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Memorial Day Carve... and mounting
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Nov 13, 2018 10:13pm
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This weekend I carved this stamp for a friend who served in the Navy. (Thanks to all the veterans out there.) I wanted it to be easy for him to use, so I mounted it on some hobby foam, but it's almost three inches wide, so it was still a little floppy. I had a piece of a black plastic cutting board lying around, so I cut it to shape with a scroll saw, and then smoothed and rounded the edges with a utility knife. Hopefully it won't warp like wood sometimes does.

I discovered that the first pass with the scroll saw was slow enough that melted plastic fused the cut back together behind the blade, making it almost impossible to break out. A second quick pass made it a lot easier.
Re: Memorial Day Carve... and mounting
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968338 by TheKindlyVikings
Nov 14, 2018 3:33am
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That carve is wonderful I think it all looks great!
Re: Tan-Z Carving Review
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968335 by TheKindlyVikings
Nov 14, 2018 4:09am
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Hmmm and what did the wife think of that
Re: Tan-Z Carving Review
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968344 by Baqash
Nov 14, 2018 6:03am
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It was getting old.... So she bought a new one for her quilting. ;-)
Re: Tan-Z Carving Review
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968350 by TheKindlyVikings
Nov 14, 2018 3:43pm
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Good save
Re: Tan-Z Carving Review
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968358 by Baqash
Nov 15, 2018 3:49pm
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I tried it too. I thought it was a little easier to carve than oz.. But I also had trouble getting small pieces to pop out. I also found that my ink didn't adher to the stamp if it was a large solid area. But I have admit I can get very fine lines that I can't get on the pink stuff!
Re: Tan-Z Carving Review
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968386 by twofreetimers
Nov 15, 2018 4:13pm
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Did you sand it first?
Re: Tan-Z Carving Review
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968387 by DarkZen and Evil Cow Pie
Nov 16, 2018 12:22pm
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Yes I sand it until it wasn't shiney anymore
Modified Gouges
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Nov 18, 2018 12:21pm
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So I finally got my life together for a minute and sent some gouges to Kirbert for modifications. He offers several types of modifications but I stuck with the miniaturized #1, got the left edge and right edge removed from two #2’s (one left and one right) and a #4 that is trimmed on each side and essentially now looks like a shovel.

The mini #1 is kind of weird to carve with compared to the full size, I need to find the angle that works best. It’s awesome at removing tiny hard to get to spots and great if you don’t want to go too deep. Now that I have it I’m glad I ordered two!

Removing the sides from the #2’s...how wonderful it is to actually see clearly where you’re going.

My favorite by far is the #4. Makes the final clean up and removal of large areas a breeze. Again, you can see where you’re going and just how close you are to taking out rubber where you don’t want to!

I’m super pleased with these modifications and just wanted to say, if you’ve been on the fence about trying them, or like me you just never got around to it, do it now! Cold weather and snow means more time for carving, right?

=) Trishee

Oh yeah, I also got a couple Speedball pen (nib/gouge) holders on clearance for a dollar (who can pass up the dollar bins I ask?) and I’m finding them to be quite nifty. Kind of thin to hold but I figure I can just wrap some padded tennis racket tape around it to make it thicker. Just thought I’d share that, too.
Re: Modified Gouges
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968482 by Trishee
Nov 18, 2018 2:44pm
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You can also buy pencil foam things in school supplies to put on the handles
Re: Modified Gouges
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968482 by Trishee
Nov 18, 2018 4:17pm
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What she said and then some.

Warrior Woman
another satisfied customer
Turkey Carving?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Nov 22, 2018 8:20am
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Anybody carving any turkeys today?

I'm talking stamps, what did you think? ;-)

I've already got a turkey stamp planted in the wild. I'm asking if anyone else has or is planning on doing one today.
Re: Turkey Carving?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968601 by Oberon_Kenobi
Nov 22, 2018 9:26am
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Not today, but I really should do one. We have a huge flock of wild turkeys in my neighborhood (30+)
Re: Turkey Carving?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968601 by Oberon_Kenobi
Nov 22, 2018 9:34am
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I've got a turkey planted in Turkey, Texas.
Re: Turkey Carving?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968601 by Oberon_Kenobi
Nov 22, 2018 9:44am
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I made one last night and planted it! We have the whole family with us today, so it was fun going out and getting to box. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!!
Re: Turkey Carving?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968605 by dancingpecan
Nov 22, 2018 9:46am
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We have a huge flock of wild turkeys in my neighborhood (30+)

I wonder if that count will go down after today. :D
Re: Turkey Carving?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968601 by Oberon_Kenobi
Nov 22, 2018 10:17am
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I’m carving a micro snowman today. Trying to, anyway.
Re: Turkey Carving?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968608 by Wise Wanderer
Nov 22, 2018 10:25am
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It almost did yesterday. There's a pretty busy street by our house and part of the flock stepped out into morning rush hour traffic!

