# Advice regarding silhouette or craftrobo for rhinestone template plz



## goonner4life (Jan 8, 2010)

i've just started doing Rhinestone design on clothes. Till now i've been doing everything manually. I'm considering cutting rhinestone template with craft cutter like the silhouette or craftrobo and then doing heat transfer and so on. I can work with AI and photoshop.
1.Can someone suggest which machine i should go for, _as a beginner of course with limited budget_? I need to do *basically rhinestone template*, and maybe some vinyl cutting as well for wall deco purposes. Will craftrobo or the new silhouette sd be ok for this kind of work?

2.Do i need to buy a special material for the template or i can use transperancy film or similar material?

3. Normally, what shoul be the thickness of the template for it to function properly, i mean be able to hold the rhinestone in place prior to transfer?

Thanks
juneid


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## DTFuqua (Jun 26, 2008)

I use a GraphtecCE5000-60 and the Hartco 425s sandblast resist material. The Craft Robo PRO is a smaller version of mine.


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## goonner4life (Jan 8, 2010)

DTFuqua said:


> I use a GraphtecCE5000-60 and the Hartco 425s sandblast resist material. The Craft Robo PRO is a smaller version of mine.


 Thanks for your ans. I'll try using the Hartco film u suggested. 
Btw do i need different blades for cutting vinyl and the hartco film for rhinestone transfer?


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## taricp35 (Dec 10, 2008)

Yes regular vinyl can be cut with a 45° blade but rhinestone template material you will need a 60° blade.


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## DTFuqua (Jun 26, 2008)

taricp35 said:


> Yes regular vinyl can be cut with a 45° blade but rhinestone template material you will need a 60° blade.


A word of warning. I believe thhere is a 60 degree blade for the Blue Top blade holder.There isn't (IMHO) enough cutting surface on these blades to work with the thicker materials such as the Hartco sandblast resist and other thicker materials used for rhinestone templates. You will need to get the Red Top blade holder and the 60 degree blade that goes with it for cutting rhinestone templates. I have both so I am speaking from experience.


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## goonner4life (Jan 8, 2010)

Hi,
Thanks sooooo much for your precious advice, this should save me lots of time n money as well! Since You seem well versed regarding rhinestone transfer, which material would you suggest me for making the template?
Thanks a thousands time.
Regards
Juneid




DTFuqua said:


> A word of warning. I believe thhere is a 60 degree blade for the Blue Top blade holder.There isn't (IMHO) enough cutting surface on these blades to work with the thicker materials such as the Hartco sandblast resist and other thicker materials used for rhinestone templates. You will need to get the Red Top blade holder and the 60 degree blade that goes with it for cutting rhinestone templates. I have both so I am speaking from experience.


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## DTFuqua (Jun 26, 2008)

At this time, I use the Hartco 425S material


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## FatKat Printz (Dec 26, 2008)

Here is a helpful website for your rhinestone designs ..Klic-N-Kut.com: Your source for computerized die cutting machines and supplies 

There is also a forum that is very helpful.

I have received some advice from Sandy McCauley Digital Die Cutting With Sandy McCauley she very knowledgeable with the craftrobo.

Good Luck!!


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## goonner4life (Jan 8, 2010)

DTFuqua said:


> A word of warning. I believe thhere is a 60 degree blade for the Blue Top blade holder.There isn't (IMHO) enough cutting surface on these blades to work with the thicker materials such as the Hartco sandblast resist and other thicker materials used for rhinestone templates. You will need to get the Red Top blade holder and the 60 degree blade that goes with it for cutting rhinestone templates. I have both so I am speaking from experience.


Hi,
thanks for your advice. I understand you are using a craft robo. If you are making rhinestone stencil, can i know what material you are using for the template. I found that Hartco Sandblast 425s is what most people are using and it is 25.5 mil thick (0.65 mm). Can this material be cut with the craft robo? and if so, what combination of blade and speed should i use.
I'll be much obliged if you could please answaer my niggling questions.
Thanks,
Juneid
(goonner4life)


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## DTFuqua (Jun 26, 2008)

I'm NOT using a craft robo. I'm using a Graphtec CE5000-60 which is a 24" cutter. I use the red top blade holder with the 60 degree blade. it cuts the hartco 425 very well with some fine detail as well as doing a good job on the little circles for rhinestone templates. I actualy bought the hartco material for sandblasting to start with but tried it for rhinestones just to see if it would work. Not saying I was the first to try it but I already had it and just tried it.


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## Threads123 (Oct 27, 2010)

I am new to this forum and would appreciate some advice. I have a Roland GX24 vinyl cutter and want to cut rhinestone templates with it. What material do you all use for these templates and where do you buy it? One rhinestone vendor told me he sells the material which is actually 'sandblast resist' material. Is this the same as you have been talking about for the robocutter?
Thanks,
Brandi


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## DTFuqua (Jun 26, 2008)

go to signwarehouse.com and look up the hartco sandblast resist . I think the designation is "425s"


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## Twanabee (Sep 14, 2009)

You can also try the Graphtec "pink" material. I use it for rhinestones and it cuts great. Terry is right about the holder. You will need the red top holder with the 60 degree blade. I purchase my blades from Clean Cut as they are less expensive and last longer than the OEM. I am using winpcsign 2010 for my rhinestone SW and find that easy to use.


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## amaral24 (Sep 14, 2010)

I'm getting frustrated and need some advice but think I know why after reading this thread. I have the silouhette and using the Hartco material. So the blades the machine comes with is not doing the trick. I was using the pink top with the blade. After reading the above I'm I correct its the blade is not cutting through because it is not a 60 degree blade??? Was this a blade that needed to be purchased seperately from the ones the machine came with???? I've been having to manually go over the holes to punch them out after using the machine because it's not cutting through. HELP!!! Been trying for the past 3 days! Or do I have the wrong settings when cutting??? I'm using the Funtime program.


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## SandyMcC (Jul 23, 2009)

Are you cutting each hole twice? Did you increase the blade offset? I have a video showing how I cut the Hartco material on a Silhouette from Funtime. See if you are doing everything that I show in that video:

Cutting Hartco Sandblast on a Silhouette

Note that I used the regular blade that comes with the Silhouette and the pink cap to expose the most blade.


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## Twanabee (Sep 14, 2009)

If you want to try a great template material that is easier to cut than Hartco or Graphtec try the sticky flock material. You can see a video here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcmx7G1HnAM


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## amaral24 (Sep 14, 2010)

Sandy actually I did see ur video during my frustration lol. The only thing I can think about is maybe it's because the machine doesn't comd with the 60• blade???? I even thought boy she sure makes it look easy I'm not having the same luck. My setting pass was even set to 14 and it still wasnt cutting all the way.


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## SandyMcC (Jul 23, 2009)

I wasn't using a 60 degree blade in the video... just the standard blade that comes with a new Silh SD machine. Are you 100% sure there's not a single difference in what you are doing and what I'm doing in the video????


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## bek416 (May 12, 2012)

SandyMcC said:


> Are you cutting each hole twice? Did you increase the blade offset? I have a video showing how I cut the Hartco material on a Silhouette from Funtime. See if you are doing everything that I show in that video:
> 
> Cutting Hartco Sandblast on a Silhouette
> 
> Note that I used the regular blade that comes with the Silhouette and the pink cap to expose the most blade.


Which software are you using in this video?


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