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Post by kmage on May 24, 2023 12:07:34 GMT
Update: She came today! So exciting, now I have it for the weekend. I busted it out and LOVE how it cuts, like butter. I tried my intricate dies and they work great. azcrafty, I am so appreciative that you measured your plates for me, that way I wasn't surprised about the size. I am slightly diapointed that both annagriffin.com and HSN say on their website in writing that the plates are 4.5". They are certainly 4.25. That said, all my dies fit fine. For bigger stuff anyway I will use my cricut. I am packing away my cuttlebug but I won't get rid of it. That way I can still use them if the power goes out lol. Thanks everyone for talking to me about this, when I saw it for 129 on HSN, plus the die bundle plus free shipping I was like, yep. Now is the time. LOL. Thank you also joblackford and cmpeter for your feedback and thoughts. Hi, I had posted this in general scrapbooking, but I should have posted it here. azcrafty , (or anyone that has the mini empress) can you let me know your thoughts? I read that you love your mini empress so I am very hopeful that I will too! Here is what I put in the other thread: I'm hoping someone here can answer this, I don't seem to having much luck looking at websites and I am waiting to hear back from annagriffin.com. The opening for the machine is 4.75 inches. Plates that come with it are 4.5 inches wide. However the long plates (like to use slimline dies) are listed as 4.25 inches wide. For those that have the machine and also have the long plates, is this accurate? I am just nervous about ordering these plates as I think I will need that extra .5 inch, that is kind of a lot. And why would the normal plates be wider than the long plates? I took a leap and ordered this off HSN when they had it for 129 plus free shipping, so wish me luck!  Update: I heard back from Annagriffin.com and they did confirm that the plates that come with the machine are 4.5 inches wide, while the long plates are 4.25 inches wide. They said the reason was that the long plates are made for border dies which are not as wide.  Ahh, ok then. I also asked if there were any plates that utilized the width of the opening if the machine (4.75 inches) and she said no. No reason given. I think it will be okay as 99.9% of my dies are less than 4.5 inches wide. |
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azcrafty
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,955
Jun 28, 2019 20:24:21 GMT
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Post by azcrafty on May 24, 2023 14:52:25 GMT
I got mine in February I think. It was a surprise gift. So far I love it. It cuts everything great and love that the magnetic plate holds my die ,less taping for me. You do have to push a button every time you want to run something thru- with the Gemini you don't have to do that. Its easy to take it with me to my friends house when we craft. Those long PF dies with the washi fits perfectly on the long plates. Because of the smaller cutting plates I just feel I have a better control and had less sifting/accidental oops cuts. I'm not sure why they told you that the plate is 4.5 inches wide, I just measured mine , the one it comes with it and the slim line/long size, they are both 4.25 inches wide. I hope this won't make a big difference for you. The true opening of the cutting area is 4 5/8 inches. I got the slim line/long one on Amazon it was on a special price because it was used. It was not used just returned and saved me $12. Its worth the try. I know that they just came out with an extra long plate, but I don't need that. I know cmpeter had trouble with intricate dies. I hope all this rambling makes sense 😆. Can I ask why did you wanted one? |
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azcrafty
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,955
Jun 28, 2019 20:24:21 GMT
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Post by azcrafty on May 24, 2023 14:58:35 GMT
I was just thinking if you need 4.5 inches wide cutting plates,maybe you can cut sizzix plates down to that size and a selfhealing mat.
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Post by cmpeter on May 24, 2023 16:17:46 GMT
Mine is driving me batty. I was cutting the Spellbinders Mini Sprigs and Blooms (which are not all that intricate) and could not get it to cut thru all the dies). Even with the metal shim and 2 passes (die cutting side up or down).
