Question about using sizzlits-UPDATED with reply from Sizzix

[eeyoreforever]

I have the Funky Brush set (that I got really really cheap at Michaels back during Christmas shopping). Yesterday was the first time I have used it. What a pain in the patooty! Those letters are soooo skinny. How do you all adhere these to your page? I used my zig glue pen yesterday, but got more glue on me than I did on the letters.

Actually, I have two questions. Is it necessary to cover all of the letters on the sizzlit before cutting? I did so because it seems like it would be bad on the uncovered letter. I don't know if these will go dull after some period of time, but it if they do, it seems like that would hasten the process. But, what a waste of paper. When I use my sizzix letters (fun serif) I cut a long strip of paper and cut a letter, then put the strip of paper on the die as close to the end of the paper as I can, cut it and keep doing that. I can usually cut a whole title out of one strip of paper. It took me a whole sheet of paper yesterday to cut the sizzlits out.

Any great advice out there???

UPDATE - Today (1/24), I received the following reply from Sizzix regarding cutting only the letter you need and leaving the others uncovered:


"Thank you for writing. The dies themselves will never get dull. They will actually cut better if you only cut out the letters you need.

If you should have any further questions, please feel free to contact us.

Jennifer
Customer Support"

 

[calanniebu]

I too would be curious to see if anyone had any suggestions for using the sizzlets in the regular sizzix machine. I never seem to get a complete punch!

 

[nicki dahling]

One word for adhering _ Mini Xyron ( it will become your best freind when working with letter diecuts ). Don't really have answers for the other question.


Now, I don't have the funky brush but with the sizzlets I do have I just punch out a square with my cm square maker and place it over the letter I wish to cut.

Cyndi

 

[PoohBearLovinMama]

I use the little Xyron X to adhere all my teeny tiny things like those letters. It really works great! Hmm, I never thought about dulling the sizzlet by not putting paper under the letters. I do this all the time to save paper. I hope that I'm not ruining my sizzlets!

For using the sizzlets in the regular sizzix machine. First, do you have a converter? I know it seems silly, but I went to a crop last weekend and someone didn't know she needed a converter. I also find that I have to press the lever down 3 or 4 times to get it to cut through. HTH!

 

[calanniebu]

yup! got the converter ... and I thought I was doing the multi-press thing ... I too save paper by only useing the one part I need ... didn't think it would make a difference.

I use my zyron also ... but I have a 500. I'm considering getting a mini next time I see a 50% off coupon ... just for my smaller die cuts

 

[piratesmate]

I agree with using the Xyron Little X. It works great for the letters! Someone here mentioned that you can use it without the "machine" part - the plastic X. I'm not sure I would have known how to put the letter in without having seen the X first, but now I never use the X part. I also use a pair of tweezers to put the smaller letters in - expecially the dots for the lowercase "I"!

I've had no trouble with the letters not cutting through with mine. Have you tried using a shim? (I had trouble with a large tag die.) Add a piece of scrap paper on top of the die. I thought it sounded silly when I first read about it - how much difference could a piece of paper make? But it actually worked!

Another thing someone mentioned was to carefully pull the rubber/foamy stuff away from the blade to remove any loose stuff. This was in reference to a problem with a large die, but it might work for the Sizzlit too.

 

[eeyoreforever]

Okay - so how do you use the little x without using the machine? I tend not to use mine for small items because either the letters or other items end up overlapping each other or I end up using 2 feet to make a few little items.

So, does anyone know for sure if the blades on the sizzlits will dull faster without paper on them?

 

[piratesmate]

No clue about the dulling question. I'd suggest you contact Sizzix directly. I've heard they are responsive to questions, although I've never had to contact them myself.

I just looked at the X with the cartridge in it & then removed it, holding it the same way. Clear plastic at the top...you should be able to see which side will accept the die cuts since the other side has the 2 sheets (plastic & adhesive) already stuck together. There are "teeth marks" on the plastic housing where you put in the letters.

Try not to be so cheap (like me) and crowd your letters. I have the best results when there is space all the way around each letter so I can run the small tip of my embosser tool around the edges of the letter. (In or out of the X I've found that some papers will peel apart when you remove the clear plastic rendering the letters unusable.) Running the embosser around the letter seems to make the adhesive stick to the plastic better along the edges.

 

[scrapcreator]

Another vote for the mini X Xyron - and it costs next to nothing w/ a coupon.

Cyndi - great idea about the punched squares. I'm going to try that.

I have used Funky Brush with success in my Sizzix machine with a converter (one piece of paper at a time), but now that I have my little Sizzlets machine, I prefer to use that.

Jeanne

 

[MamaCentral]

I was going to suggest the Xyron too.
Also if you find that your not getting the Sizzilit to work with the adapter it might be time for a new pad. The white slab that you load the die on over time comes thinner due to the compession and cutting into it. I think they are a couple of dollars for a new one at M's or J's.
Or you can shim on TOP of the die with some paper to help the pressure.
Hope that helps!
~Michele~

 

[patchchild]

I've had a blast playing with my Sizzlet Playground font and yup, the letters are TINY! I lay them all out face down on a sheet of scrap paper and send my dots tape runner over the long line of letters, then stick them where I want. It's worked well so far.

 

[eeyoreforever]

I added an update to my original post of the reply I received from Sizzix. I will post it here as well:

Thank you for writing. The dies themselves will never get dull. They will actually cut better if you only cut out the letters you need.

If you should have any further questions, please feel free to contact us.

Jennifer
Customer Support

Looks like I can save a lot of paper when cutting those letters.