Can you make your own dies for die cutting?

So I recently purchased a Zip'emate personal cutter (the one that uses slim metal or wood dies) for a steal at a garage sale, 25 dollars, brand new, never been used...BUT. Since I am a poor college student I can't afford to buy all the dies that fit my wimsy. Me mum brought up maybe making my own. I looked and looked all over the internet but couldn't find a place that could tell me how I could do that. Do any of my fellow scrappers have any ideas?

I am thinking about really thin sheet metal from the hardware store and "punching" out my design that I want and then filling it in either with craft foam or that foamy hanger stuff you buy, you know.

Tell me what you think about my idea and if you have any other ways I can make my own dies.

Thanks a bunch
Katrena

It's not a simple process. Die cutting requires extreme pressure and precise measure. I've seen a company (never used them) on a "popular" auction site that fabricated the wooden based Steel rule dies for specific machines He charged $25-45 to build a custom die. Neat idea, just not very economical. Chemical etch dies might be easier to find a manufacturer for. This is just not a home project kind of thing. Good luck.

I really don't think you'll be saving money making your own.

Plus many scrapbook store s allow you to use their dies and machines for little or no charge. Also here in the USA, many schools and libraries allow people to use theirs as well. From your reference to "me mum" I'm not sure if you're in the US.

I don't know about steel rule dies, but you can go to Michaels or acmoore and buy the wooden shapes, trace those on paper and they make wonder diecuts. I use them when I see a shape i want, but don't plan to use alot, or a shape that I can not fine or unwilling pay for right now.

You can try trading or ebay for some used ones, since so many people are moving to electonic systems, you can find some good deals.

Ellison, Accucut, and Criss-Cross.com all make custom dies. You can find the links on their websites.

Also, look for people who want to trade. I got a whole set of alphabet dies just by trading things I never or no longer used.