The Big Shot :: Die Cutting System

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The Big Shot :: By Ellison


















Reporter :: Colleen Schaan
Colleen's Blog

I was bitten, but am recovering from the dreaded “cuttlebug-itis” that is going around. You heard about it Monday right here on Craft Critique and if you hang around for very long, you WILL be bitten by this very invasive bug too. I was one of the lucky ones though; I sought medical help (in the form of doing lots of research and asking lots of questions) and am healing nicely.

Cuttlebug-itis is one of the most aggressive forms of enabling around...everyone over at Splitcoast seems to have it. Cries of, “Look at what I did with my Cuttlebug!” and “Isn’t this Cuttlebug creation cute?” can be heard echoing off the cyber-walls there. I even saw some amazing photos of the illness in the galleries over there...

BZZZZZZ...Watch out!
Slap…did it get you? Don’t worry; just keep reading!

If you read the review of the Cuttlebug on Monday, you know it is a wonderful, little machine that allows the user to cut and emboss. It is easy to use and fairly inexpensive...so why am I not suffering from that little bug-itis? Because I got a shot to cure me...A REALLY BIG SHOT! After doing lots of research (check out a product comparison HERE and HERE), I decided that the Big Shot from Ellison would be a better investment for me.

The Big Shot Beginners Kit can be purchased for about $119.99(US) and includes:
Big Shot Machine
1 Spacer Platform
1 Pair of Cutting Pads
3 Big Shot Embossing Folders
2 Thin Cuts die
1 Easy Emboss template
1 Thick Cuts die and
Paper.

This is everything you need to get started…almost. If you are interested in full surface embossing, you will also need to purchase the Big Impressions Starter Kit (BISK), which can be difficult to find.
The BISK includes:
three, double-sided texture plates
an impressions pad and
a silicon rubber pad.
I purchased this kit from Joannes for about $19.00(US). For whatever reason, Ellison does not carry the whole kit. It does mention needing the various items, but I couldn’t find them to order from their site.

The Big Shot is approximately 14x8x7 inches (LWH) and weighs just shy of 7 lbs. While it does take up more room than the Cuttlebug, space was not an issue for me. The base is very stable and the crank handle moves smoothly. It works well for either a right or left-handed person.

The Big Shot cuts and embosses a variety of materials. I cranked dozens of materials through the machine in the name of research and here are some of my findings:

Cutting and using dies: Patterned paper, cardstock, chipboard, foam, felt, window-sheets, thin plastic, tinfoil, wire mesh, tape, tissue paper…and anything else I could find all were cut with ease! I was amazed at how quickly and how gently all of these materials went through the machine.

Embossing: (both with embossing folders and with texture plates) Patterned paper, cardstock, chipboard, window-sheets, tinfoil, wire mesh, and tissue paper all went through and KEPT their texture. A tip for the cardstock and the chipboard, if you like a very distinct raised image, lightly spritz water on the texture plate before creating the sandwich. This makes the paper more “moldable” and creates a more distinct image. Note, it does not have to be wet or soaked…just lightly spritzed. The foam came out raised, but soon lost even the slightest hint of texture. The thing I found most amazing was the wire mesh. I could not believe it embossed as well as it did. Talk about cool! I need to make an ultra-modern scrapbook page with letters cut out of embossed wire mesh for a hip title!

I was told the Big Shot could use any other manufacturer’s dies or embossing folders also. As I don’t own any Cuttlebug folders or Sizzix dies yet, I can’t verify that. I do have some Fiskars Texture Plates and a few Stampin’ Up! embossing templates and they DO work perfectly in the Big Shot.

As with any product, there are pros and cons. There are only two or three drawbacks with the Big Shot. The first one is the packaging! The Big Shot Starter Kit came in a rigid plastic “tent” that I needed to cut apart. It seriously took me almost 15 minutes to get the machine out of the packaging (but maybe that is just because I am cutting impaired???). The other con is really in the marketing of the necessary accessories. I really wanted the Big Shot for embossing. If I had not done my research and known that the Big Impression Starter Kit was NECESSARY for creating full sheet embossing, I never would have purchased it (or even been able to find it). I then would have been extremely disappointed in my Big Shot purchase.


Other beneficial information for you…
The two cutting plates WILL get cuts in them! Rotate them and flip them for longer use. New cutting plates can be purchased for just $8.99(US) a pair.

The rubber spacer WILL bend a bit when run through with thick sandwiches. This is normal. Just flip it over the next time through and it will straighten back out.

The Big Shot Multipurpose Platform is not a necessary accessory but it is nice. It can be purchased for just $19.99(US) and takes the place of the spacer platform in the original kit. The multipurpose platform is an upgraded platform that is adjustable in height. It also includes illustrations for easily creating the right sandwiches.


Overall, I am thrilled with my Big Shot. The cost is mid-range and I feel like the stability and the versatility are worth every cent! I have been cranking the handle and churning out tons of stuff with my new toy. Well, maybe not tons; remember I am just recovering from a very serious bug bite. Maybe I need another dose of my BIG SHOT!

Here are two of my latest creations. I used the Funky Squares texture plate for the card on the left and the Circles plate for the one on the right.