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I am losing space fast, and need more room for more stamps. I do NOT want to sell, or rid of any of these stamps - just because I am a freak about keeping every single one of them! Hah!
I am considering the acrylic unmounting system. But I don't really know how it works, and if it is a good choice or not. For those of you who have experience with this system, could you helpme? I would like to hear about both Pros n' Cons of the system, if you can.
Also, if I do go with unmounting my stamps - with the SU! stamps, do I need to remove the foam that is already sticking to the stamps? (See what I mean? CLUELESS!!!).
I look forward in receiving all your great feedbacks!!
Much Aloha,
__________________ With Blessings of Love & Aloha,
Jen
The best resource for unmounting you stamps is www.sundayint.com They sell the ez mount foam at the best price. There are other systems-- HALOS is one that uses velcro. And others just put double stick take on the back of their stamps-- no foam. Others use Aleens tack and retack glue without foam. Pesonally, I like the EZ Mount system. One I don't recommend is buying cling plastic and adhering that to the foam. They don't stick.
All of these systems will require you to remove the stamp from the existing foam. It is a messy job (I just did about 100 sets) but when it is completely done, you just get used to using the blocks and it's easy enough.
There are tons of sources for arylic blocks. TAC, CTMH, Posh Impressions, Walmart, Ebay, etc. I like the ones www.sundayint.com sells best.
One last thing. Let me describe how I do my unmounting. First I remove the adhesive side of the EZ Mount. Then I pull off the stamp and retrim it (you can get a really close trim when you are cutting just rubber). I lay them on the sticky part of the EZ mount foam. When I've filled the EZ Mount, I take off the cling side and adhere it to a VERY CLEAN cutting mat (you know the green kind that quilters use?) and then with an exacto knife, I run the knife around the stamps, cutting the EZ Mount. There is a little drag from the adhesive clinging to the sides of the blade, but nothing like the way the adhesive sticks to the sides of scissors.
Good Luck. PM me if you have any more questiions.
__________________ Life is too short: eat chocolate and stamp up a storm. It will come out OK in the end.
I haven't unmounted any of my SU sets, but I do have lots of unmounteds from Biblical Impressions and a couple other companies. I can't imagine the space I'd need if all of them were mounted on blocks!!
I haven't used the EZMount cling myself, but I've viewed a friends and it is cool stuff! What I use is Aleens Tack It Over & Over. Once I've peeled the foam backing off if a stamp has that I put some TIO&O on the back and let it dry. Then I store my unmounteds in a photo album, stamps on 1 side and my index pictures on the back side respectively.
As for unmounting your stamps, sounds like stampysister hit that nail on the head. I do have a few SU sets I wouldn't mind converting!
But as for experience in using an unmounted system - I LOVE it! Not just because I sell them ;o) but -
1. The unmounted system is VERY economical, about 1/2 the price of wood mounted stamp set. You can buy an acrylic block in a few different sizes and use those blocks for ALL your stamps. My most popular size block that I use and sell is the 2"x2" block, which is $1.50. Our stamp sets range from $2.95 to $19.95. Very economical!
2. By using a clear block with a trimmed stamp, you can see exactly where you're stamping! This is great for the two-step and shadow stamp sets.
3. I store my unmounted stamps in regular CD cases (not the slim jewel cases). So you can get a LOT of stamps in a really small space. Some of my cases have two or three sets, some have partial sets, depending on stamp sizes. I scanned each stamp set in the catalog that I own, and printed it out as an insert for the front of each CD case so I can see at a glance which stamps are in that case. You could also just stamp the image on paper. I just did the scanning so I could show my customers exactly what the set looks like in the catalog, as well as the price and item#.
The way our stamps work - they "cling" to the block, just like the vinyl window clings. So as long as your cushion and block surfaces are both clean, they should never lose their "cling". It's not "sticky" like some, which to me seems like they would eventually stop sticking to the blocks. Our stamps cling firm enough that I have absolutely no problem firmly rubbing the stamps across my scrubber pad for cleaning. The stamp does not come off until I remove it.
