Accuquilt users: GO vs Studio?
 

I'm very undecided about which cutter to get. I have gone very scrappy with my quilting and am planning on getting a cutter later this year. When I watch the videos it looks like the Studio is easier to crank. The GO looks a bit awkward to me. This is all very subjective on my part. :-) I know the studio is bigger, heavier, and requires a dedicated space. Accuquilt has been marketing the Studio on sale for $399 while their sister company Accucut has the GrandeMark currently on sale for $357. It's the same cutter only with different decals. (I would not consider the bigger machine if I had to pay full retail of almost $600). I'm curious if anyone wishes they had bought a Studio instead of the GO, or feel that the GO is more than adequate. My daughter is into scrapbooking and papercrafts so we could share the bigger cutter, but then I don't want to go overboard on this if it's not necessary. I would love to hear any comments. Laura

ME ME ME MEEEEE !!!

I have the go ( and i LOVE LOVE LOVE It) but if i had the funds five years ago i would of gone with the studio..

Dont get me wrong- I LOVE my Go.. and id hate to ever give it up as I use it almost every day, for me the GO is a scrap buster.. I love the way it clears my piles of scraps and makes them into something usable... The GO is portable so I can take it from my sewing room ( when it gets hot in there like today) and use it in the formal dining room table where it was much much cooler.... Plus the GO dies are definitely ALOT cheaper but the STUDIO cuts thru more layers ( which would be AWESOME !!) So as with everything, there are pros and cons... I personally do not have room for a STUDIO, as Ive got fabric packed everywhere there is space.. But for me, it would be the amount the studio cuts versus the GO is what i love... BUT again.. I am very happy with my GO.. So much so, that I have a spare GO..

I would recommend the Studio (or GrandeMark) over the GO. I have the GO and love it, but I also bought the Sizzix Big Shot Pro--it is also easier to use, I can use the Studio and GO dies on it, and yes, you can cut a lot more at one time. I will continue to use the GO for some things, but the BSP for the majority of my cutting. They are just a much sturdier machine than the GO.

Neither Sizzix big shot pro- you can use more dies on it including the accuquilt dies

I have the GrandeMark and am so happy with it..

Thanks ladies. Sounds like wanting the bigger model isn't so crazy. :-) If I have this right, the Big Shot Pro is in-between the GO and Studio in price and is about half as long as the Studio. I didn't know it could take the GO/Studio dies. Do you need an adapter to do this? In looking at the available dies for accuquilt and sizzix, I'm surprised there isn't a 1.5 inch square except for the studio. I use a lot of small squares and it would be nice not to have to always cut from strips.

Yes, the Studio and Grand are the same machine. I've had the grand mark for about 15 years. If you want to do strips, you will need the bigger (Super Giant) tray as the Accucut just comes with the "Giant", so that's an additional $45. You would have to buy it with the Studio too. Looks like the only difference is the Studios come with more cutting mats, but you can buy those as needed. They are real workhorse machines. I have hundreds of dies and literally cut tens of thousands of items. Regarding the ease of cranking. The more layers of fabric you try and cut, the harder it will be to crank, especially when starting the cut. The machine will physically cut 10 layers as advertised, but that amount of fabric can shift. I would recommend 4 to 6 as a good number. It takes so little time to cut that it's better to make additional runs than try and crank it thru all at once. Also, I would recommend you treat your fabric the same way you would prior to rotary cutting. I press and use starch.
There is a good forum on accuquilt products on Yahoo.
Edited to add: the Studio will accept all dies. Studio, Ellison, commercial printer's dies, Sizzix, GO! etc. You need an appropriate shim for the thinner dies.

Is there a cutter that is all electric? No cranking?

I know there is an adapter to use GO dies with the Studio, but for using other brands can an "appropriate shim" be as simple as a magazine of the correct height? I thought I read somewhere how someone did this. Can you clarify? Thanks!

Hi Sew Please,
Yep, you can use anything as a shim (and trust me, I have). On the Accucut craft side, they make and sell a shim for sizzix dies:
http://www.accucutcraft.com/cutting-...y-adapter.html
On the accucquilt side, they make an adaptor for the GO! dies:
http://www.accuquilt.com/studio-shop...o-10-x-24.html
and yes, the Sizzix and GO! dies are different thicknesses so you need 2 different adaptors, purchased or home made.
A good quality magazine will work, you just keep testing the die (don't force it through) and keep tearing off pages until it works. Remember, you don't need the die to be embedded and inch into the cutting plastic. Keep reducing the number of pages until it just cuts.
BTW, cutting plastic is a consumable. To extend it's life, try to not make repeated cuts in the exact same area. Flip the mat end for end, use both sides, move it from side to side etc. When your cuts start leaving lots of threads, your die isn't dull, you need a new pad.

Be sure and sign up for emails from accucut along with accuquilt. Accucut has much better sales and many of the shapes can be used for applique.