# Stone Stencil from DAS- Do you like it? Is it worth it?



## tiredman5 (Jan 7, 2012)

Hi All, I am at the ISS show in Las Vegas and am contemplating purchasing the Stone Stencil system from DAS. Of course they make it seem easy but I would like your reviews if possible. I have read they do have problems with tech support also. 

Also if you don't like it what is a good Rhinestone Software to look into? 

Any help would be appreciated!!!


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

I have had the program since the it came out..a very powerful program. it is not an easy program. BUT IF YOU READ THE INSTRUCTIONS you can do amazing things. the instruction book is maybe an inch thick.. it does have answers. their support system is a bit different but effective.. you fill out a trouble report and they either send an answer or call you or do remote support on your computer. I have been very happy with the program. you can buy cheaper, but not better


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## dan-ann (Oct 25, 2007)

I agree with Charles. It is worth the money once you learn it . The web seminars are great and the individual video lessons are very useful.. I use it exclusively for fill designs . No one program has it all in my opinion so I combine it it with win pro


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## katruax (Sep 30, 2010)

tiredman5 said:


> Hi All, I am at the ISS show in Las Vegas and am contemplating purchasing the Stone Stencil system from DAS. Of course they make it seem easy but I would like your reviews if possible. I have read they do have problems with tech support also.
> 
> Also if you don't like it what is a good Rhinestone Software to look into?
> 
> Any help would be appreciated!!!


Can I offer one piece of advice... Don't buy at the show... You will over buy... 

The DAS people are master sales people and for that I applaud them... But because they are master sales people you will tend to over buy thinking you are getting this great deal at the show... 

Sally mentioned she had Stone Cut Pro and still had to buy WinPC?... I'm sorry but if I'm spending $1,500+ on rhinestone software and then need to invest another $300 almost for other rhinestone software that can do some things for me that my $1,500 program can't... Then I would not invest in that $1,500 program....

The problem with your question on the forum is you don't know who's answering the question... Don't take anyone's word for it here:....

Here's what I would suggest... Find out what deal they are offering at the show...

Go home... Get about 3-5 designs you would want to make... Send those designs you their sales team and do a one on one with them... Have them show you how to create a couple designs that you would want to create.... If you are happy with the results then invest... If they want your business any deal offered at the show should be honored after the show...

You are talking about making a sizable investment... I've had my share of negative experiences with DAS... There is something to be said in buying a "package" like they offer but I think it's just too much money and honestly Stone Cut Pro for the money... To me... It's just not that great... But that's why I say don't take my word for it... 

Have them demonstrate your sample designs with their software... The examples shown at the show they have done a thousand times over... So yes it looks great at the show until you throw your own design in there and then what?....

If you want to see a demo they did for me and my sample logos and the results... You can check these out...

Rhinestone Hockey Mom Design - CorelDRAW and DAS - Stone Cut Pro - YouTube

DAS Full Demo.mp4 - YouTube

There was not single design in an hour that we finished a design that I would actually use...

So what software would I recommend?... I do all my designs in CorelDRAW... Honestly I think it's the best option... But if there was one software I could recommend besides CorelDRAW...

Hands down it would be Hot Fix Era.... In contrast to Stone Cut Pro it's $499.00 and for rhinestone fills... For me it's the best software out there... Now overall do I like any other feature besides it's rhinestone fill capability... No... But for rhinestone fills it's very good... But at 1/3 the cost it's hard not to take a look... Hot Fix offers a demo of their software... Where DAS does not... Honestly I would not invest in any software that did not first offer demo to try... Especially when you are talking about investing the money you are talking about investing...

There was a DAS system for sale here in the Classifieds... Did you see that?... 

Good luck on your quest to finding what works for you... I would just not be pressured into buying something at the show... I've done it many times only to come home and think I probably should not have jumped the gun and done a little more research... 

Kevin


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## dan-ann (Oct 25, 2007)

You are incorrect in quoting me. I had win pro and then then bought das not the reverse
And for what I need it is a great combination.


