Need help: Dry embossing with crop-a-dile
 

OK, so I know how to dry emboss with my crop-a-dile. (I use setting A-1, I think, whatever sets our jumbo eyelets). I can make a cute little dot or a bunch of random dots but what I can't seem to do is make a straight, evenly spaced line of dots......anyone have any suggestions for linin' 'em up??

I have tried holding the paper peircing template onto the card and using the largest holes, but that is a bit cumbersome (slides and twists) and the thickness seems to affect how far the tool closed (and therefore how far the little embossed dots popped up)

I tried pencil dots, but I can't line it up well unless the "raised" side of the dot has the pencil mark, and then you have to erase completely yet carefully (so as not to squish the dot back down)

So, I'm thikning there has to be an easier way....please help!!!!

I have not heard of this, but I'm interested.

To do the dots I used side "A" on the one side of the dial and then on the base side I used number "2". You then put your card stock in between and instead of setting an eyelet you dry emboss your card stock.

I have my card sample on my blog - don't do a ton of these, my hand was killing me by the 8th card. LOL!

http://stampspot.blogspot.com/2007/0...y-for-you.html

Well this is something new again for me..I just got my cropadile..
never heard of dry-embossing with it. Will wonders never cease..lol
loves ya

Something worth trying..tfs.
loves ya

If you want a straightline of embossed dots, my upline suggested using the circles on the perforated edge of an SU order form. I thought that was pretty ingenious. HTH.

LOVE that idea!! I definitely have some of those! Thanks!!

CUTE card! The dots are a great touch. I'll have to try A-2 cuz A-1 sometimes almost cut through the CS! Thanks for your help.

Holy cow! Who woulda thunk it? Thank you sooo much for this great idea w/ the crop-a-dile!!!
Many blessings, Sandi

subscribing... i'll be trying the technique.

If you want to add the dry embossed circles over a layer on your card, you can line up the top of the A black square with the layer. Press down. Now to keep spacing even between the dry embossed circles, line the left side of the A square up next to your circle, the top with the layer....go on like that to make a dry embossed line.

Dry embossed row sample

Thought on these(love 'em) If you gently colored a metallic ink over them, wouldn't they look like faux brads?

Stampin' Terri has a great tutorial here:

http://stampinterri.typepad.com/stam...nth/index.html

WOW, learn something new every day!!!

cool!

Just too cool. Have to try it.

Does anyone know if there is a thread on how to use the crop-o-dile? I knew the dry emboss because we did it at the SU convention, but what else can it do??

How did Linda do that?
 

:confused: I am confused on how Linda was able to put the raised dots all over her card. I just got my corp-a-dile (now referred to in my house as Fred) and haven't figured out how do do much except set a simple eylet.

Does anyone know how she did this?

Thanks!

If you click on the link to her blog, she tells you how to do it. Looks pretty cool! I think I am gonna give it a try!

Problem
 

I hope this isn't railroading the conversation but I'm needing some help, too. I've done the dry embossing with the Crop-o-dile but lately it's been cutting a hole in the cardstock. When I check the tool, the little nipple (or whatever it's called!) on the top (A) is stuck inside with the paper bits from the hole it's punched. Anyone else having this problem? Solution?

I too am confused
 

How does she get the dots in the center of the page? The crop-a-dile only reaches so far.

I have the crop-a-dile and have not been completely pleased with it. I haven't tried the dry embossing, but when I set eyelets, they are bent and some of the paint is scratched off. Also it's very hard to get everything perfectly aligned. I think I'll stick with my old fashioned Mat Pack where I never mess it up. I also use my Mat Pack for embossing and I get two size circles from it and since the holes are perfectly aligned on the Mat Pack they come out perfectly aligned on my paper. I also have the problem Bebo mentioned above with the A getting stuck and paper bits wedged in. I know I must be doing something wrong, but I haven't figured it out.

Loving the Fred thing! My DFamily yells, "Mom's gonna break outa jail again!" when they see me pull out the CAD.

