dunster

I have the Studio 2. I love it and use it all the time for cutting strips, then sometimes turning the strips to cut squares or rectangles. I invested only in the strip dies, and I'm not interested in any other shapes. Turning the handle isn't difficult for me. However it doesn't sound like this setup would work for you. The Studio 2 is extremely heavy, and it takes up space at the end of my long cutting table. It's too heavy for me to move it around, and it really does need to be on a solid foundation. The dies are also heavy, but I can manage them, and they also take up a lot of space in the bookcase under the table.

joe'smom

Here are a couple of photos of my Accuquilt GO! Big (it's electric). Maybe it takes less room than a crank machine, because, no crank that sticks out and you don't need a table long enough to catch the die? It is 18" long open, as you see it here, and 19" wide. I don't bother closing it; I lay things temporarily on the top when not using it. I stand at the side, push a button to turn on the machine, put the die in the front, reach to the back and take the die as it comes out of the machine. On better days, I rotary trim my fabric and cut a strip to cover the die shape by 1/4" on each side. On worse days, I rough cut my fabric with scissors, so there is more waste.

I found navigating the dies to be very confusing at first. Your best bet would be to look at the Block Qubes. These are sets of eight dies that are sold together, in the shapes you typically would need for various size blocks. I believe they make Qubes for 4" and 5" finished blocks, which I haven't looked into since a 6" block is small enough for me. I have the 6" and 9" block Qubes. The 6" Qube contains dies for a 3" fin. square, a 1 1/2" fin. square, a 1 1/2" fin. HST, a 2 1/8" fin. square on point, a 3" fin. HST, a 3" fin. QST, a parallelogram and a 1 1/2" x 3" fin. rectangle. Some of the dies have more than one of the indicated shape on the die. To make 1 1/2" by 3" flying geese, I use the 1 1/2" fin HST die and the 3" fin. QST die.

This wouldn't be practical for me if I had to move it when not in use, but I just happened to have a set-up that it fit into perfectly. I only had to re-locate the stuff I had kept on the dresser top (which rolls, but doesn't roll unless pushed determinedly, as it's full of fabric and notions). The dies are expensive, but you can find sales throughout the year.

zennia

I love my Acc Go cutter. There are a lot of dies you can buy but I bought the basics and am very happy with it. I can cut squares etc. for a quilt in no time.

Onebyone

I use the Go Big at the library. The long dies do have to be supported when they roll through or will fall on the floor if nothing there to catch them. Have you checked the library Maker Room? Most have the fabric cutters and lots of dies now.

quiltingcandy

I bought the Go cutter about 2010 or 2011 at a quilt show.And I love it! I have over 80 dies (but that is because I also have an embroidery machine and love a lot of their designs.). It's definitely an investment but my opinion is, definitely well worth it. I now won't make a quilt unless there is a die for it. You can convert so many pattern blocks into an Accuquilt pattern and if you buy a cutter from them they send a book with 72 blocks in it. But I think all the information is on the website. 2 years ago I bought the Studio 2 which takes the larger dies - would like to get the GO BIG electric cutter but do not have a plug in my sewing room I could dedicate to it. You can use an extension cord but they don't recommend it so I went with the Studio 2. I go the small GO ME because it was free if you spent so much money.
I find the best place to use the cutters are at a bar height - hope that makes sense. It works fine on a kitchen table height but I am 5'8" and that may be why. In my sewing room I have my Studio 2 my treadle machine since I rarely use it.
If you could afford the GO BIG and have the room for it I would recommend it. My GO ME was so hard to use the first few times I used it - but it works fine now. Same with the GO and the Studio 2. About 70% of all the dies will fit in the GO ME and you just need to make sure you don't get the larger dies. Since my Studio 2 is set up I keep my GO packed up and ready to travel. I take it along on vacation and to friends' homes that want to use it. A friend and I cut out a DWR King size quilt in about 2 hours using my GO cutter and dies. I love the triangle dies - no more dog ears to trim. And I can cut out the 2.5 inch binding for a queen size quilt in one pass through a GO using the die,
I think it works best when you starch the fabric for triangles - no stretching. I could ramble on for hours about the benefits of Accuquilt.

Peckish

Sharyn I've sent you an email.

Mkotch

I rarely use my Go Baby (manual) but then I don't have too many dies for it. To make it a useful tool, you need to invest in many more dies, each at a high cost. I did make a Hunter's Star quilt and having the dies made it much easier to cut everything accurately. My objection to the whole process is that you are limited by the sizes of dies you own, so you need to keep buying new dies. I just got a strip cutting template that I think will be much more useful in the long run and it only cost $10 (used) versus the $139 or so you'd spend for dies for specific widths. An electric cutter makes more sense to me except that I can put my light manual machine away when I'm not using it.

KalamaQuilts

what a great idea. our lib is so small i think most of the books and dvds are from me.

SusieQOH

I have the Go and the Go Baby

I have basic shapes and strips but I don't use them nearly as much as I thought I would because of where they are located.

I really need to free up a dedicated spot for them, at least for the large one.

KalamaQuilts

probably because i havent been there often im not finding the accuquilt site user friendly.
could one of you nimble there tell me what the following would cost. the lady wants $900 for it, but it seems high to me

ACCUQUILT ELECTRIC "GO BIG" FABRIC CUTTER
2 1/2" Strip Cutter Die
10 x 24" cutting mat
10" Square Die
14 x 16" cutting mats
5" Square Die
6 x 12" cutting mat
Flying Geese 3 1/2 x 6 1/2" Die
10 x 10 cutting mats

vs watching for a sale and getting same cutter
6" cube
1.5 strip cutter
2.5 strip cutter
a cover thingy (or two?)