# Looking to get into Rhinestone and vinyl transfers



## BRIGUY1 (Jan 3, 2012)

Hi , I have a screen printing business and looking to expand the work we do. I would like to get into rhinestone transfers and vinyl transfers. With so many plotters and software programs out there i am not sure where to begin. I saw this package on silkscreensupplies.com and just wondering if this is what I am looking for. I have a Mac Book pro with illustrator cs5 , I have read the bling it software is not compatable with a mac but my mac can switch over to a pc and run windows7. What do you guys and gals think of this package in the link below.
Rhinestone Design Kit - Bling it Premium


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## AmericanHeroCA (Dec 22, 2012)

I would skip over any packages like this and go straight for an Ioline Crystal Press II.


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## littlefatbuddy (Oct 8, 2012)

If you have an extra $4000-6000? laying around a crystal press would be the way to go. If not decide what you need and make sure the package has what you need. Sometimes there are things in them you do not need or things not included that you do. When you find one close to what you need contact that company. I have found that everyone is extremely helpful, appreciates the business, and bends over backwards to meet your needs.


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## AmericanHeroCA (Dec 22, 2012)

I personally wouldn't spend $1400 on this. I certainly would go straight to an automated system, which is an investment. Throwing $1400 at a "system" like this is not a wise business move if you plan on sticking with it and making it work. This is my advice from my experience. I certainly wish I was given the same advice before I had stuck money in to a template "system".


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## PlumCrazyGlitz (Jul 26, 2010)

Myself, I would not invest that much money in an automated system until I found out it was going be something that would fit in with with my business plan. I would want to know that I would have the business to support the expense of the machine, along with all of the supplies you will need. With an automated machine and supplies, you are looking around an $8000 investment or higher to start.. depending on which machine you purchase. My business is doing very good, but it did not happen overnight.. it took several years of getting my work out there and marketing it all the time. Some areas will pick up business quicker than others.. Now, I actually have more work than I really want.. If I had it to do all over again I would go about it the same way.. Get a good cutter and a good program. You can get going for $2000 or less, depending on the design program and the cutter you purchase.. I got started for about $500, but then upgraded to a better cutter and better software.


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## BRIGUY1 (Jan 3, 2012)

Thanks for the great advice. The thing that caught my eye with this package was the cutter more than the bling part of the package. I would like to get something with the capabilities of rhinestone transfer application as well as vinyl transfers for garments and possibly even car decals and maybe some smaller signage. Basically looking for a package that can do it all . With all the softwares and cutters I figured they wouldn't mate this stuff together if it didn't work together. If anyone has any other combos that would work for what I need please let me know. Thanks


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## BRIGUY1 (Jan 3, 2012)

PlumCrazyGlitz said:


> Myself, I would not invest that much money in an automated system until I found out it was going be something that would fit in with with my business plan. I would want to know that I would have the business to support the expense of the machine, along with all of the supplies you will need. With an automated machine and supplies, you are looking around an $8000 investment or higher to start.. depending on which machine you purchase. My business is doing very good, but it did not happen overnight.. it took several years of getting my work out there and marketing it all the time. Some areas will pick up business quicker than others.. Now, I actually have more work than I really want.. If I had it to do all over again I would go about it the same way.. Get a good cutter and a good program. You can get going for $2000 or less, depending on the design program and the cutter you purchase.. I got started for about $500, but then upgraded to a better cutter and better software.


This is my mind set, getting decent quality equipment that if its something that works out I won't have to replace right away and if it doesn't work out it would be a small investment. Every screen printing shop should have a plotter if nothing else


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## AmericanHeroCA (Dec 22, 2012)

I don't disagree with PlumCrazy. I had already been in the screen printing business for years before adding bling to the equation. For me, the clientele was already there. The response was intense from the beginning. After using templates for a month I knew I couldn't go on like that. Each person's situation is different. http://www.americanheroclothing.net


Sent from my iPhone using TShirtForums app


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## BRIGUY1 (Jan 3, 2012)

AmericanHeroCA said:


> I don't disagree with PlumCrazy. I had already been in the screen printing business for years before adding bling to the equation. For me, the clientele was already there. The response was intense from the beginning. After using templates for a month I knew I couldn't go on like that. Each person's situation is different. American Hero Clothing
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using TShirtForums app


The demand is semi there, I think I would be trying to introduce/offer to my clients more than them demanding. I deal with slot of gymnastic , dance and cheer teams and think the demand would be there if offered custom bling. I love the website by the way , there is a lot of nice stuff on there. If the demand becomes greater than templates can handle them I would upgrade to something that is more dedicated to the demand, and i can use the cutter for strictly vinyl apps.I am not afraid to spend money if money can be made.


