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I have most of mine unmounted and I love it. Why don't you try a few and see how you ike it. This way if you decide you do not like it you have not gone through all the work for nothing. I think you will like it though. So much easier to store and use.
It's probably dumb of me to ask, but what is the purpose of having your stamps unmounted?
Not a dumb question at all. Unmounting means peeling the stamp off of the wood and foam pad, and adhering them to a mounting foam backed by window cling. You cut them out of the mounting foam then to use you slap them on a acrylic block and stamp as normal.
Since they are backed with cling material they cling to the acrylic to stamp but then can be removed from the acrylic for storage. Storage is handled a couple of different ways, its up to you. I keep mine placed on a piece of board that holds them in binders. I have 3 2 inch binders that hold all of my stamps at this time. I also have 2 CD boxes that hold other stamps that are stored in little envelopes on a sheet of the same sort of cling board.
So the answer? Storage.
__________________ Seattlejo
aka "The Cruise Director" [email protected]
I have some unmounted already and love them. Just worried about unmounting the SU ones I guess. Worried that I will regret those. But since I don't PLAN on selling them, I'm not sure there is anything to worry about.
__________________ Lost in Texas - Dreaming of Colorado
I am hesitating unmounting my wood mounted stamps too but it's because I hate having to assemble them every time I stamp. I do like that the unmounteds don't take up very much space though. If you don't mind assembling them each time you stamp I say go for it, especially if storage is an issue for you.
I seem to be in the minority in this particular discussion, but for what it's worth, I think unmounted stamps are a huge pain. When I'm on a stamping binge, I often have MANY stamps out at one time, and it really bugs me if I have to keep taking stamps off an acrylic block so I can put a different stamp I want to use on. Every time you "mount" a stamp onto the acrylic block, you have to make sure you have it mounted straight. Very inconvenient IMO. Just another thought for you to consider!
cjzim, I agree with you. I haven't unmounted any of my wood and rubber stamps, but I do have some acrylics. And like you, I hate all the peeling, sticking and cleaning in between you have to do when you use the same block for multiple stamps. There are plenty of things I like about the acrylics, but wood and rubber are my favs!
Mary
I have never used the unmounted stamps but I think it sounds like a pain. I have shorter spurts of time to stamp. I would hate to have to mount them on the acrylics each time. Plus, I want to be able to resell my retired sets and update my collection and I think they would sell better if they were just left alone.
__________________ Angie
Mother of three wonderful children (Brayton-17 months, Brianna- 5 & Kyle-eight) and one grown man (my DH).
I have so many blocks, the unmounting and remounting itsn't really an issue. I mount them as I go and just unmount at the end. But again, I have a huge set of blocks - ordered one set, they sent the wrong ones, told me to keep them and then sent the correct set. Plus my CTMH ones.
__________________ Lost in Texas - Dreaming of Colorado
I have remounted most of my stampin up and I have some CTMH stamps and have a lot of TAC stamps. I like that you can see where you stamp, the remounting that you talk about is just putting them off and on. I think that the storage issue, and the ease of use issue make them much better. Stampin Up stamps that I am not sure if I want to sell or not I do not remount. If I do, I keep the blocks and will remount to the wood later. I store the wood blocks in my basement in a big box.
I have *not* unmounted any of my SU stamps, but I do have plenty of unmounted stamps. For me, the ONLY advantage to unmounted is space saved--well, occasionally placement too, I suppose. Overall, I use my UM's much less than my WM's because they are a bit of a pain, or I can't find the right acrylic block, or I don't keep my UM's organized as well as my wooden sets and actually lose them. . . Also, I never quite know what a UM image will look like until I actually stamp it without that handy dandy little index print that I can't misplace. To each her own, but why? :?
I also have no desire to unmount my stamps, and like cjzim, when I go on a creating binge, I have a couple piles of sets on the table that I've considered and maybe used.
BUT - that said, if storage is an issue, and it IS with many, then I surely understand the unmounteds.
Me? I took over the dining room, filled the shelves with stamps, and I'm happy! I'm also just TOO LAZY to do that remounting thing. :lol:
__________________ Kathy Wrose "Fun must be always." - Tomas Hertl, San Jose Sharks "It was fun." - Kirk, Star Trek: Generations
I hadn't thought about having to have an index print to know what you are stamping. That may be an issue.
Space is just starting to be an issue, but for the moment I'm okay. Just not sure what to do. There are pros and cons both ways.
