How to Start a Stamp Collection

Stamps are a necessary facet for the delivery of physical items in our modern postal service. However it was not always so. Prior to the introduction of the 'Penny Black' in 1840s Britain, recipients had to pay for the delivery of any post. The cost was determined according to the number of pages sent and the distance transversed.

Pre-paid adhesive Stamps were in fact the brainchild of Rowland Hill in his 1837 proposal to reform the British Postal System. Little did he realize then that his invention would become one of the most popular hobbies in the modem world.

The attraction of stamp collection is multi faceted. From a hobby perspective it illuminates people's understanding of diverse cultures, events and dialects. There is the pleasure obtained from collecting beautiful miniature pieces of art and the thrill of collecting rare and valuable pieces.

5 Key steps in beginning your stamp collection include;

Step One: New or Used Stamps
The fist decision a stamp collector must make is whether to focus on used stamps, unused / mint stamps or a collection of both. Initially it is advisable to commence collecting used stamps. These are readily available, inexpensive and will give you a feel for the hobby.

Commence by removing stamps from your received mail. Please note it is often more valuable to collect the entire envelope due to a unique postmark date. Ask your friends, family and any over seas relatives to send you their stamps. This will provide the impetus for a diverse collection at low cost.

Step Two: Select a Theme
It would not be feasible to intend on accumulating a complete worldwide collection of stamps. Such a collection would be very expensive to acquire and require storage for thousands of volumes. For this purpose collectors focus on small definitive niches encapsulating time periods, particular countries, topicals or types of stamps.

These niches vary from pictorials and commemorative stamps to topicals such as; Olympics, space, famous people, animals, birds, sports and a whole lot more besides.

Your choice will most often be dictated by your interests. Concentrate your collection on that which you would be excited to own.

Step Three: Purchase Stamp Collecting Equipment & a Stamp Collection Catalog
When starting out it is essential to buy a good catalog / album. Stamp catalogs and reference guides are full of useful data on stamp collection history and on individual stamps themselves. These guides provide useful data including essential stamp particulars and book value. It is advisable to get a catalog with the Scott numbering system. It is not necessary to buy the latest most expensive catalog or albums, those which are 4/5 years old will suffice for the purpose intended.

Other necessary stamp collecting equipment includes; stamp thongs, magnifying glass, archival stock book, and if you are very serious stamp collecting software.

These items enable a serious stamp collector to better examine their collection and preserve the stamps for years to come.

Step Four: Find a Reputable Dealer and Buy Stamps online

When you have become comfortable with the fundamentals of stamp collection and feel ready to purchase, visit your local stamp dealer (see newspaper classifieds) and purchase a stack of assorted used stamps. This will cover a diverse range of topics and provide hours of enjoyment in sorting and categorizing your collection.

Join online stamp auction sites such as eBay.com and bid at stamp auctions or philatelic exhibitions. Take your time, get educated, ask lots of questions and make informed buying decisions.

When purchasing stamps online you need to specify whether they are by 'approval' or 'want list'. Approval refers to a situation whereby a dealer sends the collector assorted stamps and they then decide which to retain. A 'Want List' refers to a situation whereby the dealer checks if requested stamps are in stock and quotes prices for specified stamps the collector wants to collect.

Step Five: Join a Stamp Collecting Club and Get involved in online forums
The very best way to learn about the great hobby of stamp collection is by taking part in interactive online forums and by joining local stamp collecting clubs. You will then benefit from the accumulated knowledge of seasoned stamp collectors. They will be able to answer your questions and ensure your hobby is enjoyable rather than frustrating due to any learning curve.

Tag : stamps,stamp collection,photo stamps,old stamps

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_O'_Flynn

How To Store Sort And Soak Stamps

One of the most exciting ways to collect stamp is to process them while they are still attached to envelopes. It's a little like detective work, and doing so is pretty fun and exciting. However, if you are careless in processing your stamps from the envelopes, you could very well damage them. And you know what they say, damaged stamps are worthless stamps.

If you are one of the countless stamp collectors that derive much pleasure from soaking and mounting stamps yourself, you will want to learn the proper way of processing stamps.

First of all, you have to collect all the envelopes with their stamps attached. Some of this mail will come from your mailbox. The others you can collect form neighbors and friends - having a foreign correspondence won't hurt (plus they use stamps not readily available from where you're from. But at least be sincere with your correspondence!).

