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I have a simple solution to this, I have cut 2 rectangle pieces, 2" X 3" of a stampin up corrugated cardboard box and snail adhesived them together...then when you open your stamp pad slip them in between the bottom of pad and the open lid and walla.... it stops the sagging!!!! I have made a few of these cardboard "supports" for when I have several pads open at one time.....Hope this makes sense...if not you can email me and I will try to massage the instructions.....soooo...the next time the Big Brown truck makes a delivery...CUT RECTANGLES!
__________________ Nancy Peplau
Rubber Neckin' in Haddam Neck,CT
yes! this happens because as we stamp, we have a tendency to tap our stamps in the middle of the ink pad. so over time the center begins to sag.
I can't say that I agree with this theory. I purchased all the new style stamp pads and about 60% of them sag in the middle, even when they were brand new. I questioned my demo about it, who questioned SU! and we got little in reply. SU! apparently did not feel it was a flaw. I have reinked all my pads and now they seem better.
I've had this same problem. Some pads are worse than others. It really makes a differance when you use a background stamp. It drives me crazy. I don't understand why this doesn't seem to be a problem for stampin up. It can totally ruin something you are working on! :?
Nancy, thanks for the tip. We just threw away all the boxes I was saving, so I guess I'll have to place an order so I can get some more cardboard from the brown guy...sigh!! I'll just tell my dh that Nancy made me do it!!
I don't notice the sagging as much when I use regular stamps, but it's really annoying when using the BG stamps. I end up getting lines.
Someone on another thread also mentioned that we should trim off all those little "whiskers" that form on the edges of the pad as they tend to wick the moisture out of the pad. I'm off to barber my pads!!
yes! this happens because as we stamp, we have a tendency to tap our stamps in the middle of the ink pad. so over time the center begins to sag.
I can't say that I agree with this theory. I purchased all the new style stamp pads and about 60% of them sag in the middle, even when they were brand new. I questioned my demo about it, who questioned SU! and we got little in reply. SU! apparently did not feel it was a flaw. I have reinked all my pads and now they seem better.
I don't agree w/ that theory either. I have all 48 ink pads and use some more than others and there are a few I have never used. Even the ones I haven't used sink in the middle. They all have sagged but I don't think its from inking up in the middle. In fact I "tested" this theory and inked soley in one corner when using non bg stamps and that pad still sagged when NOTHING had ever been inked up in the middle :(
I have some pads that have been used very little that sag too - I've also had some brand new pads with little ink - I really like my spots - I haven't had either problem with them.
I find I get best coverage of longer images and larger sized stamps, if I flip the stamp onto it's mount and ink from above with my pad and tap away? It's also easy to quickly see if I got good coverage all around.
I'm too lazy to drag out my brayer (and then have to clean it) just for that purpose , as well as the cardboard insert trick--altho, frankly, that's pretty clever and I may give it a try . . .
Anyway, flippin' seems to work for me, especially when I'm in a hurry, so I haven't bothered taking any other steps . . .
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
I did what Nancy suggested with a little twist. Instead of cardboard I just piled up enough old card stock and clear taped it to cover it all over. If it gets ink on it I can wipe it off. I'll use the same one over and over.
I just did this yesterday so I can't say for sure it's working but it certainly makes sense. You can get old card stock from greeting cards and it's less likely to break down over time.
My black which is used the most of all the colors was the worst for sagging and I didn't use just the middle. I was careful to press on just the edges if the pad with certain stamp shapes and it still sagged. I’m not an engineer like Nancy’s husband but my theory on why they sag is the way they are stored upside down. Gravity pulls everything down and the center is probably attached better.
I can say I've tried many different brands of ink especially for black and liked SU the best for non smears when adding markers or water wand. Also I’ve never had a pad that seemed low on ink and if anything they have been almost over loaded. But I’m just beginning to stock up on them and only have fourteen so far. But my birthday is coming so I’ll ask for more!
I never liked the new pads....requires too much acrobatics to open/close. When I need to stamp a BG, I open and flip the pad but I do not slide it in. I use the pad part sticking out so I can control the middle by pressing my hands on the back.
Okay, I still don't get the cardboard/cardstock trick. Are you putting it between the top of the ink pad and the cover (which the cover would be the bottom when you flip it over?)? How are you taping it in so that it will still close?
__________________ Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end (unknown)
Happiness-what an unhappy person wants by changing all but themselves.
Hey Rox, if the Nancy you are thanking is me...you're welcome! Although I never mentioned being married let alone an engineer husband... if it's not me....thanks for getting my attention!!! I found the 2 pieces of cardboard have not collapsed at all nor have they gotten any ink on them and I made them months ago and used them hundreds of times, literally. I do like your idea of covering them though, just seems cleaner or something. sooo....thanks to you too!
ps. I am married to a wonderful tool, die and mold maker by profession...he's also a "McGyver" kind of guy...and the handiest make do with what you got kind of guy, always seeing something for a dual purpose...we've never needed to hire a repair man for anything! He's a patient perfectionist at everything he does...he's a keeper!
__________________ Nancy Peplau
Rubber Neckin' in Haddam Neck,CT
Okay, I still don't get the cardboard/cardstock trick. Are you putting it between the top of the ink pad and the cover (which the cover would be the bottom when you flip it over?)? How are you taping it in so that it will still close?
