Thinking about taking the clear mount plunge

[hellobubbles]

Hi gals!!! So after being a demo for about 5 years now I have, as you can imagine, accumulated quite the collection of wood mounted stamps. I am contemplating taking the clear mount plunge and unmounting all my wood stamps. I have tried this in the past with a few of my stamp set using Aleenes tack it over which, totally RUINED my stamps. After not using them for awhile, they stuck to the case and were pretty much unusable. I have been doing some research on the cling foam and many people seen to like this. You gals who have done this to your stamps, do you have a problem with them sticking to the storage cases and completely ruining your stamps? Do you ever regret making them cling instead of leaving them wood?? Do you have a problem lining them up perfectly on your projects??? Let me know your experiences. I am ALL ears!!! Thanks in advance for your feedback!!!

[Jeanne S]

I use Aleenes TIO directly on the rubber (no cushion) and I've never had a problem at all. I've had a gazillion stamps this way for years now.

[hellobubbles]

Maybe that's why I had a problem, I had TIO on the cushion. Thanks goodness I only tried that on 2 stamp sets that were not my fav ones!!!

[binkiemonstermom]

I only use TIO&O on bare rubber as well. It needs to be a thin coat of it and make sure it drys all the way. I love wood stamps but just don't have the room to store them. I love SU clear mount, although I don't use the stickers, they stick to the clear blocks better without them, IMO.

[connie leone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellobubbles

Hi gals!!! So after being a demo for about 5 years now I have, as you can imagine, accumulated quite the collection of wood mounted stamps. I am contemplating taking the clear mount plunge and unmounting all my wood stamps. I have tried this in the past with a few of my stamp set using Aleenes tack it over which, totally RUINED my stamps. After not using them for awhile, they stuck to the case and were pretty much unusable. I have been doing some research on the cling foam and many people seen to like this. You gals who have done this to your stamps, do you have a problem with them sticking to the storage cases and completely ruining your stamps? Do you ever regret making them cling instead of leaving them wood?? Do you have a problem lining them up perfectly on your projects??? Let me know your experiences. I am ALL ears!!! Thanks in advance for your feedback!!!

Hello! As an ex SU demo I have accumulated a ton of stamp sets as well! When I first started un mounting I also used A.T.I.O.& O. which worked ok, but I found it to be a lot of work for the amount of sets that I have. I was on the fence about going down to the bare rubber but I finally had the guts to do it & have no regrets!! I still have some single stamps that i have to un mount yet. To make the stamp stick to the block I use "Tack In Peel." (This can be purchased at Joanns) This is so easy to do and less time consuming! when I stamp I do get a clean & crisp image! Just another option for you to consider! I think there may also be a video on you tube for the tack in peel. If you have any questions for this please feel free to pm me!

[cbet]

I have many formerly-wood-mounted SU sets that I've used the TIO&O on the foam and haven't had any problems. I've tried the bare rubber route but I just don't like the feel of it as well, so cushion it is.

The super-gription you're describing can be prevented by taking the stamps after the glue is completely dry and sticking it to your arm a few times. The glue will pick up some of the oil from your skin and reduce its sticking power. I've heard that it also works to stick them to your jeans or something that will give off a little-but-not-too-much lint, but I'm weird and like the idea of marking my stamps with a bit of my DNA :mrgreen:

I've had stamps that I've done this with and then left on their storage boards (which, for me, are just heat-laminated pieces of cardstock) for well over a year without using them and they haven't developed that super-powered grip, but they still stick just fine to the clear blocks.

[lcchio]

I've been a demo for 15+ years. I have every set. I only buy clear now but have started to unmount sets that are seasonal or rarely used. I store sets by categories in sterlite drawers. I'm only doing them as the season or occasion comes up, but space is a premium and any space I can save helps. I unmounted the words and small images for babies today. And combined 5 clam shells into 1 SU clear mount case. For me the key is to not stress over doing everything all at once. Just one step at a time. Good luck.