You may then want to sort or organized them before and after soaking. Get your tools ready for the soaking and mounting process - your stamp tongs, scissors, and a saucer with lukewarm water, towels, and such.

Now, take an envelope and cut the envelope around the area around the stamp. Make sure you leave enough space so that it is easier to handle the stamp. You can then place the stamp along with the paper it is stuck too - reasonable trimmed by your earlier action - on the saucer of water. Make sure you put the stamp in with its front facing up. If possible avoid having the stamp getting damp on the face.

Also, avoid putting too many stamps in the saucer at the same time. The purpose of soaking the stamps is so that the stamp gum dissolves. However, the gum also can cause the stamps in the saucer to stick to each other if they are not properly spaced.

Make sure you use lukewarm water. Hot water can cause the color of the stamp to spread or stain. Now, place the stamps on a towel face-down. Use a pair of stamp tongs to separate the envelope paper from the stamps. Although using a newspaper is fine, try avoiding paper that has colored ink on it as may stain the stamp.

Let the stamps dry. It may take a while and they may end up curled and wrinkled. Do not fear, however, since the next step will take care of that problem. When the stamps are completely dry, place them flat in any book. Telephone directories do well for this. Just make sure the book does not have colored ink to stain the stamp. This step should take a few days. Make sure, that you remove them immediately as paper contains acid that could damage your stamp.

When you are ready to store your stamps, you will need a stamp album. This is where you store your stamps and should be the centerpiece among your tools. A good stamp album protects your stamps against chemicals, the elements, dust and dirt. This is probably the piece of equipment you will want to invest a better deal of money in. Shop around and compare products well before choosing a stamp album for purchase.

A good album will allow for the stamps to be laid flat and safe from damage. Use stamp tongs to deal when placing the stamps in your album.

For stamps which you will not place in your album - duplicates, or those that you plan to give away, use glassine envelopes. Glassine envelopes are great way to keep stamps temporarily. They also serve as transit storage for your stamps - a place to put them before mounting them in your collection. Avoid using paper envelopes as they have a high acid content that could very well damage your stamps. These envelopes also make a great container when mailing or giving stamps to other people.

In all, stamp collecting can be a fascinating experience for those who do it properly. As you build your stamp soaking, and mounting skills, you will better appreciate the beauty and the history of stamps. You may, as you go on, opt to purchase more specialized tools and equipment to keep your stamp collection in tip-top shape. But in any case, the knowledge of these basic stamp processing skills is integral to any stamp collector's hobby efforts.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/collecting-articles/how-to-store-sort-and-soak-stamps-795574.html

Wedding Postage Stamp Ideas

Imagine the smile that will cross your mother-in-law's face when she sees you and your fiancee's own smiling faces beaming back up at her from the corner of the wedding invitation. Now that's a personal invitation! It's no wonder that personalized postage stamps have become so popular. If you'd like to create your own custom postage stamps we have reviews of several sites at which you can do so here at CustomPostagePros.com, but before you check out those articles, I have a few suggestions that might help you come up with the perfect idea for a wedding postage stamp.

Of course, the standard portrait that I just mentioned is one fine option. They're going to want to come to the wedding to see you two enter bliss together, so it makes sense to give them an up close and personal preview of your happiness. What if you took it a step further though? If you had planned well enough or were plain lucky enough to get a photograph taken as the proposal on bended knee was taking place, how wonderful would that be as a postage stamp? You could even put the photo within a heart-shaped border with a cute caption like "She said YES!" or something along those lines. I know I'd break into a broad grin if I saw that on an invitation from two of my good friends.

Another idea is to incorporate the wedding postage stamp with the rest of your wedding invitation. So if you haven't decided all the details of your invitation yet I'd hold off on creating your customized postage stamp just yet. Even if you decide to go with one of the above options you could still do it such that the border color and font of the text on the stamp matched the theme of your invitation and wedding.

Another option for the photo postage stamp would be a view of where the actual wedding is going to take place. Then the stamp ends up being like a small window into the future that your guests will be arriving into, and opening up the invitation will serve as their tickets and itinerary for the event. Whatever you do decide, I think you can see that the opportunity that the websites where you can create your own wedding postage stamps give you is hard to pass up. Adding this little personalized postage stamp to your invitations may not be missed if it's not there, but if it is it will bring with it that extra touch of joy to your special day.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/marriage-articles/wedding-postage-stamp-ideas-442805.html

How To Emboss With Rubber Stamps

If you like to use rubber stamps to personalize cards and letters then you will love to emboss using rubber stamps. This technique adds extra elegance to your cards, letters, and artwork.

