Machine: GemFix 3050
From Tajiservi
Pete Williams
Production manager
Tell us a bit about your business
We are the largest supplier of embellished headwear in the UK, and also offer a wide range of plain stock and bespoke styles. In-house, we provide flat and 3D embroideries on stocked caps and beanies as well as scarves, gloves and other accessories. We also have factories overseas that can make, from scratch, fully bespoke items where your imagination is the limit.
What rhinestoning machine do you have and when did you buy it?
We have acquired the GemFix 3050. We purchased it from a company in Portugal called Tajiservi in March this year. We went to Tajiservi to look at Cad-Cut laser machines and noticed this other option. After many discussions we decided it would make a rather interesting addition to our growing list of application processes.
What’s it like to use?
Having only had it for a very short period, all I can say it that it is completely different to the embroidery machines I have become accustomed to. It takes a lot of testing to get the correct pressure required to apply the stone combined with the right amount of time on the heater to melt the glue that sticks it to the hat. My advice? Practise – a lot!
We’ve also had to purchase a piece of software called Gem by Pulse. This works in a very similar way to our current embroidery software; however, it creates stone designs in which we can adjust the stone size, stone placement etcetera.
Is there anything you dislike about it or would like to see in an upgrade?
There is nothing about it I dislike except we have to have a compressor attached that makes a bit of a racket from time to time when it charges up. In terms of upgrades, I reckon the only way to improve it would be to have the capacity for a variable pressure as it can be a bit of a nuisance changing it manually.
What sort of jobs will it be used for?
As it’s a single-head machine it will mainly be used to do small quantity jobs for the more retail side of our business.
Will you be using it in conjunction with other machines or processes?
We currently have eight multi-head embroidery machines and a single head embroidery machine we use for samples. The rhinestone machine will be able to work on its own or side-by-side with the embroidery machines, adding stone embellishment to caps post-embroidery.
What’s your advice to others thinking of buying a rhinestone machine?
My advice would be make sure you have an outlet for the product as it needs a fairly specific audience if it is to make you any money.
After many discussions we decided it would make a rather interesting addition to our growing list of application processes
DIRECT APPLICATION
The GemFix 3060 applies rhinestones directly on to material by ultrasonic welding. It can be operated manually or automatically. Garments or hats in embroidery or cap frames can be taken from the embroidery machine and placed directly on the GemFix, which has either two or four stone feeders.
