Wednesday 20 February 2013

Grand Calibur vs New A4 Machine.

I have just watched the Calibur on c&c and have just realised that to everything it is capable of doing you need to spend £97.86 . This is there special club price for everything you need . I did not realise this was the case , i am quite surprised by this .

Even if you spend this ( which is at the lowest club member price ) you still cant do most of the things our new machine can do or can you ?

Lets compare :

Calibur                                                                                         New A4

spellbinder type dies                                                                     same ( but easier )

not possible                                                                                   SIZZIX BIGZ DIES !

not possible                                                                                   sizzlet dies

emb folders                                                                                   emb folders

not possible                                                                                   texture plates ( fiskars etc )

stencils                                                                                           same ( but deeper)

not possible                                                                                   coins and charms

not possible                                                                                    bottle caps

 not possible                                                                                   fabric and soft leather

 not possible                                                                                 thicker metals

not very good                                                                                 embossing leaves

How many plates required ?

4 top plates !                                                                                  2 top plates !

Please tell me if im wrong here , but to me all of a sudden the calibur just does not look cheap or easy to use with this mixture of plates to do a variety of tasks. Is this a sandwich recipe for disaster ?

You need at least two different plates in the calibur just for using different embossing folders never mind anything else ?

Please give me your honest opinion , even if you think i am wrong .

I value your input.

Gordon



33 comments:

  1. I have got the Calibur and something has broken inside as it got harder and harder to turn the handle. It still works but is starting to get more difficult again so I think it will break soon. I have had to buy different plates for embossing but even so they do not work with every make of folder. It also gets confusing when using different dies and folders what sandwich to use and the results do not always turn out well. I can not use thicker dies with the calibur either so that is why I have ordered your machine and can not wait for it to arrive.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you , all of the problems you highlight are the ones we are trying to avoid. Gordon

      Delete
    2. hi
      i have just had the same problem
      i purchased it just under 3months ago
      and now broke bought it from the create and craft chaneel so they have ask for it back
      but i get the impression from there customer service advisor that its my fault its broke i only hope that i get a refund lost confedence in the machine my little boutique was better than the grand calibur but it was only small

      Delete
  2. At the end of the day the Grand Calibur was made by Spellbinders for Spellbinders dies and embossing folders. Machines like the big Shot, Big Shot Pro and maybe the Cuttlebug with somethings allow you to use other companies dies and this is what makes them more USABLE. Not everyone has JUST spellbinders dies. most of us have lots of different dies from different companies and any machine we buy has to be compatible with all of them. I wish you luck with your new machine

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you , we think this is the most comprehensive machine made to date in so far as to what it can do . I can never take things away from the old Wizard though , that machine could do amazing things . I could not believe it when it was replaced by the calibur , i think a great mistake was made . Gordon

      Delete
  3. Hi Gordon

    Having seen the new machine effortlessly process a bottle cap; move on to a Sizzix Bigz; then straight to Sizzlit using it to cut more than one piece of card at the same time, all done without changing the plates - I'm convinced. It's a no-brainer, I'll be ordering mine. Just a question though, did you manage to cut fabric without the metal plate? I would like to use my Sizzix quilting dies.
    Congratulations on the new venture.
    Bernie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Bernie . The metal plate has to be used for fabric to add the presure in a different way and to stop it embedding itself in the top plate .The metal plate is included with our machine , it is not an extra ..everything will be included. Kind regards. Gordon

      Delete
  4. Your machine does seem a no brainer.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love my Grand Calibur but it's not a versitile machine and I never recommend it to anyone buying a die cutting machine for the first time. You need something that can do everything and your new machine ticks all the boxes.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I recently sold my gc as I didn't use it as I found my bigshot to be more versatile die wise (apart from the obvious size limitation). I was all set to order one of your machines but I have to admit that the price released against the price you initialy thought it would be has unfortunately put it out of my price range. I understand that you have added the extra plates and I am sure the machine is well worth the cost , I have seen you demonstrate it and was very impressed it is just sadly beyond my pocket at the moment.

    Having said that though I do believe it is an exceptional machine and I wish you all the luck in the world with it xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Gordon

    I bought the GC against my better judgement from talking to you in the shop but when it came on C&C at a reduced priced (I paid £79.99) with 10% discount I succumbed as I was also having problems trying to replace my Cuttlebug plates at the same time. After using it a few times I heard a clunking sound inside the machine and found that I couldn't reverse the plates for a deeper cut when necessary!! I can honestly say I always used the correct sandwich so not sure what happened but did think about what you said when it happened. I can still use the machine but feel sure it will give up the ghost at some point in the future so I am really interested in purchasing your machine - Gail Tx

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gordon, you said we would need an extra plate for cutting material, can you give me more info please. Thanks Elizabeth x

    ReplyDelete
  9. Just called the number to place my order but no answer.
    Can't find any opening hours on the website.