It’s not difficult to learn how to emboss with rubber stamps. The materials that you need to start are simple and inexpensive to obtain. But the results are astounding. You obviously need rubber stamps, but also an embossing ink stamp pad, embossing powder, an embossing heat gun, and of course something to stamp on.

The first thing you do is stamp your design onto the material you are using with a slow drying pigment ink pad. Make sure that the entire stamp is covered with ink. Don’t rock the stamp when you place it onto your paper since this may blur the lines. You need to press down all over the stamp to ensure that the design is completely transferred and you get the perfect image.

Once the image has been transferred sprinkle embossing powder onto the image and then gently tap off the excess and remove any stray flecks from the paper with a dry paintbrush. This embossing powder comes from ultra fine to tinsel as well as in a variety of colors as does the pigment ink. The powder also comes in different compositions such as metallic powder in gold, silver, or bronze, and glitter powder. This adds a rich color to your artwork and looks really effective. For these metallic powders to really stand out, you can use them with clear ink, or if you use colored ink you can produce effects such as tinted copper.

The final step to produce thermal embossed art is to use your heat tool to direct hot air onto the embossing powder, which will melt and produce the thermal embossed effect in the shape of the image that you stamped. The best way to do this is to use a heat gun as this creates the most even, glossy effect. Around the home you can try to use a toaster or oven but you will have to be careful not to scorch the material you are using. It is therefore worth investing in a proper heat gun, especially if you plan to emboss a lot.

Since there are so many different colors and compositions of ink and embossing powder to use, you are able to personalize each piece of artwork. For example, if you wish to celebrate a friend’s wedding or the christening of a child you might want to use pearlescent powder, which produces a beautiful pastel effect. However, a card for a child’s birthday may need to be bright and colorful so you may wish to use metallic and glitter effect embossing powders to produce a dramatic but fun result.

The more you emboss using rubber stamps the more you will create a unique style with the colors of ink and type of embossing powder that you use. After all, the fun part of crafting is not being afraid to experiment so that you create your own unique artwork!

Published At: www.Isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=46411&ca=Arts+and+Crafts

US Photo Stamps

What do George Washington, the bald eagle, the US flag, a heart-shape, and Elvis Presley all have in common?

They have all been featured on US postage stamps at one time or another.

But did you know that you can design your own US photo stamps? Contrary to common belief, we aren't stuck with only the limited selection of stamp designs offered by the US Postal Service. Yes, you can design your own custom stamps, and you can print your own stamps. Right from your own printer, from the comfort of your own home or office, instantly!

The US Postal Service has approved the printing of your own customized postage stamps at home as long as you purchase your postage online through one of their authorized dealers.

All you need, in order to print out your own US photo stamps are the following:

- A computer with Internet access

- A metered weighing scale

- A printer (color is optional, black and white is okay)

- Adhesive label printing paper

Whether you take a picture with a digital camera, design it your own graphic, your own logo, or download an image of the Internet, creating your own US photo stamps is very easy. Once you design what your stamp looks like, the next step is to weigh your package or envelope on the weighing scale. Then you input all the information about your shipment directly online: the sender and recipient's mailing addresses, the weight of the package, the delivery method (first class, priority mail, express mail, or media mail), any delivery options (certified mail, delivery confirmation, or insurance). Then you pay for the stamp online (or the value of the stamp gets deducted from a prepaid balance). Finally, your print it out and affix the adhesive label to your package.

That's all there is to it. It doesn't get any simpler than this!

Sign up for a 4-week risk-free trial and you can start to print your own postage online today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Howard_Klein

How To Emboss With Rubber Stamps

If you like to use rubber stamps to personalize cards and letters then you will love to emboss using rubber stamps. This technique adds extra elegance to your cards, letters, and artwork.

It’s not difficult to learn how to emboss with rubber stamps. The materials that you need to start are simple and inexpensive to obtain. But the results are astounding. You obviously need rubber stamps, but also an embossing ink stamp pad, embossing powder, an embossing heat gun, and of course something to stamp on.

The first thing you do is stamp your design onto the material you are using with a slow drying pigment ink pad. Make sure that the entire stamp is covered with ink. Don’t rock the stamp when you place it onto your paper since this may blur the lines. You need to press down all over the stamp to ensure that the design is completely transferred and you get the perfect image.

