Gemini Plates how to flatten warped plates

Warped Gemini plates, how to flatten them so you can keep using them and save money.

[@robinjohnston7986]

The first week my plates all started warping. I was very sad. Then I saw your video and WOW. Now I have a heat press that can get hot, hot as a oven, But,, you have to be careful. Well guess what….IT WORKED! They flattened right up almost like new. Thank-you!

[@elainebegley7711]

Thank you for sharing about the heat press!

[@stacieallen83]

My first machine was a Gemini and didn't no what to do with the plates after it buckled so I stopped crafting for a while and naught a new plate as it is just the bottom plate that buckles I know to rotate the plate and use both sides and buy just using the one plate fro cutting it save u from buying more plates, but when I came across this video I was so so pleased have gave it a try and my word it had worked I am in the UK so had to adjust the temperature on the oven as I have a fan oven, just as new once cooled down, I have now subscribed to ur channel and I am slowly going through ur videos so glad that I found u xx

[@elainebegley7711]

Hello Stacie, I am glad this has helped you. I have not had issues even after 2 years. I am using the same plates.

[@deannabridges6068]

I do mine in a hot water bath. I place them on a cookie sheet that has little sides to it and I put water to cover the plate, Then I add a large glass backing pan ontop and put water in that to make it heavier. Put it in until I can see its softened about 5 -7 mins at 300 degrees and then I just pull the cookie sheet with everything still in it and place it on the stove to cool. Comes out flat and awesome

[@elainebegley7711]

Thanks, I’m sure other crafters can try that!

[@dawnparker6718]

Thank you so very much. I tried this today and it worked. I was about to throw my Gemini in the bin xx

[@elainebegley7711]

So glad it worked for you. I do think the Gemini has a lot of power... I use a self healing mattt that I cut. And I put the cutting side of die down onto that. It seems to keep my plates flatter...the matt warps.. but not my plates.

[@dawnparker6718]

@@elainebegley7711 thank you. Yes. I am on the look out for self healing mats , as I prefer a glass plate for crafting, and am going to follow your tip. Thanks again. Xxx

[@darleenhunter6718]

Thank you for doing this video. Just tried it out and omg it worked. Gave mine about 8 mins also tried the boiling water hack. Both worked but feel the oven is better. Just used them on my Gemini. And did a few runs and still looking good 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉. Oh it’s on Gemini plates. Pps I didn’t have Teflon thingy you used so used baking parchment. Or grease proof paper

[@elainebegley7711]

I am glad you got great results! Yes Backing paper will work too!

[@francinebeckett8365]

Thank you. I am waiting for my Gemini and am glad for the bowing solution.

[@angelajackson738]

Thanks so much for the video this has changed my life, thank you again I really appreciate you sharing

[@elainebegley7711]

You are so welcome!

[@karenhuffer3863]

FYI: I have been using my Crafters Companion and found my cover plate was warping badly. I turned my plates each time and still found them warping. So, I used my son's heat gun to warm the plate up a bit and that took the warp out easily. Just be careful not to burn your fingers with the gun. I also put a heavy book on top to smooth the plate out and let it cool. I have new plates!! Most of the cutting marks were also removed with this method. No mess. And no color change.

[@sharontuckerlewis7325]

Elaine, I have tried so many hacks that kinda worked but not really. I just took my Gemini plate out of the oven. Mine took about 13 minutes, but it is flat and clear. All that paper coming off was about as amazing as the flatness. Thank you. This also helped with the Big Shot plate. It was not as warped but much more used and scratched, so not the same clear effect. It is possibly thicker than the Gemini plate. Anyway, I am thrilled at the outcome. Saved this in FB and KZbin.

[@elainebegley7711]

Sharon... I’m so glad it worked! The day I tried to bake them.... I was ready to throw them out...and I had not set up to film a video...but I was so shocked it worked!,,,now you can go back to making amazing things!

[@dixiehornbaker6390]

Thank you! So easy! I had tried the dw idea...they came out rather twisted so had nothing to lose! Perfect!

[@elainebegley7711]

Glad it helped!

[@MaryFayeKecko]

Feb 11 2021 - I just tried this! It took 13 minutes for my first gemini plate and 4 minutes for my second one - but, IT WORKED! WOOHOO!

