GoPress and Foil Machine - First Impressions (yes you do need to read this!)

I saw this machine demonstrated and it was an immediate MUST HAVE. I loved the potential of foiling not only with the Hotfoil Stamps, but also being able to foil with the dies and embossing folders I already have, and to foil die-cuts and chipboard shapes.

Hotfoil stamp, foiling with an embossing folder,
foiling with thin metal dies

Hotfoil stamp, foiled adhesive, nifty chipboard
technique

I will admit to some initial frustration. I am a 'when all else fails THEN read the instructions' person. I watched one YouTube and thought that was enough. It should have been a warning that I thought the solid red light meant that the machine was heating. Silly me! I needed to press the 'On' button to get a flashing light! (You also need to make sure the platform is pressed firmly back into the connector.)

My images were not foiling consistently. Yes I understood that every die-cutting machine has high and low points. But surely at least ONE of my three machines should work? I should have watched The Do's and Don'ts of the Go Press and Foil. But hey - the video is over an hour long. (And in retrospect well worth the hour). As Stacy says - it is ALL ABOUT THE SHIMS.

So is watching a heap of YouTube videos the best way to learn how to use this machine? Not necessarily - anyone can post a YouTube, and there are unfortunately some incorrect techniques being shown that may be harmful to your platform. By all means watch and learn from those done or endorsed by Couture Creations. Otherwise - you may like to ask advice before trying a method that may damage your platform or your die-cutting machine.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
The tutorials here will take you through one or two techniques at a time, with photos of the steps. The next post is Lesson 1. You need to start there. Please ignore the dates on the Lessons. You will need to work through the lessons in the order they are presented to gain the most benefit from them. Several of the lessons assume you have learned techniques from earlier lessons.
You also have the use of the Comments section below each post. Please DO comment - share your insights, ask questions, give feedback on these lessons, let me know if something needs changing.
So - enough of this - let's get started!

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