Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
I don't have either but I read the review on the pazzle. It looks pretty cool. Its not a stand alone machine you will need to hook it up to your computer. In our weekly paper yesterday they did a story on the couple who invented the machine, unfortunatley I couldn't find an online link. But this couple invented the cricut and sold it to provo craft. They make a royalty off of every machine sold and thats how they financed the pazzle.
Good luck in your decision, I hope someone out their can give you more insight to the pazzle and how well they work.
In case you don't get an answer from a pazzles owner, I have a Silhouette and my best friend has a cricut.
The bad news is, there is no "better". It all depends on what you want it to do, and how you like to work, and how much you want to spend at first versus in the long run, etc.
I love my Silhouette, even though I have not used it much yet. I love playing with the design screen, using a lot of wingding type alphas I've downloaded, and having the option to go to almost 8 inches. My friend loves her Cricut because she just picks out a cartridge, picks out an image and cuts. I love my Silhouette because I have not purchased anything else to "go with it" since I got it while my friend has spent more than double what my Silhouette cost on Cricut cartridges (and that even with her only buying on sale!). My friend loves her cricut because of all the specialty cuts she can make (shadows, outllines etc) that I cannot do without buying a design program for the Silhouette. I use my laptop to make/choose my designs and get everything exactly the way I want it before I hook up the laptop to the Silhouette; my girlfriend sits on the floor in her family room, puts in the paper and cuts out.
The Silhouette is only portable if you have a laptop and takes a lot more space than the cricut- since you need the computer plus the Silhouette in the same place. The Cricut does nothing without a cartridge, so there is constant new costs as new, "must have" cartridges are released. What the Silhouette can cut out is only limited by my creativity on my computer screen.
These are what she and I have seen of the highlights of the differences between our two "toys". I guess others can give you more information. The pazzles, silhouette, wishblade and others are all pretty similar. HTH
I may be the only one out there that has had a bad experience with the Pazzles. The installation and the learning how to use the machine is a breeze. I had no problems with that. However, I have had NUMEROUS PROBLEMS with the actual machine itself. Several times, after finally getting my words "welded" together, and ready to print, it said "not responding"....so, because I didnt save the project, I had to re-create it....AGAIN! Then, many times the machine would not "accept" the mat, and after turning it off and on several times, hoping to "reset" it, it would finally work like a charm. Also, I had Stampin Up card stock on the mat, and had the settings set accordingly, and it "wrinkled" my paper as it was cutting, so that was a waste! After "playing with it" for about 6 hours and still not ONE single die-cut, I'm getting frustrated.
I'm trying to be excited about it, but I'm just not.
Also, one more thing....If you have limited space in your scrapping area.....this is not the machine for you. The machine itself is quite large, then you need 18" in front of the machine and 18" behind the machine. (For the mat to be able to move in and out of the machine as it cuts).
I think they need to work on this machine a little longer.
(and i forgot to mention, that i bought the mini pazzles a couple of years ago, and never took it out of the box.....once i looked at the manual, it was just too overwelming.....).....so yes, i have 2 pazzles....never used the first one....and probably returning the 2nd one...
I hope you ladies have better luck with your machine....maybe I just got a "lemon".
(I've tried numerous times to contact the company, and I get a voice mailbox...after leaving several messages, i have yet to have my phone call returned......I'm not happy with their customer service at this point either) ughhhh
Hello I just got the pazzle for Christmas. I was so excited to have it. I had been wanting if for a few years. Well I got it running and boy am I not happy with it either. Talk about lemons. I too got the message and it would shut down. The dies would not cut out properly if you cut smaller than a 3 inch. I emailed the company a few times for help and no response. My needle got stuck in the down position boy was I uspset. I have the cricut and the cricut expression but wanted this machine so bad. Now that I have it I hate it. My friend just got hers and I am waiting to see if hers works as bad as mine did. If not then I will ask for a replacement but right now it is going back in the box and getting shipped back. Very disappointed.
I was so excited about making the word books but guess I won't be doing that. Anyways just wanted you to know you were not the only one that had trouble.
I was thinking about ordering the mini. But I think you said you haven't used that one yet. So I guess you couldn't tell me if it was better.
