use a top cutting plate and, therefore, your roller needs to be replaced from time.
The Mark IV has it's own Sizzix tray adapter and the roller is not all that expensive. I'd go for the roller and tray combo though to get a slightly better price and make shipping worth it. You will need a tray some day anyway.
I ordered all the shims and adapters and a new roller; hope it comes soon!Ugh, I dont like that Spellbinders angel policy is stingy. None of us are millionaires from selling our cards, are we? I mean... if it takes me 25 minutes to make and design one card (that I would sell for 5 bucks?), I am doing good. Figures I already bought a few sets of Nesties to use with my new Mark IV. Really... how would the spellbinders people know what cards ar emade with their dies... many (I know, not all) shapes are similar to other dies. I will have to check out the QK dies!
I have a BSPro, and love it. Here on my blog is some info about it- size, what you can cut etc, and some sandwich recipes. Also, the actual measurements are on there, and they are different to the manufacturers claims! Very easy to use, nice and stable, handle turns easily, nothing I don't like about it.
Can't comment on the other machine, I've never used one.
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I love my Grandemark and the paper does not slip on it. I have had mine about 6 years and can't imagine not having it. I have the sizzix adapter and they also make a embossing kit platform which came with one of my machines. I love how u can cut several (bigz, etc) dies at the same time on the machine with the adapter plate. The Accucut machines are workhorses and love being able to make my own envelopes with the envelope die cut. I can cut 4 at a time and choose to use 24lb paper. I actually found a pack of HP 24lb paper in legal size at a thrift store......oh does it make wonderful envelopes I paid $4 for 500 sheets=500 envelopes. You only need letter size for envys but this happened to be legal...
I probably have 400 dies for my machine and use it all the time.
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I have three big shelving units I got at a high school auction and all the diecuts fit in those down in my downtown studio. Hubby just happened to buy me a building one day, right next to one he owns and has his workshop in, His and her buildings, affordable in small town America.
the guy who owned it before me was an artist and he painted the storefront
I agree with DieCuts4U... I love my Accucut system! Its been two years since I bought my Mark IV, and now, I don't know how i could live without it! Its funny that, at the beginning of this thread, I said I was concerned about resale value ... who cares about that? I'm never selling it! I would have gotten the GrandeMark, but the difference between the Mark IV and GM, is that with the Giant dies, you do need larger than a 12x12 paper ... I don't have any paper that big. I love all the boxes and bags that Accucut sells ... with the 50% off sales they have 2x/year ... they are kind of affordable ... plus you can use all the Sizzix dies, too. I will say that its a bit big to use with Sizzlits, so I did buy a BigShot to handle the small stuff. And that combo works perfectly for me. So, in two years, I have amassed about 350 dies... many of them Sizzix ... some old and some new. Ebay!
If I had to do it all over again and I had all the money in the world, I would get the Accucut Mark IV and the Big Shot all over again. Oh, and I would buy every die Accucut sells, of course!
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for the accucut dies. check the website, every week they have new weekly specials and those are all 50% off.
All my dies are located around the room and some of the smaller ones are on another wall above my Mark IV - in an adjacent room -so no pictures.
How I got my first Accucut (machines) We were going to a family reunion in Minn. so I got on Craigslist MN and searched for a machine for sale. I found a Mark IV and three big custom dies so decided to get it the price was good. Well right after that I found someone selling the Grandemark for a good price as well. I had already committed to the Mark IV but wanted a Gmark. I decided to go for it. So off we head to MN to reunion, hubby knew we were driving an extra hr. north to pick up the IV but had to tell him about the 2nd one the Grandemark, well turns out it was in a town only 18 miles from our reunion.............so we get to the reunion and a relative says when did u leave home, hubby replies with the time and then says but we had to drive half way across MN> to pick up a die cut machine. My relatives all know my crafty habits and all laughed..........He was saying it jokingly not crabby. He is a true blessing.
I am like others who have posted, I would not get rid of my Accucuts ever.
