Reviews

Sizzix Personal Die Cut System by Provocraft/Ellison

This Sizzix Personal Die Cut System is a product that has been on the market for about a year now. The machine is aimed at a range of crafts people but scrapbookers appear to be the main market.

The machine is very easy to use. The die that you want to use is placed face down (the foam side) on whatever material you want to cut, which is in turn placed on the white plastic cutting mat. When everything is in position, the white cutting board is slid under the movable handle mechanism. The handle is then pulled down and up. The cutting mat is removed and the die is ready. For more detailed instructions, including images, please visit the Sizzix Help Website.

The dies come in three sizes - small ( Green 2 3/8" x 2 3/4"), medium ( Yellow 2 3/4" x 4 3/4"w) and large ( Red 4 3/4" x 5 1/2") and also in a large range of die choices (currently up to about 300). This includes two complete sets of alphabets, numbers and punctuation as well as paper doll and accessories and a variety of other topics.

The only problem that I have encountered with the dies is that some need more presure than others to work. That is, they will not cut all the way through standard cardstock without some sort of additional shim being used. A shim is just a piece of paper used to "boost" the die so that enough pressure can be produced for the die cut to be made cleanly. I have only had this problem with a couple of letters in the Serif Font Alphabet. Its a small problem that can be easily fixed.

One of the attractions of the Sizzix is the ability of the dies to cut a variety of materials. As well as cutting multiple sheets of paper and cardstock at one time, it easily cuts a variety of fabrics (I have cut 100% cotton quilty fabric, hessian and quilt wadding without difficulty), including foam, felt, thin plastic and metal foil.

This ability to cut additional materials such as fabric and plastic add to the versitility of the machine. This is necessary because the machine, while aimed at the home market and still much cheaper than the traditional commerical die cut machines, is still a significant investment.

In Australia, the cost of the Sizzix Machine itself runs to about AU$275. With dies ranging in price from around AU$23 for small to AU$33-$45 for large dies. However, although it is a large initial expense, for the hardcore scrapbooker, it is literally a lifetime investment as the machine is sturdy and likely to last for a very long time. As a scrapbooker who uses handcut lettering on just about everypage, I can't wait to start using this great machine. And for new font dies to come out!

Rating: 9/10

Details: "Sizzix Personal Die Cut System" by Provocraft/Ellison