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Shopping around I found out that the Genesis paper trimmer is available for sale again. For those of you who own one.........Is it really that great of trimmer?
It's pretty pricey so I just would like to know before I spend that kind of money. TIA!!
__________________ God watches us at all times. Let's try to be entertaining!! (River City Rubber Works)
I love my Gensis! I have had it for a few years now and wouldn't trade it for anything.
Yes, it is expensive, but it works oh so well. I don't know what the wait time is on the trimmer, but at the time I ordered they notified me prior to shipping. Upon that notification I could cancel if I wanted to. My cc was not charged until I gave them the ok that I still wanted the trimmer.
So--my thought, but check out shipping time--order it, then make a final decision as to whether or not you really want it when they call.
I've owned at least one of every trimmer that costs less than the Genesis, and did find that the more I paid , the closer I got to consistent precision cuts. Still, nothing measures up to the precision I got when I took my cardstock to the local print shop and paid them to use their professional Trimmer that probably cost them more than ten times what I paid for the Genesis.
There's this to be said for the Genesis....it's the best trimmer of all the ones I've had, in terms of precision, and it has become my go-to trimmer every day. The best feature is the light under the cutting edge, which is an option you should definitely get. At first it seems a waste, but then you find yourself using it more and more, and relying on it particularly when you're cutting layers or squaring up something that's slightly gallywampum.......The light will shine through even dark stock, once your eye gets used to looking for it correctly. It's SUCH a great help! No other trimmer has this feature.
I didn't order the guide that holds the paper down, but part of the attraction of the Genesis, for me, is that nothing gets in the way of me seeing exactly where the cut is going to happen. This is a hazard........when you hold the paper down with your hand, you risk cutting your fingers off.....but I've used my Genesis several times every day since last January and no cuts so far. It might seem stupid to NOT have a cover over the paper, but I don't have to worry about smearing ink or scattering bling or what's on the card will get wrecked if there's something attached to the board that's holding the embellished card down and I'm trying to trim an edge.
I don't have even one Copic, or Nestie, or Big shot, or Sizzix, or Slice, or Cuttle bug, or fancy storage system or even the whole set of Prismacolor Pencils. BUT I have the Genesis because my number one goal first is to have cuts as close to perfect as I can get them.
The Genesis vendor also sells the Scor-It, my second most favorite tool and the one that insures the base card looks perfectly professional every time. no matter how thick or thin the cardstock. You should see what it does to 120 lb. stock. Beautiful!
Hope this helps your decision-making. It is alot of money to spend on a hobby, but nothing compared to what it would cost if you took up golf, photography, sailing, dune buggies or just about anything addictive. :-)
Can you give me some info about where to purchase? Thank you in advance.
Bonnie's Best Art Tools. Sorry I can't seem to transfer the URL, but if you Google it the first entry will get you there. I think Bonnie is the ONLY vendor of the Genesis.
Yes, it really IS that great a trimmer!!! Mine has been on my table for eight and one-half years - the cuts are just as true as they were the day it arrived - it still has its original blade. I would be lost without it!
So, I have a question...for as long as I can remember, these have always been on backorder. Why, all of a sudden, can you just order them. Is the quality still the same? Also, how important do you think that edgelight is...I really do not want a 16 inch cutter?
So, I have a question...for as long as I can remember, these have always been on backorder. Why, all of a sudden, can you just order them. Is the quality still the same? Also, how important do you think that edgelight is...I really do not want a 16 inch cutter?
Boy, I WISH it had been "all of a sudden!" We bought the company, which had a HUGE order backlog, in 2007. Working long hours and sometimes 6 days a week, it still took more than 2 years to take care of the waiting list orders and to build production to the point where we could ship trimmers as they are ordered! Our goal was to be able to ship Genesis Trimmers in time for Christmas this year, and we are thrilled to meet this goal!
We've shipped second trimmers to many customers -- customers who owned a 16" with light and decided to buy a 12" for traveling, for example -- they have been absolutely thrilled with the quality.
The edgelight shines upward through cardstock or photos to illuminate the exact cutting line. It's very handy when cropping photos, cutting at a specific spot on patterned paper, cutting around a stamped image that is not straight on the page, etc.
The Genesis edgelight is a luxury, not a necessity -- but once you have the light, you might argue with that definition! <grin> I wouldn't give up my light for anything, but I do use my more portable 12" trimmer when I travel and it works just fine (even though I miss my light when I don't have it).