I started with a cricut and decided to add a pazzles inspiration. I had the pazzles for few months and sold it because it was too hard to learn how to use it! I just didn't have the time to devote to learning it. . . I did love using it for making true type letters. It was very touchy also, sometimes it would cut, and sometimes it wouldn't!
The whole time I had the pazzles, I used my cricut more. I still have my little cricut. It is easy and I will never try to get another pazzles again. With the cricut, you just press a couple of buttons and you get the die cut you want. Great and easy!!
Well, I have a pazzles inspiration and I LOVE IT! (For those having software difficulties, I would see if you have the current version of the software (there is at least a single inspiration patch currently available (and I have loaded it, and not had any of the problems your reporting!)
This may be more information than what you need, but here it goes:
I started with the Original Blue Wishblade, and it was good. There are all kinds of groups out there, with free files, so If I needed any particiular design, I could usually find a place for it, and most of them were free. Which was great. Welding of text, was not available on this version, and once Xyron aquired it, they quit supporting an XP version (and this annoyed me). I broke down and bought the Create and Cut software and this gave me the weld capability, and Xp support, but then I could no longer use the .GSD files that I had. At this point, I was done. The one thing about the Wishblade (and assume this is true for the silloute as well, is that since it uses 8 1/2X11 paper, you could xyron it, and then not use a cutting mat, and then you had stickers.. which made life very easy.
Then, I bought Cricut for my sister, and got to play with it some, it does a great job cutting, but what I didn't like was the additional expense everytime I wanted a new deisgn or font. This wishblade had spoiled me.
Then I saw the Inspiration at a CKC and decided, it would be what I would get next. The two biggest sellers on it for me was it could do 12X12 pages, and could do thin Chipboard. So I got one. I will say I was a little intimidated at first, however on the installation cd, they had nice learning modules and a book manual to walk you thru the basicis. This was wonderful, so I was able to do exactly, what I wanted. Then I discovered the Pazzles group on Yahoo, and this directed me to scrappingklo.blogspot.com which is an awesome site, where Klo, posts demo videos on how to do things with it. Including how to clean up designs that don't cut ideally. These are fabulous, and with her help via these videos, It is very hard for me to do any scrapbook layout without my pazzle. Will I say it never does anything wrong... no.... I have had it tear paper, and jam up, but usually it is because the mat is wearing out (not as sticky as it should be, and the loose paper starts shifting). However, with a quick push of the power button I'm back in business. If I could xyron for it, and not have to use the cutting mat everytime, I would be set for life!
I hope this helps everyone out there, I know I probably rambled.
I have a Pazzles Inspiration and I love it. There is a learning curve involved, but it is worth the effort for me. I agree that Klo's website is wonderful and she is very helpful. I have also found Amanda at Pazzles helpful in answering questions. I am not having technical problems with my machine.
I do not have a Cricut, but my best friend has one and loves it.
I think that the Cricut is a bit easier to learn and does not require a computer but the Pazzles has the capacity to do more. Pazzles has tools for a pen, piercing, engraving, embossing and distressing in addition to cutting. If space is an issue, the Cricut is smaller. As others have said, it depends on what is most important to you. They are both good machines.
With either machine, you might find a tip fro Klo helpful. Many people struggle to get good cuts on very heavy cardstock. Rubbing the paper with wax paper really helps to avoid those problems. I now cut Bazzill cardstock with my Pazzles all the time without trouble.
Good luck to you as you do your research and make a purchase.
I just purchased one and am waiting for it to arrive. Thanks for everyone's input... I've saved link to Klo's site and am already watching tutorials! I'll be sure to post some projects starting this weekend! Wahoo!
You can use your Cricut like you do the Pazzle. Just purchase the "Sure Cuts A Lot II" Software, and you can cut anything with the fonts already on your computer and transform pictures into vector drawings to cut out. It is not very hard and many people sell there vector files on Etsy.com or give them away on their blogs. Here is a great vendor site for "Sure Cuts A Lot" and "Cricut" products, mycricutbuddy.com.
Between the Sure Cuts A Lot software and Make The Cut software which ever you prefer you really do set yourself free from the expense of cartridges. There are mounds of free and for sale downloads out there to work with these softwares and your cricut. You essentially could just purchase your cricut with the one cartridge and then one of these softwares and you would be good to go.