The EZMount system is phenomenal. I just unmounted two alphabet sets I had purchased at Hobby Lobby but seldom used because I always got "rockover" marks. Now I just pull them out of the CD case and arrange them to spell the words I want all lined up in a straight line!! Clean up is easy and yes, they really do cling!! I love it!
I saw the Halos system demo'd at a local convention here in town and picked some up. You UM the foam from the stamp just as you would with EZmount. The difference is instead of vinyl cling keeping your image on the block it is velcro. If you buy this system the acrylic blocks have one side that has velcro strips grooved in to the blocks. That grooving just lets the velcro loops peek out so when the stamp is attached the stamp is flush to the block. Since the other side of the acrylic block is smooth, you can use other acrylic stamps (Stampendous, MSE or CTMH) on them or EZ Mounted stamps. There is a velcro sheet that fits into a 3-ring notebook like EZ mount or it can be cut down to fit into cd cases just like EZ mount too. You can purchase them on line at http://www.cowtownstamps.com
I think all these UM systems work well and save oodles of space. Now we just have to hope that SU would sell their images UM'd at some point in the future so you could save a wee bit of $ and mount them to what ever system appeals to you.
Funny but i'm wondering the same thing. To go umounted or not!
I can't see unmounting my ABC sets i've heard it's easier if I do because I can spell out the word right on the acrylic block but they ABC's are so tiny that I have bought from SU!
I see them getting lost!!!
But I'm running out of space so I NEED to do something!!!
I don't know which sets to umount though and which I might someday want to sell if I get tired of them or need money!!!!!!!
My neighbor did the velcro hook and loop system but I love the way the TAC stamps cling to the blocks!!
I guess it's truely a personal choice of how to do this!!!!!!!!
I have just about run out of space too...so now I peel the foam from the rubber and apply Aleen's Tack it over and over on the back of the rubber. Just a few drops. LOVE THIS STUFF! The Tack it Over and over adheres temporarily to acrylic and the CD cases that I now store my stamps in.
When Auntie Amy's comes to my town this summer I am going to buy as many unmounted rubber stamps as I can. What a great invention! I remember seeing UM rubber last year and thinking, what the heck is this? LOL But now I know and I'll being unmounting my SU from now on. You'll love it!!!
You don't have to remove the foam. if you buy the cling sheets from Sunday international they work really well! That is what i used. I did try other brand of cling plastic including the kind you buy in the fabric stores - those DID NOT work well. But the kind from Sunday International that comes in 8.5 x 11 sheets works really well! One tip though, when cutting the cling vinyl - laeave 1/4" border around the edges - so you can get your fingernail under it to pull it up. It sticks so well - if I didn't do that - it started to peel away from the foam!
The cling they sell is the same as they use - so it will be almost identical to ex mount foam - it is just ez mount cling something. i forget the exact name.
Now, my other thought, I did not do this with Stampin Up - b.c we can't sell these and if you demo with them - if you are a demo - your customers will want something they can't buy from you. You might lose them to an unmounted company.
My other thought is this: I have over 300 stamps that are mounted like this and they just stay in the cd cases and binders that I put them in. I never get them out! Maybe it's be/c I'm a demo and like to use what I can sell - or maybe it's b/c I don't like to constantly switch the mounts. I don't always clean as soon as I stamp - I'll use several stamps and clean later - especially if alphabets - and it is a real mess on your fingers if you don't clean right away using unmounted and acrylic blocks.
this lady has a great idea about unmounting.. I haven't tried it yet but I did get so far as to get the vinyl from Jo-Ann fabrics... the stuff is cheap.... and the instructions sound pretty easy and sane..... I love the lady's site - she has great ideas, lots of fun things to try..
I unmounted my stamps about 3 years ago. Cutting the rubber is super easy and you can get in places you can't when you're cutting those mounted on foam. I did try the EZ Mount system but found that it wasn't necessary for me. It certainly didn't save me any time ;) I get perfect images without any cushion 99% of the time and if I don't, I just pop a magazine or a cushion-thingy by Rubber Stampeded that I bought at Michael's for $5.
As far the adhesive on the back, the quickest and simplest to use is Stencil Removable spray, like what it used to adhere stencils to walls while you're working. You just spray and go. It's wonderful compared to all the other ways, which I've also done.