Once the image has been transferred sprinkle embossing powder onto the image and then gently tap off the excess and remove any stray flecks from the paper with a dry paintbrush. This embossing powder comes from ultra fine to tinsel as well as in a variety of colors as does the pigment ink. The powder also comes in different compositions such as metallic powder in gold, silver, or bronze, and glitter powder. This adds a rich color to your artwork and looks really effective. For these metallic powders to really stand out, you can use them with clear ink, or if you use colored ink you can produce effects such as tinted copper.

The final step to produce thermal embossed art is to use your heat tool to direct hot air onto the embossing powder, which will melt and produce the thermal embossed effect in the shape of the image that you stamped. The best way to do this is to use a heat gun as this creates the most even, glossy effect. Around the home you can try to use a toaster or oven but you will have to be careful not to scorch the material you are using. It is therefore worth investing in a proper heat gun, especially if you plan to emboss a lot.

Since there are so many different colors and compositions of ink and embossing powder to use, you are able to personalize each piece of artwork. For example, if you wish to celebrate a friend’s wedding or the christening of a child you might want to use pearlescent powder, which produces a beautiful pastel effect. However, a card for a child’s birthday may need to be bright and colorful so you may wish to use metallic and glitter effect embossing powders to produce a dramatic but fun result.

The more you emboss using rubber stamps the more you will create a unique style with the colors of ink and type of embossing powder that you use. After all, the fun part of crafting is not being afraid to experiment so that you create your own unique artwork!

Published At: www.Isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=46411&ca=Arts+and+Crafts

Poinsettia Rubber Stamps - The Perfect Stamp For Christmas

Poinsettia rubber stamps are becoming one of the most popular stamps to purchase around Christmas time. They can be used to create stunning Christmas card ideas and can also be used when creating Christmas scrapbook page layouts.

Typically a poinsettia has red, pink or white leaves and a green stork. Due to a Mexican legend the poinsettia is associated with Christmas. It is said that many years ago a young child wanted to give a gift to Christ on Christmas eve but had no money. The child picked some weeds that were growing by the side of the road. After taking the weeds to church and placing them there the child told the congregation that god should gratefully receive the gift as it was given with love. The weeds bloomed into beautiful red and green flowers and the congregation felt that they had seen a miracle.

Poinsettia rubber stamps can come in a variety of sizes. Respectively the price will depend on the size of the stamp itself and more often than not the larger the stamp the higher the price.

One of the great things about Poinsettia rubber stamps are that you can use them to create beautiful decoupage images. Simply stamp the image more than once and decorate as you wish. The next step is to cut out extra leaves and apply them by using 3d foam pads.

Poinsettia rubber stamps are usually quite large. If you are using this design for your Christmas card making ideas then generally having this image on the front of the card is more than enough and will need very little further accessories to finish it off.

Poinsettia rubber stamps can also be used to create stunning background papers for either card making or scrapbooking. Experiment with different stamping techniques to see which one you like you best. By adding a few bits of ribbon and maybe some glitter soon you will have some stunning original designs that will really stand out and also keep with the Christmas theme.

When purchasing poinsettia rubber stamps or any stamps for that matter always check that the quality is good and there are no defects with the stamp. Also double check that the image has been mounted onto to the wooden block correctly and is in line with the image on the top of the wood. Occasionally when stamps are made the image on the top does not match the image underneath causing many problems when trying to line the print up.

To keep your poinsettia rubber stamps in pristine condition it is vital that you clean them after every use. Always remember to store them away from sharp objects to avoid any of the rubber being damage as this will affect the image when printing.

About the Author

Vicki Churchill writes for a site that specializes in Card Making Ideas also providing you with excellent tips and ideas for Poinsettia Rubber Stamps and why they are traditional for christmas.

Article Directory: http://www.articlerich.com

Date Stamp Transcript Embossers

Schools, universities, and many government agencies have a great need for date stamp transcript embossers. These machines can help emboss documents at a rate that would make manual embossing impossible. Most of the machines can make over 2,000 perfect embosses in an hour with a single touch of the date stamp transcript embosser or by a step of the foot pedal.

These date stamp transcript embossers come with the state seal, text, and even custom seals that have artwork, for an additional cost. It is possible to emboss a single sheet and two-part carbonized forms of organizations. The date stamp transcript embosser is perfect for use on certificates, diplomas, and legal papers. All that has to be done to initiate the process is to place the paper to be embossed into the date stamp transcript embosser. You can set the trigger mechanism of the date stamp transcript embosser to stamp at the same depth consistently and accurately. If required, you can also get optional guide shelves that allow for the exact positioning of the document or certificate every time you have to emboss them.

