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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I'm honestly a bit surprised by all the 5 star reviews, and I'm sure I'm risking some negative comments & unhelpful votes but I'm going to give you my honest opinion on this machine and let you decide what is and isn't important for you in a machine.
I'm not new to paper crafting. I own a Sizzix Big Shot, A Cricut Expression & Mini, and a Silhouette Cameo. I won't like that once I bought the Cameo Silhouette Cameo Starter Kit Bundle Cutter the rest of my machines got pretty dusty except for my Big Shot Sizzix 655268 Big Shot Cutting-and-Embossing Roller-Style Machine which I use for embossing all the time. The electric machines might not be able to cut all the materials that the manual machines like the Fuse can cut and they can't stamp/letterpress at all but honestly how often do you need that ability?
I think the fuse concept is great, it works exactly as advertised and right out of the box it's easy to understand and start using. My "issues" with it are simply based on value. You get one die & two letterpress plates with this very expensive machine. It's very well made, it's huge & heavy but does fold up nice and small for storage or transport (well I'm not sure on the transport part, it is really heavy). That's it though. The dies are expensive and limited, at this point they don't even offer anything that takes advantage of the larger size. I actually would use this to replace my Big Shot IF it came with the adapter set, or if that set was priced lower. It's anywhere from $50 to $100 depending where you shop... WHAT?!?! I can use my Cameo software to make a mat from any stamp I own, cut out the mat/shape with the Cameo and then stamp it (or even do a print and cut after scanning my stamps to make them digital). I'll lose a bit of the texture you'd get from using this machine but again, I'd have endless options. The real deal breaker for me though was that I tried and I CAN use the dies for the Fuse in my Big Shot and they work perfectly (without any fancy adapter I might add). So if you love the idea of a letterpress/die combo and already own a Big Shot you have no need for this machine unless they eventually come out with larger dies and you want those too.
In conclusion it's a solid machine that does exactly what it advertises. It's well made and I suspect will last and last, but unless you have a very specific reason for wanting something this large and heavy, and IMO limited, I just think there are better options out there that are a better value. I'll upload some photos in a bit showing that I was actually able to cut balsa wood with it (but I wouldn't recommend trying that LOL) and showing the results of using the dies in my Big Shot.
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This is a great machine! I was able to use it right out of the box, it took a few minutes to read the instructions and i was off and running. Watch this video and you will see in minutes how easy it is to use. Go to my Youtube channel to watch other videos of different uses for the machine. Kleuck100!
More expansion packs available Fuse Medium Design Plate Expansion Pack 4/Pkg-Tag, Fuse Medium Design Plate Expansion Pack 4/Pkg-Marquis
Best Deals for Fiskars 100770-1001 Fuse Die Cut and Letterpress, Starter Set
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program If your looking for a good die cutting machine for home use, this one is one of the best out there.It's built sturdily. Don't let the plastic fool you. This is a heavy, well built machine, in fact, it's more than 20 lbs. While that doesn't make it convenient for crop nights, it does make for a machine that can cut through 3 oz leather, aluminum can sheets (cut off top and bottom, then cut open and straighten), cork, foam and cereal box cardboard fairly easily. Fabric, paper and other lighter materials are a complete breeze. I love that it handles so many materials well which allows for creative re-use.
Limited number of dies available at this point for this machine. The die that came with mine is a scalloped circle with 2 plates for debossing or letterpress. One is a bird that says thank you, the other is a to-from for easy gift tags. If you are going to get this machine, I recommend getting the adapter kit as well. The adapter kit comes with 3 shims, a rubber cutting mat, top plate and bottom plate and is fairly large. It won't do extra long dies but will do almost everything else. Using the adapter kit, you can use the other major companies dies and embossing plates to really expand the potential of the machine.
The dies that are available specifically for the Fuse are wonderful, and you may well want to collect them all. The design sets come with dies and letterpress plates, the expansion packs are letterpress plates for dies you already have. The design sets and expansion sets allow you to-
die cut (die only)
die cut+letter press (die, plate + ink)
die cut+ deboss (die, plate)
deboss (plate only)
letterpress (plate + ink)
It won't slip around when it's set up on a table or desk top, but does take up a fair amount of space when it's open to use. The latches on it all close very securely, which is nice. The unit has a small compartment to hold a couple smaller dies, embossing folders, or ink pads. The whole machine folds up well for keeping it out of your way when you're not using it.
