Talk to me about using metal dies, i.e. Papertey/spellbinders

[julifish]

I really want to use the metal dies but I'm not sure what equipment I might need to do this. I have a small red sizzix machine that fits the sizzlets. I'm guessing I"d need something bigger to use the Papertrey and Spellbinder dies. So what do you use if you use this kind of cutting system.

How does this compare to using the Cricut? I have the smaller Cricut, but don't feel like I use it to it's potential. I'd love some tips or links to sites that have good ideas. What do you ladies use your Cricut for?

 

[MamaBee]

Hmm... I don't think the sidekick comes with that extra adapter, cutting pad to cut down on the space to use the thin dies... (but don't quote me on this - it's been a bit since I've last looked at the sidekick items). If you had a bigshot - there are additional cutting pads you can get to use all the other dies (like spellbound, papery, Quickutz on the market). Otherwise you can get a spellbinder or a cuddlebug... which also come with adapters pads to use some of the other dies on the market (just not those thick original dies). Personally I have the bigshot that I do all my cutting on and a cuttlebug for embosser plates... only because my friend gave me the cuttlebug when she realized scrapping wasn't for her... and it's easy to transport and my mom likes to emboss her papers.

The Cricut can do the same designs - just need to buy those cartridges... so I would use my Silhouette for cutting digi designs or say I want to print out Juli's punchy borders.

 

[ColleenSwerb]

I got rid of my small cricut and now invest in spellbinders. I have the big shot express (which is the big shot but electric, so no crank to turn manually). I have no experience with the small sizzix machine, but I would guess that maybe you might be able to get some of the smaller spellbinders to work in it? I don't really know.

I liked my cricut alright, but it was just too expensive to buy all the cartridges I wanted. And I hated buying 1 cartridge just for 1 specific shape, or whatever. That was before they added the software to cut other stuff though. I think the silhouette is still a better option than the cricut for cutting stuff from the computer though (based on absolutely no first hand knowledge or experience, LOL!). I love matting things on cards, so I like that now I have the full set of circles and scalloped circles for spellbinders, so I can mix and match easy peasy. With coupons, I probably paid the same for all 4 sets of spellbinders that I used to for 1 cricut cart.

ETA: I have a few of the PTI dies and they work exactly like Spellbinders, without the hole in the middle. Same thickness and stuff, so there's no extra adapters to worry about or anything.

 

[Andrea Gourley]

I don't think the thin dies will work in a sidekick Juli but like the other girls have said they work really well with the BigShot. I have sizzix, papertrey, MFT and a lot of the spellbinders dies and they are a fabulous invention You could probably pick one up reasonably cheaply when the stores have a sale or a voucher or even 2nd hand. I use mu Cuttlebug embossing folders in mine too.

I had a Cricut expression and a craft robo (preunner to the silhouette) and sold both as just wasn't using them, I like to use my scissors too much and I think the versatility of something like the bigshot outweighs the cricut's.