    Dizzy

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Gordon
    I have the Grand Calibur but use my Cuttlebug and Big Shot more because the GC will only take thin dies. For me the only advantage of the GC is that it takes the A4 dies and embossing folders. Your machine sounds perfect because you are able to use all your dies without having to keep changing machines. Looking at your list it doesn't seem that there are any limitations as to what you can cut with your machine so it makes perfect since to buy it.
    Heather x

    ReplyDelete
  11. Glad I waited and stuck to my Wizard which I bought from you years ago, £80 seemed a lot then but I never regretted spending the extra.

    The A4 machine costs more than you hoped, but I still want it, and much better well made than slightly cheaper.

    Will the 12 x 12 machine also cost more than your original estimate? I'm not sure how much more use I would get from the extra size, or will it be more adaptable as it is heavier? Are you planning for it to do anything the A4 one wont?

    Sounds like some traditional quilting pattern dies will be good, possibly several the same size,or sized to be easily mixed together.

    Craft Fairs, how about one in Surrey. I go to one in Kent which is in a School Hall, free tea and parking and a variety of crafts.I hope the stalls are cheap too. Would the one you are thinking of be too big for that or a large village hall?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Well I have to say your machine won't be a moment too soon Gordon.

    I'm now on my second GC, the first having lasted just nine months, as someone else said bits rolling around inside and doing a bit of research around the internet it sounds like a common problem.

    Yes, they did offer to take a look but the responsibility to return was on me and no guarantee on turnaround time, but they estimated two weeks. My craft work schedule is such I can't be without something to cut the large dies for that long so reluctantly ordered one from C&C, taking up membership to get it on offer for £71.

    And my trusty Big Shot Express is hanging in there for my TH dies, but sounds far from healthy so I desperately want one that does it all, so will be paying you a visit and Stevenage Sunday Gordon.

    B x (x and one for Harry from my canine family)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have the wizard which is great and the GC which is so flimsy and just feels as if it is about to break at any time. Also it doesn't cut very well. What is the point of having an A4 plate if you can't fill it up with dies but can often only cut one at a time to try to get a good cut. Also I have the bigz dies which I don't use now. I was thinking about getting a bigshot pro - but now, well perhaps you have made up my mind!!! I just need to save up (a bit more money than had hoped to spend). Good luck with this great sounding machine.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I find the GC flimsy, doesn't give good clean cuts in one and sometimes maybe 3/4 passes, embossing is also not as good as the bigshot. I have been very dissapointed in the GC and wouldn't recommend it.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I had decided not to buy a GC becase of its inability to cut anything except low profile dies (I have a library of Sizzix originals, Bigz and several Cuttlebug dies). However, when I found a really good deal and was able to combine it with a discount code I'd been sent, I crumbled, and so got mine for £61 including p&p.

    I didn't realise then that another plate - the raspberry one - was required on top of that and decided I would not buy the plate, but would experiment with what I already had. So I shim instead of using the raspberry plate to emboss folders. I find that this allows me to control the depth of embossing, especially as I don't often 'distress' or sand - which otherwise can become a necessity with detailed embossing folders which can crack certain thicknesses of card (and mirri card which can't be sprayed to prepare it) with the prescribed sandwich in whichever machine I use - BigShot, BigShot Pro, Vagabond, Cuttlebug, Epic Six or GC.

    Cons of the GC - the current manual A4 die cutting machine on the market:
    the suction on the GC is excellent UNTIL you run something through the machine!

    you have to remove the white guide trays in order to use the A4 embossing folders and that is quite a task! Once removed, they are hard to replace and without them, there is no platform on which to sit the base plate.

    I prefer to load my plates in situ as this avoids lifting them up to place them in the machine which can cause movement of die and card if taped together or both if not taped. You can load in situ (platforms are long enough) on the BigShot, BicKick, Vagabond - and the Cuttlebug to a certain extent. The Vagabond and Cuttlebug have storage and transporting advantages as their platforms fold up - a big plus if space is an issue.

    it takes 28 revolutions of the handle to pass the plates through the GC.

    However, a big plus is that the handle is a doddle to turn and requires little effort - a plus for those with arthritis or joint/muscle weakness.

    The BigShot is my 'go to' machine and is a great starter machine because you can cut and emboss anything that will fit through the mouth of the machine, so your Jus-Cutz will compete in this area. But in addition, the Jus-Cutz will take A4, which is a bonus, but with a price tag which might put it out of reach for some.

    I love the BigShot Pro for the ability to cut commercial thickness dies as well as 12x12. It is frustrating, however, that despite having the very large cutting area, cutting more than 6 Sizzlits or 1 decorative strip at a time will void its warranty. I can do more than that in one pass through the ordinary BigShot - but perhaps I'm not meant to!

