Skip to Content
Register · Login
About Theme

A Letterboxing Community

Atlas Quest
Search Edit Search

Read Thread: Progress!!

Re: Progress!!
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #956958 by wassamatta u
Feb 18, 2018 8:57pm
Thread (disabled) Board
(are the old Jackbear Letterpods still available anywhere? I can't remember what the original Stampeaz Theme Song was...)

I'm sure they're out there somewhere. I can't remember the theme song at the moment either - it'll probably wake me up in the middle of the night.

I do still have the "Stampeaz Stumper" stamp, though. :)

Webfoot (who hopes she's not getting excited too soon!)
Examination Time?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #956901 by Webfoot
Feb 19, 2018 9:03am
Thread (disabled) Board
I just finished talking with my brand new, shiny manufacturing group. My sample slab is going into the mail tomorrow. It is of a size that will allow me to have a few test carvers to play along, if it looks and acts like it will work at all, once I have it in hand. It may still need tweaking, since this is their first try and making carving material, but we could get lucky.

So, I have had some volunteers. In order to decide who to choose for this extravaganza (sadly, the sample piece won't be big enough to send a chunk to everyone who has expressed interest in helping - I wish...), I will need a few things from my possible test crew.

Can you transfer, carve, print and send the result back to me within a week?

Are you willing to put up with the tedium of writing clear and detailed descriptions of your experience with the whole process from transfer to print? Positives, negatives and suggestions?

If so, and you still want to come out and play, please send me an AQ mail with the following info:
  • What kind of transfer method do you use with what kind of medium (parchment paper, acetone, wintergreen oil, toner based ink, ink jet, pencil, etc.)?
  • What carving tool(s) do you use?
  • What ink(s) do you use?
  • What's your current (available) carving material of choice (PZ Kut isn't a valid answer, sadly.)?

And believe it or not, I don't have everybody's trail name connected to their mailing address and such, so I'll need that info, too.

Thank you!!!

(A slightly giddy) Webfoot

P.S. Incidentally, I sent them a sample print I had left over from my Christmas cards, so that they could get a more concrete idea what on earth this stuff was actually going to be used for (I didn't, however, go into the whole Lock & Lock in the woods thing) and they were very excited about it. They asked a gazillion questions, so I think they might really be signing on to our team.
Re: Examination Time?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #956977 by Webfoot
Feb 19, 2018 1:08pm
Thread (disabled) Board
When do you think you would receive it and then hypothetically have it out to the testers? I'm going out of town, so I assume my answer to the first question might be "no", but that would vary based on when the "within a week" time period starts. ;)
Re: Examination Time?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #956977 by Webfoot
Feb 19, 2018 4:02pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I just finished talking with my brand new, shiny manufacturing group. I didn't, however, go into the whole Lock & Lock in the woods thing

You, ... what? <whispers into="collar">Security</whispers> Backs away slowly.

I sent them a sample print [...] and they were very excited about it. It may still need tweaking, since this is their first try and making carving material, but we could get lucky.

Let's hope!

We may soon be seeing QZ! (Or does that look too much like OZ?)
Re: Examination Time?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #956987 by BaliWho
Feb 19, 2018 4:13pm
Thread (disabled) Board
When do you think you would receive it and then hypothetically have it out to the testers?

I expect to receive it sometime late this week, given that the post office was closed today. I'll probably cut and test it myself, before deciding whether it's worth anybody else's time and energy - but I wanted to have people lined up and ready to try it out, since I'm hoping it's at least close to something decent.

So, that means I'll have sample blocks into the mail to testers by Monday or Tuesday of next week, if all goes according to plan and if the post office does their usual turnaround, testers should have samples in hand by the end of next week.

My purpose in getting information about how people transfer, carve and what inks they use, etc. is to get a cross section of methods to test the stuff with. So, I'll be choosing people who do different things.

