Cricut Die Cutting MachineItem: Cricut Die Cutting Machine
I never thought I would fall in love with a cricket, but I did! The personal die cut Cricut machine from Provo Craft, that is.
Contact author by : This compact little machine packs a big punch! It can cut dies from 1″ to 5-1/2″ tall, and up to 11-1/2″ inches long. There is also a newer version on the market called the Cricut Expression. It has the capacity to cut up to 12″ wide and 24″ long. I haven’t used the Expression yet, so for the sake of this article, I will review the original Cricut. Since I brought up the Expression machine, now may be the time to make a note that the cartridges, and ink pens fit both machines. The Cricut is cartridge driven. Each cartridge contains images and/or alphabets. These cartridges are usually themed, such a “Walk in My Garden”, “Christmas Cheer”, “Animal Kingdom”, etc. Along with the cartridge itself, there is a removable keyboard cover which coordinates with each cartridge. And a manual which gives you an example of combinations available for the cartridge. For instance, one cartridge may have the capacity to make a tag, charm and square out of each image. There is an example of each option for each character. This makes it easy to look up what is available as the little keyboard keys can be difficult to get an accurate idea of the final cut. Want to know one of my favorite features that I use almost every single time? It’s the “shadow” feature. I can cut my title letters in one color and turn around and cut a large size of the same letter, or shadow, and layer these together. LOVE THIS! It makes the letters pop off the page. So why might this little machine be good for you? Cricut vs. Sizzix or Quikcutz dies: The original home die machines such as Sizzix and Quikcutz are limited by the original size of the die. There is no way to make any of the images larger or smaller. There are also no shadow features or alternate ways to cut the dies, such as tag, bookmark, border, etc. While the Sizzix and Quikcutz are very portable, the Cricut is also portable, with a built-in handle. It does require an outlet to run, however. Many scrapbooks are taking their Cricut machines to crops and retreats. I don’t know about you, but I have gotten tired of buying letter stickers and chipboard only to run out of the letters that I need. Or to not have the right color and/or size I need for a given project. Not to mention how the cost per sheet runs up quite a bill. I am just in love with being able to cut my own alphas with such a wide variety of sizes. Provocraft is on the move with creating more and more cartridges for the Cricut. They run around $55-$65 each, depending on whether they are new, licensed by Disney, and other factors. Compare that to spending $125 for one font for a Quikcutz die and there is really no comparison to be made. The Cricut originally retailed for $299-$350, but within a year it was being sold through Walmart and craft stores for as low as $100 to $199. I believe it’s a wonderful tool to invest in for your scrapbooking. I have even used it on my son’s Science Fair project for the titles. And finally, one of the biggest pluses of all, it’s simple to use! There is no big learning curve or studying before you can begin creating your own images.  Rating: 9
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July 5th, 2008 at 7:37 am
I just bought the Cricut, but I am having trouble with getting it to cut through thicker type material. Is there something special I need to do? Also how long do the mats last? Is there a paper that works better than others to use when cutting the designes? Allene Anderson
July 5th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Congratulations, Allene on your new Cricut Here are a few things to look at when cutting thicker material 1. Make sure the blade assembly is set to 6 for the deepest cut. 2. Make sure the pressure is set to High 3. The Cricut will not cut chipboard in one pass. But you can do multiple cuts by doing the following a. Load paper chipboard select character and press cut b. DO NOT UNLOAD PAPER c. Press LOAD PAPER not unload paper and it will take you back to the exact beginning where you started d. Press Repeat Last and then press CUT It should then cut in the exact same lines as the original cut. This is how you do multiple cuts. 4. This will dull your blade pretty quickly, so it may not be worth the effort. As far as the mats go, some have lasted me for weeks and some for only a few passes. Cricut Provocraft has very good customer service So if you get some mats that only last a few cuttings then call them and they will replace them with new ones. They should last you through at least 10-15 uses, in my opinion. Paper that works better than others? I love to use cardstock such as Bazzill. But, Bazzill has a textured cardstock that has very difinite vertical lines and it seems it confuses the Cricut. Since the cardstock has hills and valleys, it seems the hills don`t get the same pressure as the valleys and it doesn`t always cut all the way through. Other than that, I haven`t had any problems. If you are using paper or vellum, adjust the pressure and speed and blade depth to lower such as 3-4. I hope this answers your questions. I have been teaching a Cricut 101 class at the Scrapbook store where I work and everyone has been so thrilled with it. I love to share what I have learned. Good luck
July 11th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
My question is about the Bazzill paper. I love it and have always used it. My daughter-in-law just gave my a Cricut and I have had trouble cutting through Bazzil. I was wondering what I was doing wrong and have been searching the internet to figure out what I could do to fix the problem. If I understand you correctly, I need to cut through it twice and then the Cricut will cut through the Bazzill? And what settings do you use? Thanks for your help.
July 13th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Debbie, I have only had trouble cutting the one type of Bazzill paper. The one with the vertical lines. I can do it, just need to have a very sharp blade and slow the machine down a bit. As far as why you aren`t able to cut Bazzill, I would suggest this set the blade depth to 6 . Set the pressure to maximum , and try the speed at high. You should be able to cut through it easily with these settings. If not, change your blade. If it still doesn`t work, then you need to call Provocraft. They have very good customer service Hope this helps, Rhonda
February 22nd, 2009 at 9:39 am
I have had my cricut for about a year, and am starting to have trouble with it. When I try to cut, it does not make the corners well in letters or any shape and it kind of comes up. I have changed the blade, and now it just seems to pull the paper, even thin paper rather than cut it. This rips the paper and is unusable. I love my Cricut and use it frequently, and cannot live without it. Any suggestions? I have tried adjusting the green blade holder, the speed and pressure dial, it makes no difference. I cannot see if the blade is suppose to be installed a certain direction or if it redirects itself.
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Kimberly, It does sound like a malfunction with the machine. It sounds as though you`ve tried all of the things I would have tried. Have you tried a new mat? If even new blades don`t cut well, then it`s something else wrong. Customer service at Provocraft is very helpful, you might just want to give them a call. They are warrantied for a year, don`t know if your date has passed or not. Good luck Rhonda P.S. I would love to get a post after you find out what the problem is, it could help others.
August 8th, 2010 at 3:27 pm
I just bought a felt product which is thin and stiff with self stick on the back, also some without the self stick. I have tried to cut the felt using a deep cutting blade sitting on 6, pressure 3 and speed 1. Any ideas? Maybe I can`t use the cricut machine on this product. thanks