    The Jus-Cutz sounds very exciting and innovative - moving the rollers and retaining the same sandwich for everything! An even larger machine with that capability will certainly compete with the BigShot Pro which has multiple platforms and shims which create a storage issue and makes moving from one die type to another a real challenge. It was for the latter reason that I eventually succumbed to the GC so that I can cut the largest low profile dies without multiple platform layers.

    Just a few thoughts:

    Have you considered making the base plate magnetic so that low profile dies stay in place during the cutting/embossing process?

    Does the machine come with, or will it be necessary to purchase, an A4 crease pad so that it's possible to crease rather than cut through the numerous crease dies that are coming onto the market? I'm not aware of an A4 one being currently available.

    I haven't seen the machine and am not sure from the available photos whether there is a fold out platform.

    I'll watch this space with great interest! Well done for thinking 'outside the box'!







    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi. Thank you for your comments , very comprehensive and im sure very helpful to lots of people reading this . I must admit that i have not seen the crease dies you mention , i will have to obtain some and give them a try.The machine does have a fold down platform as seen in the pics.As this machine has a unique pressure switch which opens and closes the plates , you are able to use an A4 magnetic mat to position your dies as i was demonstrating at the Stevenage show last weekend. You can use this to make lots of interesting frames . We can cut the most detailed dies in one pass though the machine amd we can cut shrink plastic using detailed dies which is normally impossible. The pressure is the key to this machine , without the fear of breaking it which is why we are putting our name behind this project. Gordon

      Delete
    2. is the machine electric like my ebosser which i prefer to my gc, has i have problems turniong the handles , i have no probs with the ebosser,i have not yet seen any piccies of your machine , and how will it compare in price.

      Delete
  16. Having bought extra plates from you for my GC as spares and as yet unused, are they likely to be of any use to the new machine if I purchase it. I like my GC for the large dies but do tell people that is only suitable for the thin dies and wished that there was a giant cuttlebug/big shot which are much more versatile. It seems that now that problem has been solved. Up to now I've not had a problem with my GC and have had it since they first came onto the market. The only problem I had was using the no more shims mat to emboss and broke the embossing board, but that was my fault for thinking it would be better. I am looking forward to being able to purchase the new machine but have to wait as I have so many different ones that I do not use I couldn't sneak another one in without being seen!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi
      The plates for the new machine are different , although i think you could possibly use them for some things as the rollers themselves adjust on this machine with the inbuilt pressure switch. Gordon

      Delete
  17. I have the wizzard the most pushed toy used in scrapbooking that keeps on going....The structure was made to last life time... I just wished they had carried this structure forward to allow the large dies that the grand calibur uses... That would be mean machine....nothing could stop it....

    ReplyDelete
  18. That is why we are now introducing this new machine . Its exactly what you are looking for . Gordon

    ReplyDelete
  19. I was just wondering how you emboss Spellbinders dies after they have been cut in the Jus-Cutz. Will it be with an embossing mat and cutting plate sandwich?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi
      All you do is to add the tan embossing mat to the sandwich . No swapping to another plate , its very simple.There are only two plates for everything in this machine. Gordon

      Delete
  20. Hi Gordon,

    When and where can I buy this machine. Does it come complete with everything I need to emboss A 4 sheets straight away or would I need extra bits and pieces. Excuse my naivety new to this craft.

    Anonymous

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi Gordon

    When and where can I purchase one of your machines?

    ReplyDelete
  22. As someone with arthritis, I would like to know if this will be a suitable purchase, I was looking at the ebosser to replace my GC. My GC is still working, but I get so frustrated that the suction isn't great and that I can only get good clean cuts around the edges of the plates. If yours will really cut across the whole area it sounds like the answer to a prayer. Will there be any warranty with the machines? When can I get one?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HI Cella

      I can confirm to you that our machine has even pressure across the rollers and will cut a whole a4 sheet of dies perfectly unlike the other machines. Our machine features a pressure switch which opens and closes the rollers so you are in charge of the pressure . Im not sure about your arthritis though , you would have to try one out for yourself and see how you get on .

      Regards
      Gordon

      Delete
  23. Hi Gordon, have been following your news on the new machine, but still haven't seen it working, would love to is there anything on you tube, because I want to order, but see it working first , does it come with everything to emboss or do I need the tan embossing matt, I bought the G/C but sold it was so disappointed. many thanks June

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hi Gordon, Have been following the progress on your new machine is there anyway I can see this working, possible you tube, would love to buy one, but want to see it working, do you need the tan matting sheet, to do embossing, i did have the G/C but was very disappointed so I sold it, Kind regards June

    ReplyDelete