There are various accessories that come with date stamp transcript embossers; you can opt for a foot pedal or push button stamping, visual counter, security lock and the extension trigger. The newer models of date stamp transcript embossers now emboss a raised seal into a document while printing a combination of signature, date, title, and any additional text in a single go. With this, you cannot only emboss the date on these important documents, you can also sign, validate, and certify these certificates.

Most of the date stamp transcript embossers come with an interchangeable die clip to give the user a choice of three seal sizes. With these different pressure settings, it is possible to execute three pressure settings on various paper stocks. These embossing can be imprinted within 4.5? of the edge of the document. With skid-proof rubber feet, the date stamp transcript embosser also protects your desktop and ensures the stability of the machine.

Date Stamps provides detailed information on Date Stamps, Date Stamp Kits, Custom Date Stamps, Electronic Date Stamps and more. Date Stamps is affiliated with Email Stationery.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_Marlborough

Where To Use Custom Wedding Stamps

Custom wedding stamps allow you to create a memorable look to your wedding invites. These are stamps the post office does accept and they do work very well for those who are looking for a way to create something extra special on their invites. Look at all of your options – you may even find that your options are more than you think. With so many options, you may want to buy a few to use for your entire wedding. The question is, when should you use them?

When to Use Stamps

There are numerous occasions when you will need to communicate with others regarding your wedding. Any of these times are great occasions to use personalized, custom wedding stamps. Here are some ideas to take into consideration.

• Use custom wedding stamps for your wedding announcements. This is often the first time you will communicate with your family and friends about your upcoming wedding. Make it special with these stamps.

• Use them for your save the date cards. These communicate with your guests when your wedding is approaching. It is one of the best ways for you to give out the first information about your wedding. stamps here can be formal or very fun, depending on your overall theme.

• Do use them for your bridal shower invites, too. This is a great way for you to bring your first theme through. You can use the stamps to help you to do that. Choose a stamp with your theme on it, or something that works well with it.

• Choose to use the more formal and elegant custom wedding stamps on your wedding invites. This is perhaps the most important place to use them since you want to convey a formal image, or at least make an impression on those you are inviting.

• After the wedding is said and done, it is still a good idea to write thank you notes to your loved ones who came to your wedding or gave a gift. Use a photo wedding stamp here, one that shows a picture of the two of you on the honeymoon or at the wedding.

There are many ways that you can use wedding stamps for your wedding. The key is just to use them where and when you see fit. You really cannot over use them, so do consider using them for every step of the wedding process.

How Self Inking Stamps Support Modern Business Practices

If you have ever worked as a receptionist, secretary or any position in an office setting, you know the most important drawer of your desk is the one that holds all the stamps. You know the one that I am talking about; it has at least seven different custom made stamps all having an integral part in the business dealings that go. There is the one to approve certain documents, the one for mailing out letters, the one that acts as the president's signature and the ones that help identify invoices. They are all important, but none as important as the self inking stamp.

In most cases one is using self inking stamps. They are taken for granted that we don't even notice them and we also don't think about the time they save us. As you press down the self inking stamp the pad rotates to the faceplate of the stamp. Then they have a brief moment of togetherness and then their affair is cut short as the faceplate slams into the paper, leaving its mark. By this means we have eliminated a step in the stamping process that saves us a valuable amount of time.

You can get custom self inking stamps at such low cost that they are more valuable to your company than most of your employees, (well, maybe only at the companies I have worked for). They are an integral part of the business world, helping to promote organization as well as efficiency. Three ways that self inking stamps can help your business:

1. Self inking stamps improve your organization. Mostly you can buy self inking stamps in at least three different colors - red, blue or black. So you can easily and quickly see where the document belongs.

2. They can reduce mess and clutter on your desk or in your drawer. Without the messy inkpad to worry about, there are no smudges or spills to clean up.

3. Self inking stamps save you a valuable amount of time. By saving the unnecessary movement with your arm to the inkpad you cut the time it takes to stamp your paper in half.

This small device can make a big impact on the professionalism of your business. It can improve your organization, your efficiency and the overall appeal that you will have with your clients. For these reasons alone, it is well worth the tiny investment in these devices.

