Spellbinders die issue

[dogbyte]

I rarely post here, but lurk and read a lot. I tried to put this in the "Spellbinders" one, but didn't know how. I have my first cutting issue with one of their dies. I have e-mailed them but know that may take a long time to hear back. I purchased the Dec 2024 Small Die of the Month. The "H" will not cut the inner upper side of the right hand "leg". I have tried changing paper, placing on plate and different shims (which my dear husband made me out of flexible plastic on his 3-D printer in different mil.). It will not cut that part. And one else have this issue? Thanks in advance.

[TexasGrammy]

I definitely suggest contacting Spellbinders about this. Their email contact address should be easily found on the website. This company has been around for a long time, and I would expect that your email would get pretty quick notice. Certainly give it a try. You might even be able to attach a couple of photos of your die cutting results to help them see the issue.

Best wishes!

[wavejumper]

They do respond quickly. But know that they are only there M-F I think 9-4:30 or something. I am actually having them help me with something.

Is the die warped? If you lay it down, can you tell? Does the cutting edge in that area feel different? I would not press it too hard. You could also try testing it with ink. Take a water based marker and run it along the cutting edge and try to put something flat over it and press. If that section does not transfer the ink...it is the die and not you.

Or just ask them if you should return it for exchange.

[dogbyte]

Thank you all for suggestions. Sorry it took so long to get back on here, but my Fibro decided to flare up. What I finally did was change up how I was using shims. My dear husband makes me a variety of thickness out of the flexible filament he uses in his 3D printers. I cut a strip of a slightly heavier one, put it on just the center part that didn't want to cut.Layered the thin one I usually use and it cut just fine. I think using just a shim that covered the die didn't push the bad spot in enough. But a fix!! If you know someone that has a 3D printer and uses that filament (he told me the name but Greek to me) he makes shims in different MM thicknesses and sizes to fit my 2 hand crank machines.

[andersen65]

One thing that I have found also helps with spellbinders especially the detail dies is that they work better after I run them through with aluminum foil a few times and then after that with wax paper. This sharpens them up and keeps paper from sticking in the edgers and nooks

[beaddict]

Another option would be to purchase a magic mat over at Scrapbook dot com. It has worked great with every die and every machine I've tried it in, no shims needed.