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

How Many Rubber Stamps Do You Have in the Big World of Art Stamps?

For me it all started with these rubber stamps. That's right this cute little butterfly art stamp and this set of alphabet stamps.

I can remember my first rubber stamps. My brother gave them to me for my birthday. It was a butterfly art stamp, and an alphabet stamp set, that was 15 years ago. I can remember thinking to myself "what am I going to do with these rubber stamps"? Boy did I find out what to do with them. I made cute little butterfly note cards and I remember coloring them with a colored pencil (since that is all that I had back then or crayons), then with the alphabet stamps I stamped my family and friends name and of course finished it with a butterfly. Holy crow, he is the one that created my obsession with art stamps, and I am so happy that he did, thanks Mike.

What can I say; I Love Rubber Art Stamps and all the rubber stamping supplies that go along with them. Take a look at just some of the art stamps that I have. I have labeled each drawer and bin so I kind of know what is inside. I also have a few scattered around my craft studio on shelves. I told you that I Love Art Stamps. Now do you believe me?

Rubber stamps have come a long way. There are a ton of manufacturers for Art Stamps, depending on what you are looking for. A long time ago the only kind of art stamp that was available was the red rubber stamp mounted on a wood block. Now, those stamps are still available but there are also clear un-mounted art stamps that you take off of a cling sheet and adhere to an acrylic block. When you are done you just clean the stamp and take off the acrylic block and out back on the plastic sheet or in a clear plastic CD case.

The great thing about these art stamps is that you can see exactly where your image will be stamped on your card stock. This gives you less room for error (even though there is never an error in art, it just makes a different masterpiece then you expected).

What I love about the acrylic block rubber stamps is when you are working with alphabet stamps. The reason is you can have the correct spacing between each letter and word. When I have used alphabet stamps that were wood mounted, I usually had crooked words and phrases on my card or scrapbook page.

Another cool thing about these clear un-mounted rubber stamps is that they do not take up so much room as the original wood block art stamps. So if you do not have a lot of space to store your rubber stamps then this is the ideal way to go. I have two ways that I store my clear un-mounted rubber stamps. One is in a 3 ring binder, and the other in my Crop in Style Stamp Store tote. The stamp store can hold hundreds in the drawers.

There are also red rubber un-mounted stamps that you can purchase. They are cheaper than mounted rubber stamps. You can then mount them any way that you want; either on a wood block or use the ez-mount foam system (I will explain that in a near future article)

The last kind of rubber stamps that I can think of is the pre-inked art stamps. I have some art stamps that are pre-inked wheels. They are great for backgrounds or borders. All you do is insert the small cartridge of ink into the handle of the rubber stamps wheel, insert the wheel and away you go.

Well, as you can see I have a lot of rubber stamps. And with all these art stamps I do not have any duplicates and I can honestly say that I use or have used each and every one.

Tag : stamps,rubber stamps,art,Big World

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

Interesting Hobbies - Stamp Collection

Stamp collection is also known as Philatelic. It is one of the most interesting hobbies around the world and also one of the most popular hobbies! Collecting those small pieces of paper which have beautiful and amazing prints have their own charm. In the early days people used to collect stamps by taking them from the letters and mail coming at their home, gradually stamp collectors starting exchanging the stamps with other co-stamp collectors. Gradually the craze of stamp collection increased so much that authentic and real stamps were launched in the market for sale.

To pursue stamp collection as your hobby you must see if you are interested in a particular theme or not. As a beginner you can keep it general and start collecting all sorts of stamps, gradually narrowing it down to a specific region, culture, famous personalities, time period, birds, animals, or other things. Once you choose a theme based collection, you may exchange your other stamps with other people who have your theme stamps.

It is very important to keep and preserve your stamps in a careful way. Stamp collection album is the ideal thing, as it has a loose leaf album, and stamps remain safe in them. If you are removing a stamp from a letter or a mail, do not peel it off the paper as the adhesives are strong and it can even damage the stamp. The best way to separate the stamp and the paper is to cut the stamp along with the base paper, put the stamp with face turned down then place it in a lukewarm water for a few minutes and then gently peel it off from the paper. Let it dry properly; iron it by placing it under a paper so that the ironing does not harm the print and then put it inside your album.

Different themes of stamps reveal a lot about the culture or the region from where the stamp originates. It not only increases your knowledge but also makes you an owner of an amazing thing which belongs to that place. You may pursue this hobby by sitting at home, while travelling to new places, by meeting new like minded people with whom you may exchange your collection, buying it from your local post office or even by going shopping for the saleable stamps available in the market. You may also check out the local stamp collectors' club in your town where you can find other stamp enthusiasts.