I'm having a blast with this. I love that I can use other companies dies, embossing folders and letter press plates with it, and love how well it works.
Honest reviews on Fiskars 100770-1001 Fuse Die Cut and Letterpress, Starter Set
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I've long been a fan of Fiskars lawn care products and of course, scissors for sewing but wasn't sure what to expect from this Fuse Die Cut and Letterpress starter set. Unlike many other reviewers, I wanted to use this for sewing rather than scrapbooking and there tends to be a lot of variability in these machines when used for fabric.The first thing you will notice is that this is a heavy little bugger! Frankly, I was rather surprised by the weight of the machine. I'm not 100% sure what actually weighs so much since most of the machine seems to be plastic but apparently there is a lot more than what meets the eye. The machine is designed to fold-up into a small suitcase sized self contained unit with a handle built in. The design is both smart and space saving as well as ergonimic.
Once opened (with the snap of 2 handles), it speads open and is basically ready to use. There is a small storage space which is ample for the 2 sample templates and plates included but will unlikely suffice for long. Directions are clear and easy to read. There are several different ways to use the machine and in order to review it, I opted to try it out on both paper and fabric despite the fact that my main interest is in using it for fabric. According to the instructions, the machine may actually be used on other materials as well including balsam or other thin materials.
To begin, I opted to try it out on a heavy paper about a 90 weight. Simply stack, put the paper inside and roll through. It takes literally just a few seconds and made a perfect cut with embossing. Next, I tried the same on a piece of cotton fabric just to see how it would work...I was stunned at how nicely it handled the fabric. The hand crank is easy to operate, doesn't require excessive force whatsoever and makes a very nice cut the first time through.
Now, this is a starter set and wanting to use it for fabric, I'm anxious to get the larger additional plates and die etc enhancements. According to the manual, this will accept other template die from other manufacturers (a very nice touch) with the add-on plates. Unfortunately, at this time Amazon has a limited number of ancillary products for this machine. However, there are plenty on eBay and other areas to be found.
For those that enjoy quilting or other fabric based designs, take a look at this machine. Very easy to use, much faster than doing it by hand and more consistent results. Love the ability to get standardized results while still changing out color of fabric in only a fraction of the time. Excellent addition to the sewing room with the added benefit of being a useful item for those that enjoy scrapbooking and/or other crafts.
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program If you're familiar with the " Accuquilt Go" system this works on the same principal: Sandwich the die, materials and mat and crank through the press. This system cuts a bigger selection of materials. Cork, felt, metal, wood veneer and other craft materials.The system comes with one die ( a 4 inch scalloped circle) and two letterpress units which read "thank you" and "to......from...." and a fabric inking pad (the recommended type) . Be prepared to make a big investment in "design sets" because once you see them you will want them all. Amazon has a good selection and I have seen "sets" and "collections" on ebay. You can buy expansion sets which are basically letterpress units which fit the design unit. You can use dies from other systems if you buy the adapter kit (about $10).
The system is heavy with rubber feet which keeps it from slipping around when you use it but it folds up to a compact size and has a very comfortable handle. There is a storage compartment which will hold about two die sets and a few of your supplies. The bed of the system is 12 inches wide. The gear ratio makes the handle easier to turn than on most systems and it folds compactly.
You can use at least five techniques depending on how you stack the "sandwich":
1.Die, material and mat only to cut a die-cut shape.
2.Die, material, inked letterpress and mat for printed die-cut shape.
3.Die,material, letterpress and mat for letter-pressed die-cut shape.
4.Inked letterpress , material and mat for printed , embossed material.
5.un-inked letterpress, material and mat for embossed design only.
The only negative I can find is the price **Gasp** but it is comparable to other machines of this type and I think the portability and other features make it a much better choice. It's still not too late to hint for Christmas.
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