W/ TAC Stamps you can print the page of that set right off your demo's website (or mine www.StampedPaper.com) or just keep your catalog handy. I have friends who Stazon their SU sets onto their cases and I guess you could do the same w/ these as well.
I'm okay with the storage issue because I love the feel of wood. Also I don't have to worry about if I can demo a set or not. You can only demo SU sets that are permanently wood mounted.
This thread has kinda gotten off topic. The Question was: "Has anyone unmounted their sets and now regret it?" I know that there are many out there for any number of reasons who don't want to unmount. And each person must do what is best for them.
But I also want to know if there is anyone who has unmounted any of their stamps and regretted it. I am thinking of unmounting some of mine because space is a HUGE issue for me. My stampin space is limited to a large table in my living room. I have A LOT of stamps and have found that I am clearing off book shelves in my living room to store them, clearing out drawers in my china cupboard. The only place left is under my bed. That's an awful place to store stamps!
The problem is, having them this way I can forget what I've got. I think if I had them organized in binders by theme, not only would I be able to locate them easier, I would be able to put my books back on their shelves.
So, could those who have done the unmounting chime in and let me know if you have regretted the decision. My problems with the acrylic have been that they have to be cleaned meticulously or they stop sticking. And they are harder to clean as you have to be careful or they fall off the mount in the cleaning process, getting dirty gunk on the back and thus making it more likely that they won't stick! Eventually, the sticky starts to wear out anyway. FRUSTRATING!!!
Does the EZ mount wear out easily. Are they card to clean. If the EZ mount wears out, is it expensive/difficult to redo the cling system. Most importantly, how does it work with very small stamps, like the letters in the classic alphabet? Do they stick fairly well? Do they sell the thinner foam in the EZ mount system like Stampin Up now uses for its smaller stamps?
There will always be pros and cons for whichever system you go with. As far as UM's, I determined the following from my own perspective:
Pro's:
*Saves considerably on storage space and definite advantage when travelling with stamps
*After initial expenditure on sets of acrylic blocks (or wood using Halo system), less expensive
*Ease of fairly accurate placement, especially when using clear polymer, coupled with clear acrylic blocks
Con's:
*Mounting and unmounting for use every time
*Esthetics (I like the look and feel of wood mounts, personally, and find I have an aversion to the acrylic blocks)
*Expenditure on alternative storage/organization system (i.e. CD cases, boards inside binders, or some type of filing system that helps you locate the images you want to use)
*Clear Polymer UM's will vary in quality from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some are also so delicate that they can stretch or distort, and you really have to be careful when mounting/unmounting so you avoid tearing the image on accident.
Basically, it comes down to personal preference. I prefer wood mounted and have a number of UM's purchased but never ever used. I basically find the UM system too cumbersome and time-consuming for my taste and that outweighs the pro's I listed above.
This is just something every stamper has to determine for themselves. There's no right or wrong--just what works for YOU!
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
I am in the process of unmounting all my stamps. I was among those who could not see the benefit until I bought a few TAC stamps. I think the system seems more unwieldy than it really is. I do think that having both systems could be the problem. Committing to one or the other is going to be more comfortable.
As for the comments about having mount them straight every time, that's exactly the opposite of my experience. I just slap the rubber on the acrylic. Because you can see through the handle, you don't have to worry about placement on the handle. You can see to place your image exactly where you want it.
I use cd cases to store my stamps. I take the stickers that come with the SU stamps and put them inside the case, just like a cd. That way I have all the information with the stamps. For the older ones that were mounted already, I just stamp an image and slip it in the case.
My only "regret" is that there have been a few instances where someone has been ISO a stamp set I have and I'm not able to help them with it. But the convenience and storage benefits far outweigh that.
__________________ RT - In-house Bunny Chaser "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."- Dolly Parton
How easy are they to clean? I know that when I use Versamark I have to really scrub it on my scrubber. Would the UM's on acrylic "flick" right off?
Personally I haven't had a problem with cleaning. I take the stamp while still attached to the mount and scrub it right on my scrubber. The versamark comes right off just like with wood mounted. The stamp stays on the acrylic mount. I use versamark alot. Thats just my experience
The problem is, having them this way I can forget what I've got. I think if I had them organized in binders by theme, not only would I be able to locate them easier, I would be able to put my books back on their shelves.