But we do have a neighbor who's not fond of them and he's made thinly veiled threats about "Thanksgiving is coming!"
Re: Turkey Carving?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968612 by BinoBoxer
Nov 22, 2018 4:06pm
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I’m carving a micro snowman today. Trying to, anyway.

Hope you send me a pic!!
Re: Turkey Carving?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968601 by Oberon_Kenobi
Nov 22, 2018 4:13pm
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I've planted turkey stamps on Thanksgiving in the past but didn't this year.
Re: Turkey Carving?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968617 by Rocklun
Nov 22, 2018 10:43pm
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Haha I think Holiday Stamps would be Hilarious!/ Fun/ Interesting!Each holiday attempt to plant a box to go along with the day!
Re: Memorial Day Carve... and mounting
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968338 by TheKindlyVikings
Nov 24, 2018 9:23pm
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Dat carves bad to the bone
Re: Memorial Day Carve... and mounting
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968338 by TheKindlyVikings
Nov 25, 2018 9:23am
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wow - great carve
Re: Turkey Carving?
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968606 by Wronghat
Nov 26, 2018 2:25pm
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What?!!! This is the first year I haven't escaped my family to go boxing. Not too terrible, though. They were here helping me get my house livable after Harvey. Who thought painting baseboard could be so relaxing? Probably the fumes.
Tan-Z Pattern
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Dec 1, 2018 3:49pm
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I'm carving my second stamp on Tan-Z. I noticed the texture on the back before, but I don't think that I brought it up on the forums. I'm asking here so that others can see the response, and join the discussion if they want.

Webfoot, what makes this texture? Is it just because they didn't roll it on the top, or did they roll this texture into it when it was forming?

It does make it so that only one side can be carved, unless one has a way to utilize the pattern.
Re: Tan-Z Pattern
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968961 by Oberon_Kenobi
Dec 1, 2018 3:53pm
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I don’t know the answer but we have already been through a fair amount of it. I haven’t really lost a piece due to a carving mistake but I’m sure it’s coming. I have been giving some thought to trying to sand down the back so it can be used. I don’t have any solutions yet but if I do I’ll post them.
Re: Tan-Z Pattern
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968962 by DarkZen and Evil Cow Pie
Dec 1, 2018 4:56pm
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The material is fairly thick. I wonder if you could cut away that texture on the back with an exacto or a larger gouge. People shave down, or cut off the back of stamps for micro postals, but it's not that flat. Would be hard to get a smooth surface for stamping.

maybe there's a way to secure it in a vice and cut all the way through with some kind of knife, like a guillotine?
Re: Tan-Z Pattern
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968961 by Oberon_Kenobi
Dec 1, 2018 6:17pm
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what makes this texture? Is it just because they didn't roll it on the top, or did they roll this texture into it when it was forming?

The Stampeaz webstore describes Tan-z as "smooth on one side and pebbled on the other, <the answer>due to the extrusion process used to make it</the answer>, so it's very easy to tell which side to carve."
Re: Tan-Z Pattern
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968963 by BaliWho
Dec 1, 2018 7:07pm
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I was thinking more along the lines of a belt sander. Though holding it in one spot while working on it would be a bit tricky. I have an orbital sander that might work.

The thing is, Tan is quite a bit less flexible than pink. When roughing up the carving side (so it will hold ink better) I’ve sanded a *slight* low spot. That alone can cause printing issues. Whatever method is used needs to leave the surface pretty darn flat.
Re: Tan-Z Pattern
Board: Stamp Carving and Mounting
Reply to: #968964 by Bon Echo
Dec 1, 2018 8:10pm
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due to the extrusion process used to make it

Well, that answers my original question. This has generated a lot of interesting discussion though.