Jigsaw Puzzle Cutter

From LoveToKnow Crafts

A jigsaw puzzle cutter is a unique crafting tool. Everyone enjoys the sense of satisfaction you get when you put in the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle. When you started the project, you had 1,000 or more random pieces, waiting to be joined together to form something bigger and better. More than likely, you also got to spend time with your family and friends as they helped you build the picture, one piece at a time.

Wouldn't it be great if your puzzles were more than just random images from the options available at the store? They can be. You can [Increase Your Creativity|increase your creativity], make puzzles on your own, and enjoy seeing the pictures of your life in puzzle form. The possibilities are nearly endless, limited only by your imagination.

What Is a Jigsaw Puzzle Cutter?

To turn photographs of your treasured memories into sources of family fun, you can invest in a jigsaw puzzle cutter. This machine helps you take your image, affix it to a thick surface, and cut the image into puzzle pieces.

You can use almost any image, such as a copy of a favorite photograph or something you printed from your computer. Enlarge the image to the dimensions you want your puzzle to have. Then, choose the material that you want to attach the image to. There are a wide variety of choices for the thick surface, including cardboard, wood, magnet sheets, plastic, or foam core.

After you allow the glue to dry, simply run the image and attached thick material through the die cutter of the puzzle cutter. It's that simple. In a few simple steps, you could be assembling jigsaw puzzles of your favorite people, places, and things.

Choosing the Proper Cutter

Choosing the proper machine for your use depends on a variety of factors, including the amount of space you have, the amount of money you want to spend, and whether you want to make puzzles as an in-home business. If you plan to make jigsaw puzzles for income, you will likely want to invest in a cutter that allows you to create a wide variety of puzzle sizes. It should also be able to stand up to more frequent use than if you buy a cutter strictly for hobby purposes. Some of the available cutters are small enough for home use, but some are quite large and are appropriate for heavy industrial use only.

Costs

Depending on the type of equipment you purchase, there may be additional costs to consider in addition to the cutter itself, such as the dies used for cutting the puzzles. Dies come in different sizes and with different styles of cutting. If you want a variety of puzzle shapes and sizes with various cutting styles, you will need to purchase dies in various shapes, sizes, and cutting styles. Not all machines are sold with all available dies.

Where to Buy

Jigsaw puzzle cutters are not typically found at local home improvement stores, hardware stores, or even craft stores. You can order the cutters online, from sites such as Icon Puzzles, which offers machines in a variety of sizes and capabilities. Icon Puzzles offers industrial-scale machines that may not be appropriate for home use, but they do offer machines in a variety of sizes and at several price points.

If you are interested in making puzzles at home, consider a site such as Puzzle Machine. This site offers one machine for sale, provides high-level instructions for using the equipment, and even sells a DVD that walks you through the puzzle making process. Puzzle Machine is geared toward the hobbyist and to those interested in starting a small, puzzle making business.

Puzzles as Crafts

If you want to give unique gifts, if you want to start an at-home business, or if you simply want to make your puzzles personal, a puzzle cutter could be right for you. Personalized puzzles are a popular item, and everyone would be happy to receive a piece of their life story captured in a puzzle.

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