Does the EZ mount wear out easily. Thanks for your comments.
I've unmounted all of my stamps and don't regret it for a minute. I have a 3 ring binder that I keep a stamped image of every stamp that I own. It's been divided up into catagories. That way if I'm looking for a flower I go to the floral section. Another benefit, if you pick the layout first and then try to find a stamp to fit in a specific spot then you know the exact size of the stamped image.
From what I read on EZ mount it does not wear out. It can lose it's grip from what I've heard and you just need to wash the cling part with water.
I clean my stamps on the stampin scrubber and unless they are itsy bitsy teeny weeny stamps they stay exactly where you put them.
I regret unmounting all my stamps and putting them on EZMount. It took forever!!!!! Take the stamp off the wood, place it on EZMount, and trim. I did over 1000 stamps that way. Then one of my friends told me to use Aleene's Tack It Over and Over. I tried it on a few. You take the rubber off the foam and wood. Smear Aleene's on the back of the rubber and let dry. The surface becomes sticky and will stick to the acrylic block. No residue, no mess. Peel the stamp off when you're done, place it in a CD case (how I store mine) and it is ready to use again. You don't have to apply the Aleene's again - it stays sticky. Much easier than EZMount. Less costly too. I spent over $100 on EZMount cushion. The bottle of Aleene's was $3 at Michaels. I'm not sure how long it will last, but I can always apply the Aleene's again.
I don't regret unmounting at all - I truly love the acrylic blocks. CTMH has the best blocks on the market. They feel just like the wood ones. I just wish I hadn't spent all that money on EZMount.
These are all for personal use right? You can't demo them that way can you?
I'm not a demo so these are all for my personal use. Figure I can hide more stamps in less room from my hubby :lol:
This was the funniest thing!
Thanks for the input on both sides. As one who is contemplating becoming a demo on either TAC or SU, I'm getting a feel for which side I'll go. Seeing as I am not too patient, I think I'll stick with SU, where I don't have to mount each time. The reason I contemplated TAC is because I'd trade discounts with my SU demo, and we'd have a wider variety of designs. But she's not patient either. We just want to stamp when the time comes.
I've started to unmount mine and i love the space it is saving... As far as "keeping track of what i have"-I still store them by sets, just as they came from SU, but in CD cases and i can store several sets in one case. I have an "index stamp" that has a sample of each stamp, stored inside the case so i can see what is in there and what they look like (just like the image we transfer to the back of the block. I suppose you could use those stickers on the case as well, but I just stamped mine on paper.)
Do I regret it? NO!!! I had run out of room to store my stamps-the alternative was to stop buying stamps, so i feel this is a better decision for me ;) :twisted: :mrgreen: :twisted:
Figure I can hide more stamps in less room from my hubby :lol:
This is a very good thing. DH is always made when i bring more stuff home. Sad we have to hide our "spending habit" from the DH's but it sure cuts down on the fights.
__________________ Lost in Texas - Dreaming of Colorado
I just started to unmount my SU stamps and it is true that it takes a lot of time, but I am saving soooo much room. THe wood mounts and boxes just take up too much space. My husband thinks it is great! I just ordered more of the EZmount. I also read here that someone uses the Tack-it over & over by Aleene's. THink I will try that with some also!! I LOVE the unmounted now! MaryJo in Ohio :lol:
I'm unmounting all of my non-SU! stamps. I like storing them in the CD cases - saves room and those misc. stamps don't come in nice little storage cases like SU!. A lot of these were very badly trimmed and after I unmount, I can trim nice and close.
__________________ The only thing better than a good friend is a good friend with a bag of M&Ms.
I am doing both. I left some of my SU, Penny Black and Art Impression stamps mounted and UM some of the other brands that have little resale value and store them in CD cases and binders.
That way if I ever want to sell the SU sets, they will bring a higher price.
There is another form of cushion to use that you can buy on ebay that is thin and white. Easier to cut as it's only about 1/16" thick and it's tacky on one side to mount to a acrylic block and has a strong adhesive on the other side to mount to your stamps. Works great with alphabets, message stamps and detailed images where you need a bit of cushion to make the image clear, but don't want the thickness of E-Z mount. It's cheap too. I paid $5.99 for 12 sheets. Works great.
I sure wish SU would allow customers the option to purchase sets as UM. I can't keep buying more without a place to store them so I haven't been buying much.
Have you unmounted your stamps only to regret it?