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## PlumCrazyGlitz (Jul 26, 2010)

BRIGUY1 said:


> This is my mind set, getting decent quality equipment that if its something that works out I won't have to replace right away and if it doesn't work out it would be a small investment. Every screen printing shop should have a plotter if nothing else


We do a lot of vinyl work also, so the important thing is to get a good cutter and one that contour cuts with an optic eye.. not manual. Don't get anything less than a 24" one either. My son now does the vinyl work because it has grown so much, we do a lot of race car numbers and lettering. We do a lot of signs and car decals. We also do vinyl and rhinestones on apparel and we mix the two together on apparel. It all ties together really well.


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## DivineBling (Sep 14, 2010)

I have been in this business for over 2 years and I haven't found the justification to buy an automated machine yet. I use a vinyl cutter and templates. I can make transfers much, much faster than a Crystal Press. The other night, I had orders pouring in that needed to be completed that night. I had made extra transfers but didn't anticipate such a flood of orders and needed to make more transfers quickly. If I had to wait for the CP to make them, it would have taken forever and I wouldn't have been able to get them pressed in time. Plus, the shirts had glitter vinyl and rhinestones. If I had no cutter and just the CP, I wouldn't have been able to use the glitter vinyl. 
The CP would be cool for one offs so I wouldn't have to make a template for one shirt, but I'm not sure the cost of the CP is worth the offset. 
I tried Bling It before the software I have now. It's good but it was missing some features that I thought were important.


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## PlumCrazyGlitz (Jul 26, 2010)

Same here Stephanie.. I had so many last minute orders too. I would never have gotten them done with a CP. I have an order for 180 rhinestone decals that have a little over 1000 stones in each of them.. they are one color and each one will take me less than 5 minutes to do.. couldn't do that with a CP.


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## AmericanHeroCA (Dec 22, 2012)

Maybe that's where I'm different. I'm not a wholesaler, I'm a clothing company. For me the CP is running while I'm designing new items. To each their own and whatever works for you that's fabulous!


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## DivineBling (Sep 14, 2010)

Plus, when I have big orders like that, I pay my mom to make the transfers for me and I just heat press them. I have her a workstation and tools for her house. And because the machines put the stones down upside down, you don't get the QC that you get with manually brushing in the stones. I'm kind of neurotic about that. Lol


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## AmericanHeroCA (Dec 22, 2012)

That's great!!


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## PlumCrazyGlitz (Jul 26, 2010)

AmericanHeroCA said:


> Maybe that's where I'm different. I'm not a wholesaler, I'm a clothing company. For me the CP is running while I'm designing new items. To each their own and whatever works for you that's fabulous!


I'm not a wholesaler either.


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## AmericanHeroCA (Dec 22, 2012)

To each their own and whatever works for you that is fabulous. What I posted is from my experience.


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## BRIGUY1 (Jan 3, 2012)

DivineBling said:


> I have been in this business for over 2 years and I haven't found the justification to buy an automated machine yet. I use a vinyl cutter and templates. I can make transfers much, much faster than a Crystal Press. The other night, I had orders pouring in that needed to be completed that night. I had made extra transfers but didn't anticipate such a flood of orders and needed to make more transfers quickly. If I had to wait for the CP to make them, it would have taken forever and I wouldn't have been able to get them pressed in time. Plus, the shirts had glitter vinyl and rhinestones. If I had no cutter and just the CP, I wouldn't have been able to use the glitter vinyl.
> The CP would be cool for one offs so I wouldn't have to make a template for one shirt, but I'm not sure the cost of the CP is worth the offset.
> I tried Bling It before the software I have now. It's good but it was missing some features that I thought were important.


