BetterPress Cardstock & Shims: Cotton Panels, Weight Limits, and Setup Checks

How the Chase, Platen, and three factory shims work together

BetterPress replaces your normal cutting plates with two dedicated parts: the magnetic Chase on the bottom and the clear spring-loaded Platen on top. Inside the Chase, three thin mylar shims sit underneath the gray magnetic insert. [1] [2]

Spellbinders specifically warns in its BetterPress FAQ that BetterPress plates are taller than wafer-thin dies and must never be run with standard die-cutting plates. [2]

Adjusting impression depth without overloading your rollers

Because the clear Platen has spring-loaded corner posts that depress as the unit passes through your manual die-cutting machine, total stack height is strictly bounded. [1] [3]

1. Remove all Universal Plate System pieces (A through G) or Sizzix platforms from the machine bed before placing the BetterPress Chase down.
2. Ensure all four corner magnets on the clear Platen snap squarely onto the Chase posts without resting on top of the paper tape.
3. If using thick 600 gsm cotton panels and the handle feels stiff, lift the gray magnetic insert and remove one factory shim.
4. Re-ink the press plate evenly with archival BetterPress ink rather than adding extra cardboard shims when an image looks pale.

What cardmakers notice when testing alternative papers

In community discussions on Reddit and Scrapbook.com, cardmakers comparing BetterPress and Glimmer II often experiment with hot-press watercolor paper and smooth cardstock for budget practice panels. Users consistently note that while ink transfers cleanly onto smooth papers, the signature tactile letterpress indentation comes from soft cotton fibers rather than excessive roller force. [4] [5]

Why cotton fiber behaves differently from standard smooth cardstock

Traditional letterpress printing relies on soft, long-fiber cotton paper (such as Spellbinders Porcelain and Bisque 118 lb / 300 gsm or 220 lb / 600 gsm panels) because cotton fibers compress locally underneath the raised metal lines without buckling the rest of the sheet. Standard wood-pulp cardstock is calendered hard and dense, which resists deep indentation even when roller pressure is high. [1] [2]

When using smooth non-cotton cardstock for practice runs, do not add extra shims trying to force a deep impression; wood-pulp paper will crush or warp the Platen before it pillows like cotton. [2]

Keeping low-tack tape clear of the four corner magnets

The clear BetterPress Platen uses four spring-mounted corner magnets that contact the metal posts on the Chase. When taping your cotton panel to the underside grid of the Platen, placement of the low-tack tape directly affects how evenly the Platen lowers onto the inked plate. [1]

1. Use small pieces of Best Ever Craft Tape along the inner grid lines of the clear Platen rather than wrapping long strips across the corner magnet posts.
2. Verify that all four corner magnets click cleanly onto the Chase posts before feeding the system into your die-cutting machine.
3. Feed the BetterPress Chase straight into the rollers at a steady, unhurried pace so the spring-loaded Platen compresses evenly from front to back.
4. Clean metal press plates with archival ink cleaner after each session so dried ink does not build up in fine cross-hatched details.

Common BetterPress paper and shim questions

Can I add a piece of cardstock under the Chase if my impression is light?

No. Spellbinders instructs users to adjust only the three thin factory shims located underneath the gray magnetic insert inside the Chase, and to use 100% cotton panels for deep impressions.

Can I use cold-press rough watercolor paper in BetterPress?

Heavily textured cold-press watercolor paper has surface peaks and valleys that can cause fine ink lines to skip; smooth hot-press cotton watercolor paper or dedicated BetterPress cotton panels produce cleaner line work.

Should I remove factory shims when using 600 gsm double-weight cotton panels?

If a thick 220 lb (600 gsm) panel feels overly tight entering the rollers, lift the gray magnetic insert inside the Chase and remove one or two of the thin factory shims.