XCUT 6-Piece Steel A5 Mini Pinwheels Die Set, Black

This is a set of 6 metal dies for cutting the basic shapes needed to make pinwheels for handmade cards and other art and craft projects. The dies are all mounted on a magnetic A5 backing card which can also be used as a shim for extra definition when cutting. The largest die makes a pinwheel measuring approximately 5cm / 2 inch, and the smallest die produces one which is roughly 2.5cm / 1 inch.The dies can be used on paper, cardstock up to 250gsm and 2mm EVA foam. I have experimented with different thicknesses of paper and cardstock and found that all result in a clean, smooth cut. As with all metal dies, it is probably a good idea to cut through foil with them every so often to keep them sharp.The packaging contains clear guidelines on how to make the appropriate cutting 'sandwich' for the dies so that it will fit through the die-cutting machine. The manufacturer is X-cut but as with most dies, these are suitable with the majority of die cutting machines.I was surprised that there were no instructions on how to assemble the pinwheels, especially as two of them required two identical die cut pieces. I managed to work it through a combination of trial and error and peering at the picture of the finished pinwheels on the packet, but I I found it quite confusing. The smaller pinwheels do not have holes in the arms for assembly, and need to be stuck together with a suitable adhesive - I used a tape runner but this was quite fiddly and I would suggest glue dots or a glue gun would be easier.It is worth mentioning that in order for the pinwheels to be 'functional' eg to spin, you will need to use brads (also known as split pins) to assemble the pinwheels and then attach a stick to the pack .I enjoyed using these dies and they do produce some lovely results. I would definitely recommend them to others, especially cardmakers as they are a perfect size for handmade greetings cards.PROS6 different dies, so good choice of pinwheel designsVarying sizesCut well through various thicknesses of paper and card stockCONSNo assembly instructionsAll pinwheels 2 inches or less, so may not be suitable for larger projects

This makes pretty pinwheels but has no instructions so I was a bit baffled as to how some pieces were supposed to fit together!