The Spellbinders Platinum machine is a strong and elegant die cut machine that can cut and emboss. It comes in two sizes, an 8.5″ cutting width model, and a 6″ cutting width model. The Spellbinders Platinum machine is the first Spellbinders machine that can take wafer-thin dies and steel rule dies, including steel rule dies from other companies such as Sizzix.
Spellbinders Platinum Overview
The Platinum machine is a big move forward for Spellbinders. The machine’s outside is plastic, and the inside solid steel, which makes the machine super strong and heavy. You won’t have to worry about the gears breaking in this machine. Due to its weight, it takes a little more effort to move around, but it does prevent the machine from wobbling when cutting material. Along with being on the heavy side, it also has a larger footprint, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing as long as you have space. The sides fold up making the machine more compact when not in use, and it has a carrying handle to help you move it around.
There two models of the Platinum machine, the full-size model, which has an 8.5″ cutting width, and a smaller model, called the Platinum 6, which has a 6″ cutting width. If you are using the full-sized model, you’ll be able to cut full-sized paper. It should be noted that the full-size model comes with standard cutting plates, which are 6 inches wide. If you wish to cut the full width of the machine, you’ll need to purchase the X-Large cutting plates. If you order them from the Spellbinder’s website, they will give you the X-Large cutting plates for free.
Spellbinders Platinum vs Grand Calibur
The Spellbinders Platinum machine is a big upgrade from the other Spellbinder machines, such as the Spellbinders Grand Calibur. The Spellbinders Platinum machine differs from the Grand Calibur machine in a few big ways. The Platinum machine’s core is constructed from solid steel, making it more durable and heavier. Having the gears break in the Grand Calibur was a common problem, which has now been eliminated in the Platinum machine. Another difference is the Platinum machine has platforms that fold up, which makes it easier to create your sandwich and send it through the machine. The platforms also fold up, saving space. And lastly, the Platinum machine can take steel rule dies, allowing you to cut more kinds of material.
What can the Spellbinders Platinum Machine Cut?
The Platinum machine cuts over 40 different materials of varying thickness and can cut up to 8 layers of some materials in a single pass using the steel rule dies. The number of layers you will be able to cut isn’t solely dependent on the strength of the machine, but rather the height of the blade and the opening in the machine. You obviously won’t be able to cut 8 pieces of cardboard as it would be too tall for the machine. That being said, the best materials to cut for multiple layers would be thin ones, such as paper and fabric.
Here are some materials that the Platinum machine can cut using the steel rule dies:
| Fabric | Heavy Duty | Metals | Paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| – Cotton Fabric | – Balsa Wood | – Craft Aluminum | – Construction Paper |
| – Burlap | – Bubble Wrap | – Craft Metal | – Cardboard |
| – Denim | – Cork | – Foil | – Cardstock |
| – Faux Fur | – Craft Foam | – Tin | – Paper |
| – Felt | – Magnet | – Poster board | |
| – Flannel | – Pop Up Sponge | ||
| – Lace | – Poster Board | ||
| – Leather | – Sand Paper | ||
| – Pleather | – Screen | ||
| – Quilt Batting | – Shrink Film | ||
| – Satin | – Styrofoam | ||
| – Tulle | – Thin Acrylic/Plastic | ||
| – Velvet | |||
| – Vinyl | |||
| – Wool |
*Material can be with or without adhesive backing
Embossing
Both machines can emboss and use embossing folders from other companies. How well the Platinum machine embosses will mostly depend on what kind of embossing folder is being used. Results may vary and take some trial and error. Using a shim may help when using certain folders.
What Comes with the Platinum Machine?
Both machines come with the same items:
- Platinum Machine
- Operation Instruction Booklet
- Two Standard Cutting Plates (standard size is 6″ wide)
- One Embossing Plate
- One Embossing Mat
- Cutting Platform (the platform will be different sizes depending on the machine)
Accessories
There are additional accessories that can be purchased for the machine. One accessory is the magnetic platform which holds the wafer thin dies to the platform, which prevents the material from sliding around. Another accessory is the 3D embossing plate, which is used with the 3D embossing folders. And, if you are creating boxes, you’ll want to use a crease plate.
Final Overview
The Platinum machine is a great machine for cutting. It’s a solid machine that is expected to last a long time. Crafters have different options available in choosing between the two models and using various dies. Not all manual die cut machines can cut full-sized paper. The weight of the machine makes it stable and the sides fold up saving space.