Anyway, if you look closely at her card, she has a half circle cut out of the orange which probably allowed her access from all sides to dry emboss.

Very cool!

On Linda's card, I think the pumpkin pie layer is just a piece of cardstock that she embossed first then layered. The half circle mentioned above is not cut into the cardstock, it is a layer cut with a coluzzle to mount the batty circle on.

2 Questions if anyone can help me as well. I was thinking about picking up the CAD this weekend....what are you thoughts on it...worth it? And am I understanding you all correctly...does it do more than eyelets? Sorry, I'm new to this one. :(

It also punches holes in chipboard and tin like a hot knife through butter! The dry embossed divots are cool too! Alyce already posted the link to the tutorial on my blog that shows you how to set it up for that :) Thanks Alyce! To help avoide squished eyelets remember to put the post though the good side of the eyelet.

I haven't tried my CAD yet, so I'm not speaking from experience. That said, could you remove the bits of paper with a paper piercing tool? That is the only tool I can think of that might work, unless a long thin needle would do.

Regarding the questions of how to use the tool, I googled crop-a-dile tutorial and there are quite a few sites with good information. I found a review on Craft Critique:

http://www.craftcritique.com/search?q=crop-a-dile

You have to cruise down the page a bit, but there is some good information and some links also.

Guess I'd better unpack my CAD and play, huh?

In my google search I found some great videos at:

http://video.google.com

Just do a search on the site for crop-a-dile.

I love the CAD. When dry embossing just don't squeeze too tight and you'll get perfect embossing. If you squeeze too tight a hole will be made. My favorite setting for dry embossing is Top-A Base-2. A-1 is an easy one to do and c-1 can be used for fishy air bubbles!

The best way to see what the CAD will do is experiment. Punch through whatever is around - old cd's, metal cans, chipboard, plastic, whatever. It's like cutting through soft butter!

Also experiment with the eyelet/snap setters. The black heads can be pulled toward each other and rotated to get the setter you want. The instructions on the back of the package will help a lot, too!

Good luck!

Do a search at YouTube as well becasue I know I watched a video on the cropodile there but I don't have the link anymore....I bet the link is posted here at SCDS somewhere....

Love that Crop-a-Dile
 

I love my crop-a-dile and learned how to use it by checking the web. There were several forums on this site and on CreativeXpress (there is an Nth Degree video on it too).

One thing I've found is with older eyes it's sometimes hard to read the letters and numbers on the black cubes. I lightly rubbed my Krylon gold leafing pen over the letters and numbers and it made all the difference in the world.

The forums I read said always use:
1 with A
2 with B
3 with C
4 with D
meaning the lettering and numbering on the black cubes. Obviously these are for normal settings...not the dry embossing.

Another said the 'male' (longer part) is always on top when using the tool. That is the part that goes into the top of the eyelet.

One thing that was always emphasized was do not use too much force or it will bend and/or break the eyelet. It is ergonomically correct and made so you have to use as little effort as possible.

As far as spacing, don't forget to use the spacing guides on the sides of the punches (the screws loosen and you can set it to whatever length you want so they are always the same distance).

Hopefully this helped and makes sense. I know these instructions helped me.:-D

I wrote a tutorial for the Crop-a-dile as well. Hope it helps someone.

Thanks Beate! Your tutorial is great!

love my c-o-d
 

Thanks everyone, for all the great tips. I love my crop-o-dile and am so thrilled that SU has chosen to carry it! All these tips will be very helpful with showing my clients how to use it right... my biggest frustration is when I discover after an event that they are punching their holes with the setting/embossing part of the tool rather than with the hole punches on either side!! I have definitely had to use the piercing tool a number of times to dig the paper and "male" part out of the one side. LOL
Oh well... it is all good! :)

""If you want a straightline of embossed dots, my upline suggested using the circles on the perforated edge of an SU order form. I thought that was pretty ingenious. HTH.""

Would using a scallop scissors on a paper strip be the same kind of idea? Giving you a sort of pattern to follow? I just bought my cropadile and think this is a really cool idea. Thanks