Fabric die Cutters has anyone used one?

[ZoeyKate]

Hello, I am in need of making production more efficient and being able to cut my fabric quicker and more accurate would help A LOT. My husband found a brand called Accuquilt and they say they are the only ones out now. Has anyone used the machine or have a better option?

[Former_Member]

I have heard alot about it, I know some quilt shops have them and let people come in and use them. maybe you could call some quilt shops and ask them about their machine, see if you could come see how it works.

[ampersandwitch]

fabric die cutters, hmm? oh the possibilities of that!

[ArtePlastique]

I have the accuquilt baby that has the hand crank. I like it a lot but now want something that cuts more types of materials and that I can customize with my own designs .

[TheRusticHome]

I have one, and promptly cut myself the first time I used it.. THEY ARE SHARP!
But they are also wonderful. I just need to learn to slow down.

[tailoredchaos]

I think that Sizzix and Cricut machines also cut fabric. And with the cricut machines you have more versatility with shapes and sizes. I have never used any machine for cutting fabric so I can't say which machine is best. I suggest reading reviews on all the machines before deciding which to purchase. Also, as Leah suggested, you can call around to quilt and craft shops and see if they have them available to try before purchasing.

[ZoeyKate]

Thank you all. I have a Cricut but it doesn't cut fabric very well and I can add me patterns to it. Vickie I will remember to take it slow when the time comes. Have you used any custom dies?

[JonEicher]

Another alternative is laser cutting. If you have more than a few pieces to cut a laser cutter may be more economical.

If your cutting fabric by the yard this might be cheaper.

If you have a lot to cut and have the room an old fashioned clicker press and steel dies is what the industry used for nearly 100 years or more.

[JonEicher]

Here is a good source for leading edge technology for fabric cutting. I have seen basic units too that use a swivel knife and a plotting table that are not very large and will still cut a few yards at a time.

http://www.gerbertechnology.com/

[ZoeyKate]

Thank you Jon I will take a look now!

[Former_Member]

I would like to know the answer to this, also.

[fairyshadow]

I have an Accuquilt GO! It does a good job of cutting but is set up more for the hobbyist. Their dies are limited and come with various shapes and sizes on one die so it take extra time to cut the fabric down and position it when using only a part of the die. I wish I could get dies with the same sized shape repeated on one die for a more efficient use of time and materials. The company has another model that allows for this but it cost more. My husband bought the GO! as a gift and it does save me a lot of time but if I were to start again I would go with the model that is made for production work.

[JonEicher]

One more option are fabric knives.


http://www.sewingmachinesplus.com/rel-XD-629.php?catargetid=1390120664&cadevice={device}&gclid=CJKT5uG1zrgCFcqZ4AodYAkAvg

[FabulouslyHomemade]

For what it's worth, I recently purchased an AccuCut machine for paper, and it has saved me so much time! I would think it works quite a bit the same as the AccuQuilt. One thing I had to come to terms with is the paper waste. When using specialty papers or paper that I cannot purchase in bulk, I still use the hand punch as I can get many more circles out of a sheet of paper doing this vs. with the machine. I have been able to take on some larger custom jobs that I would have had to turn down if I didn't own the machine.

[Former_Member]

I know that these cutter will cut fabric:

http://www.blackcatcutters.com/


They have a sticky mat the the fabric is placed on, and it's cut just like paper.

[florestanissupplies]

Die cutters! My favorite subject!!! I love die cutters and have like eight different kinds. They are fantastic!! The electronic hobby ones are nice but not great for high mass production or thick materials. The AccuQuilt which you have is the baby brother to the AccuCut line of die cutters. Originally made for teachers having to cut dozens of construction paper shapes, a few years ago they expanded into the craft market. And these babies can take a lot of abuse! (I know! I run heavy cardboard, flattened soda cans, leather, foam core and all sorts of materials through them!)
The smallest machine runs about $350 and the largest about $750 with dies running anywhere from $15 for a simple shape to $700 for the gorgeous alphabet sets but they have specials all the time. And you can have custom dies made too! I had one made for about $200. But depending on the intricacy of your shape and the amount of production you require, it might be well worth it. They have a huge line of dies available so check those out first and also check out their Education branch where you can find different dies as well.
http://www.accucut.com (These dies won't work on your AccuQuilt machine because they are a thicker profile and won't go through. But with a shim adapter your AccuQuilt dies will work in the Accucut machines. Yes, I've tried it! :) I told you I love die cutters! :) )
There is also Sizzix / Ellison which makes several different kinds of dies - thinner "Sizzlits" which are good for cutting maybe one or two layers of paper or fabric at once and the heavier "Originals" or "Bigz" which are more like the Accucut dies and can handle heavy duty work.
Oh I could talk about die cutters all day and don't want to bore you so if you have any questions anybody, feel free to convo me!!