Hi

Hi, Thanks for dropping by.

My name is Eileen but to friends in the card making world I'm known as 'ikki'. (which is pronounced I-KEY) From where or how this came about I'm not sure - it just got shorten from my original craft name of Ikemo by various friends along my crafting way! I started crafting whilst recouperating from an accident, and from my first attempts with peeloffs and paint - I was hooked! Now my passion is my BUG! and now BEADING!

In the Cupboard you will find ideas, news, tips and techniques to help you get more from this fab little machine. So come in - join the fun and Cuttle with me!


Tuesday 8 February 2011

Joy Trouvaille A4 Die Cutting Machine

Well it's working again, thanks to Dave and his engineering knowledge and toolkit.  On Saturday morning I received a parcel from the distributor Crafts 2 U with  just a compliment slip with the words "as arranged" and two black gears.  Oh, I see - they must have known about DAVE!! because otherwise they would have sent instructions on how the mend the....thing!  You will by now have realised that I'm not impressed!  Nor, have I received a reply to my two emails from the "caring" (their words) company who make the machine.  Poor customer service is all I can say!

I'm thinking of doing a survey  on this machine, and wondered if anyone would like to help me?
Please email me on ikki2010.hotmail.co.uk with your email details if you are interested in filling out a questionnaire and I will contact you.

I've tried the machine again, but as yet I'm still waiting some info on the sandwich recipes for certain types of embossing and does it need a silicone mat, and which one?  The instruction leaflet supplied with the machine is written in a number of languages, and need studying.  For example the leaflet states the machine will cut all dies, but then talks of thin dies, then thick dies - thin dies are are presumably Nesties, Marianne, Joy etc., but what are thicker dies - it doesn't say????  Obviously this is important info to safeguard your investment.

Hopefully soon I will be able to give you my experiences on all cutting and embossing operations, and YOURS if you are willing to help! 

Have a good day,


PS Thanks PeeJay - looks exactly the same with the same instructions - it's just the colour that's changed????!????  Wonder whats going on?

Thanks Crafty Jo, but OUAS have stopped selling this machine because of problems they have had with it breaking!  I think you can class the GC as an A4 machine - afterall you cannot put the plates of theJT through landscape. 

18 comments:

Julia Dunnit said...

I am no help at all Ikki, I never heard of this machine till now! Good luck with it. Deafening silences from caring companies drive me insane.

PeeJay said...

I'm not 100% sure on this but I think the Joy Trouvaille has been rebranded and has become the Happy Cut and made by Artemio. If it's not then Artemio have taken the design and copied it exactly however, they have made it so that it will take embossing folders.
http://www.artemio.be/en-US/Techniques/paper_art/Happycut.aspx

This could also explain your lack of customer service from Joy if they no longer have an interest in the machine. Doesn't excuse it but could explain it.

Merry said...

Hi Eileen this is certainly interesting reading and so glad you are posting about your contact with the company...doesn't sound to helpful. I definitely do not have a Dave at my house so would have been hopeless.

Jan said...

Have emailed you Ikki. Thanks for the info xx Jan

jordiegirl said...

I'm finding your experiences with the Joy very interesting and look forward to reading more.

I do have a Dave in my house - it's me!!!! I'd have fixed it myself as can't trust the person in my house who should be Dave!

I'd love an A4 cutting machine but the price is prohibitive at the moment so hearing from fellow crafters about how they find the machine to use etc is good to know, especially customer care from the company concerned or may be unconcerned in this case!

Yvonne Russell said...

What a disappointment for you all round. I don't have this machine, so can't help, but appreciate you posting on this machine.

Aquarius said...

How lucky that you have a Dave with engineering skills - on the whole it sounds as if this 'caring' company aren't sure of the definition of the word!! I am watching this all with interest though as a larger machine is tempting but only if it takes all (or nearly all) dies and embossing folders.

Andrea said...

Thanks for your info re. this machine - sounds very disappointing really though!
Hope you are able to use it fully soon!
Love, Andrea xx

CraftyJo said...

I can't remember who you said you'd bought this from but have you tried the guys at Once Upon A Stamp for help? They sell it so should know how it works, they have a blog too so you may find some answers around there.

I bought the Spellbinders Grand Calibur and have got to say I love it. I know it's not A4, it's 8.5x11 but that's plenty big enough for me.

