# How to count Rhinestones?!



## hls1621 (Feb 16, 2009)

I am hoping someone might have the answer to my dilemma!

I am selling rhinestones by 10 gross, which is 1,440, but it is REALLY time consuming counting them out... Does anyone know a way to do this more efficiently?

I was thinking about weighing them, but since rhinestones are so light, the count will not be precise!

What can i do?!


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## Progeny (Jul 28, 2007)

weighing them is really the only option, you will need to get more accurate scales.


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## hls1621 (Feb 16, 2009)

Thanks!

Do you know where I might be able to find one? and what it would be called?


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## billm75 (Feb 15, 2007)

check out scale discounters, I think they're on ebay. and definitely get one that does very light measurements for rhinestones. I would count out 1 gross, and weigh them , then use that as my baseline measurement


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## hls1621 (Feb 16, 2009)

Thanks Bill!

I will have to check them out. Hopefully I can find one precise enough to work for me!. I appreciate your help!

Terry,

I will send you a PM.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

One place to get pretty accurate scales is your local 'smoke shop' or marijuana dispensary or ...something like that... in California they are in most cities..


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

I used to have to "count" many, many small parts in the hundreds to receive orders off the dock. We used a scale. I'm talking little springs and screws and such.

Use a container, it will make your life easier. Get the original count perfect first, put them in the container, and weigh the container with the rhinestones. Then you have your magic number. =)

There are most definitely scales for minute weight differences. You won't want a scale that can handle 70 lbs. Scales that go high don't count small weights well. I don't remember what brand we used to "count" with, but I would look for a precision scale. 

Spend some money if you need to. Time is money, and the better/more accurate your scale, the more time you save. You'll make it back in production time gained. Good luck to you. 

If someone finds a great scale, will you post it here? I'll do the same if I see one out there.


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## hls1621 (Feb 16, 2009)

Thanks Charles and Kelly for the input!

I will be looking into the scales more tomorrow, so if I find one I will post on here.

=]


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## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

If you read the fine print from most vendors that sell rhinestones you will read that they are sorted by weight and the count will +/-. your order. 99% of the time you get a few more stones than what you ordered.

Katrina


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## debz1959 (Jul 29, 2007)

charles95405 said:


> One place to get pretty accurate scales is your local 'smoke shop' or marijuana dispensary or ...something like that... in California they are in most cities..


SSSSH! There's no such thing as a marijuana dispensary...LOL!


You can get one from a "Head Shop" or something like one. The one we have is a Pocket-Tech by Gram Precision. I don't know if this one is still made, but we've had it for over 10 years and still works wonderfully.

Anyway, it will be easier to measure in grams and not oz. Whenever I get a new product in; stones, studs, nailheads, etc...; I count out one gross and mark the weight on the inside of the lid. 

Yes, you will not get exact amounts every time. All of my items are measured by weight and not count so you will receive +/- quantity ordered.


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## lizziemaxine (Nov 14, 2007)

My hubby has a very accurate scale that he uses for reloading ammo.
Very precise for measuring lightweight stuff.


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## rhinestonetransf (Feb 11, 2009)

We use a counting scale just like they say. Enter in google counting scale and several will come up. you need one that is .005 - 3lbs.


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## hls1621 (Feb 16, 2009)

I just got a scale that measure by 0.01 and it actually works great! Not quite as precise as if it measured by .005, but it still works great!

Thanks everyone for all of you help!

Very much appreciated!


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

hls1621 said:


> I just got a scale that measure by 0.01 and it actually works great! Not quite as precise as if it measured by .005, but it still works great!
> 
> Thanks everyone for all of you help!
> 
> Very much appreciated!


Great, that's awesome, Heather. May I ask what kind, where you got it and if I may... how much did it set you back? Thanks a ton, and I hope it makes your life alot easier and faster.


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## hls1621 (Feb 16, 2009)

Kelly, I actually found it at e local head shop. The kind I invested in was by US Balance. It read by 0.01 and it was only $50!

I hope this helps!


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Thanks for sharing, Heather. =) It really does help, and it'll keep on helping as peeps read the thread in time to come. =) Best of luck with it. Sometimes the right tools can make the world of difference!!


