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Searching for the Perfect ... What? How Many have you Bought?
I keep searching for the perfect cutter. I have 11 right now not counting the ones I have given away. They've ranged in price from $10.00 to over $100.00. I use a very old Boston 2612 guillotine for larger pieces of card stock. It doesn't work work on real close to the edge trims so I use a Crafters Companion slider (?) for that kind of cut.
I think I must be a salespersons dream when it comes to cutter's. Every time someone tells me how great their cutter is I buy it. Someday I'll find the One Perfect Cutter
So, what perfect item are you looking for? How many have you bought and how many do you still have of that item?
Blecch...I'm right there with you on the cutters, lol! I may not have 11, but I do have several. I had a very hard time not buying the one that SCS was advertising last month, the one with the interchangeable blades. It's a disease, I tell ya...
ADHESIVE! I used to use Duck Brand until they changed the formula. Now I am using a Glue Glider Pro high tac and its okay but not my Duck! *pout*
You girls looking for a cutter may want to check out Jennifer McGuire's blog. She featured a really cool one yesterday (Monday) that she swears by. Here is the link: http://www.jennifermcguireink.com/. If I didn't already have my Genesis Trimmer I would seriously consider this one!
I haven't found the perfect desk lamp. I have about 6 ott lamps and still they just aren't the right one! I am weird, I know. I am having issues with adhesive too. I just don't like my ATG gun, its so big. So I will keep trying!
Location: Virginia, where we have the beach and mountains all in one state!!
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I've had issues with cutters too. I bought the Tonic 12" Guillotine trimmer recently and it's great....so far. My ongoing dilemma is with storage/organization. I am blessed to have a room dedicated to my craft but I feel it's always a work in progress. I craft on the go too, so whatever storage I have it has to be portable. But I have to say that there are a few corners in my room that I have mastered!! Woo Hoo. I'll have to take pic's for you.
Paper cutters ... but I think I've settled on the Tonic I have the larger and smaller ones guillotine ones. I have a blade cutter from tonic, but I do not get a straight cut on it either.
ADHESIVE! I used to use Duck Brand until they changed the formula. Now I am using a Glue Glider Pro high tac and its okay but not my Duck! *pout*
You girls looking for a cutter may want to check out Jennifer McGuire's blog. She featured a really cool one yesterday (Monday) that she swears by. Here is the link: http://www.jennifermcguireink.com/. If I didn't already have my Genesis Trimmer I would seriously consider this one!
A friend of mine has the one she featured. I used it. It's great! My only complaint is that doesn't fit into a small crop bag. And, it does still do the Hallmark Fiskars crooked line at the end of the paper if you're not applying your pressure correctly. She doesn't seem to have that issue, but I did it on one of the cuts. Ironically, it also cuts PTI paper a lot easier than my SU Fiskars one.
__________________ I'm a natural blonde. God just dyed my hair brown. -me My Blog
I'm still searching for paper that is truly straight. Honestly, I think that's at least half of the problem with the cutters.
And despite my issues with my friend's cutter, I'll likely be buying one just like it soon to replace mine as it's the best I've used. I too have the Tonic guillotine cutter, but I don't find that I use it much as it takes up too much space (I have the 12" base one). I also use my Carl Cutter for bulk cutting (and chipboard - it cuts chipboard beautifully, even heavy chipboard), though I have issues with it cutting straight at times. I wish you could lock the arm in place as it moves when you push the paper against it.
__________________ I'm a natural blonde. God just dyed my hair brown. -me My Blog
I've had issues with cutters too. I bought the Tonic 12" Guillotine trimmer recently and it's great....so far. My ongoing dilemma is with storage/organization. I am blessed to have a room dedicated to my craft but I feel it's always a work in progress. I craft on the go too, so whatever storage I have it has to be portable. But I have to say that there are a few corners in my room that I have mastered!! Woo Hoo. I'll have to take pic's for you.
I agree, craftrooms are a work in progress. Everytime I get everything organized and put away I either buy something new that I have to find a place for or I make a card or 2 (or 3, or 4) and end up getting half my stuff out and not putting it away.
There is no such thing as a perfect tool, just as there is no such thing as a perfect person. Once I learned to accept that, my life was much easier. Really, I choose the best tools for my needs and my wallet and work with those.
For me, it's a cutter. I am on cutter #10 and I'm still not happy. Right now I have the Fiskars Ultimate Premium rotary. I like it. It has quite a few cons though and I'm kind of in "I'll use it until I find something better but I REALLY want something better". The Genesis is too heavy, too expensive, plus no safety shield. You're supposed to be able to feel the blade before it cuts you but I have no feeling in my fingers, so that is really not a hot idea. I have been thinking about getting a Dahl. I really think I am going to. I managed to rearrange my stuff enough that it would have a permanent place. I won't have to pick it up or move it. It's less than a Genesis and the people I've talked to who own them, love them. I just wish I could try it before I buy it but I can't find anyone in my area that I know who also has one. But first up is a printer. I'm dying here without my printer! (Mine broke). I decided I'm going to go big this time, so I'm buying the HP Photosmart wide format one. Because printers are another thing on my list of trying to find the right one for me. I really think this one will be it! (hopefully).