Thanks Bonnie for clarifying the info. So is there any chance that there will ever be a light for the 12 inch or do you not see this happening?
Probably not, sorry! Unfortunately, we can no longer get the housing for that size light. And it wouldn't make sense to have it specially manufactured because of set-up costs, since there was not a great demand for 12" lights... Most people who ordered the 12" trimmer did so for space reasons, so they didn't order the light. The 16" trimmer with edgelight was far and above the best seller for the last 10+ years.
One thing you could do is get a large a light box and sit the 12" trimmer on top of the light box.
Thanks again for all the info...although I can definitely see it's advantages, I agree that it would be a luxury and one that I could probably live without. I am VERY interested in that precision cut though...have always been a bit put off with the long wait in the past, but if there is no longer a two year wait, it is much more desirable now, lol.
Two year wait? Hmmm, I believe I waited SIX years after going on the Waiting List. During that time, I acquired many wanna-be's that didn't come close, in price or in performance, as well as a couple that came VERY close to the price but not the performance. I guess it's sort of like buying cars or anything else. You get what you pay for, most of the time.
The Genesis is calibrated for cardstock, paper, photos, film and vellum. For precision cuts, it's best to cut no more than two sheets of cardstock, no more than three sheets of text-weight paper at once. The Genesis is not for cutting chipboard any heavier than a cereal box. You'd want to use a different type of cutter for heavier chipboard, bookboard or mat board -- that could harm a Genesis.
The 16" won't fit a 12 x 12 sheet of paper corner to corner-that measurement would be closer to 17". I cut 12" paper on my 12" trimmer all the time (90% of my patterned paper is 12 x 12 and I scrap 8.5 x 11 and smaller). The only restriction is that you can only cut by moving the blade top to bottom and not bottom to top, if that makes sense.
Um, not sure I really get this about moving top to bottom... but I'm assuming that the 12" cutter has a 12x12 base, so can fit a 12x12 paper as long as you're cutting it straight. True? That's all I need. Well, that and around $300 CAD to buy this...
Bonnie...I've had my Genesis for about 25 years. I used it at work in the darkroom cutting prints. My cutting blade is a little rusty but it still cuts like a charm. Would the new replacement cutting blade fit my old Genesis? It has cut a million prints and still is sharp. I no longer use it at work. It is in my dry craft room. This trimmer is made to last!! Love my trimmer!!
Bonnie...I've had my Genesis for about 25 years. I used it at work in the darkroom cutting prints. My cutting blade is a little rusty but it still cuts like a charm. Would the new replacement cutting blade fit my old Genesis? It has cut a million prints and still is sharp. I no longer use it at work. It is in my dry craft room. This trimmer is made to last!! Love my trimmer!!
25 years! How cool is that?! Good news -- we've kept the cutter wheels the same, so our new cutter wheels will work fine with your vintage Genesis Trimmer!
Thank you for the quick response. The only reason I would replace it would be to make it look pretty, LOL. At least I know it can be replaced if needed.
To cut 12 x 12 you have to start the blade at the point further from you and move it toward you (when you're standing with the cutter in front of you) if that makes sense. As long as you're cutting it straight (parallel to one of the sides) it will fit.
Thank you so much! Thanks for verifying that the 12x12 will fit. The 12" should be enough for me if I do decide to lay the cash down...
Well...............That settles it!! I'm ordering one. I'm not near as happy with the cutter I have as I thought I was. Bonnie, Thanks for all your input!
__________________ God watches us at all times. Let's try to be entertaining!! (River City Rubber Works)
I hope none of the people who waited years for their Genesis trimmers will hate me, but I just wanted to let people know that I ordered my new Genesis on Thursday of last week, and it arrived at my door today. I wish I were going straight home to play with it, but I have a stop to make on my way home from work . . . At least I have a long weekend to look forward to, and I'm so glad I didn't spend time cutting *little* squares for my Christmas cards before the new cutter arrived! Thanks, Bonnie, for getting the waitlist cleared so you could start filling orders so quickly!
__________________ Carol
*Olim velis me peraudire.*
Rock is dead. Long live paper and scissors!
I stopped by Bonnie's store and picked up the 16" Genesis this last Saturday and met Bonnie, too. I love my Genesis, it's a birthday present to myself (Sunday). I'll be picking up the light, the guide bar and one of those Japanese Drill Presses at a later date. Thanks Bonnie, it was great meeting you. By the way, I loved all of the paper in your store.
