I need help with my new Big Shot

[Kim1964]

I apologize for asking such a newbie question, but I *am* a newbie.

I have a new Ellison Big Shot die cut machine. I want to buy an alphabet and some other stuff, but I am confused about Sizzix and Sizzlits. Nobody at AC Moore could help me, and the customer service for Sizzix isn't open until Monday. The stuff I've seen online that is made specifically for the Big Shot is SO expensive, and I'd like to try something less costly.

Can I use ANY Sizzix or Sizzlits in this machine? The Big Shot description on the Ellison website says it's 100% compatible with the Sizzix library, but I don't want to spend $$$, open a package that can't be resealed or returned, and find that they don't work. The thing that is confusing me is the "Sizzix" versus "Sizzlits".

Please help....my surprise gift from DH is starting to make me sad and frustrated because I don't know this stuff and I don't have anyone IRL that I can ask.

Thank you.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

SO from the looks of the website the sizzix are like the thick cut and the sizzlets are like the thin cuts. So you should be fine. I'm assuming there is some kind of adapter to made the machine compatible with the thinner die cuts.

The sizzixs die cuts are thicker and are usually 1 -3 designs on a block and the sizzlets are thin and are the alphabets and a few smaller designs. I can take some pics of my sizzix die cuts if you want and post them so you can see the difference.

 

[patchchild]

You can use any of the Sizzix. You would need to buy an adaptor to use the Sizzlets though. The same adaptor will work for any of the Sizzlets though so it's a one time cost.

Have fun!

 

[Kim1964]

So, is the adapter the "Multi purpose platform"? The machine came with a spacer platform, but it looks like this multi purpose platform is for use with thin cuts.

Again, sorry for the newbie questions and thank you so much for your help and patience!

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

My BigKick came with the "multi purpose platform" and it is the only other thing I need to make the thinner dies work. I needed to experiment with how many cutting pads I needed to make the pressure okay with out being too much.

Did your Big Shot come with dies? If it came with the dragonfly one, that is the same thickness (or thinness) as the rest of the sizzlits. So if you can that one to work, you can go any of the dies - ellison, cuttlebug, sizzix, even quickcutz will work.

 

[holycow]

Oh, you will just love your Big Shot! You can use any die cut you want to.

the white platform that came with your machine is the one you use for the thinner dies (sizzlets) Then you just use the clear plastic ones for the thick sizzix dies....they all work!

If you want to use Quickcuts or cuttlebug (which I just LOVE!) you can. You can either purchase the multipurpose platform (I finally got one from J's when they were on sale) but for 6 months I just used a "shim" to put my dies through. My shim was some chipboard or cardboard placed underneath the clear platform you need to work with it to get the right height that will work with your machine.

The Cuttlebug embossing folders are awesome. Have fun!

On Tues. Sizzix usually has "specials" where they have certain product on sale.
And Creativeexpress.com has great prices on Sizzix right now.

HC