Electronic die-cutting machines for scrapbooking are hot sellers right now. Many crafters are giving up their manual die-cutting systems such as Sizzix and Quickutz and upgrading to a digital cutting system. Manufacturers have flooded the market with nearly a dozen new machines in the past few years. But among all the machines available, there are just two basic categories of die-cutting machines: 1- stand alone and 2- computer driven. Although there are several different manufacturers releasing machines right now, the two most popular with the scrapbooking community are the Xyron Wishblade Media Cutter and the Provo Craft Cricut Craft Cutter.
Let’s take a look at each in more detail:
Provo Craft Cricut Craft Cutter
Initial investment for machine: $199 – $299
Additional investment for cartridges: $89.99 each
Website: www.cricut.com
The Provo Craft Cricut Craft Cutter (Cricut) is a stand alone die-cutting machine that does not need a computer connection. It is highly portable, user friendly and easy to learn. With the on-board keyboard users are able to type in the letters they wish to have cut and the machine does the rest. Each font/shape cartridge comes loaded with a single alphabetic font choice that is designed in a few different ways – upper and lower case, punctuation, solid, outlined and negative space cutting as well as a few select words with connected letters that can be cut as a single diecut. Along with the fonts, you’ll find a dozen or so shapes or graphics on each cartridge.
There are currently 41 Cricut cartridges available for purchase from Provo Craft. Some are primarily font cartridges and some include just shapes. There is also a series designed for teachers to use in their classrooms as teaching tools. Provo Craft releases new cartridges about three times a year and usually with a new batch of designs on three to eight different cartridges with each release.
The Cricut is highly portable because you don’t need a computer for it to work. In fact, Provo Craft has even designed a matching rolling tote for the Cricut and all its tools. It is common for scrapbookers to bring their Cricut to crops and scrapbooking parties and allow their friends to use it freely.
The Cricut has a cutting area as small as 1-inch up to 5.5-inches tall and 11-inches wide at preset ½-inch intervals. The Cricut is unable to “weld” letters to create connected words unless it is preprogrammed into the cartridge.
The Cricut has a USB port built into the back of the machine. There are rumors within the scrapbook community that Provo Craft plans to make the Cricut compatible with some type of computer software. However, the official word from Provo Craft is: “The engineers on the Cricut team use the USB port to update, modify or otherwise revise the software for the machine. There is no consumer use for the port …at this time. [hint]” (source: www.provocraft.com)
The main drawback of the Cricut is the long term investment. Although the price of the machine itself is affordable with many stores selling the Cricut on sale for under $200, the long term costs are quite high. If you were to purchase all 41 cartridges currently available, it would be an additional investment of nearly $3,700. Occasionally you can find the cartridges on sale for less than the suggested retail price of $89.99 for approximately $60 – but that overall investment is still nearly $2,500.
Similar stand alone die-cutting machines include: Xyron Personal Cutting System and the new Provo Craft Cricut Expression (on the market in June 2007)
Xyron Wishblade Media Cutter
Initial investment for machine: $400
Additional investment for cartridges: $0
Website: www.wishblade.com
The Xyron Wishblade Media Cutter (Wishblade) connects to your computer and uses fonts, shapes and images already loaded on your computer. By using the Wishblade software you can create your own designs to be cut or swap design files with other Wishblade users through a number of Yahoo! Groups. Swapping designs allows you to increase your design library quickly as you learn how to use the software program. The Wishblade software is currently only compatible with Windows-based PC’s, however a Mac version of the software is in the works and should be available mid-June 2007.
Although the initial cost of about $400 for the Wishblade is higher than a stand alone die-cutting machine, the overall price is attractive in the long run because there are no additional font cartridges to purchase. Any true-type font that you have on your computer or can download from font websites can be used with the Wishblade. The software allows you to “weld” the letters together so the letters are literally connected to each other if you choose (rather than individually cut letters). Basic clipart shapes that can be downloaded from the Internet can also be converted into a design-file and cut out with the Wishblade. With the vast amount of free fonts and clipart designs, the possibilities are endless.
Another great feature of the Wishblade is the ability to print an image from your computer on your normal printer, and then send that image through the Wishblade machine so it will cut out the image you just printed. This feature makes creating paper piecing projects much easier. You can even replace the cutting blade with a ballpoint ink pen and let the machine draw for you instead of cut.
The Wishblade can cut fonts and images as small as ½-inch and up to 8-inches tall and can accept banner paper to cut projects up to 3-feet long. There are no preset intervals programmed into the machine; whatever size you create your die-cut design in the software will cut on the machine.
One major drawback of the Wishblade is its lack of portability. If you frequently attend crops and scrapbooking parties and want to take along your die-cutting machine, you’ll also need to bring along your computer or laptop because the Wishblade does not work without a computer connection.
Similar computer driven die-cutting machines include: Graphtec Craft Robo, Pazzles Personal Cutter Mini and Quickutz Silhouette.
