Buying a sizzix Bigshot...have I got the right things?

lindos90

Has anyone got a Sizzix and accessoroes who would be able to advise me please?

I've been considering buying a Sizzix BigShot for a while, bit the bullet at the weekend and found one locally on Marketplace. I was mamboozled with all the terms for dies, and all the different boards so watched this video which seemed very clear. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Svq5JXsaG8&t=229s&fbclid=IwAR0oc0i_Tkw6RSJ4GEY1mKIWQGOoZE04wWDDa2YdyUEsdsyNQryhuzQKVt0

So looking at the video, to get started I thought I needed
2 clear cutting pads
a base plate/platform (with the grey boarder)
a thin die 'adapter' board, (with a light blue boarder)
A BigShot machine

I understood from the video that all that should enable me to use the original sizzix dies with the black foam, and also the thin metal dies, a good start

I checked with the seller who confirmed everything I needed was there (baring in mind I used the names of equipment that the video mentioned).
Collected it today, when I unpacked it, there are 2 clear plates, but instead of the baseplate and the adapter, there is something called a 'Solo Shim'. It has two pieces (a main block and a thick perspex cover that clips over the top). I had, as far as I knew, confirmed that I was buying a baseplate and adapter plate, which they actually looked like on the photos to me (with my limited knowledge), as well as the seller confirming too.

What is a Shim plate? Is it the right depth to use as a base plate for cutting? Theres lots of diagrams on the top of it, but I'm not experienced to understand, but from what I can see this plate is more for pressing designs into paper and card rather than actually cutting?

Can anyone who understands the sizzix accessories explain to me  if I can use it for cutting? (The seller did give me two thin die cutters and some spare paper to start me off with some practising, so I assume the board is what she used to cut, and I'm not complaining that she has purposely sold me the wrong thing. I just need to know what i've got, how I use the 'shim' and if I actually need to buy more things to make it use-able.

Any help would be greatly appreciated  

nimbo

I don’t have the pro. 

I have the smaller sized big shot. 

I have base plates with flip sheets to make it different depths. On top of these I sandwich my clear played with skinny does between them. OR I don’t use the base plates a have fat dies. 

I imagine you need to use your think base plate with a clear plastic plate then the skinny die. Cutting edge up. Paper on this and then the other clad plate. 

Set this up without the die in it. And see if it will roll through the machine. (It will go though relatively easily as there is no die - but is should seem about the right depth)?  

Take pics of what you have in relation to the machine so depth etc can be gauged. 

lindos90

Thank you nimbo, I remembered one of my friends does scrapbooking, so I spent the evening with her this week, I have learnt lots.

 I can use the originals without the board, and the sizzlits with the board. Just needing an adaptor plate for the thinlits  (Heck, so much jargon to get used to!) She has a board with two pieces that 'flip' over, whereas she says mine is a slightly older model before they started to combine them, so just need to get that separately.

The cutting pads are very well worn and really bent, so she suggests replacing them too, and has suggested a good seller who does cheaper generic cutting pads from ebay.

Then she shows me her dinky sidekick, which would probably do much of what I want to make, so I'm looking out on marketplace for one of those too now!

At least it's not the big disaster I thought it was. The listings for a whole set of sizzix branded boards and platforms was more than I paid for the bigshot, so glad it know it's not as bad as that!