# Easy/Simple way to create rhinestone templates without fancy machines?



## shaninmo (Oct 22, 2009)

Hello!
I am brand new here, discovered this site and forums today and WOW! Am I impressed! This by far has the best info I have found on, well, so many things! So many knowledgeable folks here, and so generous with your assistance!

I have a question. I have been searching these forums for a couple of hours without any luck really, plus my kids are really ready for me to get off comp, so I thought I'd ask something that I've been researching for awhile with no clear answers I've found.

Can I make a rhinestone template without using a fancy cutter or machine? I am doing them all by hand with a tweezers and I just can't keep up anymore. If I can somehow find plastic or whatever it is I need for a template and drill/make holes, place in a shaker box like so many are doing, that is exactly the info I need with a passion right now!

I read a post by Sandy (I think) about buying some kind of plastic from Walmart, but I really didn't understand the directions (forgive me if I am missing something??) and hope to maybe get some better details.

Or am I stuck with just using the ol' tweezers til I can MAYBE afford a cutter? Yikes, the whole thing is overwhelming! I don't even know what this widely used term VECTOR is, I guess I need to learn a lot more.

Thank you thank you!!!! ALL help is MUCH appreciated!

Blessings!


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## BigBear (Aug 15, 2007)

Greetings,

I don't know the tip that Sandy gave, but may be able to help your understanding of vector. Below is a blurb that I copied and modified from one of my websites.

*Important learning note:* Vector maps and Bit maps – many are greatly confused by these two terms. Here’s something simple to wrap your head around: Picture an apple. The entire picture is a Bit map (zillions of information pieces to a computer program). An outline of just the apple is a Vector map (continuous line). You can’t see this outline, but it’s there. Vector outlines of pictures are created by you, with a computer program. It’s not tough. You can learn to do this. A vinyl cutter, cuts an outline (vector) of a picture.


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## retiredplumber (Jun 25, 2007)

I made my own templates out of plastic no smoking type signs that you get at Ace hardware or any big box store. I then drew my pattern and drilled it out with the appropreate (sp) sized drill and then glued that to another piece of the same stuff. Works pretty good but not perfect by any standard but it will speed things up quite a bit.


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## shaninmo (Oct 22, 2009)

My husband made one out of some plastic material he had in the garage and created holes using his drill press. It actually worked pretty well after about the 6th try making one. They didn't all want to stay in, but they did pretty well. We were so excited, LOL! 
Needless to say, however, I think we are going to invest in a cutter pretty soon, looking at the KNK.
Thanks for the help guys!


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## allhamps (Mar 15, 2007)

Here's a link to a training seminar: Rhinestoning With CorelDRAW - Webinar


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