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Post by joblackford on Sept 24, 2019 19:29:10 GMT
Does anyone else get frustrated with thin metal dies that have random open areas that show up as raised bits on your die cuts? Like this:  Die cut issues by jo.blackford, on Flickr I don't like the random raised humps in the middle of the areas with no windows, and for some reason the pokey holes on this die are very visible too - maybe because I'm using black cardstock? Is there a solution to this? I tried cutting 2 sheets at once but the bottom one (top one in the picture) still had the impressions visible. I tried smoothing it with a bone folder but it didn't seem to make a difference. I think by KonMari standards I should get rid of this die because it doesn't bring me joy. Or am I just being too perfectionist? |
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Post by wendifful on Sept 24, 2019 19:56:06 GMT
I actually like it when dies do this, I think it adds dimension to the die cuts, but I think it's definitely a personal preference. Jennifer McGuire had a video on mirror die cutting, which basically meant die cutting as usual, then smoothing it out so the back didn't look weird. She did that by running the cut back through her machine in two ways: either by putting it in a piece of copy paper and then sandwiching between two cutting plates or by using her metal die adapter and her top "clean" cutting plate. I know you said you tried the two cutting sheets at once, but if you have the metal die adapter, you could try it and see if it helps. You can watch the video I linked to see her example. It happens in the first few minutes of the video. |
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ditzydoodle
Junior Member
Posts: 81
Jun 2, 2019 19:02:16 GMT
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Post by ditzydoodle on Sept 24, 2019 20:05:33 GMT
I get that too, but it doesn't bother me. I was going to suggest running it back through the die machine but wendifful beat me to it.
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Post by joblackford on Sept 24, 2019 23:56:43 GMT
Thanks for the video wendifful - I'll give that a go. I don't mind the dimension of it on other dies, but on this one those lumps just seemed very random and not part of the design. But maybe that's just the way I see it and it doesn't bother anyone else  |
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Post by streetscrapper on Sept 25, 2019 0:36:02 GMT
I've never had one that is that random! It's weird!
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Post by lisacharlotte on Sept 25, 2019 0:55:17 GMT
I see it in all the videos I watch when they do closeups. It used to bother me until I realized it wasn't just me doing something wrong, it's a by product of die cutting with thin metal dies.
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Post by Embri on Sept 25, 2019 1:01:18 GMT
It's par for the course with some papers. Generally the thinner ones show it more than thicker stock. I've fairly successfully squished out most impressions by running the paper back in the press before. It doesn't 100% erase the embossing but it does make it less noticeable. Some dies are actually designed to do this on purpose! Your halloween house seems a bit random in its hole placement, which is unfortunate.
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craftymom101
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,608 
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Post by craftymom101 on Sept 25, 2019 3:22:43 GMT
This’s totally bothers me! I would probably not use the die if it left weird bumps like that.
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Post by sleepingbooty on Sept 25, 2019 13:52:48 GMT
I'm sitting with you on that stoop, joblackford. Not a fan of raised/embossed areas with dies either and I try to avoid buying dies with such features. It *is* a pretty haunted mansion die-cut otherwise... Let us know if you try the ghost technique? I'm interested in a before/after if you have the time to take + upload a couple of pics. |
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,119
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Post by scrapnnana on Sept 25, 2019 16:37:52 GMT
In many cases, it looks fine to have an additional embossed design to add details, but while this one adds some detail, it’s not particularly attractive.
One solution might be to sandwich waxed paper between the die and your card stock. That should at least eliminate the impression left by the pokey holes. It also helps the die cut to come out more easily, without needing to poke the die cut as much.
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Post by songbird on Sept 25, 2019 18:19:50 GMT
What are you using for the cutting sandwich? I’ve noticed this is worse when I use the magnetic platform for the Big Shot vs the original platform.
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kate
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Jun 26, 2014 3:30:05 GMT
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Post by kate on Sept 25, 2019 21:18:30 GMT
I hate it, too! I don't think the pokey holes are meant to be "embossed details."  I do take it as a trade-off, though. I've had more problems with unintended embossing since I got the Gemini, probably due to the increased pressure. The superior detail cutting I'm getting is worth it, I think. |
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Post by joblackford on Sept 26, 2019 2:26:06 GMT
What are you using for the cutting sandwich? I’ve noticed this is worse when I use the magnetic platform for the Big Shot vs the original platform. In this case it's just the regular platform and cutting plates, but that's good to know. Thanks! In many cases, it looks fine to have an additional embossed design to add details, but while this one adds some detail, it’s not particularly attractive. One solution might be to sandwich waxed paper between the die and your card stock. That should at least eliminate the impression left by the pokey holes. It also helps the die cut to come out more easily, without needing to poke the die cut as much. I really wouldn't mind if the shapes were relevant to the design but in this case they're really not - not to my eyes, anyway. The funny thing with this is that it's one of the only dies I have that pops right out without any poking at all. Every other die I have is a pain in the neck, needs the waved paper treatment, but this one falls right out! Even the little bats that go with it. Thanks for the advice, all I haven't tried the re-rolling technique yet but I have used the die cuts. I took the extra ones I cut doubled up and used the less embossed one as a top layer after smoothing it a bit more with a bone folder, and layered the other one underneath, so I actually have a triple thickness mansion with my colored vellum windows sandwiched. Once I added a black sloped hill to cover some of the bottom part it looked pretty good. |
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
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Post by scrapnnana on Sept 26, 2019 12:09:02 GMT
I had to zoom in to see the pokey holes in the photo, but yes, those holes coming out as embossed would really bug me, too.
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Post by Embri on Sept 26, 2019 17:38:56 GMT
So I had a thought, I don't know how well it would work in practice.
If you cut a piece of thicker cardstock the same size and shape as the voids and taped it into the die, would that prevent the embossing?
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Post by joblackford on Sept 28, 2019 4:31:31 GMT
So I had a thought, I don't know how well it would work in practice. If you cut a piece of thicker cardstock the same size and shape as the voids and taped it into the die, would that prevent the embossing? I was wondering about that... I'm not sure if it will work but I might give it a try. It will be tricky and annoying, especially because I suck at fussy cutting, but I only have to do it once and if it works it will totally be worth it! |
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samantha25
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by samantha25 on Sept 28, 2019 4:39:08 GMT
What if you put layers (definitely more than one) of tape (blue masking painter's tape) over the areas you do not want embossed? I can't remember if this worked for me, but I agree that sometimes I don't like this look.
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