Rubber Stamp Material

[mike klein]

Has anyone tried the Laser Polymer material?

I purchased a sheet of it and followed the manufactures engraving/cutting instructions
but didn't have very good results.

Using a Epilog 45w, speed 30, pwr 100, it basically made the text look melted. Took the same design and engraved into laserable rubber and it turned out perfect.

[Mike Null]

Mike

I don't make stamps but tried that material several years ago with similar results. As I recall I scaled back on the power and ran it more than once. The stamp I made is quite old now and still in daily use.

[Steffen Heidemann]

I was promised by a dealer to receive a sample of cured polymer this week. It was advertised as an interesting alternative for regular rubber stamp material. When i had a chance to put my hands on it i will gladly post my results.

Usually i have seen photo-polymer plates used in letterpress printing with very good results.

[mike klein]

I was promised by a dealer to receive a sample of cured polymer this week. It was advertised as an interesting alternative for regular rubber stamp material. When i had a chance to put my hands on it i will gladly post my results.

Usually i have seen photo-polymer plates used in letterpress printing with very good results.

Steffen,
I'd really be interested to see how you turn out with it and if the results are good, where you got it from.

I don't make stamps but tried that material several years ago with similar results. As I recall I scaled back on the power and ran it more than once. The stamp I made is quite old now and still in daily use.

Mike,
I've tried several settings, both speed and power and just don't get the high resolution, crisp text like you get from the rubber. I guess I'll put up with the rubber smell for now. The poly material is quite a bit more pricey than the rubber but I thought I'd give it a try anyway.

[Andrea Weissenseel]

what is supposed to be the advantage ?

Andrea

[Steffen Heidemann]

@ Mike: Will definitely give it a try. Hopefully within a couple of days.

@ Andrea and all: it was advertised as 'no'-smell/zero odour, 40% faster engraving speed, 'no'-engraving dust and much better imprint quality. We will see.. Looked up the company for you: http://www.signaflex.nl/signaflex.htm, a distributor in the US would be http://original.millmarking.com/laserrubber.asp

[Dan Hintz]

it was advertised as 'no'-smell/zero odour... 'no'-engraving dust

When it comes to organics like rubber, I see these as somewhat competing specs...

[Steffen Heidemann]

Personally i never had any problems with smell/odor - one could always smell a tiny hint, but even a few sheets in row were absolutely okay for everyone in the office. Dust i had though, always, a lot.. I am quite pleased with the brands i tested yet, so i doubt i will switch for the higher priced cured polymer, even if it engraves okay..

Currently i am more interested in high temperature resistant aluminum bonded silicon sheets to play around with hot stamping foils.

[mike klein]

I found the problem with my engraving of the polymer. Helps if you engrave it on the correct side. I have never used this material before and there were no instructions, other than the power/speed settings that came with the sheet. I talked to the supplier today and that's how I found out about the correct side to engrave.

The engraving was nice, but in my opinion its not worth double the cost per sheet vs. the rubber.

[Mike Null]

As I recall it was very oily. did you find that?

[Scott Shepherd]

I just tried it for the first time about 3 weeks ago. I never do rubber stamps. I had a good customer asking for one, so I did it. Then they ordered about 5 more, so I ordered a sheet of it. The engraving I had to do was a name with a line, so the person could sign on the line. The stuff turned to liquid as it engraved, it buckled, and when done, when I stamped it, the line had ripples in it, from being buckled and the liquid good that was following the engraving. I tried and tried to use it, I couldn't make the stamp work. Put the rubber back in, ran that, stamped it, looked good. I was hoping to not have to deal with the rubber, but looks like it's the best choice out there, still.

[mike klein]

As I recall it was very oily. did you find that?

Mike,

The side with the clear removal liner, did have a sticky surface to it so I just assumed the poly came with adheasive on it and thats why I thought the other side is got engraved. Like I said earlier, I've never used this material before and with no instructions I was just guessing. Should have called the manufacture before I engraved it...live and learn.

I will say that there is no odor when engraving, but for the price I just can't justify using it.

[Bill Cunningham]

I do about 10k worth of stamps a year, all from polymer, but I do have the phtopolymer platemaker to make my own. I just buy the resin and expose it to the U.V. on the machine. You do have to glue the sheet down, I use coroplast, but wood will also work, and a contact adh. If you don't it will curl during engraving, and will never engrave right. It also engraves twice as fast as rubber. I wash mine out with a paint brush, under running water, the blot and let air dry.