For larger than 12 x 12 paper, check local print shops, or I get a lot of mine in the clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby, found a whole bunch lately and bought them all.
Also for nice heavier white chipboard type for boxes, bags etc After xmas in Jan. H. Lobby had all their xmas gift boxes marked down to 90% off so they were 29 cents for two boxes, I got a bunch and they work for big boxes, etc. just cut them apart and u have big pieces for your machine and I used the scraps to make a bunch of tags.
happy diecutting.
I love this thread. May I ask what you do with all of your boxes? I have a crafting kids club so I can have them make boxes, but, even though I love to make them, there are only so many people I can make and give boxes too. I guess I don't have many friends and I don't work outside of the house. I can see if you sell them at a craft fair or something, but if you don't what do you do with them once you make them?
K
I just bit the bullet and bought the BSP, mostly 'cuz I make tons of flowers on a BigShot, and wanted to make bigger flowers- found an old Sizzix BigZ rosettes die on eBay, both arrive next week, so off we go. Reading the posts here is encouraging, good to know there are so many people who use the machine and can recommend it. Thanks!
I think I bought a pig in a poke, as my grandmother used to say. The Sizzix BigZ Pro die rosettes arrived. I'm used to making rosettes on the Big Shot, and mostly bought the bigger machine for flowers. The machine works fine, but the die does not. The rosette strip is barely perforated, and does not make a "flower" without the paper tearing.What's worse, I inadvertently ordered two machines. That's too much wasted money.
Is it the Tim Holtz rosettes? I use them in my Pro, with this sandwich:
Pro Adapter plate
solo platform
solo shim
clear plate
Die
paper
clear plate
hth.
Thanks, SilverWolf. I did pretty much what you described, sandwich-wise, but I think the paper needs to have two parts glued together to make enough perforations. This die is made by Sizzix and designed by Lynda Kanase. (I'll have to check out your blog often, it's very helpful!)
Not the same die then, I wasn't sure. Its really irritating when they don't work well. I have a gorgeous flower die by Heartfelt Creations, Delicate Aster, I think its called. Beautiful flower, but an absolute nightmare to get to cut! I can get 2 or 3 flowers to cut every time, but the larger two just won't cut properly no matter how I try. I've had to resort to just trying to cut them 1 die at a time, and even then I have to run it through 3 or 4 times to get them to cut. Glad you found something useful on my blog
Got a great deal on a Accucut Grandmarke yesterday on craigslist! Will post my experiences once I try my dies out on it. I have some new cut & crease pads arriving soon.
hi,
I am new to this forum. Can anyone help me please. I have a Big Shot Pro (BSP) and i would like to purchase an Accucut die (onesie). The Accucut company say that their dies are compatible with the BSP but someone who sells both of these machines doesn't recomend using these dies in my machine.I do not want to purchase another machine again. Does anyone have a BSP and has used Accucut dies and what sandwich do you use?
thanks
I just bit the bullet and bought the BSP, mostly 'cuz I make tons of flowers on a BigShot, and wanted to make bigger flowers- found an old Sizzix BigZ rosettes die on eBay, both arrive next week, so off we go. Reading the posts here is encouraging, good to know there are so many people who use the machine and can recommend it. Thanks!
Add me to the list, mine is well used and loved! I've two electronic machines I rarely use, the BSP is so easy and quick. I've had mine for over two years.
Quote:
Originally Posted by glamaframes
hi,
I am new to this forum. Can anyone help me please. I have a Big Shot Pro (BSP) and i would like to purchase an Accucut die (onesie). The Accucut company say that their dies are compatible with the BSP but someone who sells both of these machines doesn't recomend using these dies in my machine.I do not want to purchase another machine again. Does anyone have a BSP and has used Accucut dies and what sandwich do you use?
thanks
The BSP will handle it just fine as long as it fits the opening. Sounds like a slick salesperson wanting to get your money to me.
Accucut GrandeMark or Big Shot Pro?
Seething with jealousy. 