Which software do you use now?


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## ShaggyDog (May 28, 2012)

I have to disagree on the quality check for machines. It just different, I check from the back first to make sure all the stones have glue or are not chipped, then I flip and check the front. Quality check still exists machine or not, it is not fair to say machines users don't do quality check.


There are good cutters at an entry level, us cutter has some, the GCC cutters have a good reputation as do the Rolland and the graphtech. They all come at different price points.

Software is an ongoing debate. Price vs function. Try some of the free downloads, winpc (rhinestone designz) has one as does oobling (synergy17) see what you like. I am sure there are other free trials too.


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## Trinkets2008 (Nov 26, 2011)

Plum,

What cutter did you start out with?

Thnx


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## PlumCrazyGlitz (Jul 26, 2010)

Trinkets2008 said:


> Plum,
> 
> What cutter did you start out with?
> 
> Thnx


I started with a LaserPoint 24, didn't like it at all and now I have a ZenCutGreen 24" which is uscutter's rebranded GCC PumaIII.. I really do like it, the GCC's are a great cutter. It has an optical eye for contour cutting and I use it a lot for doing vinyl stickers that I print and then cut.


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## manninm5033 (Jun 12, 2007)

Wow, PlumCrazy, are you really licensed for all those music artists are Nascar drivers?


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## PlumCrazyGlitz (Jul 26, 2010)

manninm5033 said:


> Wow, PlumCrazy, are you really licensed for all those music artists are Nascar drivers?


I don't have 'all' the NASCAR drivers, but the ones I do have I've got authorization for. The same with the music artists I have... I do a lot of work for music artists. I believe I have a photo of Adam Lambert with one of my shirts on and signing another one...


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## DivineBling (Sep 14, 2010)

BRIGUY1 said:


> Which software do you use now?


I use OOBling Pro.


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## DivineBling (Sep 14, 2010)

PlumCrazyGlitz said:


> I don't have 'all' the NASCAR drivers, but the ones I do have I've got authorization for. The same with the music artists I have... I do a lot of work for music artists. I believe I have a photo of Adam Lambert with one of my shirts on and signing another one...


That is SO awesome! How exciting!!!


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## manninm5033 (Jun 12, 2007)

PlumCrazyGlitz said:


> I don't have 'all' the NASCAR drivers, but the ones I do have I've got authorization for. The same with the music artists I have... I do a lot of work for music artists. I believe I have a photo of Adam Lambert with one of my shirts on and signing another one...


Yes, very neat! It must be difficult getting actual licenses & legals worked out. Great opportunity for you!


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## PlumCrazyGlitz (Jul 26, 2010)

DivineBling said:


> That is SO awesome! How exciting!!!


In my other life I was the General Manager of a company in Nashville that provided security for the entertainment industry. I met and did work for a lot of music artists and got to know some quite well. So that gave me an way in there.. My husband works for one of the NASCAR team owners and is friends with a lot of the drivers.. I wear my shirts to the races and a lot of the wives/girlfriends have them.. so I have an in there also... I am really fortunate to have the contacts I have.


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## AmericanHeroCA (Dec 22, 2012)

That is very, very cool!!!


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## jasmynn (Sep 16, 2011)

@plumcrazy...cute pic.

I think most of us started out with a cutter, template and brush system. I started with a silhouette SD cutter that I paid $160 for and rstones software for $35 at the time.

As the demand grew and I started doing screen printing also, I purchased better software(Sierra Hotfix) and a 2 color decor machine. They both made life so much easier! You just have to make sure the demand is there to justify the cost (as someone else here mentioned).


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## digitizewedo (Nov 2, 2010)

Hi I am not sure where you get the prices for rhinestones and vinyl , I purchased WINPC Pro 2010 , a basic vinyl cutter which also does rhinestones, I recommend you get a cutter with the optical eye. Price range from 300 to 2500 starting market. If you go with a basic model make sure it has 3 adjustable rollers.


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