Mounting Rubber Stamps or just using them unmounted
Tips on storing your Stamps too!

Mounting Rubber Stamps!

Below are some methods and ideas you should know in order to mount your own rubber stamps. There are two basic methods that I recommend. I prefer using the unmounted method. The unmounteds are less expensive, take up less room, and if you use the clear acrylic blocks, you can see exactly where you are stamping. Some stampers prefer to permanently mount their stamps on wood so I have covered that also.



Unmounted Method!

You will need:

Good scissors, Aleene's Tack it Over and Over glue (available at craft stores), contact cement (available in most hardware stores, not rubber cement), red rubber cushion (I use this because the repositionable glue will hold better without pulling off when you remove it from your block), acrylic blocks in various sizes, a disposable paintbrush.

To begin trim your rubber dies as close as possible without undercutting the design of the die. Lay them out on the rubber cushion to determine the amount you need. Paint the needed cushion with the contact cement. Then paint the back of each die being careful not to get on the face of the stamp. When it tacks up stick to the cushion and let dry. When it is completely dry, trim the cushion to the edge of the dies. Again be careful not to under cut the image. Apply repositionable glue to the back of the cushion. When dry you can stick the die to your block and stamp as usual. If you don't have an acrylic block you can substitute a cassette tape case. They have a tendency to crack so you have to replace them often. If you just don't want to go to all the trouble you don't even need to put them on the cushion. You can just use some double stick tape and tape them to the cassette box or an acrylic block. If you do this put a mouse pad under your card stock. My stamps are really deeply etched so you don't necessarily need the mouse pad with them but with other unmounteds you might.



Another Idea!

Annette Warkentin says she just adheres her ums to the acrylic mounts using glue stick. She smears the glue stick onto the um, then stick the um to the acrylic mount, stamp, stamp, stamp. She washes her ums in the sink with warm soap and water and they come clean as a whistle. she uses a lot of them, she washes her acrylic mounts in her dishwasher. On a lighter stamping day when she just uses a few she just washes them in the sink with the ums.

Wood Block Mounting

You will need:

Good scissors, cushion (I recommend the red rubber cushion because it is heat resistant, whereas some of the foam cushioning might disintegrate with the use of heat), wood blocks (I recommend using hardwood maple because pine will warp over time. You can buy it by the foot at most lumber yards)You can also use the small wood blocks sold at craft stores. These are especially nice when you are doing an alphabet set because they are all uniform., contact cement (if your cushion does not already have adhesive, available in most hardware stores, not rubber cement)ask the sales reprehensive for the contact cement that you glue on Formica counter tops with, permanent ink (StazOn works best), clear acrylic wood spray (get the fast drying type.)

Instructions: Spray the under side of the wood blocks you plan to use and let dry. This will help to keep your blocks stain resistant. Use sharp scissors to trim your rubber dies making sure not to undercut the design of the die. Spread the contact cement on both the cushion and the die. Allow to "tack up" for a couple of minutes before placing them together. Trim the cushion from around the die, again being careful not to undercut the die. Place a piece of double-sided tape on the die and stick it to a block of wood but not the one you are going to mount it on. Ink it up with permanent ink and stamp it on the top of the block you plan to permanently mount your stamp on. Use your heat gun to help set the ink. This will help it dry faster and also keep it from bleeding into the wood. Seal it with the clear acrylic wood spray using at least two coats. When completely dry, use the contact cement to glue the die on the under side of the wood block.

Storage Ideas

1. Use a three-ring-binder and fill it with plastic page protectors. Place a piece of lightweight cardboard in the page protector and stick your stamps to it. If you need to, you can stamp your image on the cardboard also.

2.You know the roll around carts that have the wire mesh drawers? I purchase just the cart - no drawers. They are set up to hold different size drawers so they have runners every 3 or 4 inches. I had clear acrylic sheets cut at the glass shop to fit on these runners. For my word stamps, I had a piece of white acrylic cut for these. I then stamped on it using Brilliance Ink and placed the stamp beside it so I could see what it said, and if I want to rearrange my stamps, I can then wash off the words with alcohol and re-stamp. This really makes it easy if you have a lot of stamps as I do. I just roll my cart beside me and pull the sheet out like a drawer. To visualize this just think about the food trays in the hospital cafeteria or bakery trays - it's kinda like that.

3. Use a paper organizer, you know the plastic type with drawers you get at office supply stores to place your stamps inside.

4. Cover cardboard with contact paper and place your stamps on the cardboard. These can be cut to fit in plastic bins.

5. Some people use pizza boxes to store their stamps whether mounted or unmounted. You could always work up a good appetite doing it this way.

6. Another idea from Annette, store your unmounted stamps in hubless VHS see-through cases. They stand like books on a bookshelf or will stack on whatever space you have available. If you write the initials of the company they came from on the, you can readily acknowledge the company when you are asked for stamp credits or if you submit your work for publication.

7. Be sure to label and/or categorize everything so when you need a particular stamp you will know exactly where to find it.