Scrapbooking Die Cut Machines

Die cut machines are one of the most popular tools used by scrapbookers. With paper die cutters, you can make customized letters, shapes, and embellishments for your scrapbook layouts, using supplies that you have on hand.

There are several advantages to being able to make your own die cuts, including the following...

Overall it's less expensive. Yes, there is the initial investment in tools, with many machines costing hundreds of dollars, not to mention all the add-ons. However, with the ability to make titles and embellishments for your layouts from cardstock, paper, and other supplies and scraps on hand, there's a good chance you will be able to save money in the long run.

Paper die cutters provide more customization for your scrapbooking projects. There is no need to try to hunt down coordinating stickers and letters for your projects. Because you can make what you want when you need it, you will save time by avoiding trips to the scrapbook store or rummaging through your supplies when working on layouts and other projects.

Manual or Electronic?

There are many different types of die cut machines available for scrapbookers. However, they can be classified into one of two categories - manual and electronic.

Manual machines use actual steel dies to cut through materials to make cutouts. The more dies you own, the more designs you will be able to create. Many manual machines can also be used for other purposes. For example, many of them are also used for embossing - the Cuttlebug is a good example. Another example - in addition to die cutting and embossing, the Epic Six from QuicKutz can be used for letterpress printing.

Electronic machines are quickly becoming a favorite of scrapbookers. Instead of using dies to cut through materials, electronic machines use an automated blade to make die cuts. Depending on the brand, designs either come pre-loaded on individual cartridges or design cards, or can be downloaded or created using computer software.

Electronic die cut machines offer more versatility over manual machines. With manual machines, you need separate dies for every size and design you want to cut. However, with electric machines, different sizes of the same design can be cut, and cartridges and cards can hold hundreds of individual designs.

Popular Die Cut Machines

	Cricut Die Cutters The Cricut is one of the most popular electronic die cut machine brands. There are currently three different Cricut models available for scrapbookers - the original Personal Electronic Cutter, the Create, and the Expression. Click here to compare the three Cricut die cut machines.
	Cuttlebug In addition to making the Cricut, Provo Craft also has a popular manual die cut machine model - the Cuttlebug. There are several alphabet and shape dies available for the Cuttlebug, but many crafters use it for not only die cutting, but embossing too.
	Sizzix Eclips Introduced in 2010, the Sizzix Eclips is one of the newest die cut machines on the market. It shares many of the same characteristics of the Cricut Expression, creating die cuts up to almost two feet in size. As with the Cricut machines, the Eclips cartridges offer creative features such as shadows and borders.
	Other Sizzix Machines As of this writing, it's too soon to tell if the Sizzix Eclips will be a hit with crafters. However, based on the popularity of their manual die cutters, including the Big Shot machines, the Sidekick, and the BIGkick, we are guessing the Eclips will be a hot item. Many of the manual Sizzix machines can cut paper and cardstock with ease, as well as fabrics and vinyl.
	Making Memories SLICE The Making Memories SLICE is a handheld die cut machine. Use it cord-free by charging the machine, or plug it into an outlet and power it with electricity. The SLICE uses design cards to cut different designs, ranging from one to four inches in size. This machine is a good automated replacement for manual scrapbooking punches.

Other Die Cut Machines to Consider

There are also a variety of models available that will let you make die cuts based on your own designs or fonts that are already on your computer. Examples include the following:

First up is the Pazzle Creative Cutter Inspiration. With the Pazzles machine, you can design your own or purchase CD's from the Pazzles store, featuring a variety of fonts and images.

Although the Xyron brand is closely associated with the different sticker machines available for scrapbookers, they also manufacture the Xyron Wishblade. This is another digital machine that connects to your computer. It allows you to cut fonts and shapes ranging in size from 1/2 to 8 inches wide and up to 39 inches long.

If you are considering the Wishblade, make sure you also get the Create n Cut Plus software. This software is sold separately for around $100, but many times you can find it bundled with the Wishblade machine. It allows you to weld or outline words, import scanned image, auto trace, vectorize bitmaps and more.

The eCraft from Craftwell is one of the newer die cutters to hit the market. Like the Making Memories SLICE, it can be used either plugged in or cordless when the rechargeable battery is charged. It is unique in that it does not require a cutting mat. It can make cutouts up to 12" wide, with no limitations on length. Designs can be cut from either Craftwell's SD image cards, or create your own using their computer software or mobile apps for the iPhone, iTouch, and iPad.

As you can see, there are many things to consider when shopping for scrapbooking die cut machines. Not surprisingly, many crafters own more than one model!

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