Does size matter? (Platinum vs. Professional)

[maviza]

I'm looking to purchase a Silver Bullet Cutting Machine. I'm not sure I need 24". Crafters seem so impressed with the new 24" Platinum Cutter, that I'm compelled to ask.

Will I sacrifice precision going from a smaller cutter (15" professional Series to 24" Platinum Series) to a larger cutter? My main goal is to achieve sharp intricate cuts for cards and scrapbooks. (I thought I'd have to purchase a laser cutter to get the detail I want until I discovered your cutters. )

For those of you who have used smaller cutters and larger cutters did you find it cumbersome to cut small projects on the larger cutters? What did you discover (pros and cons) when you went from a smaller cutter to larger cutter?

I am excited to purchase a cutter. I'm trying to contain my enthusiasm so I make an educated choice vs. "OMG this is so awesome I have to have one" and I select one that isn't right for me".

(FYI: learning curves do not scare me. I do appreciate knowing that I'll need to take my time learning whichever model I get. I'll start small/easy and work my way up to the more difficult as I get better with the machine.)

Thank you for your time. I really appreciate anything you'd like to share on this subject.
- Marie

[MeFlick]

As I have always told my children, "want" and "need" are two entirely different things. What I can also tell you from being around people with cutters for at least 10 years is that I have seen people who started out with a smaller cutter, wish or decide to upgrade to a bigger cutter. I have never seen anyone want to go down to a smaller cutter. With that said - my main advise to anyone trying to decide is get the biggest cutter that your space and your budget allows for. I have used cutters that use only a regular size (8 1/2 x 11) size piece of paper up to my 18" SB. My SB is my favorite and go to machine even though I still have others I could use.

As far as sacrificing "precision" - a smaller cutter is not necessarily a better cutter for "precision". I have owned much smaller cutters then my SB, and they were not as good as my larger SB. As far as a smaller SB and a larger SB, I think you would find that they both cut the same. They use the same blades, same settings, etc. As far as being cumbersome to cut small projects on a larger cutter - no, it is not. If you are planning on cutting a lot of small pieces/parts - you can lay them all out on the mat and cut them at one time with a larger machine as opposed to having to switch in and out more with mats in a smaller machine. Just depends on what/how many you are cutting at the time.

To give you the best advice/information as to whether a SB of any size is right for you - the important thing you need to tell is what you want to cut - you indicate "sharp intricate cuts" - but what do you mean by that? You indicate that you thought you would have to get a laser cutter to get what size/intricacies that you want - but a laser will often burn paper/cardstock. If you have any questions about the items you want to cut/ the media you want to use - it is always best to talk directly to Sherri and share with her samples so that she can tell you for sure if something will work or not. I have seen a few people "assume" and get disappointed which wouldn't happen if they reached out directly to the seller and have them do tests cuts and/or discuss in detail what they are expecting from the machine.

Finally, yes, there is a learning curve but if you take your time, use the learning center and work slowly through simple projects to more complicated I think you will find that it is easy enough to master. Most people struggle when they want to jump right in and start with a hard project then get frustrated and disappointed when they can't get it to work correctly the first time.

[Gigi]

Melanie pretty much covered it all - as usual! And yes - I agree that I have never seen anyone wish they had purchased a smaller machine but many have sized up - myself included. When I started cutting 15+ years ago, I used other brands where size was not a choice and I was fine with it. Then as Sherri came out with machines, I started with a 15" (I think), then had an 18" for a long time which I loved, and then moved up to the Platinum at 24" most recently. I loved them all and I cut all sorts of small things on the larger machines. With a larger mat you can put a lot of pieces of card stock all over and then just cut image after image on the different colors resetting your origin each time which is no big deal. Again not sure what you are doing but imagining!

You mention Platinum vs. Professional. They are basically the same machine except the Platinum has the built in camera for print and cuts AND has the double tool holder. If you are going to do print and cuts or even think you might, this is a game changer and I never thought I would say that!! I never had an issue doing a print and cut on a regular professional machine, but being able to so clearly see the registration marks just hones in the accuracy even more. I love it. I also love that I can put a pen in one holder and a blade in the other and draw/write something and then cut it out without having to stop and change blades - it's all one action and the machine goes from one to the next. It's pretty awesome. So depending what you think you might be doing, that is another consideration. So those are the main differences between the Professional and the Platinum.

And as Melanie said, get the largest machine you can afford and have room for and you will not regret it. I honestly didn't think I had room for the 24" Platinum, but it now sits on a cars next to my desk and is as happy as can be (the machine and me!!) So you can get creative with placement too. If I ever clean up my craft room (going through a major purge) I will take new pics to show ideas.

If you have other questions, just let us know. Good luck with your decision. And yes, check with Sherri if you are cutting a media that you are unsure of so she can test cut before you invest in the machine. There are not too many materials this machine cannot cut, but every now and then we run up against a challenging media!

We wish you the best!