I've also done all the different types of unmounted storage and what works best for me is the notebook system. I put my unmounted on a piece of transparency, then place that in a page protector. I may/may not stamp the image on white paper to put behind the transparency. It just depends.
I like the CD case storage, but it wasn't really cost effective for me, because I have sooooo many stamps. I also have a space issue for that.
I personally love the little boxes and pouches that CTMH sells and wish that were an option for me. But I can't imagine how much that would cost in the end to change over to that.
Hope this help! I know you've gotten a lot of different answers. I'd just start slowly, with a few that you're willing to do, and try stamping without the foam. If you like it, you've saved yourself a lot of time and money!
Oh, I do recommend gettting acrylics blocks that are rounded on the top edges! They are much more comfortable that stamping a lot with the regular ones!
I just got done unmounting all (well, nearly all) my stamps and I am very happy with the results. I did use the ez mount foam/cling. It took a lot of time & effort to do all the stamps I already had. From now on all I have to do is put the rubber on the ez mount and cut it out. No different than cutting and mounting before. I put mine on sheet protectors in binders. I have 1 for words and alphabets, 1 for SU and 1 for all the rest. I love the idea that I could take all my stamps with me when I meet friends to stamp! I also love the fact that I can see where I'm putting my image without a positioner.
I've got my sister and my best friend hooked on stamping and I've told them to unmount before they get any more sets!
I'm really interested in unmounting my alphabet set. I never use it because I can never line up the letters good enough. Sometimes it looks good to have a random pattern, but sometimes I want a straight line with EVEN SPACING! Anyway, my question is about cleaning the cling surface and the blocks. If my cling surface gets dusty do I just wipe it off with water? I don't want to worry about losing my stamps if they get "less clingy" after time.
__________________ Jennifer, SU Demonstrator
"Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment" -Ben Franklin
I removed all of my stamps from the wood blocks by placing them in the microwave, leaving on the foam and everything. Then, I used Aileen's Tac It Over and Over repositionable glue on each stamp and let it dry over night. Now, the stamps can be taken off of the acrylic blocks and stored. When the glue starts to wear off, you can just apply more. I then laminated sheets of paper, stuck the stamps on, and slid that into a page protector. All of the stamps are in binders and it works very well. Now...if I could just get myself to use all of the organized stamps! Hehe.
I just bought some acrylic blocks and EZ Mount from www.sundayint.com during their Memorial Day sale. I haven't gotten around to it yet, but I plan to at least unmount my alphabet sets, maybe my words, and probably my two-step sets. I have run out of space so I need to do something. If I fall in love with the system, and end up with a lot of time, I may do all my sets, but for now I thought these were the sets that I would benefit from the most. One of the things I found on www.sundayint.com that I really liked was the blocks with gridlines on them. I thought this would be a great help for aligning things.
Two questions though:
Could you just paint the Ailene's Tack It onto the sticky side of the SU rubber, and use them that way?
Second question, amahanes, wouldn't you end up with double thick foam? Sorry, the answer is probably obvious, but not sure if that would be desirable. Wouldn't it make it harder to store?
Quote:
You don't have to remove the foam. if you buy the cling sheets from Sunday international they work really well! That is what i used. I did try other brand of cling plastic including the kind you buy in the fabric stores - those DID NOT work well. But the kind from Sunday International that comes in 8.5 x 11 sheets works really well! One tip though, when cutting the cling vinyl - laeave 1/4" border around the edges - so you can get your fingernail under it to pull it up. It sticks so well - if I didn't do that - it started to peel away from the foam!
Just wanted to add that I've tried HALOS, HALOS II and EZ Mount. I prefer the EX Mount (second choice would be HALOS, don't like HALOS II as much). The only problem I have is when I get too lazy to change the Exacto knife blade when I'm cutting stamps out, and the foam isn't cut perfectly along the edge of the stamp due to drag. I really like the cushion in the EZ Mount backing. I've just begun storing my stamps on the outside of a page protector. I bought heavy duty ones at Office Max, put a piece of cardboard inside, and they stick really well to the page. I haven't indexed them yet, but I'm working on it.
Second question, amahanes, wouldn't you end up with double thick foam? Sorry, the answer is probably obvious, but not sure if that would be desirable. Wouldn't it make it harder to store?