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## allhamps (Mar 15, 2007)

Heather, if you ever need a back-up method, use a medicine spoon. The long ones that have ml and tsp marked on it with a little spoon end. They work great if your scale ever goes down and you need to measure in a hurry without counting. I set up a standard for each size stone.


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

can you share your teaspoon , tablespoon measuring with us, for 2mm and 3mm thanks, i love back up plans,,
sandyJo


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

i would think those pampered chef measuring spoons would be very helpful to this as say if you need a 1/2 tsp, you slide the thing to a 1/2 and only 1/2 can go in,,,
guys you better check your silverware drawers,,lol
sandy jo


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## allhamps (Mar 15, 2007)

I use the medicine spoon for liquid medicines and 1 gross of 3mm stones is 1.5, say 2ml. I don't have the chart in front of me so I can't remember what my 2mm stones are. I'll check later.


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## bbartel (Mar 30, 2009)

hls1621 said:


> I am hoping someone might have the answer to my dilemma!
> 
> I am selling rhinestones by 10 gross, which is 1,440, but it is REALLY time consuming counting them out... Does anyone know a way to do this more efficiently?
> 
> ...


I did a search on this website, and I'm hoping you'll be able to help. Can you tell me what 500 gross is supposed to weigh? I just ordered some from my regular supplier and the amount is much much less than what I normally get. I'm not exactly happy with who I purchase from. I even checked into ordering over seas, but am not sure I want to deal with all of the taxes, shipping, etc. I'd be interested in your pricing.


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

Counting out Rhinestones is a lil tricky, as it says 500 gross on our bags, but they are sold by weight,, 

so Here is what i do, 
I count out 1 gross, and weigh
same thing with 5 gross and so on

each bag you get, needs to be done this way when you get a new 500 gross or 1000 gross bag

all colors weight different, example the color rose actually has gold in it, so it weighs more. 

glue on different stones makes it heavier or lighter or treaments to AB stones.. 

You need a scale that weighs powder as these 4ss and 6ss tones are extremely light,, 

The biggest thing is each new bag you get, to sell rhinestones you have to open that bag and start counting,, no way around it that I have found.

mark you bag,, 
You also cannot just times that one gross by 5, 35 , 100 for different gross's, as you have a object the stones are in while measuring,, 

And make sure and measure that object first and set your scale up with the measuring device first.... 

If you can dream it, Sparkle it


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## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

sjidohair said:


> You also cannot just times that one gross by 5, 35 , 100 for different gross's, as you have a object the stones are in while measuring,


If you hit the tare button it will zero out the weight of the container you are using so you actually can do it that way. Well if you have that type of counter. I am not counting out 500 gross of stones so after I count the first 144, I mark the weight, then multiply by 500 then add a more just to be sure.

Hey SandyJo, how have you been. I Like that slogan "If you can dream it, make it sparkle"

People sure can dream up things can't they?


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

Thanks Katrina,, for the tip,, 

been great,,


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## sailorpatp (Jun 19, 2008)

I made a template for lining up straight lines for a project I was doing and made it 144 stones in a few rows. If I want to count out a gross of stones, I can just fill the template and dump it into a bag. You would need a template for each size but color would not matter and spreading them on the template helps find a bad stone or off-sized one. I don't sell stones but do count some of the more expensive ones I get just to see if I am getting shorted.


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## TheDecalWorld (Jan 18, 2009)

We have been weighing stones for a little while now. Make sure your careful with Korean and chinese. There was a big difference in weight between the 2 of the same color and same gross. Also like Sandy said the colors of the same kind could weigh different. What we did is just count out every color of a 10 gross one time. It took awhile but we are pretty accurate with all colors now. Our scale we got at a head shop as well for $22.00 and measures .1 grams.


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## zhuLiliang (Jun 15, 2010)

You can buy an electronic scale, very accurate. That is what all the shops here use. First, you can count 10gross, or 20gross for one kind of color and size, then put all of them inside a plastic bottle (like medicine bottle with cutted top) on the eclectronic scale to weight, so you can calculate the weight per gross. of course, the bottle weight must be reduced from the total weight. then weight what you need.

Different color and size has different weight. also different lot has different weight. There are the tolerance. Like ss4, deametere with 1.4-1.6, ss6: 1.9-2.00, ss16: 3.8-4.0.

Event the buyers come here to buy the rihinestones, it is same to weight what they need.


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