Also think of it you can create anything you can imagine. Use fonts on your computer, ones you download etc...
The links below will take you to a quickcutz font chart with links to some free and some fonts you will pay for: http://designingwithdiecuts.com/learning-center/fonts/108-font-equivalents.html
And here is the link to the same type of thing for cricut fonts. http://designingwithdiecuts.com/cricut/cricut/182-cricut-font-equivalents.html
I have the cricut and recently bought the Make the Cut software, I didn't have SCAL but many on the MTC forum say that it's easier than SCAL and pretty much does the same thing.
As time goes on the choices for electronic cutters gets better and better
So my question is...I have the cricut and SCAL. I just saw how the Inspiration has software that can take an image and make a cut file from it. (It shows a handprint and then it creates the outline.)
I'm NOT interested in buying another machine--but I'd be interested to know if anyone has that software and if it can work to make the file and then improt it into SCAL to cut w/ Cricut?
tutorials on converting files... I convert files between my Pazzles and KNK pretty easily because I can import ai files into both programs. I'm not sure what file type you need; but sometimes it's not so easy.
I don't have either the Pazzles or the Cricut but I do have the Bosskut Gazelle and I am in love with it
The Gazelle is pretty much like the Pazzles with some differences. It has a laser guided print-and-cut, which makes print and cut easier. It embosses, engraves, cuts 12x12 or 12x24, longer if you have paperbacked vinyl on a roll. It can cut a wide variety of materials nicely and cleanly.
The cons are that it does take time to learn. If you are not comfortable with a computer or learning new software, it's not the right machine for you. There is a definite learning curve to it. For me, that's actually a plus because I LOVE learning new machines and learning new software and seeing what it can do. But then I am a designer so that's not a surprise.
The software is very advanced and can do a lot of things, easier than MTC or SCAL. The new Funtime 2010 also has the lattice features and the Rhinestone features which are very nice. The machine can also use virtually any writing utensil to draw or color.
You can get a Gazelle for roughly $430 shipped. It comes with a 12x12 mat, blade holder, standard-to-heavy blade, a $25 Bosskut gift card, the software, a manual, and free access to bosskutforum.com - unlike the Pazzles you do NOT pay a monthly subscription fee for the technical help forum.
So my question is...I have the cricut and SCAL. I just saw how the Inspiration has software that can take an image and make a cut file from it. (It shows a handprint and then it creates the outline.)
I'm NOT interested in buying another machine--but I'd be interested to know if anyone has that software and if it can work to make the file and then improt it into SCAL to cut w/ Cricut?
I know Inkscape can convert SVG's (the file type used in SCAL) to the file type for Funtime software, but I don't know if it will convert Funtime files into SVG's.
Just saw this thread! I have had a Pazzle for quite a while. Almost two years now and I have found that the learning curve for it is just too big for me. I JUST got the Cricut Expression from HSN and the Sure Cuts A Lot 2 software and am flying! LOVE IT!
I have the Cricut, I do like it but think I might get the Pazzle as well. I have SCAL and Inkscape, which is a free program, and they work very well together. I like being able to import into Inkscape and save it as a SVG then open it in SCAL. I am able to cut anything I can draw or import into Inkscape. I'm still in the research phase of the difference between the two, I think Pazzle does a little more with different tools, which I like. So I will probably end up spending the money and if I like one I will sell the other!
If you want simple go Cricut. If you don't mind learning a new software program get the Pazzles. It does have a learning curve especially for the more complicated cuts. But it is well worth it. No cartridges to buy - if you want they have CD's that are wonderful.
Location: Wishing I was not at work but I have to pay for my hobbies some how! LOL!
Posts: 2,528
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScraPerfect
So my question is...I have the cricut and SCAL. I just saw how the Inspiration has software that can take an image and make a cut file from it. (It shows a handprint and then it creates the outline.)
I'm NOT interested in buying another machine--but I'd be interested to know if anyone has that software and if it can work to make the file and then improt it into SCAL to cut w/ Cricut?
I have Make the Cut software and a Cricut. I have a scanner and I can scan in anything and covert it to an SVG file. I have been stamping some of my Papertrey Ink stamps and adding a shadow to the image so I do not have to buy their dies! I got my scanner at a garage sale for $5!
pazzle vs cricut
