Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
I am working on some items for our upcoming state fair and I am having some difficulties. After I dry emboss some items like brads, the dried raised images are flaking off. Is there something that I can do so that it stays on better?
I am using an embossing pouch with some powder in it to clear the static before I stamp it. Just a heads up about that.
Oh, ok, heat embossing. I don't think the heat embossing would stick to brads since they are a smooth surface. You might try just coloring them with a marker instead.
I know that I heated them just right because I stopped, touched the brad and my finger print was still there haha, and heated until it was just dry. I can't really color them with a marker because they are silver. I have tried this on other items too and it flaked off as well. Different colors too so it wasn't just something wrong with the powder.
When I used to do brads this way I would heat the brad up first and then dip into the pile of embossing powder and let it cool. My brads are still good after almost 8 years of doing them this way.
The way that I usually do it is use like a clear stamp pad for embossing, sprinkle the embossing powder on the brad and then heat it up.
Paisley Princess-can you do that for other items too, not just brads? I have some white chipboard smooth flowers that i want to use and wanted to know if I could use your technique on it as well.
If the brads are very shiny and smooth the embossing powder might have a hard time sticking well to it. Try scuffing the surface of the brad with an emery board or a bit of sandpaper to give it some 'tooth'.
Location: The Volunteer state....beautiful Tennessee!
Posts: 13,249
I've never tried embossing on brads....but when I had a problem with my embossing chipping off of paper, I found out it was because my Versamark wasn't juicy enough. Don't know if that helps or not, but you might check your pad to make sure it's juicy, that is, not too old.
I do the same as Paisley Princess (heat metal item, dip in EP, set aside to dry). This process works for metal items. For paper or fabric, the process would be embossing ink (Versamark or equivalent, pigment ink), EP, heat. I don't heat until "dry", just until I see if it is activated (it is still "wet" and needs to be set aside to dry).
Let me see if I am getting this- the embossing stays on the brads when you dip it in the powder because it goes over the back and sorta encloses the brad rather than just sitting on the top?
I've never had a problem with it flaking off, ever! I've done it both ways too. Perhaps you have bad EP? I've heard of some that isn't as good as others or maybe it wasn't heated enough?
I have a tutuorial on my blog if you want to see: Betty's stamp and life musings: You Make Life Bearable...and a small tutorial
I have tried embossing brads both with and without Versamark, and found both to work well. I usually skip the Versamark step because it's messy and I haven't found it helps any. Like PaisleyPrincess, I usually heat the brad then dip it and THEN REHEAT to melt the EP. I have not had any trouble with flaking...
I would definitely NOT use the embossing buddy antistatic thing first, after all you WANT the powder to stick!
A pair of tweezers or forceps or medical clamps to hold the brad while you heat it are a great idea -- saves toasting your fingers!
Finally, if they are really shiny, rub with sandpaper or emery board/cloth like KatarinaM suggested.
If after all that they are still flaking, there may be some oils on the surface that are preventing the powder from adhering. You can swish them around in a little dish of rubbing alcohol or wipe them with a cotton ball dipped in alcohol. Be careful not to touch the surface you are embossing with your fingers after they are cleaned.
I wouldn't try the heat first/emboss later technique with anything that's not metal or glass -- it needs to be a material that will retain some heat long enough for the powder to stick well until it's reheated.
i agree - don't use the anti-static pad. this is to stop ep sticking where you don't want it - and you want it all over!
when you are heating ep, you are melting it, not drying it, so you can overheat it. (if you overheat on paper or card, it will just go greasy and sink into the paper/card). put the brad in the light and heat. when you see that its appearance is changing (from grainy to shiny) then stop heating.
The easiest way I've found is to hold the brad butt with tweezers or something similar; heat the brad with a lighter, dip it quickly into the embossing powder. The EP melts immediately. A great way to change the color of existing brads.
__________________
Linda (Fan Club Member) - Proud Air Force Mom
Heated embossing flaking off
Linear Mode