It has been wisely suggested that I come up with a list of particular prompts for people writing up their test results. I'm thinking about what those should be and if you have suggestions, I'm totally open to hearing and including them. The more useful information, the better when it comes to working with evaluation and possible refinements going forward.

Many thanks to everyone for their encouragement, enthusiasm and willingness to help test this stuff. Whatever it is going to be called.

Incidentally, I think our starting color is going to be ecru or cream, rather than white. It will be interesting to see if it shows knife cuts like orange PZ used to.
Re: Examination Time?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #956993 by Oberon_Kenobi
Feb 19, 2018 4:15pm
Thread (disabled) Board
We may soon be seeing QZ! (Or does that look too much like OZ?)

I don't know - my problem with QZ is that it sounds a little like nausea...
Re: Examination Time?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #956996 by Webfoot
Feb 19, 2018 6:21pm
Thread (disabled) Board
How about GZ . . . as in, "geez", why does it have to be such a difficult thing, to formulate just the right material, when all we want to do is cut and slash it back up??

Or being totally optimistic that this will be the best yet, "EZ" (easy) or "BZ" (bees' knees)?

Then there's "DZ", because you must be getting dizzy by now with all the formulations and companies and carver requests.
Re: Examination Time?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #956995 by Webfoot
Feb 19, 2018 8:06pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Love the idea of prompts. Here are things I'd want to know from testers if possible (or that I would try to evaluate if chosen as a tester):

Transfer:
Did it take a transfer well, is the transfer dark and easy to see, does the transfer stay on the material without smearing or sliding?

Carving:
Using properly sharpened tools, does the cut path have clean edges? Is it smooth or grainy? Does the material release easily from the block as you finish each cut? How would you rate the level of pressure it takes to move the tool through the material? Is it firm enough to hold fine details, or squishy such that stray background marks would show if the stamp were not mounted?

Ink:
Does it hold the ink smoothly or does the ink seem to bubble on the surface? Do large positive spaces hold and transfer ink well?

Other:
Did you need to prepare the surface in any way before your transfer?
Re: Examination Time?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #956977 by Webfoot
Feb 20, 2018 2:32am
Thread (disabled) Board
Can you transfer, carve, print and send the result back to me within a week?

Are we sending the stamp back? Or an image made from the stamp? Or just our report? I can certainly do the report.
Re: Examination Time?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #957005 by nosox
Feb 20, 2018 5:52am
Thread (disabled) Board
That is so close to the list I was compiling in my head as I was cuddling with Baloo this morning.
Thank you!! We're on the same wave length and on the right track. :)
Re: Examination Time?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #957005 by nosox
Feb 20, 2018 5:19pm
Thread (disabled) Board
more prompts...(based on issues with other materials)
Is the transfer consistent or have spots which won't transfer?
Is the transfer clear with high contrast for detailed images?
Does a gouge tend to slip when making shallow cuts or coming out of a cut?
Rate the ability to make fine straight lines.
Material prep - very important to get this, it makes a big difference for many materials. You may want to include examples like sanding or scrubbed with acetone.
Ask how sensitive the material is to tool sharpness...for example, OZ requires sharp tools, pink stuff is less demanding.
Re: Examination Time?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #957034 by Open Space
Feb 20, 2018 6:05pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Is the transfer consistent or have spots which won't transfer?

I have problems with this using either OZ or pink stuff. I'm thinking that it is my technique rather than the material. Nevertheless, I am getting better at making acetone transfers.
Re: Examination Time?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #957005 by nosox
Feb 20, 2018 6:17pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I was thinking a good way to approach the various questions, would be to sand/acetone half the piece (left or right). Transfer an image that has some larger positive spots, as well as tinier detail, over both sides of the surface. Note any differences in the clarity of transfer, side to side.
Carve the image, note how it carves (grainy, smooth, prone to slip, any crumbs). Then stamp with a variety of inks, and note whether the positive areas are solid on either or both sides (treated or not), and which inks cover better or not as well.