You are cordially invited to a whole new world of creativity with the Spellbinders BetterPress letterpress system.
This innovative and effortless system allows you to create projects with the enduring elegance of letterpress design, without the complicated setup or mess. You'll be creating rich, stunning stationery and cards that are sure to impress. The press plate designs are both timeless and on trend, including graphic sentiments with a nod to vintage printing as well as floral bouquets that are perfect for shading with pencil or watercolor.
The combination of high-quality cotton card panels, specifically formulated ink and detailed imprinting of BetterPress plates ensures that your projects will be irresistibly touchable, with luxury you can both feel and see. Experience the refinement of letterpress in your home with Spellbinders BetterPress.
BetterPress Videos
WHAT'S IN THE BOX
Platen
Chase
Shims
BetterPress Cotton Card Panels
Best Ever Craft Tape
BetterPress Ink
BetterPress Press Plates
How To BetterPress
1 Place three Shims on base of Chase and layer magnet insert over Shims. Place BetterPress Press Plate on Chase (the magnet insert will keep the press plate from moving); use registration lines to determine correct placement.
2Place card panel on underside of Platen and use Best Ever Craft Tape to secure in place. The registration marks on the Platen match the marks on the Chase.
3Open BetterPress Ink Pad; lightly tap raised ink pad across the BetterPress Press Plate. The ink pad is raised enough that a brayer is not needed. Note: make sure to use a well inked pad; reink pads when necessary with BetterPress Ink Re-Inkers
4 Align Platen to gently sit on the 4 corner spring pins on the Chase. Do not press down.
5Place Chase with Platen onto manual die cutting machine. The machine rollers will evenly press down on Platen as the Chase is run through the machine.
6Carefully remove the Platen and the BetterPress letterpress design will be revealed! Carefully remove card panel from Platen. If repeating same design, reink and repeat.
The BetterPress Letterpress system is great because it works with so many other machines! A rule of thumb is that any machines that can Glimmer, or can cut Steel Rule Dies can also use BetterPress. The BetterPress system is NOT compatible with any machines that can't cut Steel Rule Dies or that don't have at least a 6" wide platform. If you still aren't sure don't worry, we've listed the compatible machines out for you.
Machines BetterPress is compatible with:
Spellbinders Platinum, Platinum 6
Deep Sea Die Cutting and Embossing Machine
Sizzix BigShot
Sizzix BigShot Express
Sizzix Big Shot Plus
Sizzix BigKick
Sizzix Switch
Tim Holtz Vagabond
RG Amaze
Stampin' Up!
Machines BetterPress is NOT compatible with:
Cuttlebug
Gemini
Gemini II
Anna Griffin Empress
Machines that can't cut Steel Rule Dies
Machines that have a platform smaller than 6" wide
Grand Calibur
Tips For Success
Periodically clean press plates with Ranger Archival Ink™ Cleaner to assure a clean, detailed impression.
To clean the plates, remove from magnetic pad in the chase; using a lint-free cloth (such as a flour sack towel), apply Ranger Archival Ink™ Cleaner to cloth and rub plates. We recommend rinsing with dish soap and water to remove any residue. Dry thoroughly before using.
BetterPress Ink is an oil-based dye ink. When dry the ink will not rewet, making it perfect for coloring with dye inks and watercolor.
BetterPress Ink Pads should be periodically reinked for the best impressions from the press plates.
Other cardstock and papers can be used, but there may not be the same impression as is achieved with the cotton card panels.
If using double weight cotton card panels, remove shims from beneath the magnetic base of the chase.
It is not recommended to use pigment ink. The foam pad and ink may apply too much ink to the press plate and will result in an over inked impression.
Other dye or oil-based inks may be used, but the impression may not be as dark as with the special formulation of BetterPress Ink.
When die cutting an image that has been “BetterPressed”, use a pristine top cutting plate. Because of the thickness and delicate nature of the cotton card panels, any cuts or impressions in the top cutting plate may transfer to the die cut card panel image.
Keep a pair of tweezers handy for use with the Best Ever Craft Tape. Peel back the tape with tweezers; remove card panel but keep the folded back tape in place. Put the next card panel in place and just fold down the tape on the card panel corners again. You will be able to get quite a few pressings before having to replace the tape.
FAQ
BetterPress is an innovative and effortless system that allows you to create projects with the enduring elegance of letterpress design, without the complicated setup or mess. The starter system includes everything you need to begin creating when paired with your manual die cutting machine.
The starter kit includes the tool itself, which is comprised of a chase with magnetic platform, platen, and shims. It also includes a set of press plates, a selection of cotton card panels, a BetterPress Black ink pad and a roll of Best Ever Craft tape.
The BetterPress system works with Spellbinders Platinum and Platinum 6 die cutting machines, as well as the Sizzix Big Shot, Big Shot Plus, and Switch machines.
Yes, they are a unique thickness and material for this system. We are looking at semi-custom or custom plates for future product considerations but do not have any this time. You must only use the BetterPress plates.
Yes that is the preferred coloring method for this paper and ink.
No, these plates are a unique thickness and material with a special coating designed for dye ink. They are not designed to work with traditional letterpress plates and inks. However, you get a similar result with much less mess.
Dies cut paper into shapes. The BetterPress creates an image like Letterpress. It presses the ink into the paper for an extremely detailed image.
Watercolor paints and pens. It is important to also consider the ink we use is a Ranger Archival base so products that are typically compatible with that ink work well.
When paired with the BetterPress Ink and Cotton Card Panel, BetterPressed images provide two distinct differences over stamped images: a high level of detail, and an elegant impression in the cotton card panel that you can feel, much like you would expect from letterpress stationery from a gift or card shop.
Not only are press plates a different thickness than Glimmer hot foil plates or etched dies, they also feature a special coating. This coating allows the ink to evenly lay on to the plate for optimal transfer to the cardstock.
No. Glimmer plates are thicker than Press Plates; using them in the BetterPress system will cause damage to the magnetic platform and plate.
BetterPress Dies can be used in a regular die cutting machine; the press plates do not cut.
Early testing suggests that yes, the press plates work beautifully when used with the Glimmer system to add hot foil to cardstock. The team is in the midst of conducting longevity testing to ensure that long-term hot foil use does not degrade the coating on the press plates, but early results look promising.
BetterPress Ink was specially formulated by Ranger to be used in the BetterPress system. The ink is based on Ranger’s Archival Ink formula but has two additional features: a higher viscosity, allowing optimal transfer from the press plates to the cotton card panels, and more dye for intense color saturation.
For the optimal impressions, we recommend using BetterPress Ink. Traditional dye inks also provide a beautiful, clean transfer, as do Archival Inks; however, neither give the rich impression that you get from BetterPress Ink because of the dye
level. Pigment inks tend to create a blurry transfer and are messy to work with on the press plates and magnetic platform.
We tested a variety of ink pad sizes and found the mini–ink pad to work the best. It was manageable for all size of images and line thicknesses in addition to making less mess than larger pads. However, because of the smaller pad size and increased ink saturation in the cotton paper, you will use more ink. Refill bottles are available for each color ink, and the pads and refills will last for hundreds of impressions.
Yes, any cardstock will work with the system; however, to get the full letterpress effect – an impression you can see and feel – we recommend cotton cardstock. Spellbinders offers the Cotton Cardstock in two weights, 118 lb. and 220 lb. double weight for a deeper and more luxurious impression.
BetterPress Ink is an oil-based dye ink, ideal for coloring with watercolor, colored pencils and other dye inks. While technically possible to color with alcohol markers, you may get feathering.
