Problems with Sizzix

[holycow]

has anyone else ever had problems with their Sizzix cutting? I've just purchased a bunch and tried them out and most of them don't even cut all the way through! I've tried rubbing where the knife is but it doesn't seem to be helping.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Lisa

 

[onedisneylover]

what exactly are you trying to cut??? paper, something thicker??? what type of die in which machine?

 

[holycow]

I have the regular Sizzix machine..and am just using paper....actually any kind of paper....I have the basket and have returned that one 2 times already..this new one does the same thing. I just purchased the balloons and primitive stars and 3 things of flowers and they all don't cut right. I also purchased an alphabet and haven't even gone through those to see if they work.

very frustrating!
HC

 

[ksjayhawks]

Which dies are you using in the machine? Are you using the sizzix dies or the smaller sizzlet (these are flat) dies? If you are using the sizzlets, you need to have a converter.

 

[VanillaAngel]

I had trouble with my tag die at first. Someone here said to CAREFULLY pull back the rubber around the blade area to check for excess rubber. Sometimes there's a little bit loose in there. I also tried cutting a piece of aluminum foil since you do that with small punches. That didn't help a lot either.

Finally I realized that I wasn't cutting it right. I was told to line up the edge of the die with the edge of the thing that comes down on the machine. It wasn't cutting in the middle. Now I just line up the EMPTY area between the die blade & the edge with the machine. Clear as mud, right?

 

[holycow]

I'm just using the original dies...no sizzlets here.

VanillaAngel....hummm, I wonder if it is my machine and not the dies not cutting right...so you try cutting on the empty part of the die and the edge of the machine? I'm not the brightest bulb in the pack so I can use all the help I can get! lol

HC

 

[VanillaAngel]

I'm just using the original dies...no sizzlets here.

VanillaAngel....hummm, I wonder if it is my machine and not the dies not cutting right...so you try cutting on the empty part of the die and the edge of the machine? I'm not the brightest bulb in the pack so I can use all the help I can get! lol

HC

Well, not exactly CUT on the empty part of the die - you line up that empty part (the middle of it) with the edge of the metal part of the machine that comes down when you press the handle.

My problem was that while most of the die cut properly, there was always a spot in the middle that wasn't cut through. This was happening on the large red dies - like on my large traditional tag. The way I was told to line up the edge of the die with the edge of the top of the machine (the red part) didn't work for those dies.

I hope you get this worked out!

 

[goofymom/pop]

I have used my friends.

Several of her dies are too big for one push on the arm. So I put it half way in the machine, pull, push it the rest of the way in and pull. Also, they sometimes recommend a shim. Its an extra piece of paper to make the die hit closer to the press. Try placing a piece of paper on the top of the die, not the cutting side and see if this helps.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

On Large Die's I always do the center of the die first. Than I will move it back and do the top than move it again and do the bottom. On the smaller die's I try to position them to just push down once. I have never really had a problem with them cutting all the way thru.

Hope all the hints from everyone will help.

 

[AlicesAdventures]

You might check the Sizzix website. It has a lot of good information.

Instructions for Use:

http://www.sizzix.com/instructions.cfm?function=form&content=bodies/support/personal_die_cutter.html&menu=menu_instructions.cfm

and for troubleshooting problems:
http://www.sizzix.com/instructions.cfm?function=form&content=bodies/support/die_maintenance.html&menu=menu_instructions.cfm

 

[jennz]

I've had the same problem with cutting all the way through. I do what VanillaAngel said. Also, I wasn't pulling the arm down all the way. You know how it says to pull it down until you fell resistance? That wasn't working for me. Now I just pull it down all the way (hopefully I'm not ruining anything!).

I hope you clear this up so you can fun with it!!

 

[Beanie]

Are you using a shim underneath? Sometimes that will help alot for the dies to cut all the way through! Hope you get it fixed soon!

 

[tubachick]

as others have posted, I too move from center then side to side to be sure the larger dies (and some of the medium dies) have cut all the way through. I also use a Shim on some of them also, but I always (no matter what size die) cut/pull down more than once on each area. --- just obsessive I guess. good luck with your dies.

 

[piratesmate]

I see DDIL already posted about this as to what we do. I just wanted to ask those of you that pull the arm down more than once....Doesn't that mess up the edges of the die cut sometimes?? I ask because I tried doing that with the tag DDIL mentioned, but I ended up slicing a sliver off of one side making it uneven. Evidently something shifted when I did it the second time.

 

[jennz]

I have had a few problems when I pull the arm down more than once, I'll get a little double cut sometimes. But then I also have problems if I only pull it down once, I don't cut all the way through. My solution...I pull it down more than once and usually it's okay but at least I know it was cut!!

 

[holycow]

I just wanted to thank everyone for the suggestions...I've tried them all and so far the balloons and flowers I was having problems with work! Yeah!...I haven't been able to get to the other ones yet...every time i sit down I have baby crying...lol (my DH must be putting him up to it ) anyway...I used a shim and that worked great...tried the handle a couple of times...if the die is small I didn't have a problem. the larger item it did cut it off a bit.

Oh, and I used the 50% off coupon for an alphabet and I love those...the letters are awsome!

Thanks again!

Holycow

 

[goofymom/pop]

hopefully you will find the other dies ok once you add the shim to those also.

Good luck!!