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Hi All. I am new to crafting/cutting and the Zing air was my first purchase. I wanted a large format (at least 12x12) embosser and letterpresser - at an affordable price. Based on what I read in the forum, especially Julie's rave reviews on the quality of its embossing, I bought the Fiskars Fuse and also the rubber mat and base plate which is what was advertised as needed for large format letterpressing. Unfortunately, the description is misleading, because the rubber mat and base cutting plate is actually a combined thin (about .25 in) plate with a rubber backing. I'm assuming you have to pay $99 for one of its few die cutter to be able to actually emboss something with your own folders.
Well, I designed some folders and stencils with MTC and cut on my Zing, but my Fiskars Fuse is useless for larger embossing without the appropriate material for a sandwich.
I am desperate to start embossing so I am roamed the Internet and came across this video of a guy who bought a .75 inch thick piece of plywood to turn his Fuse into a cylinder press. He used his plywood, a letterpress plate, paper, a piece of phone book page, and a piece of felt and printed a wonderful piece of letterpres art.

So, yesterday I went to Home Depot and bought a .50 inch thick piece of board thinking that I could use my $40 Fiskars large plate to put on top with additional shims. No such luck. I returned my Fiskars plate today and I am thinking of just buying a .75 inch thick board and use my folder, paper, and shims and see if this will do the trick.
I do not have any other adapter plates from other larger format embossers (I wish I can raid Julie's collection) nor do I want to spend another $100 or so by another company's set of large adapters (there are only a few). Does anyone have any suggestion on what I can buy at a reasonable price to make my Fiskars Fuse emboss 12 x 12 paper?
Thanks for any help,
Marie