The good thing there is HP will give me back $50 for my broken printer, which is exactly what I paid for it. Now if only they had that deal with paper cutters...
For me, it's a cutter. I am on cutter #10 and I'm still not happy. Right now I have the Fiskars Ultimate Premium rotary. I like it. It has quite a few cons though and I'm kind of in "I'll use it until I find something better but I REALLY want something better". The Genesis is too heavy, too expensive, plus no safety shield. You're supposed to be able to feel the blade before it cuts you but I have no feeling in my fingers, so that is really not a hot idea. I have been thinking about getting a Dahl. I really think I am going to. I managed to rearrange my stuff enough that it would have a permanent place. I won't have to pick it up or move it. It's less than a Genesis and the people I've talked to who own them, love them. I just wish I could try it before I buy it but I can't find anyone in my area that I know who also has one. But first up is a printer. I'm dying here without my printer! (Mine broke). I decided I'm going to go big this time, so I'm buying the HP Photosmart wide format one. Because printers are another thing on my list of trying to find the right one for me. I really think this one will be it! (hopefully).
The good thing there is HP will give me back $50 for my broken printer, which is exactly what I paid for it. Now if only they had that deal with paper cutters...
Go for the Dahle; you won't regret it! I have a 440 and love it. Yes, it's expensive and heavy, but it cuts straight, is self-sharpening, and will cut super skinny strips of paper without burring. The finger guard does make it difficult to cut pieces smaller than 2 in by 2 in (unless starting from a larger piece, of course.) I will be getting the Dahle 507, for portability, as well. I didn't get the 550 because I didn't like that I couldn't line up my paper against the bottom edge (there isn't really one), it had to be the top edge. But, if you generally line yours up against the top, it might be perfect for you. Actually, I've found that I generally line my paper along one of the painted white lines now anyway, so it would have probably worked out for me. Oh well, I got a good deal on it!
Honestly, I don't know why more stampers don't get a Dahle to begin with. It blows Fiskars out of the water, IMHO. I wish I'd known about it 10 years ago!
Go for the Dahle; you won't regret it! I have a 440 and love it. Yes, it's expensive and heavy, but it cuts straight, is self-sharpening, and will cut super skinny strips of paper without burring. The finger guard does make it difficult to cut pieces smaller than 2 in by 2 in (unless starting from a larger piece, of course.) I will be getting the Dahle 507, for portability, as well. I didn't get the 550 because I didn't like that I couldn't line up my paper against the bottom edge (there isn't really one), it had to be the top edge. But, if you generally line yours up against the top, it might be perfect for you. Actually, I've found that I generally line my paper along one of the painted white lines now anyway, so it would have probably worked out for me. Oh well, I got a good deal on it!
Honestly, I don't know why more stampers don't get a Dahle to begin with. It blows Fiskars out of the water, IMHO. I wish I'd known about it 10 years ago!
Thanks for all the info! That's all I really want - something that is self-sharpening, something that cuts STRAIGHT, and something that cuts clean. I can keep the Fiskars for cutting tiny pieces, I don't do that very often so that would be fine. I do use both the top and bottom edges, I use the top if I am cutting with my right hand and the bottom if I am cutting with my left (because I flip the cutter). My hands shake so I need an edge for it to but up against, if I try with the grid then my hand will shake and it will inevitably be crooked. You know, that top edge part with the thingie on the side (on the 550) - it looks like a carpenters square - is that movable? Because if it is I wonder if I could get two of them, and put one at the bottom as well and then it'd have a bottom edge too.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrapjanny
There is no such thing as a perfect tool, just as there is no such thing as a perfect person. Once I learned to accept that, my life was much easier. Really, I choose the best tools for my needs and my wallet and work with those.
Circle cutters. I started out with a Fiskars one ages ago, then did a CM one. Tried some others over the years. Bought the SU one (that is the same as I forget which brand(s)) and hated every one. I wanted to be able to stamp a larger image then cut it out and not have the circle look like a 2-yr old cut it out. All the cutters I tried have fallen by the wayside. Anymore, I use my Cricut to cut out the large circle I want (for ones that are bigger than any circle punch I have), then I use grid paper and a stamp-a-ma-jig and stamp after the circle has been made. Royal pain to do it that way, but I haven't found any circle cutting system I like for larger circles and I've gotten tired of wasting my money for ones that don't work.
Do you know how wide the base is on the Dahle 507 and 508?
The 507 measures 17 inches by 8.25 inches is the "table size" of the cutter according to this website. The 508 measures 22.5 inches by 8.25 inches.
I don't think you can move the whole carpenter's square on the 550. On my 440, I can only move the part that sticks out onto the measuring grid. It will slide completely off the top and will slide onto the bottom part of the 440. Not sure if I explained that very well.
Trimmers. I want to say I've had six?
