| Making stamps at home does not mean producing | | | | unit and of course the correct polymer for stamp |
| amateur stamps suitable just for kids' stamping. With | | | | making. |
| a little information and the right rubber stamp making | | | | Stamping up with Polymer Rubber |
| supply, manufacturing rubber stamps is fun and easy! | | | | Among the various ways for manufacturing rubber |
| Classifying Rubber Stamps | | | | stamps, the polymer stamp making technique is the |
| For starters, rubber stamps are classified into two | | | | winner of all available stamp making methods for |
| categories: business rubber stamps and art rubber | | | | rubber stamp makers at home. Manufacturing |
| stamps or craft stamps. | | | | polymer stamps will allow you to get professional |
| Business stamps are hand stamps, self inking stamps | | | | quality custom rubber stamps at the lowest price |
| (pre inked) or dating stamps; the text of which | | | | possible! |
| makes them personalized rubber stamps. When using | | | | It might surprise you that polymer stamp making is |
| a hand stamp you must stamp it up and down on a | | | | now the most common method of manufacturing |
| stamp pad to load the stamp with ink before making | | | | stamps commercially today. The majority of business |
| your impression. | | | | ink stamps, self inking personalized stamps and |
| Art and craft rubber stamps are a lot more | | | | increasingly so craft stamps are now more often |
| interesting as graphics such as hand drawn artwork, | | | | polymer stamps. Polymer stamps are also known as |
| craft clipart along with alphabets and photographs can | | | | acrylic polymer, clear stamps, clear rubber stamps |
| be used. Used in creating scrapbooks and greeting | | | | and rubber plastic stamps. Interestingly, polymer |
| cards these custom stamps can also be used with | | | | stamps contain no rubber at all and are still called |
| embossing powder or ink for embossed rubber | | | | rubber stamps! |
| stamping. If you have ever tried to locate a Chinese | | | | Stamp Making Rules |
| character rubber stamp, you will know they are hard | | | | Before you launch into making your own polymer |
| to find, so why not make your own? Stamp art has | | | | rubber stamps, you must keep in mind three |
| no limits - all your stamp ideas can be realized once | | | | important factors about polymers. Pay attention to |
| you start making stamps at home so start gathering | | | | these and you can be assured of a high quality |
| your rubber stamping ideas! | | | | rubber stamp. |
| You will never again need to buy from a Rubber | | | | - Platemaking Polymers - Used extensively in the |
| Stamp Manufacturer! | | | | printing industry not all photopolymer plates will |
| The fantastic thing about making your own stamps is | | | | produce rubber stamps. To make a stamping die a |
| that you will save money and do away with buying | | | | polymer with the durometer reading of 40 is ideal; |
| stamps from a rubber stamp maker or rubber stamp | | | | this is the hardness scale of the cured polymer. |
| company. You can get all your rubber stamp making | | | | InstaPlate is just such a kind of polymer designed to |
| supplies or a rubber stamp kit and make your own | | | | make rubber stamp dies and best suited for home |
| personalized stamps, photo stamps, signature stamps | | | | use. It is available as a photopolymer gel in a sachet |
| and craft stamps within the comfort of your home. | | | | (commonly known as 'polymer in a bag'). With |
| Different Methods of Rubber Stamp Manufacturing | | | | InstaPlate, you can be assured of a good quality |
| Does it sound impossible? Well it isn't. In fact making | | | | polymer so request it when you investigate your |
| rubber stamps can become addictive once you grasp | | | | stamp making supply. |
| the basics. You must have an understanding of how | | | | - Polymer Solidification - Some stamp making kits |
| different methods of rubber stamp manufacturing is | | | | employ other types of polymers that solidify under |
| carried out, then you can start searching for the | | | | natural light or a single light bulb. This is not |
| relevant rubber stamp supply to start creating your | | | | recommended as polymers that solidify under a |
| rubber stamping ideas! | | | | specific UVA light range are always better. All |
| - Hand carved - Creating a carved stamp is still | | | | professional stamp makers use polymers like |
| practiced in some countries. A simple example of a | | | | InstaPlate as it allows control of the UVA light at a |
| carved hand stamp is carving on erasers but this is | | | | specific wavelength to make stamps. So invest in a |
| beyond the skill level of most of us and is very time | | | | quality UV exposure unit along with a commercial |
| consuming. | | | | grade polymer such as InstaPlate to create stamps |
| - Vulcanizing - You may be familiar with magenta | | | | like the professionals do, this is especially important if |
| rubber stamps that utilize self cling foam similar to | | | | you are interested in producing wholesale rubber |
| EZMount for sticking to acrylic blocks. These are | | | | stamps at home for resale. |
| vulcanized rubber stamps like the ones you buy from | | | | - Strength of your Rubber Stamp - We often come |
| Stampin Up. Vulcanized stamps require a matrix mold | | | | across polymer stamps with no structural backing |
| to be produced for each new design making it an | | | | allowing the stamp to naturally stick to a mounting |
| expensive process for small quantities of a single | | | | block. While these seem great, they are susceptible |
| design. The vulcanizing heat press is also quite an | | | | to tearing, dirtying and distortion. A strong permanent |
| expensive stamping machine for home use. | | | | backing avoids these problems and is becoming very |
| - Laser - Sounds hi-tech and so will your bills be! You | | | | popular now that we have products such as EZMount |
| can also make your own rubber stamps using a laser | | | | and InstaGrip. InstaGrip is a new method of affixing |
| engraving machine, however, expenditure is high | | | | rubber stamps to acrylic blocks and is a repositionable |
| including its maintenance and operating costs, which | | | | mounting system designed for mounting stamps onto |
| are much higher than the vulcanizing process. Lasers | | | | acrylic. InstaGrip is basically a clear thin silicone |
| are usually used for business style stamps where a | | | | repositional mat that sticks both to the stamp |
| custom rubber stamp is required. | | | | backing and the acrylic block. Since it's transparent, it |
| - Flash technology - This relatively new stamping | | | | will allow you to see through the stamp and the |
| technology is not too expensive but the finished | | | | block to place your impression, making your stamping |
| stamp has only a single colour, similar to the self | | | | process easier than ever before. |
| inking stamp. This means it's unsuitable for your | | | | The Light Source |
| creative craft stamps. Flash Stamp technology | | | | You don't need to spend a fortune on a light source |
| employs a technique where ink flows through a | | | | for making stamps at home. Commercial stamp |
| membrane after exposure to a light source. The | | | | machines have built in timers that control the |
| sections of the membrane containing the artwork | | | | exposure of the polymer and are quite expensive. A |
| remain open from which the ink flows. | | | | better alternative for home stamp making is a smaller |
| - Polymer stamp making - Using a liquid polymer, | | | | craft stamp maker that utilizes an external portable |
| artwork and a UV light source polymer is the clear | | | | countdown timer. The UVA light output from one of |
| choice for making custom rubber stamps at home | | | | these units will produce the same quality stamp as |
| with its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. You will only | | | | the larger commercial stamp making systems. |
| need a computer, laser printer and a UV exposure | | | | |