Self inking stamps can also be used creatively.

Well, it is easier now than ever! You can have these stamps customized for whatever need you can think of. Perhaps you are a teacher and would like a new and personal way to tell your students that they have done a great job. Perhaps it is a family members birthday, and you want to tell them how much you love them. Whatever your needs are, these stamps can be customized to fit them.

Creating Rubber Stamps: Not All Methods Created Equal (Part 2 Of 3)

Welcome back! In part one of this three-part series, the advantages and disadvantages of laser-engraved rubber stamps were discussed. As discussed in the first article, although laser engraving has a high start-up cost, its quality and efficiency are second to none. In this segment, you will learn the benefit and fallbacks of a photoengraving stamp-making method.

Making a rubber stamp through a chemical or photopolymer process will also require significant start-up costs. Depending on the equipment capabilities, quality, or size, a photopolymer stamp-making kit may cost anywhere from $400-$4000. This process requires a significant amount of labor and tends to have a higher turnaround time.

The first step of the photopolymer process involves creating a negative of the image to be engraved. To begin, create or obtain a completely black graphic on a completely white background. If the graphic has colors, save or convert it to a monochrome or two-color format. A simple graphics editor, such as Paint (which automatically comes with a Windows OS) will allow the user to “Save As” and choose a “Save as type” as “Monochrome Bitmap.” This will convert the colored graphic into a black-and-white bitmap file. Once the image is completely black and white, using a graphics editor (again, Paint will work), invert the colors. This will create a white image on a black background.

Turnaround time for a rubber stamp will vary greatly, as this variable is contingent on the creation of a metal plate. If you are creating stamps for fun, you will need to have enough graphics to fill both a metal plate and a matrix (mold) board. The metal plate and matrix board can be made on a partial board; however, this is not an efficient use of materials and may make for uneven molds and/or stamps. If maximum efficiency is desired, enough graphics will need to be obtained to create a full metal plate. Additionally, the photopolymer process does not allow small businesses to make custom rubber stamps efficiently, as these rubber stamps tend to be made for a one-time order and the mold is no longer needed.

Depending on the materials at hand, the metal plate may need to be made by an engraving company. Once the metal place has been engraved, it is placed in a machine with the matrix board and, with a combination of heat and pressure known as vulcanization, the matrix board is made into a mold. The rubber is cut to the size of the mold, placed in the vulcanizer, and creates a rubber stamp through a similar process of heat and pressure. Be warned: as a mold is put under heat and pressure every time a rubber stamp is created, it may only last for 40-60 stamp vulcanizations.

After the rubber has been pressed, it can be cut into individual stamps. As the rubber is quite thick, most stamp enthusiasts agree regular scissor are not sufficient. Kai Scissors are a considered an essential tool in the arts and crafts world. These scissors can be found at crafts stores or on the web, and Kai Scissors makes 15+ styles and sizes of scissors. Mounting foam is also needed to ensure the block the stamp is mounted on does not come in contact with the surface to be stamped. Once the rubber and mounting foam have been cut, the stamps are glued to a wooden mound and are ready to impress!

We have discussed laser engraving, photoengraving, and one last stamp-making method is yet to come! Next, learn how to make rubber stamps, without any special or expensive equipment, from the privacy of your own home!

Published At: www.Isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=28297&ca=Arts+and+Crafts

How to Make Rubber Stamps: Comparing Methods of Manufacture

Vulcanized Rubber Stamps

The traditional red rubber stamp that everybody is familiar with will have been manufactured in a vulcanizing press. The first rubber stamp vulcanizing press was patented in 1890 by Charles Schultze in New Orleans USA. Vulcanizing is today one of the most cost effective methods of making rubber stamps for mass produced stamps. Each batch of stamps is produced using a mould. This method of manufacture is more suited to stamp making where the same moulds are used over and over again. Making custom made stamps with a vulcanizing press requiring 'once only' moulds will drive the cost of manufacture up significantly.

Making the mould - before a mould can be made you must have a master plate manufactured from metal or polymer, the master plate has the necessary relief (the artwork is raised) to make an impression in the mould. Having a master plate made each time a mould is required is what drives up the cost of manufacture for vulcanized stamps. Pressing the master plate into a Matrix board creates the mould that will accept the rubber. Heat and pressure is applied to the master plate and matrix board inside a Vulcanizing press. The Matrix follows the shape of the relief provided by the master plate, this then hardens on cooling.