You may showcase your colourful collection in your website or blog as well. It is the best medium for flaunting your collection and increasing your network and making new friends. Upload a snap shot of your stamps and then you can even post a brief description about the origin of that particular stamp. You may also write about your philatelic journey and experience and have group discussions with other co-stamp collectors all around the world. Giving a set of unique stamps will also be an ideal gift for the people who love stamp collection.

Tag : stamps,stamp collection,hobbies

How to Be a Stamp Collector?

Stamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies of many Americans and other cultures. Anyone can be a stamp collector. People of all ages may try this hobby. One main reason why collector choose stamps is that it is considered as one of the most affordable hobby. People may collect coins, cars, tags, pins and many more but stamps are considered one of the most inexpensive way of collecting.

Being a stamp collector is not a difficult task. There are many places where you can get your own collection of stamps.

1. Postage stamps used for airmail may also be used. Stamp collectors compile them depending on the country they came from.
2. There are also sites and message boards in the Internet that features stamp collecting. You may even earn friends through these sites. People may also exchange stamps and some make use of these sites to display their collections. Others even consider selling their stamps thus making the hobby as their source of income.
3. Stamp collectors are very disciplined when it comes to taking care of their stamps. That is because stamps are very fragile since they are made from paper and other thin materials. It takes responsibility to become a stamp collector.
4. Stamp collectors are also considered as artists on their own way. And if you think you are not gifted with that talent, stamp collecting will help you discover the art that is within you. Stamps come in various colors and images. Some of the images may be considered an Art. Choosing from these many stamps will enhance your artistic skills and will develop your creativity and imagination.
5. You should also have the necessary supplies needed. If you are a beginner, the album is the first accessory needed. This will compile and organize all the stamps that were collected. The album will also ensure that the stamps will be safe from dirt and moist.
6. Stamp collecting may be considered a skill to many. However, everyone can be a stamp collector if they wish. It is an educational and informative hobby that even kids will benefit from it. It does not only give fun and knowledge but it is also a way to discover the artistic side of every person.

Tag : stamps,stamp collector,collector

How to Soak Self Adhesive Stamps Off Paper

How to soak self-adhesive postage stamps is a question I often hear beginning collectors ask. A self-adhesive postage stamp is a stamp with a pressure sensitive adhesive. They do not require moistening in order to adhere to paper. Self adhesive postage stamps usually have a backing paper that can be soaked and removed.

I have noticed stamp collectors on stamp collecting groups asking for information on how to soak self adhesive postage stamps from paper. I have noticed other collectors suggesting that to soak self adhesive postage stamps is very difficult, if not impossible.

In response, I have written this article with instructions about how to soak and remove self-adhesive postage stamps without damaging them. I have just spent the last 6 weeks removing many thousands of used self adhesive Australian stamps with my 18 year old son, with very satisfactory and flawless results.

1. Sort your stamps ready for soaking. Remember to separate any stamps that are on coloured paper as the dyes can transfer onto your stamps. Any amount up to 100 at a time seems to work well with this method.

2. Place your stamps face-up in a large container of clean room temperature water. (Water any warmer than room temperature appears to make the stamp paper softer and a bit more difficult to work with). Spread 1 layer and gently submerge them under water with your fingers to get them wet. Repeat until you have put all your chosen stamps in the water. Leave soaking for between 1/2 to 1 hour.

3. The trick to getting self adhesive stamps off paper intact is to gently prise the paper slowly back from the corner of the stamp. You take the paper from the stamp and not the stamp from the paper. Be very careful not to bend the stamp's corner.

4. Pick up 1 stamp at a time and place face down on your extended index and middle finger on your other hand. Gently peel back a corner of the paper, keeping the stamp perfectly straight. If the paper starts to separate from the stamp, you can continue peeling the paper away from the stamp until it is all removed. At the slightest resistance, drop the stamp back in the water for a bit longer.

5. You will usually find that stamps that are returned to the water can be processed quite easily after about another 15 minutes. Stamps with a bit of glue left on them can be finished by gently rolling the glue towards the outside edge of the perforations.

6. Place the stamps one at a time face-up onto a towel spread out on a table. Leave until no beads of water are left visible on the stamps.

7. Lay the stamps out between several pages of a large heavy book and leave to press for a couple of days.

8. You should now have some very nice flat self adhesive stamps off paper ready to add to your collection.

Tag : stamps,rubber stamps,photo stamps,stamps collection

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Tips on How to Start a Stamp Collection

Stamp Collection or philately, as is more commonly known, is one of the most popular hobbies. If you want to join this huge "collectors" club, you need no more implements than a stamp scrapbook and an exploring mind. It does help a bit if you have friends around the world. Stamp collection is just as simple as it sounds, collecting stamps. The whys and wherefores of this hobby are long lost in the vagaries of history but to dissect it is to take away the essence of stamp collecting.