Scrapcat 1 said...

I don't have one but will complete a survey if it helps, I was thinking about one and was interested to see what you thought before investing but now I'm not so sure. The Grand Calibre doesn't take the big sizzix dies so thats no good to me.
The lack of customer service is maddening and not a good advert for the company. I do have a Dave but still no instructions or anything is not good.

Moza said...

Been following this with interest, as I'd like to upgrade from my CBug to a larger machine at some point in the future. Based on your experiences, I don't think I'll be going for one of these, though!

tracy said...

my interest is now evapourating, the more i read, thanks to you keeping us informed it means i wont be wasting my hard earned money on something that wont do the job as good as the bug.
thank you fr the hard work you put into giving us the highs and lows of these machines
t xxx

Unknown said...

Thanks for all your comments - I was just about to get one until a friend of mine pointed me at your blog!! The once upon a stamp guys seem to have removed it from their site - or they did when I last looked. Strange things going on here!! I wonder if anyone else is going to bring out an A4 machine? Your doing a great job - keep it up!

Unknown said...

Hi Eileen

I'm following this saga with true interest as I was on the verge of ordering one from our mutual friend. However, when you said you were getting one - I thought I'd follow your trials and tribulations with it first as I 100% trust your opinion and judgement.

I think that these companies need to realise what influence you really have in the crafting and blogging world and the fact that you have no alegience to anyone, are not sponsered by anyone - so your opinion is 100% as a true customer. They really are missing a trick with how they are treating you. People will, quite rightly, avoid these companies like the plague.

If they had any sense - they should be doing the survey through you to ask what crafters REALLY need and want - and that is a machine that will take A4 paper/card, is easy to turn, easy to store; will take ALL dies and folders on the market, is not too heavy; portable, and pleasing to the eye.

It seems they need to get back to the drawing board. I mean, what is the point of the Cuttlebug II? It does nothing else that the mark one does - its just a differen shape. It still takes the same size dies. Thats not the changes crafters want. Its capability not colour. However, the JT is an ugly beast - so that COULD be improved upon!

It is highly rude and presumptuous that you were able to mend the machine yourself (I've had to do the same with the CB though as one of the gears on the handle that cranked the rollers kept falling off so i had to take the end off and keep putting back on). Surely you are entitled to your money back as this is your statutory right under the purchase of goods act and faulty goods that don't do the job that you bought the goods to do.

I would be interested in helping you out with your survey depending on what you need to achieve with it.

I have done marketing and business management as well as quanititive and qualitative data and questionnaires and research - so if you want any help, assistance or advice (you might not), I'd be more than happy to help.

Paula x x x

Annie said...

They have made a big mistake not treating you with care Eileen - if they had been great you would have been full of praise and no doubt it would had led to sales by your blog followers, As it is I wouldn't touch one of these machines with a barge pole - haven't got a Dave and although I managed to put together some amazing cube storage with only the last instrucion sheet page I wouldn't like to tackle a die cutting machine.
Thanks for all you do you are a star.
Ann xxx

Rita said...

Hello Ikkie, just been reading the comments with interest, but I think I'll stick with my trusty Cuttlebug. Hugs Rita xx

jacquiscards said...

This has shocked me reading this that companies don't care about customer service and returning trade

i am saddened that you have had to make the repairs yourself and no thought to replacing it after using it TWICE

i love the spellbinders dies but im tempted to look elsewhere now

Christine M said...

Hi
I bought my JT machine back in November '10 having first read your initial thoughts about it. I had been waiting years for an A4 size embossing machine and this seemed to answer prayers. However, like you mine broke the first time I used it ....... I approached my supplier, Art of Craft, and they immediately offered a replacement but said that with the high cost of postage would I be willing to just have replacement cogs. This I did and replaced them myself which was very easy following the printed instructions they sent. I have not had any problems since but had recently noticed a lack of JTs for sale and wondered if there was a problem !! Hence my search on your site again. I am really sad that there seems to be an issue with this machine because the results are really good and I do wonder what will happen should I need to replace any of the plates ......
I am quite apprehensive using anything but CB folders for embossing as I think some of the newer UK brands are thicker. Also have you tried using the textured plates to emboss with your JT and if so what 'sandwich' did you use.
Sorry this is so long!!!!