Making Rubber Stamps - Creating stamps is a simple process once the mould is made. Raw rubber stamp gum is placed on top of the mould and then placed inside the stamp press. Hydraulic pressure is placed upon the rubber and the mould from within the stamp press causing the rubber to melt into the areas of the mould that contain the images and text, curing and hardening takes about 10 minutes. Once cured the sheet of rubber is pulled away from the mould and cut up into individual stamps to be affixed to mounts.

Cost of a vulcanizing system is approximately $12,000 AUD

Advantages - Low cost of production for mass produced stamps, good ink transfer.

Disadvantages - Cost of producing master plates and moulds for custom made stamps.

Laser Engraved Rubber Stamps

The traditional raw rubber used for vulcanizing stamp dies is quite unacceptable for the production of laser stamp dies, the laser process requires a very even thickness and blemish free surface to produce an acceptable printed image from a stamp die. The rubber must also be subjected to a specific curing process before it can be exposed to the elevated temperature of a laser beam.

The depth of the engraving is determined by the laser speed, its wattage and the density of the rubber. For example, a 50 or 100W engraver will engrave the rubber deeper and faster than a 25W machine, which may require a second pass to achieve a similar result. Usually supplied in an A4 size sheet form, a good quality laser rubber is required for engraving stamp dies and must also have suitable compression strength and ink transfer properties.

To assist the engraving process, it is necessary to remove the excess dust which is constantly created by the laser cutting action with an efficient exhaust filtration system. As very few, if any, CO2 laser engraving machines were initially purpose built for engraving and cutting rubber, installing and maintaining an effective dust extraction system pays long term dividends. Mirrors, lenses and any exposed bearing surfaces should be cleaned thoroughly as part of a regular maintenance program. Any neglect in this area will be detrimental to overall trouble free laser operation, as the build up of dust and residue will affect running efficiency and the quality of the finished stamp die. Lasers are controlled directly from a computer, the software drivers supplied with lasers work with many graphic programs such as CorelDraw.

Approximate cost of a 25 watt Laser suitable for stamp making is $40,000

Advantages - Production is computer controlled, custom made stamps can be made easily

Disadvantages - High capital investment, maintenance costs and running will be much higher than vulcanizing or polymer methods of manufacture.

Liquid Polymer Rubber Stamps

Converting rubber stamp polymer from a liquid into a solid to make stamps is quite fascinating. Polymer stamps are manufactured between two sheets of glass using precision controlled UV light which passes through a negative containing the stamp artwork solidifying the polymer. Negative production has been simplified with the introduction of water based negative technology, photographic chemicals for producing negatives are now a thing of the past.

The first step in making polymer rubber stamps is to print your images, clipart or text onto Vellum, an almost transparent paper like film.
To produce quality stamp artwork you must use a laser printer, inks from bubble jet printers are translucent allowing UV light to pass where it should not. Water based negatives are easily washed out after being exposed for a few minutes in a UV exposure stamp machine.

Polymer contained in a sachet is now replacing the older cumbersome method of using foam tape to create a dam and pouring of rubber stamp polymers, the sachets have also addressed the age old problem of removing air bubbles from the poured polymer.

The negative of your artwork and polymer sachet is sandwiched between two sheets of glass spaced 2-3mm apart which is then exposed in the machine for a few minutes. Once you have completed the exposure it is a simple process of cutting open the sachet and washing away the excess unexposed polymer before returning the stamp die back to the machine for a 10 minute curing. Once the stamps are cured they can be cut up individually. Polymer sachets are available in a range of sizes up to A4 size.

Processing time is about 30 minutes for a batch of polymer stamps.

Cost of polymer stamp making machines range from $3,500 AUD for an Australian made unit designed specifically for stamp making up to high end imported units with computer controlled washout for $15,000 AUD.

Advantages - Lower capital investment, polymers make almost clear stamps making them ideal for scrapbooking and card making. Stamp relief can be easily controlled during exposure.

Disadvantages - Early polymers did not accept inks as well as polymers available today, this along with being new technology caused initial resistance to polymer stamps.

Summary

Most large stamp manufactures have a mix of the above equipment. The unmounted rubber stamp dies produced with any of these manufacturing methods can be cut up and affixed to simple hand stamps, dater stamps or self inking stamps. Craft stamps are usually affixed to wooden blocks or in the case of polymer stamps affixed to clear acrylic blocks with adhesives or InstaGrip mounting mat. Various manufactures produces stamp mounts. Astron Industries in Australia manufacturer the clear hand stamp 'Vuestamp' and also distribute the Ideal range of self inking mounts. Other brands of self inking mounts are Trodat, Colop and Shiny.

