Beware of the angry stamper!

This is kind of long but funny.  Last night I had all of the kids in bed, early and asleep including the baby, I was so excited that meant I had almost 1.5 hours of quality stamping time before my husband got home.  I had an idea in mind to use some of my new toys that I haven't used yet, the sizzlits.   It really seemed a waste (for some reason) to roll the little sizzlit embosslits and single dies through my big old big shot, so I pulled out my little sidekick that hasn't been used in probably 3 years if not more.  I bought the thing as a preorder on QVC or HSN before it was even for sale, so it has been around the block a few times but lately has been ignored.  I ran my scribbles sizzlit through once, and was going back for my second time and the die is literally half way through the machine and there is this little snap and it stops moving.  Ok so I haven't started to panic yet, I just think that I can force it the rest of the way through.  So for about 10 minutes I try pushing and pulling and turning the handle at the same time and the thing wont budge even a fraction of a millimeter.  I do not know how it got so seriously stuck because just before I had run the same cardstock through with the same die and sandwich set up with out any problems.  I pull out the little hammer from my crafters tool kit and try to bang it out (somehow all 4 kids slept through the noise).  So I get the bright idea to go out to the garage and stick the sidekick in my husbands vice clamp thingy on his tool bench and grab a pair of pliers and pull and pull with all of my might and body weight and still there is no budging.  So back in the office I go to sit and think of what to do next, I am starting to get mad at the little machine for eating my brand new die.  I examined the thing to try and figure out how to take it apart and found 4 screws under the suction foot on the bottom.  I had to cut part of it off to get to the screws, my craft and rubber scissors came to the rescue and cut through it like butter!  SO I get those screws off and all it does is remove the black part of the bottom.  I can pop apart some of the side paneling but keep getting stuck at the top.  I am getting really frustrated by this time, so back out to the tool bench I went.  I started whacking it with a hammer to separate the top, still not budging.  So I just picked the thing up and pulled the two parts of the casing and finally something gives and they pop apart.  Apparently there was another screw holding them together and it was under a sticker, so if you ever need to dismantle a sidekick know that there is a screw under the sidekick label.  Once I had the casing apart I found the culprit who made the little snap that caused the jam in the first place.  A little plastic cog (at least I think it is called that) had broken.  Here is the culprit

So I pull off all of the little cogs and the thing still wont budge.  I am really getting fed up by now and I took it out on the poor little machine.  I pulled out the hammer and a screwdriver and had to pound out one of the rollers itself.  It took quite a lot of effort (good thing I was so frustrated) but finally it started moving and I was able to get it out and save my little sizzlit!  So beware die cutting machines, DON’T EAT MY SIZZLITS!  Or else this could be you!

Well I am sorry to say that it took up most of my stamping time and I don't have anything yet to show you with it, but just maybe you will get lucky and I will find some time this afternoon to finish up a card and I can have two posts in a day!  Thanks for stopping by and have a Stamperific Day!  ~Kirsten Brown 

Pin It Now!