How To Use a Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine

Hey - do you guys know how to use a Big Shot die cutting machine? There are other names for these things, the one I have from Stampin' Up is called "Big Shot" - it's a simple tool but makes paper crafting so, so, so much easier and neater than hand cutting! You can buy tons of different templates, everything from tags and labels to words, shapes, ovals, sqaures...the list is endless. 

Anyway, after posting yesterday about making the card with a gift holder inside I was remembering that the first time I went to a card-making class at Ronda's I had zero idea how to use this thing and the other crafters were just whipping around me cutting things out without even a second thought and after watching for a bit I got the gist. Now that I've been helping Ronda at her Stampin' Up studio and cranking pieces out for her for the past couple years I can now run this beast in my sleep (in fact I'm pretty sure I've had dreams about die cutting LOL)!

So, in case you have no idea what I'm talking about, here's a simple tutorial that will give you the basic technique and you'll have an idea of what to do if you're in a situation like I was feeling like such a novice and newbie at paper crafting!

You sandwich a piece of paper (cardstock, decorative paper, foil, etc.) and the cutting template you've chosen (in these pictures I'm just cutting out a white circle) between need two clear cutting pads. Lay the "sandwich" on a base pad on either side of the Big Shot, lining it up on the tray so it'll fit cleanly thru the slot. Crank the handle and the sandwich will advance and the roller presses down on the cutting pads/paper/template stack making a sharp crisp cut out, then it comes out on the other side of the Big Shot. Make sense? Look at the pics, that'll help.

The picture above shows the Big Shot with the base plate in place on the right side of the machine,
two clear cutting pads (which have been well used and are all marked up, it's normal),
and 2 circle metal die cut templates laying on turquoise and white cardstock 

I've sandwiched a piece of white cardstock with the die cut circle on top between 2 clear cutting pads.
Lay the stack on top of the base plate so it'll go thru the channel in the machine under the handle.

crank the handle and the tray moves thru the machine

keep cranking the handle until the sandwiched template has cleared the handle,
then remove from between the cutting pads.

A couple more tips:

• Occasionally the paper and template might be too thick so the "sandwich" won't fit thru the machine, in that case you'll need a thinner base plate (that doesn't come with the starter Big Shot but can be purchased) or it might be too thin if you're using a skinnier template so the roller isn't able to press down hard enough on your cutting pad stack - if that happens you can make a "shim" of sorts by adding a second piece of paper to the stack (that helps to make the sandwich stack thicker and the roller can then do it's job). There are different base plates and adapters you can interchange to get the right thickness needed for the machine to do it's cutting - for the most part just the basic plates that come with the machine do the job. 

• The die cut thing has a cutting ridge on one side of it and is smooth on the other - lay the ridged cutting side so it's against the paper otherwise it won't make the cut. 

• The clear cutting pads get really beat up and warp - turn them over and rotate them to even out the wear and tear. You will eventually have to replace them and there's nothing you can do to prevent it!

• They sell a magnetic base board that helps to hold the metal templates in place which is super helpful if you have little things to cut out - they tend to shift around between the clear plates so having the magnet board makes that part easier. I don't have one, it's on my list :)

• Click here, here, and here for examples of things you can make using the die cut machine.