# HELP!!! Template material for rhinestones



## bckeever (Nov 2, 2008)

*I am having issues with the template material for rhinestones. It won't cut around circles completely. I use a hard pressure with 60* blade and it leaves just a small area that you have to cutout which makes it a nightmare to weed. I thought this was something you can cut and the holes would come out as you pull up template material. Well, in my case that isn't so. I have used both the light blue and black template material. What am I doing wrong???*


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## SandyMcC (Jul 23, 2009)

Make sure you use two passes and increase your blade offset value... double what you would normally use. See if that helps.


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## Twanabee (Sep 14, 2009)

Sandy's right. If your SW will not let you do 2 passes (720 degree cutting), make a mirror image over the first. Also look at your offset. Not sure what cutter your using so can't give you figures.


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## mfatty500 (Jan 18, 2010)

maybe slow the cutter down, give a little more info as to what your using.


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

Overcut comes into play also.


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## bckeever (Nov 2, 2008)

*I'm using US Cutter Laser Contour cutter. I have slowed it down so that didn't help the situation. I will try the offset and see if that helps. Thanks!!*


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

What software are you using?


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## mfatty500 (Jan 18, 2010)

This may sound stupid but do you have your template material on a piece of quilters plastic or something similar?


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## bckeever (Nov 2, 2008)

Plan B~ Actually I don't have software. It is too expensive so I create designs manually on Corel Draw. 
M Fatty 500~ No I don't use quilters plastic or etc. Why? If it is something I need what is quilters plastic? Not a quilter so I have no idea what that is.


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

No you do not use quilter's template plastic to make rhinestone stencils. The stencil/template plastic for quilters is a thin flexible plastic like material that is translucent. The rhinestone stencil material is thicker and made out of a different substance and has a backing material. The quilting stencil material is not sticky on the back so no way to stick it to the backer board.


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## mfatty500 (Jan 18, 2010)

The sandmask is sticky, so i put it on the plastic when cutting the template


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

Does the sand mask not have a backing/carrier on it? Maybe I am misunderstanding what you are saying. When I cut a rhinestone template, I load my stencil material into my cutter with the backing/carrier on it. I cut my stencil. I then peel the material from the backing/carrier and the holes are removed when I peel them apart leaving them on the carrier/backing. I put the stencil material on a piece of backer board. The backer board is noncorrugated cardboard with a white paper coating. It is similar to the board that bakery cakes are on. The backer board is stiff so you can lift the stencil with the stones in it out of the pan. I do not understand the need for the quilters stencil material. I would think it would be too flexible to be able to lift the stencil out of the pan without disturbing the stones.


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## IDEAGUY (Jun 4, 2009)

Let's say you have a small piece of template material and want to cut your template on it. Normally, this may be waste template...but if you have a piece of thin quilters plastic in a sheet that is 15 inches, peel backer off and stick it on the plastic. Now you have a "15" inch piece again(at least the cutter thinks so) . Put it on the machine under the pinch rollers, and cut your small piece. 
works great!


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

I tape it to a piece of printer paper/freezer paper. I leave the carrier on and tape the piece to a piece of printer paper or freezer paper. I do the same with vinyl and when contour cutting a transfer. I can utilize the full area of a 8.5x11 piece of transfer paper and still contour cut it. Just have to have enough room to print the registration marks. I figure printer paper/freezer paper is cheaper than the plastic stencil. I use masking tape to secure to the printer/freezer paper. Butcher paper could also work.


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## mfatty500 (Jan 18, 2010)

IDEAGUY said:


> Let's say you have a small piece of template material and want to cut your template on it. Normally, this may be waste template...but if you have a piece of thin quilters plastic in a sheet that is 15 inches, peel backer off and stick it on the plastic. Now you have a "15" inch piece again(at least the cutter thinks so) . Put it on the machine under the pinch rollers, and cut your small piece.
> works great!


Thanks idea guy couldn't type what I wanted to say , Yeah what he said.


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## mfatty500 (Jan 18, 2010)

yes it has a backer material on it, but rubber is flexible, and it may move thus making your circles more egg shaped, so that is why I put it on the plastic material, hope this makes better sense to you, sorry for the confusion.


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## bckeever (Nov 2, 2008)

Okay. I have cut many templates and the holes do not seem to be perfectly round. I do create everything manually with corel, but all the circles are the exact same size (X & Y). I wish I could afford a rhinestone program, but they are so ridiculously priced.


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

If the circles look round and they are coming out when cut oblong then its a combination of blade length and pressure and speed,,, you need to use a good 60 degree blade adjusted correctly


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## bckeever (Nov 2, 2008)

Plan B ~ What do you mean adjusted correctly? Do you mean pressure and speed? I have adjusted the pressure and speed and have a good 60 degree blade and it still comes out egg-shaped. I think I'm going to try using a mat under template material to see if that helps. Do you know how to adjust the force of the cutter? I've heard that you have to adjust the pressure and force, but I don't have any controls that say "force".


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

Hmm. If your circles are ovals then offset and overcut could be your issue. Are you sure that your circles are really circles? Have you printed it out on paper to see if they are really circles? Not familiar with your software so cannot speak from experience with it.

I think pressure and force/downforce are the same thing just different terminology. In my software, there is a setting on the cut screen. I think I can also do it on the cutter itself. The offset and overcut are set on my cutter.


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