1. Take 2 pieces of cardboard that are cut 2" x 3".
2. With double stick tape or snail adhesive, sandwich the 2 pieces of
cardboard together...walla, this is your new cardboard help tool!
3. Take your SU Ink pad, classic or craft.....With thumb, press forward and down on the 3 dots to open...flip the lid to open but only slide it half way....this is when you slide the cardboard help tool in between the top and bottom (the top of the closed pad becomes the center when it is opened and the bottom of the closed pad remains the bottom of the open pad)to clear the confusion! :?
4. Once you have slipped the cardboard help tool in between you may finish opening the pad as you would normally.
5. To close your pad for storage, just slide pad as you normally would and remove cardboard help tool to use in another pad or as needed.
6. I suggest making a couple of these in case you have several pads open at one time.
NOTE: you must not cut the cardboard larger than 2"x3" because it will be to difficult to remove when you close the pad....(you have to be able to put your fingers somewhere to grab it)
If you are still confused pm me or email me at npeplau@faith tabernacle.com I will ask you for your phone number and will call you anywhere in the continental US as I have free phone service and talk you through the process...it really is a simple thing, just confusing to read!
hope this helps.
__________________ Nancy Peplau
Rubber Neckin' in Haddam Neck,CT
My ink pads sag, too. I find that storing them upside down helps a little (and it keeps the ink at the surface of the pad so I have to re-ink less often).
My ink pads sag, too. I find that storing them upside down helps a little (and it keeps the ink at the surface of the pad so I have to re-ink less often).
The new pads are made so you don't have to store them upside down. They do it automatically when you close them. Even the old pads sagged in the middle. It really happens with most pads. What I do and I also tell my customers to do this is .............tap your stamp back and forth across the pad. This is why they are raised, so you can get the best even coverage on big stamps. For background I also lay my stamp upside down and ink that way. I have have both sets, the old and the new. The new ones are SOOOOOO much nicer than the old. They come a lot juicier than the old. If you get a new pad that is dry you need to let your demo know and she can call SU to take care of it.
OK... I have a theory... I got one pad that had a substance that looked very much like hot glue oozing out around the edges of the pad. I had to trim it off, because every time I tried to open that particular pad... it was stuck. So my theory is that when they glue the pad to the container during manufacturing... they put glue around the edges and not much or none at all in the middle... thus causing the pads to sag in the middle... even when they have never been used. Just my theory... and I never would have thought of it if not for seeing what they actually use to glue the pad to the container.
I agree with Julie. I flip my stamps over and ink them, using the corners as well as the center. I do this with all my stamps unless they are really small. Works every time. I get a better image. I have done this for years and still have saggy inkpads. But I do really like the new pads.
In answer to Tanya, I think I messed with your mind on the mention of tape so here goes.
I took a stack of card stock one ¼�? think and 2 1/2�? by 3. ½�? in width. (I chose that size only because the card stock I got from a print shop was already cut.) I didn’t have any cardboard on hand. With it being larger than what Nancy mentioned I have no problem getting it out except for my black pad and I think it’s because I have it broken down more. It gets used more and is the oldest of my SU pads. I came up with 1/4" thick because I just kept adding a piece until I couldn't get anymore in.
That is what is taped all around in clear tape to cover all the cardstock. That was just so I would be able to wipe off any ink that gets on it because I also do the squeeze action to get a little ink on the cover to use with the aqua painter. So nothing is taped to the stamp pad itself.
I do ink up my pads like Julie said and I still have a bad sag in my black that gets used the most. I also make sure I used the edges as much as the center and I have one corner lower than all the others. Whatever, I still think SU black ink the best on the market for not smearing when moisture hits it.
Nancy, I think I mixed your husband up with someone else. I heard this technique before and her husband was an engineer. I don’t think I read it on this forum. I just unconsciously put the two together thinking you must be the same person.
Now the funny thing is I have a husband like yours who can fix anything so I just got the bright idea to show him the problem with the stamp pads and see what he would come up with. He said the same thing your husband did. Then I explained why I ask him. But thanks again for the idea it did prompt me to do something about the problem.
Location: I try to live in LaLa Land, but people keep interrupting me!
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Re: My theory...
Quote:
Originally Posted by tc2510
So my theory is that when they glue the pad to the container during manufacturing... they put glue around the edges and not much or none at all in the middle... thus causing the pads to sag in the middle... even when they have never been used. Just my theory... and I never would have thought of it if not for seeing what they actually use to glue the pad to the container.
I find I get best coverage of longer images and larger sized stamps, if I flip the stamp onto it's mount and ink from above with my pad and tap away? It's also easy to quickly see if I got good coverage all around.
I always thought they sagged in the middle because of the fabric covering the foam inside. On all the ink pads I used as a kid (like getting library books stamped) it was just ink-soaked foam, without the fabric. There's supposed to be an advantage with the fabric layer but I don't remember what it is. . . anyone?
Love SU but won't buy the new pads. I'm currently in the process of buying up used "old style" pads and using reinkers. I have one of the new style pads and hate it. I'm always fiddling around with getting it open and it doesn't stamp evenly. Plus, I bought a stamp pad carousel designed to fit the old pads right before the new ones came! so, if you really hate them, but love SU inks, do I what I do.
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
Do your Ink Pads SAG?
