First "all my own" Rhinestone Work

[OWJones 1,981]

I have already made several rhinestone transfers using a template I bought from Sandy Jo's website, but this week I decided it was high time to make my own design from scratch.  I'd had the template material, new blade holder, and everything else ready for weeks, just hadn't sat down and actually done it yet.... plus I had this brand spankin' new hat press just begging to be used...

 

The design is nothing fancy, just a cross design I had in my clipart collection.  I used the RStones 2 macro for CorelDraw X6 to convert it into a template (RStones uses the term "stencil" instead of template) and cut it.  It took a couple tries to get the pressure settings just right, and then I discovered the hard way that the holes were the exact right size for the stones to fall into, but weren't large enough to allow them to be pulled out at a slight angle, as will happen when you peel the transfer tape away...   So, back into the software and I adjusted the stencil settings "fudge factor" and increased the hole size by 0.1mm and that worked - yay!

 

I had bought some cheapo 6-panel hats from Dollar Tree so I'd have something cheap to play with while I was learning, and I used the template to produce two different color versions - one for a light colored hat and one for a dark colored hat.  I used Sunset around Clear on the black hat and Dark Blue around Light Siam Red on the khaki hat.  The Sunset stones shift between yellow, green, copper and purple depending on which direction the light is coming from.

 

The center seam on the hats caused the stones to not sit as evenly as I would prefer (I expected that), but I pre-pressed the hats for a few seconds to help flatten the seam before applying.  The seam does give  you a convenient point of reference for lining up your transfer, though...  I have an order ready to place with Jiffyshirts.com for an assortment of 5-panel hats so I won't have to deal with the seam any more.

 

I think I need to tweak this design some more, the topmost stone seems to be a little too high on both hats and doesn't look connected to the design, but that may just be me being critical of my own work again.  Either way, this was just a test to see if I could really go from concept to completed project without any significant issues, and so from that aspect I'll call it a success.

 

[galaxygraphics 26]

Looks like  complete success, to me! My partner is wanting to get into doing some stones, too. Beautiful work! On a side note, I would agree with you, concerning the top stone. Somehow, it just seems outta place, don't it?

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

looks good - every time before I press, stacey always seems to have a couple of stones she wants to reposition after removing from the template - 

[TimnAng 56]

Looks good, I agree about the top stone as well!

[Ravenwind / One Off Grafx 187]

Looks great. If you look at the pattern of your stones they go 3  2   2  but on the top it goes 3  2  1  1   rows  if you added a row at the top it might do the trick. Just my 2 cents.  Or add the two  and drop the single

 

 

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[maddog 12]

Very Nice

[jaybyrd 3,770]

How do you like they press so far? And yeah top stone is kinda funny gut look great other than that.

[OWJones 1,981]

So far really happy with the press.  The temperature control box is a little floppy in it's connection to the upper platen/swing arm.  I'll need to open up the control box to get to the screws and see if it can be tightened up any, or maybe add some larger washers to help keep the box metal from flexing.

 

It heats up pretty fast and is easy to setup.  I haven't tested the temperature with my IR gun yet, but it pressed the rhinestones perfectly each time.  The clamp that holds the front of the cap tight against the lower platen is very strong and really holds the hats down tight.

 

My biggest issue with it is where the heck I'm going to put it...  I have two 8' tables and a 4' round card table already in my work room, plus the cutter, boxes of vinyl, plastic shelving full of glassware and dye sub substrates and I've run out of walls to put stuff against.  I need to find something like a real heavy duty plant stand or something just large enough to hold the base of the press.  I can move the boxes of vinyl just enough to give me about 2' of wall space - max...

[jaybyrd 3,770]

I'm startin to feel the space crunch at the store, time to reorganize and do a little late spring cleaning. Just ordered a 15x15 swing away and have no idea where I'm gonna put it. My hat press clamps so strong that I can see the back upright flex when I clamp it but it works like a champ.

[MadHatterGraphix 1,258]

Looks good OWJones. I have a 9x9' room with a DTG, 30" cutter or whatever the middle mh is, a computer desk a laser printer, a clothing cabinet to store shirts and the 16x20 heat press. The hat pres and mug press are on the floor till I need it. Plus rolls of vinyl so I know about space.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

Looks good OWJones. I have a 9x9' room with a DTG, 30" cutter or whatever the middle mh is, a computer desk a laser printer, a clothing cabinet to store shirts and the 16x20 heat press. The hat pres and mug press are on the floor till I need it. Plus rolls of vinyl so I know about space.

Time to take an old college loft bed and use it for 2 level storage in there

[jaybyrd 3,770]

Scott, I think the guys in prison had more space than that didn't they?

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

Well 4 guys in a 12x12 space is tight - and put 160 in one housing unit and tempers can flair a little.  let one not shower enough and it gets ugly real quick.

[jaybyrd 3,770]

See madhatter you've got tons of space compared to some people.