Thread: Dude! Do I need a bedazzler?

Seriously. Do I need a bedazzler? I attach rhinestones - usually 20ss or 34ss with tiffany settings so the prongs go up through the fabric, you set the stone in then I clamp them down with flat nose pliers. Am I nuts? Is this what bedazzler does? Does anyone have experience with one? Can you tell me what it's all about?
I am really not into rim settings. Just tiffany settings.

The bedazzler I have just sets rimmed stones. Not quite the look you are going for with the costumes. Or at least, it would certainly give a different look. I wish there was a cross between hand done, hot fix and bedazzling.

I just googled and found that you can do tiffany settings but you have to do it through the wrong side of the fabric. I just wonder if it would be faster than doing it by hand and I think not. Tiffany settings are a very classy way to attach rhinestones.

I had the Ronco Rhinestone & Stud Setter (the precursor to the Bedazzler) when I was younger. I did a lot of crafting, so I wasn't an incompetent kid, but I always found it difficult to get the embellishments lined up the way I wanted with the prongs evenly engaged. You didn't have to be off by much to end up with a poor result, which (if you were lucky and didn't ruin the prongs the first time) required a personalized trip around the prongs with a pliers. There is also an element of having to worry about introducing runs in the fabric, because the device isn't as careful as you would be when feeding the prongs through the fabric--and if you don't get it right and you're a perfectionist, you may be attempting the same spot more than once.

As Nebula mentioned, the rhinestones that are sold with those machines today have bezel settings (prongs on wrong side), so they are functionally the same as nailheads. Per my results on the earlier device, I couldn't line up the nailheads very well, so it goes without saying it wasn't any easier to split the pieces on opposite sides of the fabric to line up tiffany settings. Personally, my advice is that if you can get one at a yard sale for a couple of bucks and play around with it, it wouldn't be a terrifying waste of money, but otherwise, I wouldn't invest in one. I predict you'll give up on it and go back to the old way. What you're doing now allows you to have the quality control you want for your costumes. I wouldn't bet more than a nickel that the Bedazzler would do the same for you.

bedazzlers suck when it comes to making bellydance costumes ( i already tried it lol) the best way is the one that takes the longest time...sewing them by hand. I second Nebulas comment- i wish there was a new invention that could do all three. id buy it in a heart beat!

i have the commercial version. got it at berger beads downtown la. worth every penny. works really well so long as the prongs of the settings are long enough for the thickness of your fabric. for the amount of work you do, you should probably get the commercial grade applicator.

how much does a commercial one cost? can you post a pic?

In theory bedazzlers are great but as mentioned already, they fall short in reality. This commercial version though... That sounds intriguing.

I'm also curious about the commercial version! Where do you get such a thing?

Originally Posted by jordonezbellydance

how much does a commercial one cost? can you post a pic?

i can't post a pic of mine cause it's in storage at the moment (yes, a costuming sin!) i got it in the mid 90's and it was around $40 wholesale. it looks kinda like a giant metal stapler, the old school kind.

mine kinda looks like this, but its larger, very heavy to avoid slippage, not painted and the top is a more rounded arm to facilitate more fabric clearance...but you get the idea. solid cast metal that you can put some torque on. no plastic

Originally Posted by Nathara

I'm also curious about the commercial version! Where do you get such a thing?

berger beads in los angeles...near eshta ;)
you've gotta find the sweet spot with these. too little pressure and the prongs aren't fully pressed down. too much pressure and you crush the rhinestone, grinding broken glass into your costume :(

oooh thanks i want one!

Thanks! I am buddies with the manager at Berger. I show him costumes in progress all the time. I will ask him for a demonstration and see if it's worth it. I am only into it if it takes less than 5 seconds to do a stone.

Originally Posted by eshtabellydance

Thanks! I am buddies with the manager at Berger. I show him costumes in progress all the time. I will ask him for a demonstration and see if it's worth it. I am only into it if it takes less than 5 seconds to do a stone.

keep us updated! would love to know the final verdict.