I bought some rubber sheet at my local hardware store. I did a careful test, then decided to go ahead and do more with it. Note: please don’t ask about settings, since I used non-PG materials. If I get enough feedback, i’ll open a new topic in BTM.
First, I needed to fine-tune settings. Rubber is not ideal for raster gradients, but it did enable me to develop a gradient file; ok, maybe a little overkill, but had the time & curiosity. Sample, sample, sample.
I had to use a Sharpie since I don’t have any stamp pads. However, I have a friend who does have stamp pads, so i called her and asked what stamp she wished she had. “Heart with wings” was the request, so:
Don’t you hate it when you have a single-point handle on a large stamp? You never get a good all-around impression. My long, scrawny fingers can’t hold regular upright handles very well with stamps, so I made something more to my liking. That’s two layers of scrap acrylic for both the mount and the handle. To get a good attachment of the rubber to the acrylic, I made a very coarse engrave into the bottom piece so I’d get a better glue bond.
I had always thought in terms of stamps engraved halfway through, and now realize that could be silly, and having them fastened to acrylic rather than wood is another stroke of genius!
With such amazing butterfly and dragonfly wings having a heart with butterfly wings would be the same step away from expected I might have expected.
Time/materials/effort played into the decision for a simple design (Premium dingbats to the rescue). If this one turns out well, I’ll try more complex designs. I’ll see my friend today, and then I’ll be able to show the results. (i didn’t want to make a great big honkin’ stamp for my first try.)
It’s a local, family-run store called Hardware Sales. It was where they had foam for upholstery and packing; fine metal mesh for screens; plastic sheeting by the yard; sort of the odds-and-ends section of the store.
The sales guy says it’s a rubber-clay mix. It lasers fine with some flare, but leaves a gritty residue. Cleans up well with soap & toothbrush.
It sounds like plumber’s gasket material. I’ve got some for gasketting-type jobs, but it never occurred to me to make stamps out of it. Kudos to you for coming up with this!
Thank you, now I know what to ask for, rather than “that red stuff”. It does become brittle over time, so laser it while it’s fresh and attach it to the base.
I began thinking about this when I saw a display of rubber stamps, and not a one of them appealed to me.
I have a 4x10 foot section of one workbench covered with a sheet of this rubber gasket material . Prevents scratches on delicate things and very forgiving surface if accidentally knifed. It also cleans up exceptionally well.
I have used thin rectangles under clamps to seal pipe leaks until I can replace them (or forever, whichever) but never thought of it as a stamp medium.
Hah, now I know what I should really be using the material for. I have a feeling that as a stamp, it will need/can handle a thicker, more viscous liquid than regular stamp material. It seems to need a really moist stamp pad, but then it gives a good impression.
