Discover the Must-Have Manual Die-Cutting Accessories
If you love scrapbooking and card making but look for ways to take your papercraft skills to the next level then you should try mastering die cutting.
Unlike modern abstract art, this ingenious method is applied to produce sharp, accurate paper forms that you’ll adore scattering on cards, invitations, gift tags, scrapbook pages, and more. And the best part yet is that you can quickly create identical copies of the same form, enabling you to produce vast quantities of professional-looking yet handmade items.
So, now that you’ve got the right machine for die cutting you should stock up on some of the coolest must-have accessories that will make your crafting game strong!
Must-Have Manual Die Cutting Accessories Checklist
Simply put, using fun and versatile die-cutting accessories will add to the functionality of your die-cutting machine! Moreover, these must-have items will make the die-cutting experience so much simpler and more beautiful.
In this regard, some accessories let you use your machine to produce various appearances and approaches while others give you the ability to achieve different looks and techniques.
Cutting Pads
Regardless of the machine you use, you’ll need to construct your “sandwich” to make sure the material you’re working with has enough pressure to achieve a clean cut or impression when it passes through the machine.
Cutting pads, which are two excellent polycarbonate plastic sheets, are provided with each machine. Therefore, depending on the machine and methods you’re using, sandwiches are constructed differently.
Some cutting pads are a clear plastic to easily see through your sandwich and ensure proper alignment at all times. Whereas others come in a variety of fun colours such as sparkles, blues or pinks.
However, these choices function the same way as regular transparent plates and look stylish while doing it! You can always locate them and pull them out to feed through your machine because they have the propensity to stand out among the creative chaos in your workstation.
On the other hand, there are some cutting pads made of a high-quality self-healing material that is designed to be long-lasting when used with blades and cutting tools. The material’s resilience gives it the perfect surface for metal dies to repeatedly cut through.
These designs are a replacement for one of your standard plastics cutting plates – specifically the one that gets cut into. In other words, say goodbye to warped plastic cutting plates and deep etchings, marks, or scratches that may transfer onto your next die-cutting project.
Magnetic Platforms
Magnetic platforms are immensely beneficial die cutting accessories that guarantee precise alignment. Your dice won’t be slipping, sliding, or moving randomly at inconvenient times. Even with a plastic cutting pad in between the platform and your die, the magnetic base will cling firmly to your wafer-thin dies!
The instructional graphic written directly on top of each of these magnetic platforms is one of its best features, as it serves as a constant reminder of the proper sandwich construction technique.
For those who enjoy matching stamp and die sets, this item is an absolute necessity. After stamping your image, let the magnetic platform handle the labour-intensive task of holding the die precisely where it must be for the best cut.
Stamp and Die Sets
Stamps are other die cutting machine accessories that can be incredibly adorable, wonderful, poignant, and beautiful. Die sets, on the other hand, are great, amazing, and adaptable. But when these two work together, practically anything is possible!
Given all this, the popularity of coordinating stamp and die sets is rising quickly and more and more companies are releasing packages that can be bought separately or together.
It’s an amazing feat that gives you the ability to stamp with meticulous precision, and then use a die to cut out the lovely sentiment, shape, or character, giving your crafts more depth and a more polished appearance. Additionally, it allows you to specify exactly how you want certain elements to appear on your finished product.
Embossing Folders and Pads
Embossing folders are an excellent place to start when you’re seeking to add a lot of depth to your creations! These plastic folders work with your die-cutting device to give your paper an embossed or debossed appearance. They are a quick, easy, and inexpensive accessories for giving your product a special, one-of-a-kind touch.
After all, why choose plain cardstock when you can get cardstock with a lovely, embossed texture featuring flowers, snowflakes, hearts, dots, and even sentiments pressed into the paper?
On the other hand, you might believe that using a premade embossing folder is the only way to achieve stunning embossed effects on your projects. What if we told you that you could convert your cutting dies, including your wafer-thin ones, into embossers?
With embossing pads, which are often composed of silicone or rubber, some of the pressure of the die is absorbed, preventing your paper or cardstock from being cut through but leaving a long-lasting, embossed image instead!
Purple or Washi Tape
Even while metal shims and die-cutting plates will do a great job of holding the die and paper in place, it is still advisable to use tape to prevent movement. Purple tape is the most popular option among paper craftspeople. Slim washi tapes are yet another valuable choice you can consider. Any glue you have on hand, as long as it’s releasable and won’t leave any residue, can also be used, though.
Adhesives
Cutouts can be assembled using foam tape or another type of liquid adhesive. Die cuts are typically piled to create height and dimension depending on the paper-making technique. Liquid adhesives are advised for complicated and small parts. You may always use foam tape to create a 3D effect without piling up too many pieces.