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Help with Hypo
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Oct 27, 2005 10:43am
Thread (disabled) Board
I've noticed several references to hypodermic needles in regards to carving. Could someone be kind enough to explain how that's done? Also how does someone get their hands on a hypodermic needle? Anything that helps with fine detail would be good to know!!!


Take care, Orion
Re: Help with Hypo
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #9911 by orion
Oct 27, 2005 12:19pm
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I've not tried caarving with them but you should be able to get them at a vet supply.

Shiloh
Re: Help with Hypo
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #9911 by orion
Oct 27, 2005 1:38pm
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I have a good friend who's a vet and she's given me a pile of needles. The ones that work best for me are size 18 and 20, 1 inch needles. Up until yesterday, all of my needle tools were gifted to me by another letterboxer.

However, just yesterday, I made three of my very own using the following method:
•Scuff the shaft of the needle that will be inside the handle so that it will hold glue. I used my wire cutter for this and did it before I actually cut the needle from the hub.
•Cut the needle off the plastic hub that it's attached to. The resulting broken needle is about 3/4" long. I used kitchen shears and a wire cutter to do this.
•I used chopsticks for the handles because I have a bunch of the things and they fit well back into the needle cover. In the tapered end, drill a hole a hair larger than the diameter of the needle (and I mean a hair.) I used a bookbinding awl for this but a Dremel tool is ideal, if you have one. Make the hole deep enough for the needle, leaving about 1/4 inch protruding.
•You can sand the end of the chopstick, dowel, bamboo stick (whatever you're using) into a taper at this point but it isn't mandatory, just looks better.
•Mix two part epoxy. Dab a bit of it into the hole and on the broken end of the needle with a toothpick. Insert the needle to the proper depth. I used a pair of nail clippers to hold the needle while doing this so that I didn't get poked.
•Add a small blob of the epoxy to the end of the handle, surrounding the needle. I let mine dry upright, stuck into a flowerpot.
•When you are cutting with this tool, it is exactly like using a tiny exacto. Use it with the flat side of the hypodermic facing up.

I have to say that cutting my first stamp using my very own handmade tool last night was a special thrill. I feel so danged handy! Funhog
Hypo Needles
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #9920 by Funhog
Oct 27, 2005 2:19pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Thanks for clearing up this mysterious carving tool. I think I'm going to like this one!
I like the additional hints on making handles.

Take care, Orion
Re: Help with Hypo
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #9920 by Funhog
Oct 27, 2005 7:23pm
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Wow Funhog! You are willing to put work into your tools!

I have had some good results with needles, but I'm finding myself using them less and less, since pinching onto them hurts my fingers after a while. I just held the needle itself since I hadn't found anything that could hold it the way I would like and still be a steady carve. I've got where I can use other tools and get as much detail for the most part. I only use the needles now for very small detail. It seems like I recently saw something that would solve my holding the needle problem, but I can't remember what it was. I will have to get on CC and see if anyone heard anything there. I like Funhog's idea, but I don't think I have the patience to put it together right now.

If anyone is curious about a carving, I have an image of the first stamp I did with a needle. The vast majority of the stamp is done with Speedball nibs, but some of the details such as around Rachel Lynde's teacup and the ears was with the needle. Anyway, you can scroll to the bottom of my somewhat neglected blog to see the image, if you are interested. It is located at http://www.letterboxing.blogspot.com/

Cadenza
Re: Help with Hypo
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #9953 by Cadenza
Oct 27, 2005 7:33pm
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How exactly does using the needle carve away? I mean...i would think that it would make the cut, but the stamp material would just moosh together when inked....

Same with using an X-acto knife to carve. I can't really see using it for detail...Hm. Maybe I should try it.

-Celtic Quinn
Re: Help with Hypo
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #9956 by Celtic Quinn
Oct 28, 2005 2:14pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I'm with you...I know the needles are sharp but how does it remove material? I guess I'll get a needle and a chopstick and try it myself.

Shiloh
Re: Help with Hypo
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #9953 by Cadenza
Oct 29, 2005 4:51pm
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WOW! That's all I can say. I LOVE your Anne of Green Gables stamp. Have you planted it yet? I am a HUGE Anne of GG fan and have been working on a series of boxes to go with the book. I even found a wonderful spot to put them, just haven't had time to carve the stamps.

Maiden
Needles and blades
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #10005 by shiloh
Oct 29, 2005 5:27pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote I know the needles are sharp but how does it remove material?


When carving with blades and needles, you do one line along your image angled away from the line and then another angled toward the first cut. This removes a V just like a Speedball gouge but takes two steps instead of one. Have a look at the carving tutorial by Der Mad Stamper available on LbNA. He carves exclusively with exactos and has good illustrations explaining his technique.

As for carving media, most of us have our favorites but part of the fun is trying out different things. I even bought a sheet of the stuff DMS tells you is junk in his tutorial just to see what was so awful about it. Trust me... it's awful! I haven't tried plumber's gasket but I do know of someone that has had good success with it. I have found stamps made from a linoleum block in a letterbox. Not having a press in my backpack, it was extremely difficult to get a good image from such stiff material. Materials that hard are the only thing I wouldn't bother trying for letterbox stamps. There's no one thing that's the best for everyone. Funhog
Re: Needles and blades
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #10041 by Funhog
Oct 30, 2005 4:31am
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Thanks Funhog,

You finally gave me the lightbulb moment that I've been looking for. I've worked with an exacto blade before and I couldn't figure out how to remove the material. I cut straight down and ended up using the side of the blade to push it away! It was so frustrating. Your decription of the two step v cut makes everything clear. Thanks again!!!!

Take care, Orion
Re: Help with Hypo
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #10038 by Maiden
Nov 2, 2005 1:42am
Thread (disabled) Board
You are sweet! I haven't found somewhere to plant the Anne stamp yet. I want to find somewhere secure. It took too much time to carve only to end up losing it. I hope to make Anne a part of a series of favorite children's books someday, but I need to get carving first.

Cadenza
Re: Help with Hypo
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #9911 by orion
Nov 5, 2005 7:18am
Thread (disabled) Board
I bought some online from the Valley Vet catalog, but I have never figured out how to make them work for me. :-(

DebBee
Re: Help with Hypo
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #9911 by orion
Nov 15, 2005 8:17am
Thread (disabled) Board
You don't necessarily need a hypodermic needle. In Europe I noticed that instead of providing a wooden toothpick, some restaurants provide a hard plastic one.

It looks like a hypo needle, only larger. It actually looks just like if you cut a straw on the bias, only it is a very small straw and very hard plastic. A little smaller than a plastic coffee-stirrer, or one of those thin red plastic straws served in your drink at a bar. Not that I would know.
Re: Help with Hypo
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #10918 by Rick in Boca
Nov 15, 2005 8:29am
Thread (disabled) Board
That's great because I was kind of nervous shopping around for a hypodermic needle!! My niece has a diabetic dog (poor thing) and she has a slew of needles but they looked to be too fine a guage.

My daughter works in a restuarant with a bar so I'll have her bring some home. Thanks for the tip.

Take care, Orion

P.S. Some entrepreneur should design a set of carving tools just for carving in rubber!