Digital Cutters

[razldazl]

Tell me about digital cutters. If I understand it correctly, you can create a template for a digital cutter by scanning an image, etc. Has anyone had any experience with one cutter or another. I see there is a QuickKutz Silhouette SD, and a Gazelle by BossKut to name two. :?

[tchk]

I have the original Silhouette and LOVE it. I've done some fun things with it and am very satisfied. It does have a learning curve- most of the digital cutters do- but I took an online course and it really helped a lot. I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

[razldazl]

Thanks for your response! This whole concept is a bit new to me. So, you can scan an image or shape and load it in the digi cutter enabling it to reproduce that shape on paper or whatever you've chosen??

[dkwalsh]

I have a pink wishblade and recently upgraded to a BossKut Gazelle. I absolutely love these tools. There are tons of free files available on the internet that you can use to cut shapes. You can also download and use free fonts and dingbats or even design your own files with the software that comes with the machines. As mentioned, there is a learning curve, but once you learn how to use your machine, there is no limit to what you can do. I use my machine every day and actually rarely stamp anymore. There is a yahoo wishblade group you can join that provides tutorials on how to use your machine. You also could join now to see what other people have to say about their machines. You can create some phenomenal things with these machines and I highly recommend them if you're willing to put in the time to learn.
Debby

[suplayingwithpaper]

I have a craftrobo (samething as a silhouette) and loathe it. While you can scan in an image they don't always cut as well as they could and you need to spend a lot of time deleting nodes and tidying it up. My worst bugbear though is the cutting, anything thicker than whisper white and I have to copy & paste the image to get it to cut twice. Anything thicker than normal SU card, my 300gsm watercolour paper for eg, I havent a hope of getting it cut.

I've also got a cricut expressions which I use like the robo using surecutsalot software. Cuts near on everything in one go although I do have to use 2 cuts for thicker chipboard. Software is a lot more forgiving than the robo and a lot quicker and easier to use and it's nice to be able to use 12*12 card.

When the robo dies I'll be clapping, when the expressions dies I'll either replace like for like or go for the pazzles inspiration if there's not much price difference.

[razldazl]

Hmmm....so there is software available for the Cricut. I didn't know that! Does this mean you can load a digi image onto this software and then plug it into the cartridge slot for the Cricut and cut the digi??

[suplayingwithpaper]

The software is totally unauthorised by provocraft and it works directly via a usb cable from the pc to the cricut. Once SureCutsALot is open you either click file/trace image (find the jpg) then ok or you can do file/import svg and scal will automatically trace the image or open the svg. You still need a cartridge in the cricut but it doesnt matter which.

The only downside to scal compared to the robo is that it doesnt pick up quite as much of the detail but there are times, specially if you are using a jpg that was originally made with paintshop pro, where you don't want it to pick up every pixel. I find if I've made a design in psp with a curved edge the robo leaves a micro serated edge whereas the cricut leaves a beautifully smooth edge. Not so great if you want to recreate a martha stewart lacey heart type border but I find the simplicity of the software far outweighs the time, patience and skill needed to tidy up the nodes in the robo.

[lylacfey]

I have all of them. Had a WB but I took it over to my Mom's and she is hoarding it.

I have a Gazelle and a Cricut.

I love them both for different reasons. I absolutely adore the Gazelle and think it's a powerful machine. I wrote a lot of reviews, tips, etc on it over here so I won't bore every one again, lol. Trust me she is a great machine.

The software is easy to learn, lots of videos over at Funtime site and then when you register the Gazelle you can access those training videos. Also the Pazzles videos help out a lot when learning the Gazelle.

The Pazzles is another die cut machine and I also recommend that one. I almost bought it then decided on the Gazelle at the last minute. I mean like the last minute. I had the Pazzles in my JoAnn's online cart and hitting send.

What made me choose the Gazelle over the Pazzles was the Print and Cut feature. Gazelle has more pounds of pressure on their machine.

Pazzles and Gazelle use the same software which is SignMax Funtime. New version has released where you can make your own Lattice designs. Set down for this one: Rhinestones. I don't know much about the Rhinestone feature but I am practically shaking thinking of it, lol.

Wishblade, the software is a HUGE LEARNING CURVE! Oh my gosh I thought I would need a Ph.D. I am a huge computer geek and proficient in several graphic programs from Illustrator to PaintShopPro. Before I got back into stamping graphics was a big love. Still is. I had so much trouble with the WB software that it actually put me off learning the WB. I was going through a very stressful time in my life too but even the experts admit it's hard to learn.

Cricut- SCAL is wonderful and SCAL2 traces really well now. I use my Cricut as a cartridge based machine since I got the Gazelle and my DH bought me a Gypsy so I hardly use SCAL any more but I do recommend Cricut/w SCAL quite often.

I know it's very confusing. If you go to www.paperthreads.com they have a great site that compares the machines and the forum is a wealth of information.

HTH!