I hope none of the people who waited years for their Genesis trimmers will hate me, but I just wanted to let people know that I ordered my new Genesis on Thursday of last week, and it arrived at my door today. I wish I were going straight home to play with it, but I have a stop to make on my way home from work . . . At least I have a long weekend to look forward to, and I'm so glad I didn't spend time cutting *little* squares for my Christmas cards before the new cutter arrived! Thanks, Bonnie, for getting the waitlist cleared so you could start filling orders so quickly!
:-) :-) :-) The wait was worth it!!!!! But hurry up and get the light because that makes ALL the difference.
I am another satisfied customer - I've had my trimmer for several years now and I love it. My husband had to quarter several hundred sheets of paper for a Boy Scout Jamboree handout - I gave him the Genesis and the guide bar to use and it was very easy to complete.
So how much space is needed if you have the 16" with edge light vs 12"
Is the trimmer heavy....how does it compare weight wise to say the dahl 550 or tonic guilotine 12" base
hubby says get it.... but what would I do with the other 3 cutters I have?
Bonnie is online now at SCS, so maybe she can answer your questions. I just placed an order for the Genesis a few minutes ago, but with a condition that the guide bar could be placed in 1/4" increments. Then I saw she was online, so I PM'ed her; she not only PM'ed me here, but had already sent me an email answering my question. Talk about customer service! FYI: the optional guide bar can be placed in 1/16, 1/8 and 1/4" increments.
__________________ 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.
So how much space is needed if you have the 16" with edge light vs 12"
Is the trimmer heavy....how does it compare weight wise to say the dahl 550 or tonic guilotine 12" base
hubby says get it.... but what would I do with the other 3 cutters I have?
SPACE: The footprint of the 16" Genesis with edgelight is about 18x18. Footprint of the 12" is about 12-1/2 x 13.
WEIGHT: The Genesis is made of metal and the cutters you mentioned are made of plastic, so it's definitely heavier, but not so heavy you can't move it easily... I've never weighed it unboxed... hard to balance it on a scale -- but boxed for shipping (we're talking heavy-duty shipping carton and large protective cardboard insert), the boxed 16" with light is a little over 14 lbs. I'm thinking there's about 3 pounds of packaging, so the 16" w/light might weigh 10-11 lbs. I can check tomorrow and correct this if I'm way off.
Re: your last question... You'll probably want to keep the one that cuts heavy chipboard (because you can't use your Genesis for heavy stuff). You could be generous and donate the others to a teacher or a charity!
Bonnie is online now at SCS, so maybe she can answer your questions.
LOL! My husband is watching the Maryland game; that's why I've been online for awhile! Now I'm going to get back to the book I've been reading... a friend lent me the new J.D.Robb.
Thanks, Bonnie! And Darlene, your hubby said to get one... go to her site right now! (before he changes his mind - lol)
__________________ 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.
Good for you, Darlene! I've wanted a Genesis for YEARS. Can't wait to get mine! And I also want to thank Bonnie for buying out the Genesis company, catching up on back orders, increasing production and finally having them in stock ready to ship. Merry Christmas to us all!
__________________ 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.
Quoted from Bahb's post: "I didn't order the guide that holds the paper down, but part of the attraction of the Genesis, for me, is that nothing gets in the way of me seeing exactly where the cut is going to happen. This is a hazard........when you hold the paper down with your hand, you risk cutting your fingers off.....but I've used my Genesis several times every day since last January and no cuts so far. It might seem stupid to NOT have a cover over the paper, but I don't have to worry about smearing ink or scattering bling or what's on the card will get wrecked if there's something attached to the board that's holding the embellished card down and I'm trying to trim an edge."
My reply: I rec'd my trimmer today and already love it! I got the 16" version with the edge light and the guide bar. FYI: the guide bar isn't made to hold your paper down, but to aide you in making repetitive precise cuts. You can tighten the guide bar down at any width on your trimmer: it hooks over the top edge of the trimmer and tightens at the bottom with a screw, so you can easily cut at any increment or remove the guide bar at your convenience.
Thanks, Bonnie, for the fast shipment and great service. I am one satisfied customer!
__________________ 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.
Last edited by uncbballfan; 11-30-2009 at 06:08 PM..
Reason: to quote earlier post
Imagine! The picture on the website looked vaguely familiar and lo and behold there has been a Genesis trimmer in the house for years! I had no idea what it was. Iv'e been papercrafting 10 yrs or so and have never touched it. It sits in the office on a shelf.
Genesis Paper Trimmer
I love it!