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## mfatty500 (Jan 18, 2010)

I do not like the little weasel that owns the company, he's pompus little ___________


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

so Mike how do you really feel? Personally I do not judge a program by the vendor...I usually make a decision based on performance of the product...but to each his own


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## BlingItOn (May 29, 2008)

I purchased it too but can't say I use it as my go to program all of the time. I too have a few other programs that I had before I purchased it and know those programs better so I find myself going to those first before Stone Cut Pro. 

When I first started using Stone Cut Pro I had issues with cutting templates on my cutter. Their tech support was quick to tell me it was a cutter issue even though I did not have the same issues when I cut from any of my other software programs. I ended up figuring out the problem myself which was indeed a software issue and was easily fixed by adjusting some numbers in the program. If you do not purchase or have one of the cutters brands that DAS sells the tech support in my opinion is not quick to help you solve your issue. 

I did like my salesman Jack at DAS. He talked to me for hours when I first got the program and walked me through many of the functions of the software. He also made many follow up calls after my purchase and still calls me about once a month to see how things are going and answers any questions I have. He's great!

I have to say at the time the program was released a couple years ago it was one of the most powerful programs on the market. But they haven't done any upgrades to it and you can find many of the same functions in other software programs that are available today and for a lot less money. I wouldn't spend the money for the program knowing what's out there now.


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

katruax said:


> Can I offer one piece of advice... Don't buy at the show... You will over buy...
> 
> The DAS people are master sales people and for that I applaud them... But because they are master sales people you will tend to over buy thinking you are getting this great deal at the show...
> 
> ...


 
I don't understand,, on this thread you are reccomending Hot Fix Era and on this other thread you gave it a negative review http://www.t-shirtforums.com/rhinestone-decoration/t163364-12.html


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## katruax (Sep 30, 2010)

plan b said:


> I don't understand,, on this thread you are reccomending Hot Fix Era and on this other thread you gave it a negative review http://www.t-shirtforums.com/rhinestone-decoration/t163364-12.html


Roger I'm not sure why you are commenting on all my posts.... But please allow my to clarify for you...

The OP asked a question I gave my answer... Did I think DAS was worth it... I told him in my opinion it was not... 

He also asked if not DAS what would you recommend... I explained that I use CorelDRAW... I think its the best option for me and offers maximum flexibility... 

But then I went on to say if there was one program to recommend beyond CorelDRAW... Then the program I would recommend would be HotFix Era... I have it, I use for certain things...

You can choose to look at my other post as a "negative review".... I choose to look at is as a honest opinion from someone who has the program and uses the program and has for sometime...

Take for example I want to select all stones of a given color in a design.. Or even all stones of a given color and size in a design... Pretty simple task for most any program... WinPC Sign has that feature, Stone Cut Pro has that feature..., OOBling has that feature... All of the available Macros for CorelDRAW have that feature... And yet, no can do in HotFix... There is no select similar or select by color or select by color and size... Nothing like that in HotFix... This is a very basic task in Rhinestone design and yet not something we can do in HotFix....

I could go on and on with such examples... 

Here's a video creating a basic baseball design where I show another example of the editing limitations of HotFix...

HotFix Era The Good The Bad and The Ugly - YouTube

In time I suspect the program will get better... But this is a true and honest look at where the program is right now... It would drive me totally mad to design 100% in HotFix... Something that I can do in seconds in CorelDRAW would take me minutes in HotFix because of the limited tool set and this baseball is just one small example...

I respond to these posts because I actually know a little something about the topic... Not to push an agenda or bash one program or another... That's why I'm careful to say don't to take my word for anything... I simply state what my findings are so people know the questions to ask and the things to checkout for themselves when trying the demos and what not and then they can decide for themselves if I'm totally crazy in my thoughts or they find the same things I did...

Having the input of others with more knowledge is so valuable and I can tell you when I started 2 years ago I knew nothing about rhinestones and am thankful to get the insights of other forum members to get my questions answered... So now that I actually know what I'm talking about I can add some insight myself as well.

Kevin


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