[iTiki]

Anyone using this system? If so, your first hand experience and opinions would be appreciated.

 

[JeridHill]

Here's a few:

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/rhinestone-decoration/t72011.html

 

[iTiki]

Thanks, I read that thread before posting (used the search button), but no one on that thread had any first hand experience except the last poster who works for Ioline. I was hoping to get some info from someone who actually owns the machine and is using it in the real world. Maybe it is too new to get any first hand reports.

 

[JeridHill]

whoops, sorry about that, maybe I misread the post.

 

[iTiki]

whoops, sorry about that, maybe I misread the post.

No problem. Thanks for pointing out the other thread in case I had missed it. I thought the Crystal Press had maybe been out long enough by now maybe a member or two would be using it. I hate being a beta tester after spending several thousand dollars on a new piece of equipment. I would like to know it is performing as expected when I buy.

 

[lizziemaxine]

No problem. Thanks for pointing out the other thread in case I had missed it. I thought the Crystal Press had maybe been out long enough by now maybe a member or two would be using it. I hate being a beta tester after spending several thousand dollars on a new piece of equipment. I would like to know it is performing as expected when I buy.

The Crystal Press has been out for at least a couple of years but I don't know anyone personally who has bought it. I've considered it because of it's small footprint and the fact that it doesn't use an air compressor to run it. But, right now it is not in my budget to buy one.

 

[sjidohair]

has anyone purchased and used one of these since the last discussions,,

any input would be good,
thanks
Sandy jo

 

[carlaod]

Yep, I bought the "new and improved" Crystal Press II. Been a bit of a bumpy road thus far, and yes, I definitely feel like a Beta Tester!! We've done less than 50 transfers and have had a "less than smooth" experience thus far.

Having said that, whenever we call, the Ioline Techs are very courteous and helpful in trying to solve the issue at hand. There's one tech that I like more than the others, and one that grates on my nerves (just a personality clash), so I tend to ask for the one I like best ~~~we tend to be on the same wavelength.

Let me also say that rhinestones are definitely a smaller, add-on to our embroidery business, so it's not the mainstay, and frankly, we haven't invested the time we need to so that we're really good at designs & layouts before we ever get to the functionality of the machine. I've watched the videos of the true professionals on this board, and they can produce WAY higher quantities in a fraction of the time that it takes me with the machine. The difference is that the Ioline works by itself producing a transfer while I'm at the embroidery machine doing the embroidery or applique on the garment at the same time....

The bottom line for me is that it was a relatively inexpensive piece of equipment from a reputable vendor that I'm already connected to (I have an Ioline 300 flatbed cutter that I use extensively in my business). In a small, 1-2 person shop, we just never seemed to have the time to make the template, fight the static, etc, but if I can put a piece of sticky paper in and press go, and it works on it's own, then I'm happy.

I'd be happy to answer more questions as I have time ~~~computer crashed a few days ago, so I'm trying to reinstall software, drivers, etc. All the data was safe, so we're thankful for that, but man, what a whipping to get everything back to leve with all the software we use!

Carla
Moonlight Threads

 

[sjidohair]

Carla
When you have time would you mind sending me a email on the model you puchased and also what you paid to get set up, minus rhinestones,

do you have to use their tape? I see it has binding on the sides,,

The site does not show prices, i sent a email to them last week with no response

thanks
Sandy jo

 

[carlaod]

Yes, you do have to use their tape, unless you want to take the time to "fix" your own tape. The tape actually runs under "pinch wheels" just like a regular vinyl cutter, so the tape is there so that the wheels don't get stuck to the transfer tape.

I think that's one of the BIG drawbacks to the machine....format & usuability of different transfer tape & associated waste because you can't change the configuration of the wheels.

I'll send you a message later with pricing.....I'm having trouble getting my email configured properly on the new computer.

Carla

 

[allhamps]

I've been holding off on posting anything because I really wanted to be fair, and I REALLY think this machine can be an asset to what I do. However, as Carla pointed out, it has been a VERY bumpy road.

