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Hello Everyone - I tried to search and couldn't find an answer to this question. I have some beautiful doily-type dies from Lifestyle Crafts. I love them so much, but I am having a hard time getting them to punch correctly with my cuttlebug. I have tried shims, and they just don't work. Another stamper once told me that there is some sort of a metal thing that helps - can someone please help me out? I think they are just beautiful - but at this point - not worth the increase in my blood pressure trying to get them to work correctly! :p
Some one here ( I forgot who it was) recommended using Freezer paper instead of wax paper. I have been using wax paper for years, but I tried the Freezer paper and it does work better. I think it is because the Freezer paper is a tad heavier than wax paper and acts like a mini shim, plus the die cut releases from the die as easily as it does when I use wax paper.
Neither will harm your metal dies
Barbara
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
Try placing the die more toward the edge of your cutting platform. That gives a little more pressure when cutting, and it works every time for me. I have a Big Kick, and I have never had to use any additional shims. It might work for the Cuttlebug too.
Some one here ( I forgot who it was) recommended using Freezer paper instead of wax paper. I have been using wax paper for years, but I tried the Freezer paper and it does work better. I think it is because the Freezer paper is a tad heavier than wax paper and acts like a mini shim, plus the die cut releases from the die as easily as it does when I use wax paper.
Neither will harm your metal dies
Barbara
Do you put the shiny side of the freezer paper towards the die? I am guessing that would be the way to place it.
I heard about the perfect solution at a class I took recently. There is a new kind of aluminum foil that is slightly waxed on one side. The one I found up here in Canada is made by Alcan and it is called Alcan Slide Non-stick Aluminum Foil. You put the waxed side against the cutting edge of the die. It works way better than regular waxed paper or freezer paper (I've tried them all). I also use the thin metal shim.
__________________ Susan
My SCS gallery is here should you care to look! Or please visit my blog, Cardmaker's Garret.
Try this trick - run the die thru (with waxed paper) one time, give the die (with paper still in die) a 90 degree turn and run it thru again. Sometimes that does the trick for getting all those intricate cut lines to actually cut!
I haven't heard of using freezer paper or the non-stick aluminum foil....I will have to try that!
Using a double thickness of waxed paper does really help when the dies are super intricate and delicate. Our grocery store had a 10 for $10 sale on waxed paper a couple of months back. My hubby was speechless when he saw my 10 boxes of waxed paper. It was kinda funny!
Try this trick - run the die thru (with waxed paper) one time, give the die (with paper still in die) a 90 degree turn and run it thru again. Sometimes that does the trick for getting all those intricate cut lines to actually cut!
I haven't heard of using freezer paper or the non-stick aluminum foil....I will have to try that!
Using a double thickness of waxed paper does really help when the dies are super intricate and delicate. Our grocery store had a 10 for $10 sale on waxed paper a couple of months back. My hubby was speechless when he saw my 10 boxes of waxed paper. It was kinda funny!
Ha ha. If I had seen you in the store, I probably would have asked you what are you going to do with all that waxed paper? Then I would have bought 10 boxes, too.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
I worked at a stamp show for a company that sells Cheery Lynn and other dies, and listened as the owner demonstrated the doily dies for two days. She recommended doing ALL 3 things people have suggested here.
1. use metal plate
2. use wax paper
3. run it thru the machine more than once (she did it 3 or four times, just going back and forth on her cuttlebug).
She always got a perfect cut when she did all three.
I worked at a stamp show for a company that sells Cheery Lynn and other dies, and listened as the owner demonstrated the doily dies for two days. She recommended doing ALL 3 things people have suggested here.
1. use metal plate
2. use wax paper
3. run it thru the machine more than once (she did it 3 or four times, just going back and forth on her cuttlebug).
She always got a perfect cut when she did all three.
I just finished posting this on the General Stamp Talk forum. I was told this very thing from Mike at Dies Direct that make Cheery Lynn dies. However he never told me to use wax paper or metal plate. he simply said rotate and place a paper shim only in the area that is not cutting He said people over shim their dies by placing a shim over the "whole "die. he said that because the pressure on all machines is in the outside edge , and the centre of the dies have the least pressure, and that's why you only need to shim where you have a problem spot.
If you want to try a metal plate I have read that roof flashing does the same thing and is cheaper ;)
I don't use wax paper, or a metal plate. Simply rotate and use a little paper shim if the need arises. this tip works on any troublesome die.
So whereabouts in the sandwich do you put the metal shim? I have a Cuttlehug metal shim and I used it once and had it next to the die and the shim warped so badly that I haven't used it since. When I was at a Craft Show last weekend, one of the Traders told me to use it at the bottom of the sandwich and not near the die because it will damage the die. I am totally confused as to how it actually works :confused:
So whereabouts in the sandwich do you put the metal shim? I have a Cuttlehug metal shim and I used it once and had it next to the die and the shim warped so badly that I haven't used it since. When I was at a Craft Show last weekend, one of the Traders told me to use it at the bottom of the sandwich and not near the die because it will damage the die. I am totally confused as to how it actually works :confused:
So whereabouts in the sandwich do you put the metal shim? I have a Cuttlehug metal shim and I used it once and had it next to the die and the shim warped so badly that I haven't used it since. When I was at a Craft Show last weekend, one of the Traders told me to use it at the bottom of the sandwich and not near the die because it will damage the die. I am totally confused as to how it actually works :confused:
I put the metal shim on the A plate, then my sandwich on that.
Question about Doily Dies
