National Craft Month – Question About Die Cutting Machines

I’m glad to be of help. Different machines fit different needs. I love the original Gemini machine, but it takes up to much space on my desk. I still use it but have to keep it in another area in my craft room. So I mostly use it for stuff that won’t fit thru the AG MINI Empress. The AG MINI Empress falls into that Goldilocks and the 3 bears story. The size is just right for most of my die cutting and it’s small and easy to move around on my desk with the handle. As I said, I have had many problems getting clean cuts and it’s only a matter of time before it’s going to die. Even though it was the smaller machine of the Empress, I spent $200 for it I have only had it for a little over a year, so it really should not be failing yet…unless it’s just not made for regular usage. But from what the other lady says from watching AG classes, they are aware of its need to make multiple passes, etc. They can afford to waste designer cardstock. I cant…I tape that stuff down and try to get a clean cut the first time by adding the metal shim and an thin layer of chipboard. One shouldn’t have to do this if the motor was stronger to apply the appropriate pressure to cut in one pass. I will miss the smaller size once it’s dead, but I still have my smaller Gemini. No handles on it and awkward to move around, but it works great. Who knows something else new will come out…that HSN will tell us we just HAVE to buy it!

Hello…Here’s my 2 cents in the matter. I too own the original Gemini, small Gemini, Cuttlebug, AG MINI Cuttlebug, and the AG MINI Empress….as well as BROTHER Scan n Cut, Cricut Expression, Cricut Air 2, Slice, xyron…about 1 of all them except the Silhouette. Yes…I need an intervention program…But to your question. I personally find the original big Gemini the best of all to use for the dies including AG. As the lady stated above one trip through it and your done. I too have had issue with the plates warping. I just rotate mine and keep an extra set on hand. The top one warp the most so, I mostly have to just switch that one out. I had some dies cut thru the magnetic shim, but their new magnetic shim is much better quality and hasn’t done this. It came in the purple pack with case you could order separately on HSN. I mostly use my big Gemini for large dies that won’t go through the AG Empress Mini that sits on my desk.

Now I prefer the AG Empress Mini to use on my desk, because of the size of machine doesn’t take up much space, handle to lift and move it, and finally the plate size 4 1/4″ × 7 1/2″ seems to fit most of my basic dye usage for me than all the other machines. It runs smoothly and less noise. Now here are some issues I have ran into with it. After about 6 months usage I started NOT getting a clean cut the first time thru it. The pressure in the motor is not as powerful as the Gemini. So I started having to add the metal shim in my sandwich when I run the dies thru. Now I make a lot of cards and use it religiously. Here lately I’ve had to add a piece of chipboard like an advertisement card you might get in a kit. Just something to give it more weight to push down on the die…so it will give it a clean cut. I can say from my experience that this AG MINI Express is probably not going to hold up as long as my Gemini, because the motor doesn’t have the horsepower or calibration of power to cut those intricate dies cleanly like the Gemini does…and I can only add so much layers to fit thru the machine.

I will use the AG Express mini on my desk until it’s dead, but it requires extra passes and extra layers to cut out most of the intricate. Once it dies, I’ll move the small Gemini back over. I really don’t have a need for the Gemini pro at this time or I would probably purchase it. Unless you just have to have the AG Empress, I recommend spending money on the Gemini plate pack that you get on HSN that comes in the purple case to store them in. You get all the plates that are now updated and better quality. Plus this gives you backups when your others warp or get damaged. I think I got it for $40 which might be higher now, but cheaper than $250 and you know that the Gemini works well….it’s a workhorse!

Good luck and let us know what you decide.

I have an ebosser and a gemini machine, as well as some manual machines. The AG dies are thicker than some other dies like Crafters Companion, Heartfelt Creations, and other thin metal dies, so the pressure of the gemini needs to be adjusted. The AG dies cut into my gemini embossing mat because I didn’t adjust the pressure by changing the plate combination when using them.
I used to belong to AG’s ‘finishing school’, and it’s an idiosyncracy of AG’s that she decided at some point to cut down into the mat of the empress machine. She says that that way the die cuts and embosses in one pass, although she has often put the die through more than once. She claims the die also doesn’t etch the plate, which would be true if the die doesn’t face the plate.
I love my ebosser for its versatility (it has a higher opening so it can take thicker dies) but the gemini lives up its claim of cutting intricate dies with one pass and has saved me so much time and ruined cardstock. I recently tried out the gemini pro which I now have on order in the UK voltage version to use with a voltage converter until I move back to the UK, and it was great. It’s expensive,of course, but if I were looking for another die cutting machine I would want to get one that did something different to the ones I already have to give me more flexibility rather than only not to potentially keep my plates from being marked. It is also true that the gemini pro has stronger plates that don’t warp as easily. Only the top plate warped a bit but then got flattened putting it through the machine again. These are just things to think about. I don’t have an empress myself and have never tried one but I’ve seen AG using hers and haven’t been impressed that it was even as good as my machines, but that is just my opinion. Other opinions may differ.