Craft Edge

Thanks for some fresh ideas!

Laura

firstcut wrote:The cutting mats can be hard to cut on the cricut because, well, they are made to be cut resistant. Others have suggested chipboard or transparency sheets to make your own dies. I've had good success using magnet sheets. They cut very easily with a regular blade yet give a nice crisp emboss. You can still use the flexible mats to make the folder part, or just use heavy acrylic from those annoying clamshell packages.

Great suggestions, too!

I'm hoping to get a cuttlebug soon!

Thanks to all for their helpful posts!

Laura

Kay, what are the settings you use for the magnetic sheets? I have some Avery printable magnet sheets that I can use for embossing.
Thanks, Sharon

Cicut recommends deepcut blade and speed 3-pressure 5- depth 6- multicut 4 for its magnet sheets, but they are thicker than the inkjet stuff. As I recall I used a regular blade, medium speed, medium high pressure and depth 6 but I don't think I had to multicut at all. You do need a sticky mat and to tape down the edges for extra support. Also, with the magnets you can "score and pop", at least on fairly straightforward cuts, so you don't really have to cut all the way through.
Kay

Kay,

Quick question...the magetic sheeting you've used...is it the thinner material, our magnetic signs are about 1/32" but I've seen really thin 1/64" but didn't know if that would work or not...

Thanks,
Laura

Laura,
I have been using the inkjet stuff which is really thin, about 1/64, but PC has packaged a Cricut brand magnet sheet that I think is closer to what you are talking about.
Per http://www.cricut.com/news/ (scroll down to chart) "Cricut magnet sheet" is .0035" thick, which is in the 1/32" neighborhood.
If the 1/32 stuff will cut without too big a hassle that should be perfect for embossing! I would recommend a really sticky mat. Please let us know how that goes, because I am sure that that is going to be cheaper than inkjet magnets since no coating is required.

Kay, I was just looking at my magnetic sheets for inkjet printing (Avery 6270) - they seem really thin, being the doubting Thomas that I am, I can't see how they could make a good embossing folder, three layers of cardstock seems twice as thick as they are. Are you using a different brand?

Thanks, Sharon

I don't have Avery brand, mine are about 1/64 inch thick. You can double/triple them up if you like, but the reason it works a little better than card stock is the hardness, in addition to the thickness. The magnet sheets pass along the pressure better and hold up longer, but there's nothing wrong with card stock, either. I just hate to see people spend money on the Cricut kit when there are better, cheaper alternatives.

Great information, and thank you so much for sharing...I realize that this post is almost a year old but I am new to this forum. How do you make your own cutting mats? Reposionable spray?

Very cool ideas as I just got a cuttlebug last week when M's had them 50% off and I had a gift card too!