[@maggiekirk2985]

Thank you so much for sharing this tip. My clear plate was so warped it would only go through my gemini one way. After watching your video and another lady I soaked the plate in kettle boiled water in my sink.. Then whilst my oven was warming at 180 degrees I placed the warmed up plate on a baking tray lined with baking parchment paper... and within 5 - 8 minutes the plate had flattened so i removed it and placed it on my kitchen worktop with a heavy Wood chopping board on top whilst the plate cooled. Hey presto the plate is clear and straight.... Great! I'm so pleased so thank you 👍😊

[@elainebegley7711]

Yeah!!! Glad it worked for you too!

[@pamelasertich9850]

This worked great. Thank you so much!

[@elainebegley7711]

You are welcome. I hope you get more use out of your machine.

[@SandraE_]

I just tried this and it worked magnificently with my Gemini and big shot plates. Thank you!

[@elainebegley7711]

You are welcome. I love crafts and I'm happy to share helpful tips.

[@gladissalazar3496]

@@elainebegley7711 ñññ

[@stacyyoung6400]

It worked perfectly for me!! One took 9.5mins and the other one took just under 8mins. Now,..... I've had my Gemini for a mere 2 weeks and CLEARLY need to rotate my plates. Thank you for sharing!!

[@elainebegley7711]

Stacy Young , I’m so glad it worked for you! It shocked me... I was ready to throw them out....!

[@susie207]

good luck with that rottating!

[@karenhuffer3863]

FYI: I have been using my Crafters Companion and found my cover plate was warping badly. I turned my plates each time and still found them warping. So, I used my son's heat gun to warm the plate up a bit and that took the warp out easily. Just be careful not to burn your fingers with the gun. I also put a heavy book on top to smooth the plate out and let it cool. I have new plates!! Most of the cutting marks were also removed with this method. No mess. And no color change.

[@rachelmccracken8684]

wow, this worked perfectly! Thank you so much!!

[@elainebegley7711]

You're welcome!

[@inebriatedmusings]

Worked for me as well, thanks a lot!

[@elainebegley7711]

Thank you so much for commenting. I’m glad you were able to keep using your plates.

[@elainebates6967]

Thank you for sharing a great tip.

[@elainebegley7711]

Your welcome Elaine :)

[@clohreymd]

Thank you. Thank you. I have found out that you can also do this for Spellbinders cutting plates but you will have to take the temperature up to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. The magnetic mat and the plastic shim for Gemini will also flatten out at 325 degrees.

[@elainebegley7711]

This will help others. Thanks for sharing about Spellbinders.

[@susie207]

1-8-21 been so upset lately going crazy with rotten gemini cutting plates, yes have purched several over time, have the large one--litterly just tried your idea on my rotten gemini plates---magic i tell you. had some blue ones for big shot that should of been tossed but haven't, had to turn heat on more and they took forever but got them flat. Now i will be ssearching for my realy old bigshot plates, but sure i through out. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! i just used my countertop oven-it was on convection, and then put on regular but didn't matter, used bottom shelf. hope you manufacturers hear how unhappy we are with the gemini

[@elainebegley7711]

Suzanne, glad you can craft again. Thanks for commenting on my video.

[@cowgirljane3316]

I saw a video on KZbin and a chemical engineer was telling people to NOT put them in the oven because the plastic will give off harmful fumes.

[@gwendolynstephens2662]

I love it!!

[@elainebegley7711]

I hope this works for you...Remember...warm not hot.

[@cindyburns7667]

Thank you so much for this money saving information. I loved my Gemini for about the first 6 months, then all my plates warped like yours, I spent a lot of money replacing plates. I finally got discouraged and I haven't used my machine in at least a year. I have one question. Do you suggest turning on my convection element, I have to turn it on separately, it's not automatic. Or should I just use regular 200° oven? You mentioned yours was convection and I know that set at 200 in my oven it would be hotter if I turn on the convection unit.

[@elainebegley7711]

I don’t think convection would matter or not. It’s the low heat that softened the plastic.

[@karenhuffer3863]

FYI: I have been using my Crafters Companion and found my cover plate was warping badly. I turned my plates each time and still found them warping. So, I used my son's heat gun to warm the plate up a bit and that took the warp out easily. Just be careful not to burn your fingers with the gun. I also put a heavy book on top to smooth the plate out and let it cool. I have new plates!! Most of the cutting marks were also removed with this method. No mess. And no color change.

[@tammymoore5392]

I did this method and it worked!! Unwarped my Gemini Plate....BUT....it also made it wider and now won't fit in my Gemini. Has this happened to anyone. I love the how it did flatten out and took the tiny paper off of it but now I need to figure out how to cut it and will it be thick enough now.