• I paid for my new and improved Crystal Press II on December 22. It arrived on January 4th.
• I pulled it out of the box, read all the instructions and set it and the software up with no problems.
• I am not fond of the software, but it does have its pluses, like clear indication of stones that are too close together. However, fixing those issues does not always go smoothly. You MUST operate in a specific sequence, or all of the work you do gets lost if you don't save. THERE IS NO AUTO SAVE FEATURE AND THERE NEEDS TO BE. The software freezes on my computer in the middle of making adjustments sometimes and I have to start all over. It is however, very easy to import all of my existing designs from DAS to the crystal press format, via CorelDraw, once I understood that the CPII software doesn't always use the colors you use. For example, I had a 2 color design done in red and orange, I know, very close, and when I put it in CorelDraw to then move to CPII, the 2 separate colors were still there. Once it got to CPII software, the colors were combined, so I no longer could run it as a 2 color design. YOU CAN NOT ASSIGN COLORS TO THE STONES IN THE CPII SOFTWARE, OR MAYBE I MISSED THAT PART.
• My machine went "blind". When I first tried to use it, and I kept getting an error message that there was "something stuck to the placing tool". Well there was nothing stuck there, and I cleaned it, but still the machine could not pick up and place a stone correctly. It kept freezing up about every 4 or 5 stones with this issue on both ss06 and ss10. It wouldn't even pick up any ss16 stones. To be fair, I thought ok, maybe it's my stones, since I was not using the Ioline stones. I thought maybe my stones were too high in height, and the machine was calibrated to go down a certain distance to the transfer paper to release the stone. If it doesn't think it went down far enough, then it will think the stone is still stuck on the end. Well the guys at Ioline were very helpful and sent me a new placing tool assembly, thinking that maybe there was a glitch in the one I had. More results on that later.
• After having so many issues in the middle of trying to do a transfer, I apparently re-set the placing tool positions on the machine by pressing the RESTART button too many times. Result, I went to try a transfer and the pick tool couldn't find the sorter bowls!! I had nothing to help me understand what was going on and actually began boxing up the machine to return it. I called Ioline and they knew exactly what was wrong, helped me fix it, and the machine was back on track, sort of.
• I ordered some of Iolines rhinestones so I could test them out to see if the "something stuck to the placing tool" issue was a result of my stones being incompatibe with the system.
• The new placing tool came and I ran a 1645 ss06 stone design, using my stones, without a single issue. I then ran a 424 ss10 stone design, twice, using my stones, and again without an issue. Since then, I've been able to run several ss06 and ss10 stone designs, or combinations thereof, using my stones, without the "something is stuck to the placing tool" issue. Maybe it was the placing tool that had an issue. Still hadn't tried any ss16 stones as the stones from Ioline had not come yet, so I had nothing to compare to.
• I don't have a problem with their transfer sheets. Not crazy about the size limitations, but have figure out that I can take a sheet and cut it to attach a smaller piece to the end of one to make it long enough for say some of my designs that may go out to 14". The machine will stop and give you an error message, if it thinks the paper is about to fall off the roller, so just like with some of the cutters, you lose an inch or two on the back end when doing transfers. The good thing for me though, is that since I have my rolls of transfer paper custom cut to 15", it is very easy for me to run tape down the sides like the Ioline sheets and continue to use my own transfer tape.
• This morning I ventured to try and run a design with ss16 stones. I put in my stones and gosh darn, the dreaded "something is stuck to the tool" error appeared/happened almost immediately. I did not get the chance to change out my ss16 stones for the Ioline ss16 stones, so I'll have to reserve my feelings for how this issue will pan out until I can try the design again using their stones.

My initial opinion of the machine thus far, is that it can be a great asset to those of us who do rhinestones and don't have the space for anything larger, or those who want to add some rhinestone capability, but don't need a CAMS type machine. The problem, however, appears to be that the "new" CPII still has some issues that have not been totally worked out, and I don't like being a test dummy unless that's what I agreed to.

I'm not giving up on my CPII just yet. I'll test the Ioline ss16 stones this evening and see where I go from there. Hope I didn't put you all to sleep

 

[sjidohair]

Carol,,
Thank you for the input,, I love all your posts , you never put me to sleep..always great information.

Sandy jo
MMM

 

[My Shirt Connect]

I'm surprised they don't have videos. I wanted to see the machine in action

How long do you think it would take to make 50 transfers?

More than anything, I was wondering who would win between Sandy Jo and the machine in a rhinestone race ....

 

[DivineBling]

I'm surprised they don't have videos. I wanted to see the machine in action

How long do you think it would take to make 50 transfers?

More than anything, I was wondering who would win between Sandy Jo and the machine in a rhinestone race ....

Now that would be something to see! I think it would be viral if we videotaped it and put it on youtube! LOL

 

[sjidohair]

Brian,, i found videos of it in action,,,,

On you tube,

i dont think there was any talking,,

but here is one

YouTube - Ioline CrystalPress: Rhinestone Machine

 

[sjidohair]

I also do think we can work faster with Templates, but it would be nice to have something working for you while designing,,,, too.....

Just exploring options,,

Sandy jo
MMM

 

[DivineBling]

Looks pricey!

 

[carlaod]

Slick,

Dead on with many of the same experiences that I've had, and yes, it seems to be something somewhat (but not always) triggered by the ss16 stones.

I had the same stick issues too, and once they sent me a new stick, everything was hunky-dory for a while. I'm mad at myself that I fricked around with it as long as I did before I called. The tech seemed to diagnose the problem & tell me they would be sending a new stick before I even finished describing the problem. So, it makes me think they knew they had a problem with the sticks, so why didn't they ship new ones out to everyone right away instead of waiting for us to call in all frustrated....

I've found how to change the stone display colors in the crystal studio software but if you use certain colors for your outlines in corel before exporting to CPII, the colors will merge together in the export. Same thing happens with my Ioline 300 when I'm cutting tackle twill appliques, and in my embroidery software based on the format I use so I'm accustomed to not worrying about color as long as I know which stone is in which bowl.

As far as a race, it would depend on the number of colors and complexity of the design, but I think Sandy Jo would win, hands down, no contest.

Carla

 

[sjidohair]

Please make sure and keep us updated on your machines guys,,

When you import a eps file it reads it in the ioline software,,
so that is good,, from corel.

Carol,, have you imported das or funtime at all?

What file format does it take?

 

[sjidohair]

for multi color designs, could you rip the colors apart first and send the one color at a time to the machine?

would it stay on the same design and piece of transfer tape or would it treat it as a whole new design?

and try to make a new transfer with each color you import seperate..?

MMM