A Digital Printing Network

Rhinestones

Ok I was going to post that I am leaving this industry - but I talked myself off of the ledge. I have taken a new position where I think I will start pushing folks off of the ledge. So you are asking "Y".

I just attended Roland Webinar on GX24 and Rwearstudio. This is my second webinar on Rhinestones - the first being Total Graphic Network. After attending the 1st I seen that doing stones manually is not the way to go so I purchased the Ioline Crystal Press - a good 6k plus. My life has now lost and will never recapture - the 2 hours in seminars, the countless hours in doing stones manually, the 6k plus for the IO-CP and all the hours wasted on that beta machine. How bad is the CP - they are now demoing CO-II at Orlando and that is less than a year since I brought my machine. They knew it was crap when they brought it to market. They had me do a 1 on 1 with a trainer and after 15 minutes he had to contact them and get back to me. I have been waiting 9 months. So let's' get to today - yes - I am skipping Total Graphics Network - because I refuse to waste anymore of my life on them.

Today - Ok I should know by now that webinars are sales pitches - I should - but I was really, really hoping that I was going to be able to wow! - But no - I am saying Whoa! I could have sworn it was a Rwearstudio webinar. The presenter was Dana Curtis. For those not familiar with him, he is like a guru at roland and I have taken both beginners and advance roland classes with him. A great instructor and very open to dialogue. We lean on him with many of your issues and he is the color management guru - I am trying to mention no other names here. To not make this post to long - lets just say this. If you want to get into stoning, then you better see what your process can do from design to press before you invest. I failed miserably more than once at this. You will never see any of them brush the stones into those templates. Why that is the difficult part. To do a demostration and push one product, while you are using a product from a totally different place - that is unacceptable - but done often. No weeding tools, No equipment to mount the template, No stones to sweep, but why are we doing this again.

I am just saying this, no matter what you want to do in this industry - you get yourself a good file - whether stitches, vector art, or a raster image. You take that to whoever you are considering to do business with and say "here is what I want done - let me see your equipment make it happen - in front of me." At the shows - people are pushing stuff that was not done by the machines they are selling or cannot be reproduce without other variables being brought into play.

So while some of you think I am complaining about wasting my time today, no I am not for here is the saving grace. Being a GX 24 user for over 2 years - I learned some things about it that I did not know it can do. Thank You.

PM me for any further details.

I am not tagging this post because I do not want to make it too easy to find. If anyone want to learn how to find things whether you are a member or not - next time you SEE me and we have a computer just ask.

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Permalink Reply by William Desrochers on February 9, 2011 at 3:36pm

RTA short for Ready To Apply. Motifs is the "stones" Rhinestone design.

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Permalink Reply by Kathy MacMannis on February 9, 2011 at 5:54pm

Ahhhhhh gotcha!

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Permalink Reply by CYW on February 9, 2011 at 6:55pm

I guess I'm the oddball then.
Anything that will help me automate my job and not demand my undivided attention.......I'm all over it.
For instance, I'd much rather run 45 minute appliqué on my machines than doing 5 minute jobs.
I hoop the garment, press start and off I go. I'll be back in 40 minutes.
With 5 minute jobs, I'm tied to the machines. Same with weeding or pressing, you can't do anything else.
On the other hand while the VC is printing, I could be placing orders, designing artwork, cutting twill.
I'm a multi-tasker ......can't sit still.
In my mind, even if the stone setter took twice as long, at least I got more than one job accomplished simultaneously.
Different strokes for different folks.
Or maybe I'm just so disorganized that I'd never get anything done if I had to do it all, one thing at a time!?&*
LOL

Diane

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Permalink Reply by William Desrochers on February 10, 2011 at 5:53am

Automation is good in alot of applications. We're comparing the Crystal Press (which is a vinyl cutter but instead of cutting vinyl it places stones on a transfer sheet) to manually placing them on a template. If I had a job to out put 50 pcs, it would be done within the hour doing it the manually way. Instead of having to come back and reload the crystal press every 10-15+ minutes.

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Permalink Reply by irving donaldson on February 13, 2011 at 8:54pm

thanks all for the input - I will make my invest work, I will make my investment work - Ok I do not believe yet - but I will not bore you while I click my heels.

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Permalink Reply by Kathy MacMannis on February 13, 2011 at 9:28pm

Irv, I've found that along with clicking your heels you have to then spin around 3 times while clucking like a chicken, works for me every time :-)

Kathy

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Permalink Reply by irving donaldson on February 13, 2011 at 11:50pm

Leave me alone - crazy lady - having work location check for missing meds - miss those days of going to the ER.

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Permalink Reply by Kathy MacMannis on February 14, 2011 at 9:14am

Love you too Irv! ..... Happy Valentines day :-)

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Permalink Reply by irving donaldson on February 14, 2011 at 9:39am

Thanks much - back 2 ya :-))))))))))))))))

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Permalink Reply by Dana Curtis on February 22, 2011 at 10:24am

Very kind words, Irv, thank you. These webinars are free for registered owners and we hold them twice a month. You can register for free here with your serial number:

http://www.rolanddga.com/training/workshops/detail.aspx?cid={24b20f...

Any registered Roland owner with any Roland device can currently watch any webinar they like. So if you're looking to expand your product offering or just want to know more about Roland applications, we invite anyone to attend. The webinar that Irv mentioned regarding Rhinestones for GX-24 should be available soon for download.

Best Regards,

Dana

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Permalink Reply by Alan Bowman on April 4, 2011 at 3:50pm

Good blog I'm thinking of getting a Roland Versacamm will be taking my own images with me thanks

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Permalink Reply by irving donaldson on April 4, 2011 at 4:00pm

Thanks Alan - you need to be an informed shopper these days. Once you get it home - if the surprise is on you - then it is too late. I now want to see what is behind the curtain.