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re: Where's the cardstock? and challenges cutting straight edges
Hey all! I have 2 questions, which I know someone here can answer because you all always have the answers, plus everyone is so helpful on the forums here.
* Make sure that you butt your cardstock against the top edge, and slide your blade from bottom to top.
* Hold your cardstock down with your free hand, making sure (of course) to keep it away from the blade.
* Be aware that some cardstock starts out crooked. Line up each edge on your trimmer, and you should be able to see if one of the edges is crooked. Then it's easy to trim a little bit off so it's straight. You might have to sacrifice a small strip of cardstock, but it's better than having crooked cards. Besides, I'm pretty sure that not many people will notice if your card is 1/8 of an inch short on one side - except you.
Scrapbook.com has colored card stock. I haven’t ordered any from them so I have no idea on the quality.
I know some people take their 8.5 x 11 card stock to Office Depot or Staples to have it cut in half for card bases. I haven’t done that, so again, no idea on price, accuracy, etc.
Maybe I should have just skipped over this since my answers aren’t very helpful. But, since I’ve typed it out, I’m gonna post
I'm going to echo what scrapjanny says- it's extremely common for cardstock to not be cut straight from the producer. It's worthwhile getting a T ruler if you don't have one, and checking your cardstock for square before you start. You may, as she says, need to trim off a sliver, but that will give you a proper straight edge to butt up to the trimmer. Also, I was told by someone a few years ago, that it's not unusual for the ends of trimmers to not be perfectly square, and it's better to line up your cardstock with any lines printed/molded into the device. Hth.
I don’t have any advice for buying cardstock because I haven’t needed any.
I went through a phase where my stuff was always crooked. So frustrating!!!
I began checking my cardstock before cutting to make sure it was straight. Then I’d cut and check again. When adding any layers I discovered I have to stand up. No matter how straight it looked while sitting, it ended up crooked.
This slowed the whole card making process down but I was tired of “slightly off” cards.
For me, the problem didn’t really improve until I bought a guillotine type trimmer. After going through two different brands of “sliding blade” type trimmers I bit the bullet and put in a little more money for the guillotine type. I have the 12x12 Tonic brand and love it.
I will still do a quick check on the uncut cardstock just against the grid lines on my trimmer. And I do still stand up when attaching layers. But the trimmer really helped.
Before getting a batch done at a printer or office supply place, have them do one or two sheets. I had an Office Depot near me with an unreliable cutter. Where I live now has a local printer who does a great job, so for my standard sizes, I love going there. When I'm doing a batch at home of something out of the ordinary, I'll set up a slide to butt up against to make sure my cuts are exactly straight. I agree that standing overhead and a guillotine cutter help with straight cuts.
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Concord and 9th just restocked their cardstock; I don't have any (yet), but the colors look yummy! It's 80#.
My favorite heavyweight (110#) is by Papertrey Ink or Ink to Paper. Their colors are available in 3 package sizes: 12 sheets for $3.00, 24 sheets for $5.00, and 50 sheets for $9.00. I've never found anyone who can match their prices and the quality of the cardstock. I haven't bought anything from them but cardstock in a long time, but I think they had a wake-up call a couple of years back and hopefully they've gotten straightened out now.
I just bought the small Tim Holtz trimmer and I do not like it! If I'm not holding my paper firmly in place, it cuts crooked every time. I've watched closely and the part of the blade furthest away from you is either not sharp enough to cut or close enough to cut. It bends the paper in a slight arc before it starts cutting straight. It's a good thing I bought it mainly for cutting sentiments, or I would chuck it in the trash.
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Are there particular paper brands that seem to be "off" from jump all the time or very often? Any that seem to be on the money all the time? I have to check every single piece of paper? omg....
I am cursed myself. My TH mini guillotine and Tonic 12 x 12 one (6th and 7th tools) are having "swerves" towards the end of the cut even if I hold the paper down tightly. Forget cutting more than one piece of paper at a time.
Helps:
sharpen the blades first by moving them up and down 10x
Pull the arm left towards the platform.
If we are talking card bases...I also suggest checking your scoreboard. If it isn't plumb your crease could be slightly off and your corners wont line up. Then you think it is the cut and it is not.
I have been aggressively lining up the corners of the paper after I crease it, and holding them before I run the bone folder. That helps a lot.