[lylacfey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellobubbles

Maybe that's why I had a problem, I had TIO on the cushion. Thanks goodness I only tried that on 2 stamp sets that were not my fav ones!!!

Hugs to you. I would be in tears. Can you soak the stamps in water and see if that will help soften the glue?

I have been unmounting my stamps for years. I used TIOO but it wasn't right for me. I should say it was not the right thing with animals in the home who like to stand on the stamps.

I use bare rubber. Double sided tape to mount on a clear block. Foam pad underneath my project to give my stamps that extra cushion.

[cbet]

Quote:

I have been unmounting my stamps for years. I used TIOO but it wasn't right for me. I should say it was not the right thing with animals in the home who like to stand on the stamps.

I have the most enjoyable video in my head of a cat with flower stamps stuck to the bottoms of its paws like snowshoes . . .

[sprtchick]

I have LOTS of SU and other wood mounted stamps. I would sure love to unmount all of them and use them with Aileens TOIO glue on the blocks...my problem..is the time it would take to do all of mine. Maybe will have to do this one of these days out of necessity for more space..lol.
Hats off to you ladies who have done this.
blessings.

[gregzgurl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sprtchick

I have LOTS of SU and other wood mounted stamps. I would sure love to unmount all of them and use them with Aileens TOIO glue on the blocks...my problem..is the time it would take to do all of mine. Maybe will have to do this one of these days out of necessity for more space..lol.
Hats off to you ladies who have done this.
blessings.

I have gazillions of stamps, and they are all unmounted (or never mounted in the first place) If you look at the whole project, it's like trying to eat a whole elephant in one bite! If you break it down into segments it's MUCH easier to get your head around and actually execute. What worked for me was to do one category at a time - like Halloween, or hearts, or trees or (your category here) Little by little it gets done, and you still stay somewhat organized...

[gregzgurl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by connie leone

Hello! As an ex SU demo I have accumulated a ton of stamp sets as well! When I first started un mounting I also used A.T.I.O.& O. which worked ok, but I found it to be a lot of work for the amount of sets that I have. I was on the fence about going down to the bare rubber but I finally had the guts to do it & have no regrets!! I still have some single stamps that i have to un mount yet. To make the stamp stick to the block I use "Tack In Peel." (This can be purchased at Joanns) This is so easy to do and less time consuming! when I stamp I do get a clean & crisp image! Just another option for you to consider! I think there may also be a video on you tube for the tack in peel. If you have any questions for this please feel free to pm me!

My question to you is this: how do you store your stamps? I've considered taking mine all the way down to bare rubber and using the Tack 'n Peel, but I'm not quite sure what to put them in/on so they don't get lost...

[lylacfey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbet

I have the most enjoyable video in my head of a cat with flower stamps stuck to the bottoms of its paws like snowshoes . . .

It was Santa on the bottom of his foot. It was a large Santa stamp from Third Coast. You can imagine how big that stamp was, lol. My baby ran around the living room and kitchen all freaked out, lol. It took me five minutes to catch him and remove the stamp.

[hellobubbles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lylacfey

It was Santa on the bottom of his foot. It was a large Santa stamp from Third Coast. You can imagine how big that stamp was, lol. My baby ran around the living room and kitchen all freaked out, lol. It took me five minutes to catch him and remove the stamp.

LOL!!! You gals are hilarious!!! I am always finding those little adhesive backing octagons from the stampin dimensionals all over my cat. He's fluffy and white so they are pretty hard to spot!!! LOL
Thanks for all the info and advise!!! I think I am going to try unmounting my wheels onto the clear mount cling foam to see how I like it first. i rarely use my wheels but if I mounted them, I think I would use them ALOT more just because of ease of use. I did also order a few of the DVD cases to store them in as well.

Right now I store my wood mounted stamps in to white stand alone closets. I am thinking that if I do indeed like the clear mount foam, I will go ahead and do ALL of my wood mount stamps and use the closets for somethings else and get some white DVD towers I saw on IKEA.com to store them. They will take up ALOT less space.