Before and even after you take a plunge into this hobby, take care of a few things:

o Stamp Collection. Your first "collection" should be a collection and not a buy. If your first few stamps are bought from a dealer, it rather kills the "spirit" at the start itself. You should start your collection preferably by peeling stamps off envelopes, the older the envelope the better. This is more of a fun than going to a dealer and buying a pack of stamps.

o Stamp Preservation. You should be aware of all the things that can physically damage a valuable stamp. First, you should know how to take the stamps out of envelopes (soak in lukewarm water and peel off gently with a pair of pincers), guard them against bookworms (use an anti pest powder, maybe boric acid) & moisture (store in a dry place), and of course, put the stamps in a proper stamp album.

o Envelopes Preservation. Stamps are more valuable when they are "canceled" i.e., the "post mark" stamped over them. Sometimes even the whole of the envelopes themselves are worthy of collection. Therefore, try not to throw or tear away the envelopes unnecessarily.

o Wrong Stamp. Deformed and wrongly printed stamps are the most valuable of all and their prices keep appreciating as time goes by. Therefore, in case for example, you find a "wrong" stamp, you have probably hit the jackpot everyone is looking for.

o Stamp Series Collection. Conjoined or a collection of stamps is more valuable than a single one. Do not tear stamps to size them for an album. Keep them as they are sold or have been posted. Commemorative stamps are generally rarer and therefore more valuable than the ordinary ones. The older the stamps are the better.

o Themed Stamps Collection. Once you have decided upon a theme for your stamp collection (say, country, or year), try not to ignore "out of theme" stamps. Sometimes, scrounging around, you might come across a "non-thematic" stamp. Do not dispose it though. Serendipity has been a guardian angel most of times to the stamp collectors.

o Stamps Valuation. Periodically, get your stamp collection valued at the local register or through the internet. This will not only be helpful in giving a mid-course correction but also in selecting the brightest beans in your bag.

o Love Stamps. Finally, learn to enjoy the feel, touch, and the smell of stamps!

Tag : stamps,stamps collection,rubber stamps,old stamps,stamps online

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Decorative Rubber Stamps - Know Which Type to Use

A few decades back, stamp lovers only have one option - the standard wood rubber stamp. The majority of old rubber stamps are available with handles, very much like most office stamps today, while the other kind had simple pegs attached to it. As stamps become more popular in modern times, more manufacturers are creating a wide variety of decorative rubber stamps. You have lots of options to choose from - clear acrylic, unmounted, foam, mounted, by the sheet or individually. Do a brief check online and you will discover lots of companies who sell different types. Now you may be wondering what stamp would work for you best. I hope that I have a direct answer to that, but each kind of stamp has features that make them work better than the other. Let's take the mystery out of what stamp will work best for what purpose.

Originally foam stamps were made to be used by kids. While this fact may have been true a couple of years ago, decorative rubber stamp manufacturers have created high quality foam stamps that can be readily bought today. If you are planning to add a bit of artwork to your walls or on fabric, then foam stamps are a wonderful choice. This type of stamp is relatively cheap and it's a great choice if you prefer to have a deep image on uneven or irregular surfaces. Are you planning to stamp on denim, fabric, walls, tin or plastic? If yes, then foam stamps are your best bet.

Two decades back, if you were to tell someone that you have stocked an entire closet with rubber stamps, you will somehow come off as odd or strange. Today, with rubber stamping becoming more and more popular due to its convenience and ease of use, you will find lots of people with stamps filling up their cabinets and closets. This increasing demand had manufacturers making more stamp storage units. Some crafters prefer to buy unmounted rubber stamps since the mounted kind with a wooden mount tends to be bulky and take up a lot of storage space. These stamps can be bought individually but if you have a great need for them and you would want to save money, you can buy them by the bulk. Unmounted stamps are normally attached to static cling foam or magnets so you can decide on what will work better for you. There are people who choose traditional rubber stamps which can be mounted pretty easily. These stamps are usually placed on static cling foam and they have been closely trimmed to the design.

The most recent rubber stamps are the acrylic kind. If you want to go for acrylic, make sure that you buy the best clear stamps so you won't end up disappointed. This type of stamp is normally placed on a clear acrylic block to achieve accuracy in stamping and good ink coverage.

When buying decorative rubber stamps, the biggest concern usually is the cost. With unmounted stamps you are assured of inexpensive shipping. Be careful not to purchase stamps that come in bargain bags because most of them have poor designs and quality.

Tag : stamps,rubber stamps,postage stamps,stamps online

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