I found one I loved, but it wasn't portable. It's the X-Acto laser trimmer, and I LOVE it. Well, it is portable, but it takes up too much space on the table. And it has to be on the table to cut.
So, I shop and shop, research for ages. And I found the Fiskar's Ultimate 12" rotary trimmer. I would have bought it, but the Rock Paper Trimmer is the same thing, and I got it for $30 shipped. It does everything I've ever wanted a trimmer to do.
It:
cuts straight
cuts clean
cuts tiny strips
measures easily
AND when you butt the paper up to the edge (top or bottom), you get a perfect 90 degree angle. If you want a perfect square, you get a perfect square. Not a slanty square.
Funny, though...I dropped it the other day, and a piece broke off of the blade housing. It still works, but I'm kind of worried it's fragile now...
The 507 measures 17 inches by 8.25 inches is the "table size" of the cutter according to this website. The 508 measures 22.5 inches by 8.25 inches.
I don't think you can move the whole carpenter's square on the 550. On my 440, I can only move the part that sticks out onto the measuring grid. It will slide completely off the top and will slide onto the bottom part of the 440. Not sure if I explained that very well.
No, it makes sense. I'm just trying to figure out how to cut my larger 12x12 papers. I didn't realize they were that big! LOL! My space for it is only about 15"x20". So the 508 isn't going to fit but the 507 would fit. Is there a swing out or something for the larger 12x12 papers so I know where to cut? Or do you measure, mark, cut?
A bunch of us just bought the clever cut at the scrapbook expo. we got a great deal since 6 of us got one. I surely did not need another cutter.....but I absolutely love the clever cut. And I could not pass the price up. Now my Mom is kicking herself for not getting in on the deal. I can't wait until the new blade housing thing comes out. Love love love my new cutter!!!
No, it makes sense. I'm just trying to figure out how to cut my larger 12x12 papers. I didn't realize they were that big! LOL! My space for it is only about 15"x20". So the 508 isn't going to fit but the 507 would fit. Is there a swing out or something for the larger 12x12 papers so I know where to cut? Or do you measure, mark, cut?
No, the 507 doesn't have a swing out arm, which is a downside. And it looks like the markings are only in centimeters, not inches. It measures up to 16 centimeters wide (a little over 6 inches) so that would be enough for me. I would just use my large cutter for anything over that.
A bunch of us just bought the clever cut at the scrapbook expo. we got a great deal since 6 of us got one. I surely did not need another cutter.....but I absolutely love the clever cut. And I could not pass the price up. Now my Mom is kicking herself for not getting in on the deal. I can't wait until the new blade housing thing comes out. Love love love my new cutter!!!
Clever Cut looks very similar to the Dahle 507, but has a swing out arm. Does the blue finger guard get in the way?
eta: I just watched the video on Crafter's Companion's website and see that you have to push down on the cutter to cut. That rules it out for me with my muscle weakness. With the Dahle, you just have to slide the cutting head.
Clever Cut looks very similar to the Dahle 507, but has a swing out arm. Does the blue finger guard get in the way?
eta: I just watched the video on Crafter's Companion's website and see that you have to push down on the cutter to cut. That rules it out for me with my muscle weakness. With the Dahle, you just have to slide the cutting head.
That would rule it out for me too. My biggest issue with my Fiskars Ultimate is I have to press down quite a bit on the carriage to get it to cut. My hands are weak, and so I'm not able to cut more than one or two sheets before having to stop. It's getting annoying.
Well on the cutter issue.... I see Zutter has released their new cutter but it retails at about 150.00... any reviews on that ? I personally am happy with mine, but have heard others complain about it... the MM
No, the 507 doesn't have a swing out arm, which is a downside. And it looks like the markings are only in centimeters, not inches. It measures up to 16 centimeters wide (a little over 6 inches) so that would be enough for me. I would just use my large cutter for anything over that.
I have a Dahle 507. It does have inches (at least mine does), but no swing out arm. So you have to do what I call reverse cutting with larger pieces.
So if you have a 12" paper and want a 9" cut, you line it up at 3" and cut off the piece you DON'T want, leaving you with the 9" piece you DO want. Kind of a PITA if you don't know what size the piece is that you are starting with OR the paper isn't true to size (happens more than you realize). Or you have to measure and mark the paper. :rolleyes:
I dropped mine and that loosened the bottom piece so that I don't get straight cuts when I line it up on the bottom any more. So I've moved on. It also "bent" any heavier CS when cutting it. It sort of curved the edge over for some reason. I didn't like that at all. PTI paper was the worst.
My Dahle 507 only has the measurements in centimeters, which doesn't bother me. I think some of the older models may have had inches and centimeters. If you click the "larger image," you can see what I mean. http://www.abcoffice.com/cut500.htm
I haven't found the perfect desk lamp. I have about 6 ott lamps and still they just aren't the right one! I am weird, I know. I am having issues with adhesive too. I just don't like my ATG gun, its so big. So I will keep trying!
Would you be interested in selling your ATG??? I have tried all of the others so this is the last one for me, lol.
Searching for the Perfect ... What? How Many have you Bought?