Last edited by wavejumper; 09-30-2020 at 05:09 AM..
Leeleeb-I'll try your tip for the Tim Holtz trimmer. I bought the smaller one just recently. Jennifer McGuire loves to use it for those small sentiments, and I just couldn't get a nice straight trim on my Fiskar's blade trimmer. I have been having trouble with the TH also. So, maybe user error, lol. I'll try your idea!
Are there particular paper brands that seem to be "off" from jump all the time or very often? Any that seem to be on the money all the time? I have to check every single piece of paper? omg....
I find that the Recollections/Michael's brand of 110 lb. heavyweight cardstock is often crooked right out of the package. I always check those sheets before cutting. The other alternative, if you don't want to check every sheet of cardstock you use, is to trim the crooked edge off after you make the card base. I do that too.
I haven't found a trimmer yet that I couldn't cut straight with. I worked for a store/company that is famous now, and over a half dozen customers returned their purple Fiskars trimmers because they said the trimmers didn't cut straight. The owner was going to throw them away, because she said it didn't pay to send them back. I asked her if I could have them, and she gave them to me. They are still cutting straight to this day, and it's been 16 years. I gave some to family members, and theirs are still working too.
I'm not saying that there aren't trimmers on the market that don't cut straight, because I haven't tried every single brand. It sounds like some of you have found some terrible ones.
I just bought the small Tim Holtz trimmer and I do not like it! If I'm not holding my paper firmly in place, it cuts crooked every time. I've watched closely and the part of the blade furthest away from you is either not sharp enough to cut or close enough to cut. It bends the paper in a slight arc before it starts cutting straight. It's a good thing I bought it mainly for cutting sentiments, or I would chuck it in the trash.
I hated my small Tim Holtz trimmer when I first got it as well. When trying to cut a full 8 ½ x 11 piece of cardstock in half for a card base I’d end up with these small indentations along the cutting edge. It seemed to be happening because of the way the blade arm is constructed on the side that touches the paper. I used it a few times then set it aside.
I began to pull it out to trim smaller pieces of paper down or cut sentiments.
None of those type of cuts require bringing the blade all the way down so the problem indentations stopped.
Now that I’ve used it awhile I started trying to line up paper at the bottom instead of the top. I find if I make a firm, quick motion with the blade arm it’s fine. I just don’t bring it all the way down. Just enough to make the cut.
I use Stampin' Up!s new trimmer and I'm very happy with it. Both scoring and cutting gives me straight edges and score lines. I do have to be sure that the cardstock is butted up along the raised edge at the top of the trimmer.
I also love PTI paper. They have great colours and unlike a lot of their products they are a great price. You can try the colours out with several mixed packs too. It’s very high quality cardstock that stamps great and doesn’t crack on score lines.
I am relieved to know I am not cutter challenged. I had the TH trimmer also. I had all the same issues. I donated mine just recently.
What I have found is that all trimmers are off. You will never get a straight cut if you don't hack it. I use a rotary cutter and my quilting ruler to get straight edges. If I am cutting down bulk I use my guillotine trimmer.
When starting a project if I used my guillotine trimmer to cut down paper I will check my individual paper with my cutting mat and ruler to see if it's straight. Then trim off the edges that are not straight.
I find the arms on these inexpensive guillotines either come slightly loose or get that way fast and I suspect that is part of the problem (thus the tip to pull the arm towards the platform)
Looking at that statement, I got cranky and just got up, grabbed hex wrenches and tightened both arms. They now seem to be cutting "better". I wont say perfect until I make something. Assuming the grids (not using the edges) on them are straight they are improved. I had no swerve.
SueEllen, back to your question about colored cardstock...I was listening to Stephanie Bernard today and her husband purchases cardstock for their company, The Stamps of Life. Their website is totally out of cardstock. He can't seem to get it ordered to restock. Apparently paper mills have closed so there are not as many selections available for small companies to place orders through. She said when they get it back, it will cost more as it is costing more to get it in stock.
It seems Stampin Up has colored cardstock available. I see a lot of Neenah on Amazon. I have never used it, but know the name and hear it is quite good cardstock. Like the poster said, PTI has quite a few colors in stock. Hope you find some that works for you.
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re: Where's the cardstock? and challenges cutting straight edges