Tag : stamps,rubber stamps,manufacture

Three Steps to Perfect Stamping

Stamping sounds so easy, doesn't it? You buy a stamp, put some ink on it, and rap it on the paper, right? Wrong!

You may find your images smudge, twist or look a bit blobby with this method of stamping. That's not usually what a stamper wants. Well, I am going to tell you about the little secrets for creating stamped images that you may not have seen before. But let's start a couple of steps before you start stamping. Let's look at the quality of the stamp and the type of ink you are going to buy.

Before you buy your stamp, it is important to examine the rubber or acrylic and decide if the image is carefully chiselled out. A good stamp will be made of a firmer, high quality rubber or acrylic and the image will be finely and deeply cut. If you buy a stamp that is softer and less well defined, that is the type of image you will get from it, regardless of your technique.

Now consider the ink you want to use. There are actually five basic types of inks and each one gives you a different effect. There are dye based, pigment based, permanent, fabric and embossing inks. Which one will produce the result you want? Here's some ideas about how to choose between them:

Dye Based inks are water based so they react to water or paint or other moisture by smudging. What they do is stain the paper, so if you want to colour your stamped images somehow, don't choose dye-based inks. If you want a quick drying ink or crisp images that you don't want to colour or alter in any way, choose dye based inks. You will also get a softer colour with dye based inks. You can usually clean this type of ink off your stamps with water, but be careful not to saturate and therefore warp any stamps mounted on wooden blocks.

Pigment inks are also water based but they are made differently to dye based inks. They have little particles of colour in them so they are brighter than dye inks and are less likely to smudge. They are best used on matte paper. When you use them on glossy cardstock, they will smudge if touched. They also take longer to dry so you can put embossing powder on them and heat set that.

Permanent ink is just that - a quick setting, water resistant ink. You can stamp on many surfaces with it - glossy cardstock, glass, acetate, even wood or paint. Once in place and dry the image is there to stay. This type of ink will also stain your stamp unless you use the specially made permanent ink cleaner solution that usually can be found on the shelf at the store next to the permanent inks.

Fabric ink is made for stamping on fabric and you will probably need to 'set' it by ironing over it once you have stamped your image. You can use fabric ink on other surfaces too (such as on chipboard). It is a semi-permanent ink so use a stamp cleaner with it to avoid staining your stamps.

Embossing inks are stickier and take longer to dry so they are perfect for catching and holding on to embossing powders. Just be careful not to touch an embossed image till it has been heat set or it will smudge. If you stamp on coloured cardstock with clear embossing ink, your image will be two tones darker than the colour of the cardstock. You'll need a stamp cleaner for this type of ink, too.

OK. Once you have chosen your ink, you are ready to start stamping. The three secrets for crisp, clear images are:

1. Place your stamp face-down on your ink pad, and tap it on the pad. Avoid pushing the stamp into the ink pad as you will wind up with too much ink on the stamp and this in turn will make your images smudged or imperfect. Now turn the stamp over and check to see if all areas of the image have been evenly inked up. If not, turn the stamp face down again and tap it on the ink pad till it is properly inked up.
2. Turn your stamp over again and hold it firmly in your two hands by the edges. Lower it onto your paper as straight as you can. Press the stamp in the middle with a finger, then press around the edges of the image to be sure all of the image has had contact with the paper. Be careful not to press so hard that you tilt or buckle the stamp.
3. Next, carefully and smoothly lift the stamp straight up from the paper, avoiding tilting or twisting the stamp.

You should have a clean, crisp, complete image!

More stamping tips:

If you have a very large stamp, turn it face up on your table. Tap the ink onto the stamp, checking to be sure it is all properly inked up. You may find you get a better result if you place your paper on the stamp and carefully smooth it over with your hand before lifting the paper straight up and off the stamp. This way you avoid any 'missed' spots caused by imperfections in the surface of a large stamp.

Do try to clean your stamps before the ink dries on them. Using a stamp cleaner will condition the rubber and maintain the quality of the images.

Now you now the three steps to perfect stamping.Perfection can be achieved if you practice these steps. It could take some practice before you consistently get perfect results, but the time you may spend doing that is worth it!

Tag : stamps,perfect stamping,step