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Post by kmage on May 24, 2023 19:16:36 GMT
azcrafty, I have arthritis in my hands and the cranking was just getting to be a lot, so I went looking for an electronic cutter, and they were all kind of out of my price range, but the mini empress was 129 on HSN and then free shipping, so I thought that was a pretty good deal. Here is where I got the info about the plate size: annagriffin.com/product/empress-mini-embossing-and-die-cutting-machine/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=6511123148&gclid=CjwKCAjw67ajBhAVEiwA2g_jEO-tUCFso3vBYZawrbjUTsWZSlojZ86fwSrkOok0CP_nBf-haieIJBoClW8QAvD_BwEIt states that the plates are 4.5" wide. On the HSN website in the description it states that the opening is 4.75 inches and the plates are "Plates, mats and shim approx. 7.5"L x 4.5"W each" www.hsn.com/products/anna-griffin-empress-mini-die-cut-and-emboss-machine-bu/9155085I think that is a bit misleading if they are advertising 4.5 when they are not. Just to clarify, the long plates and the short plates are the same width? In their email back to me that said the long plates are less wide at 4.25 inches, because they were intended for border dies. I know I am stressing about 1/4 inch, but at first I thought I was getting plates that took advantage of the whole 4.75 opening, so to find out the plates are a full 1/2 inch less is width is concerning. I guess I will see when it gets here and maybe it will need to go back. Thank you for the info! cmpeter, I am sorry yours isn't working! Are you trying to work with it or are you returning it?
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azcrafty
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,955
Jun 28, 2019 20:24:21 GMT
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Post by azcrafty on May 24, 2023 19:46:53 GMT
kmage after reading your post I went to my craftroom and stacked the four plates, they were all the same width. What really surprised me, so I got my ruler out to check the width. I will double check them this evening and take some pictures. I truly understand that 1/4 inches makes a big difference ,thats why I liked the WeRMemories small cutter. I can't use manual machines either, from the slightest pressure my cubital tunnel syndrome appears (ringfinger and pinky starts to hurt and they are numb)
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azcrafty
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,955
Jun 28, 2019 20:24:21 GMT
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Post by azcrafty on May 24, 2023 19:55:01 GMT
Mine is driving me batty. I was cutting the Spellbinders Mini Sprigs and Blooms (which are not all that intricate) and could not get it to cut thru all the dies). Even with the metal shim and 2 passes (die cutting side up or down). Have you tried just a thin chipboard or multilayered cs shim? Sometimes the even pressure misses parts of the dies that might be thinner. This can especially happen when you cut multiple dies at once. Or on a intricate die one part doesn't cut well I just add tape over that part if it needs it multiple layers. |
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Post by cmpeter on May 25, 2023 0:41:38 GMT
I’ve not tried adding another shim…but I will!
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azcrafty
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,955
Jun 28, 2019 20:24:21 GMT
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Post by azcrafty on May 29, 2023 3:27:41 GMT
I'm so sorry kmage. I thought I came back to this earlier to let you know that I double checked and unfortunately all the plates are 4.25 inches. Have your machine arrived yet. |
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Post by kmage on May 29, 2023 21:51:30 GMT
I'm so sorry kmage . I thought I came back to this earlier to let you know that I double checked and unfortunately all the plates are 4.25 inches. Have your machine arrived yet. Oh my gosh, no, you did tell me and I really appreciated it! I did get my machine and now I am not surprised that they are 4.25, so thank you for letting me know about it. I still can't figure out why HSN and annagriffin.com would list them at 4.5 width, but oh well. I REALLY like my machine. Thank you!! |
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azcrafty
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,955
Jun 28, 2019 20:24:21 GMT
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Post by azcrafty on May 29, 2023 23:49:00 GMT
I'm so sorry kmage . I thought I came back to this earlier to let you know that I double checked and unfortunately all the plates are 4.25 inches. Have your machine arrived yet. Oh my gosh, no, you did tell me and I really appreciated it! I did get my machine and now I am not surprised that they are 4.25, so thank you for letting me know about it. I still can't figure out why HSN and annagriffin.com would list them at 4.5 width, but oh well. I REALLY like my machine. Thank you!! I saw that they say approximately 4.5. Its really funny that they say that...I mean you don't know?!?! Maybe we need to send them a ruler 🤣 |
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Ahh, ok then. I also asked if there were any plates that utilized the width of the opening if the machine (4.75 inches) and she said no. No reason given. I think it will be okay as 99.9% of my dies are less than 4.5 inches wide. 