[@elainebegley7711]

Glad they are flat…wired that they are wider. If you have a sander try using that on the edges if you only need to remove a small amount of widths.

[@jacquir5156]

have they changed any if the materials in the plates...can we still do this as this was recorded a while ago thanks

[@elainebegley7711]

I do not think the materials have changed.

[@tonirogers5433]

Your technique worked terrific on the Gemini plates. I used parchment paper (already had on hand) and it worked great. I didn't have much luck with Sizzix plates though. Has anyone tried this technique with the Sizzix plates? I tried some of the hot water bath techniques but they didn't work well for me. Maybe the Sizzix plates require a higher temperature or longer duration. Has anyone had succes with Sizzix plates?

[@elainebegley7711]

You are so welcome! The Sizzix may need a higher temp...BUT i do not have that machine or plates. If you cannot use them...may as well try anything before buying new ones.

[@madelinescully1]

I tried this today. At 15 minutes nothing, at 30 minutes plates had melted in one corner. One not too bad and still useable. The other I'll need to file as it is thicker at the melted end. Im not to worried as the plates were so warped that they were unusable anyway. Im now only using one as im using a self healing mat for the other, so for now its okay. I have a sullivans machine also that i can use for bigger dies anyway. I am also doing the magnetic plate on the cheap too. I have a sheet of magnetic sticker material that I cut to size and put under the self healing cutting mat. Works brilliantly and saved the $70 AU plus $10 postage that a magnetic plate costs here in Australia.

[@elainebegley7711]

I hope you find a solution. I could not use my plates as they were very warped, so I tried warming and to my surprise it worked!!

[@margievanhandel259]

Elaine, was so afraid to try this because I feared that the strength of the plate would be jeopardized. So, No problems with breakage of the plates once you used them in the Gemini?

[@elainebegley7711]

Hello Margie, I still use the SAME plates 2 years now. I will work on a follow up video.

[@xpatangie]

Strangely enough mine have gone white instead of clear ( but at least they are flat now)

[@elainebegley7711]

Great to hear the plates are flat. !

[@forevercreating]

The cuttle bug plates are a much stronger plastic.

[@elainebegley7711]

Yes they are made out a plastic more like the new gemini 2.

[@opal777]

Just be aware that this weakens the plates. I do this too....but have had plates snap in two. I still use them though.

[@elainebegley7711]

I've been using the plates for 11 months now and have not had to reheat. So hopefully they won't break for awhile.😊

[@opal777]

@@elainebegley7711 mine lasted about a year before they snapped. It scared me. I thought that I broke my machine. It broke almost perfectly in half which makes me think that the center was weakened. But, I still use that broken plate which is now in two pieces for smaller projects...and they actually cut better than before which I think is because now the pressure is concentrated on a smaller area. Whereas the larger plates have to spread the tension throughout the entire area and isn’t as strong. It is my theory. Lol. I just wanted to make sure that you knew that I wasn’t dissing your video. I was only forewarning you. I thought that I swallowed my heart when that plate snapped. Lol

[@elainebegley7711]

@@opal777 Thanks, the plates seem to be the biggest problem in die cutting. Maybe the manufacturers will get it sorted.. but then they won't sell replacement. But if we can get another year of use..we save $$. I'm glad someone else is having same issues.

[@susie207]

now that i got my plates flat i don't want to use again, i'll just get mad all over again because they will warp right off the bat and i will be so mad

[@elainebegley7711]

I felt just like that . I cut self healing matt's and use those with my clear plates. Then the cutting edges go into the matt and not the clear plate.

[@karenhuffer3863]

FYI: I have been using my Crafters Companion and found my cover plate was warping badly. I turned my plates each time and still found them warping. So, I used my son's heat gun to warm the plate up a bit and that took the warp out easily. Just be careful not to burn your fingers with the gun. I also put a heavy book on top to smooth the plate out and let it cool. I have new plates!! Most of the cutting marks were also removed with this method. No mess. And no color change.

[@kataugi]

Just tried this. It only took about 4 minutes in my oven. Plate is super flat again.

[@elainebegley7711]

I do like hearing this works for other crafters too!

[@debbierendek1222]

I just tried this twice and it did nothing.

[@elainebegley7711]

Hello Debbie, I hope you find a solution. Sorry this didn't work for you.