Die cutting questions for newbie

Jun '22 Natalie.Solis

Hello!
I recently starting making cards and I have die cut several things but I am having some issues now after a few cuts.
Ive had my machine (spellbinders platinum 6) for a week now and I have followed the sandwich instructions. I know that plates will warp and get cuts in them over time but now when I die cut shapes my card stock is getting imprints from past cuts from the cutting plate. Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong? Should I replace my plates?

I have purchased a magic mat in hopes that this will help my issue. I am just looking to see if anyone else has this issue of card stock getting marked up while trying to die cut an image or shape.

Any help will be appreciated!
Jun '22 Dawna.s Place

Hi @Natalie.Solis Getting impressions in your cardstock from your plates is fairly normal. It usually only shows up on mirror board or other shiny cardstock. But, occasionally it can get caught in your plates, especially if you run your plates through the machine twice. Try placing your magic mat on top of your sandwich, rather than the bottom and see if this helps. You can always place a clean scrap piece of cardstock over your die to protect your cardstock from scaring. Scaring can also come from having your sandwich too tight. If your using a shim at all, try removing it to see if it cuts smoother. I hope that helps.
Jun '22 CAQ

Here is a tip, I always use the same plate for the side of the cut that will be showing. This plate will not get cuts marking it, unless the few times I messed up, but then, that does not happen often. When it finally has so many cuts because I messed up, that they will imprint the good side of the cut, it will become the cut side plate. I don't go through as many plates this way, and I still flip them over but the good plate is always against the good side of the die cut piece. I haven't purchased cutting plates in a long time.

Also, in case you don't like that idea, before I thought of this, and there are probably others who do this, I used to place a piece of copy paper between the cardstock good side and the plate. This prevented the plate from imprinting, and ths copy paper was thin enough that it did not matter. It was a lightweight poundage copy paper.