# Having Rhinestone Problems



## snowboo (Dec 10, 2013)

Hi

I have been making some T-Shirts with horsey designs on them. However I am having loads of problems getting the hotfix rhinestones to stock. I'm using the same rhinestones from the same batch for these T-Shirts. Some T-shirts have stuck well, however others just wont stick. I'll put the transfer on the T-shirt and use our heatpress to stick it down. However some of the stones just wont stick and others don't stick very well and come off. I've been looking at the stones and some aren't all the same height, (they are all from the same batch though and I've had this problem with other batches of stones).
I end up with T-Shirts with some stones fixed on, some coming off and others that haven't stuck at all. Doesn't seem to be the heat as some T-Shirts come out fine, others don't and I end up loosing money on the T-Shirts that have some stuck and others wont.

Can you offer any advice? I've tried sticking individual stones on with a heat wand but I can't do this for all of them and sometimes the glue comes out of the side and looks a mess.


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## EmbroidMeCat (May 2, 2010)

Hello Snowboo,
Did you press the t-shirt first?

My stones stick better when I press the shirt first for about 7 seconds.

Good luck.

Also I like my rhinestone transfers - they have great quality!


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## BobR (Sep 26, 2013)

Have you tried a rhinestone cover sheet?


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## shayne0307 (May 18, 2011)

I would definitely look into the quality of stones you are using. Some low quality stones/batches has stones without glue and some where the glue part will stick and the stone will fall off. I had this happen to me before and the time it takes to fix them is not worth it, so I only use the higher grade/quality stones now. Lessons learned. good luck


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## ifusion (Jun 3, 2011)

1) Press the shirt first for 10 seconds to make sure its flat.
2) Check with your vendor to find out the right temperature for heating their stones, but with most of the stones I work with, 300 degrees at 30 seconds does the trick.
3) Examine your heat press, make sure its getting up to the right temperature.

I find that if I'm impatient and try to press at 280, stones will fall off. If you press your stones for too long, then you can evaporate the glue and again, the stones will fall off.


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## MarStephenson761 (Sep 19, 2011)

Few rhinestones are EXACTLY the same height, but they really should work fine anyway. We use a nomex heat pad if we're pressing a transfer with different sized stones. 

Or: You may have stones with inconsistent glue on the back. the glue is applied after the rhinestone is manufactured, and if your vendor doesn't have good quality control you can get a bad mix. 

Or: Is your issue on the same designs in the same spot? You may have a heat press issue..maybe a cold spot somewhere. 

Lastly, we recommend pressing at about 340F for 20-24 seconds, then flip over the shirt and give it another 5 or 6. 




snowboo said:


> Hi
> 
> I have been making some T-Shirts with horsey designs on them. However I am having loads of problems getting the hotfix rhinestones to stock. I'm using the same rhinestones from the same batch for these T-Shirts. Some T-shirts have stuck well, however others just wont stick. I'll put the transfer on the T-shirt and use our heatpress to stick it down. However some of the stones just wont stick and others don't stick very well and come off. I've been looking at the stones and some aren't all the same height, (they are all from the same batch though and I've had this problem with other batches of stones).
> I end up with T-Shirts with some stones fixed on, some coming off and others that haven't stuck at all. Doesn't seem to be the heat as some T-Shirts come out fine, others don't and I end up loosing money on the T-Shirts that have some stuck and others wont.
> ...


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## Leg cramps (Feb 9, 2009)

im at 300 for 20.


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## Rockie1 (Dec 11, 2013)

I would think it is the quality of the stones especially if you keep having these sticking problems with all of your packages


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## blingfactor (Sep 4, 2013)

I have found 340 for 24 seconds. Releasing and then another 24 seconds. I also use a cloth after and rub over the transfer sheet to make sure the stones set. I also have the pad on my heat press and it seems to make a difference. I guess everyone is different and will have different results. I still haven't found the "secret" but am still working to find that perfect application.


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## kingwoo (Mar 22, 2013)

snowboo said:


> I've been looking at the stones and some aren't all the same height, (they are all from the same batch though and I've had this problem with other batches of stones).



You have pointed the inconsistent height of the stones. Possibly it's not the only reason of heatpress failure, but it's definitely important one. If you look into the coming-off stones and find most of them are lower ones, then you'll tell it's the height difference which causes the problem.

As *MarStephenson761* said, no one can make all stones exactly the same height. But if you can see big height difference with your eyes, it will have to be quality issue (as you said it's from the same batch).

Just to repatch (and maybe it won't help), try padding a very thin pillow in the shirt and hot press again. It helps to adjust the heights.

Good luck!


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

I press at 385 for 20 sec, peel and turn inside out and press for 7 sec with the press closed but not clamped down, 
Also when pressing different size of stones use a pressing pillow or a mouse pad to give some cush to the stones and this will bring the smaller , flatter stones to the same level with a larger stone, for a equal temp on the glue.


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## Dragon Slayer (Aug 19, 2013)

I use a Teflon cover sheet on all shirts I press regardless of stone size. 

I used to have an issue with the ss16's not sticking until I started with the following:

If I have a design with ss16, ss10 and ss06, I start with light pressure at 320° for 15sec, increase my pressure dial with a 1/4 turn press 15sec, increase pressure again for 1/4 turn and press another 15sec. Peel when cool.

Turn inside out decrease pressure 1/2 a turn and press again for 15 sec.

I never have an issue with stones not sticking.

I use Shine Art's Pellosa machine cut and their Korean grade stones. Even if I have to use a wand to remove an out of place stone, I usually can reuse the stone. I have never overheated a stone so much to evaporate the glue.


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## kingwoo (Mar 22, 2013)

Standard heat pressing method all seems similar. Like 350/15, or 340/24...
But people confront with different problems when it comes to using.
Reasons can be various.

But as a truth that should be known, rhinestones are not always the same quality. The lowest defect rate I've heard of is 2%. That is there are at least 2 stones that have this or that kind of problem or defect in 100 stones.


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