My Big Shot seems to be shot

[pixordia]

This is the second Big Shot I have had in the span of 3 years that seem to have lost their tension. Can they be tightened up mechanically or should I just buy another? It only happened in the last week or so. The sides of the intricate dies cut out on the sides and then I have to turn it to get the the top and bottom that only partially cut out on the first run.
It is possible I ‘stretched’ it a bit by using buckled cutting platesas sometime it was a bit of a strain to roll it through.
Thanks for any input from those who have experienced this.
I am not sure I want to go to an electric one yet.
Any advice on your favorite Cutting machine would be greatly appreciated.

[cnsteele]

I have never had a Big Shot, but going through two in three years would be enough to cause me to stop buying them. I have heard other people talk about things breaking after two or three years, so you would not be the first.

I love my Cuttlebug. I have had it for 14 years and never had issues. There is a thread in this forum that they are being discontinued, but if they are still available, I can 100% recommend one. Buy an extra set of plates and you'll be set for years and years!

[pixordia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnsteele

I have never had a Big Shot, but going through two in three years would be enough to cause me to stop buying them. I have heard other people talk about things breaking after two or three years, so you would not be the first.

I love my Cuttlebug. I have had it for 14 years and never had issues. There is a thread in this forum that they are being discontinued, but if they are still available, I can 100% recommend one. Buy an extra set of plates and you'll be set for years and years!

Thanks for your reply Nicole:I have a Cuttlebug as my backup which I have had for about 14 years. It still embosses OK but it seems a bit rattly. I didn’t save the receipts for my Big Shots but I did buy them at bargain prices. Maybe they were faulty to begin with and sold to Clearance places like Tuesday Morning.

[fl_beachbum]

Just curious, how “tight” are your sandwiches when you roll them through? I have just given my mother my big shot which i had for over 8 years and noticed that it started to loosen after a project where i cut a bunch of snowflakes using Sizzlits. I had to add shims to make sure they cut the details, and these were not intricate dies. It still works fine, but I noticed a difference in pressure when i went back to using my steel rules dies (the kind i normally use). Some of the new embossing folders, thicker to give a more 3d effect, seem to produce more pressure, too.

??

[stampin stacy]

Your Bigshot came with a small hex wrench to attach the handle, occasionally you need to use that same wrench to re-tighten that screw. It is amazing what a difference doing such a simple thing can make.

If that doesn't work then I'm out, mine has been a workhorse of a machine.

[Bella Carta]

I've had my Big Shot and Big Shot Express for several years and no problems. Some tips I've learned from others . . .
when cutting squares, rectangles, etc., put them through at an angle instead of straight up;
place your dies in different places instead of the always using the center where the most pressure is continually applied;
not every die is the same in terms of thickness, cutting precision, etc., even within the same brand;
I use the Platinum precision die cutting pad and it works wonders! It's been out for a year or two and beats any of their other cutting pads, hands down!

[pixordia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fl_beachbum

Just curious, how “tight” are your sandwiches when you roll them through? I have just given my mother my big shot which i had for over 8 years and noticed that it started to loosen after a project where i cut a bunch of snowflakes using Sizzlits. I had to add shims to make sure they cut the details, and these were not intricate dies. It still works fine, but I noticed a difference in pressure when i went back to using my steel rules dies (the kind i normally use). Some of the new embossing folders, thicker to give a more 3d effect, seem to produce more pressure, too.

??

I have the magnetic plate and I use a cutting plate below the Die and one above. I think it happened after I used a buckled plate and the Die was thicker than normal. Hi it went through but it was a struggle turning the handle.
It still cuts my thinlitsOk but I have to turn the more detailed Dies to get a good cut.

[fl_beachbum]

Ok, yes - a struggle to get it through is exactly what I noticed with customers and my own experience with the sizzlits. Tight is good but I think the struggle indicates it’s too much and will cause the machine itself to adjust.

[pixordia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stampin stacy

Your Bigshot came with a small hex wrench to attach the handle, occasionally you need to use that same wrench to re-tighten that screw. It is amazing what a difference doing such a simple thing can make.

If that doesn't work then I'm out, mine has been a workhorse of a machine.

Thanks Stacey:
I have used that few times but not lately. I will try it again.

[pixordia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bella Carta

I've had my Big Shot and Big Shot Express for several years and no problems. Some tips I've learned from others . . .
when cutting squares, rectangles, etc., put them through at an angle instead of straight up;
place your dies in different places instead of the always using the center where the most pressure is continually applied;
not every die is the same in terms of thickness, cutting precision, etc., even within the same brand;
I use the Platinum precision die cutting pad and it works wonders! It's been out for a year or two and beats any of their other cutting pads, hands down!

Thanks for the good tips. I do them when I remember. I will just have to be more careful with my sandwiches and adjust them if too tight.

[pixordia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fl_beachbum

Ok, yes - a struggle to get it through is exactly what I noticed with customers and my own experience with the sizzlits. Tight is good but I think the struggle indicates it’s too much and will cause the machine itself to adjust.

Yes.....I will watch it with my new one. Have found a good deal on Hobby Lobby so I will keep the older one for the thick embossing folders and any thicker dies that resist. Appreciate all your suggestions.

[loyce]

Just a suggestion. Give customer service at Sizzix a call. They have been so helpful to me in the past, once replacing my Big Shot, and once sending a replacement part. They were even cooperative sending the parts to another address, that of my handy repair person!