Hope you don't mind me answering but here is the link to what I believe amahanes was refering to. I had no idea either that they made this product until a few months ago. They are just the cling part so you can use your existing foam. http://sundayint.com/index.asp?PageA...ROD&ProdID=491
I have purchased some for unmounting my SU sets but haven't gotten around to taking the blocks off. One day soon :rolleyes:
They do state on the website that this method is not meant to last a long time however I wouldn't think it would wear out to fast if you don't use the sets constantly.
Hope you don't mind me answering but here is the link to what I believe amahanes was refering to. I had no idea either that they made this product until a few months ago. They are just the cling part so you can use your existing foam.
I don't mind at all! Thank you! I had no idea they had this. However, over the weekend a friend suggested I go to M's and buy window cling vinyls. I picked some up with my coupon, but haven't had a chance to try them yet. I think it would be similar.
over the weekend a friend suggested I go to M's and buy window cling vinyls. I picked some up with my coupon, but haven't had a chance to try them yet. I think it would be similar.
You will have to let me know how that works. I am always open to other ideas especially if I can just go pick it up instead of having to order it.
They do state on the website that this method is not meant to last a long time however I wouldn't think it would wear out to fast if you don't use the sets constantly.
I sent the folks at Sunday Int a question about this and here is what they had to say:
My question: So how is it that just the cling sheets loose their clinginess but the cling part on the foam sheets don't? Thanks for answering my questions. I'm very interested in the EZ Mount system for my existing rubber alphabet sets, but want to make sure I know what I'm doing before I dismantle my stamps.
Their answer: Hi Jennifer� The separate sheets of Cling Vinyl are just that; a vinyl material that over time loses its cling properties� The good part about EZ Mount is that it is not made from cling vinyl� It goes through a process that makes the foam super smooth. This super smooth surface creates a suction when stuck to any other smooth surface such as an acrylic block. We use the term "Static Cling Mounting Foam" for lack of a better term, but the bottom line is that as long as you don�t physically damage the foam it will always stay that way� Hope it answers your question without getting too technical� thanks� Gary
Gary Barbee Sales & Operations Manager
HTH
__________________ Jennifer, SU Demonstrator
"Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment" -Ben Franklin
Location: I try to live in LaLa Land, but people keep interrupting me!
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Originally Posted by kjboatright
.........One of the things I found on www.sundayint.com that I really liked was the blocks with gridlines on them. I thought this would be a great help for aligning things......
Ohhh I saw those blocks, too! I am hoping that Tac has them in their new catalog July 1st!! If not I might try to put my own lines on a few of my mounts, as a temporary fix.
I just love the TAC acrylic cling mounts! No tacky glue required.
I'd be happy to unmount my SU stamps, but until they change their copyright/angel policy, they are pretty useless to me. (I don't want the hassle of trying to remember which images I can scan/sell)
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Originally Posted by hasteen
.....I've just begun storing my stamps on the outside of a page protector. I bought heavy duty ones at Office Max, put a piece of cardboard inside, and they stick really well to the page. I haven't indexed them yet, but I'm working on it......
Me, too! It works great doesn't it??!
I also scan the stamp set and slide that into the sheet protector so I can see where they belong when I'm done with them.
TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT WHY EZ MOUNT� IS THE BEST VALUE
A- Our new EZ Release Liner extends over the edge to grip and remove cleanly. B- Newly formulated adhesive layer creates a strong bond to rubber stamps. C- High density cushion won't flatten with age. D- The ultra-smooth layer on the other side works like thousands of tiny suction cups to secure your stamp to acrylic blocks and storage panels with a repositionable hold that is unmatched.
As for cutting your stamps out with the ez-mount foam...I have found that bestway is to Peel the paper off the sticky side of the foam and then place it on the rubber and then cut around the image. And then peel off the othe side of the paper and place it on my arylic block and start stamping. I know that everyone has there own way of doing things, But this is the best way for me..
If you would like a sample Please "PM" me and I will send out a sample to you. Sample size is 1" X 1" I will send along the instructions on how to use the ez-mount foam.
I have some EZ Mount foam and am going to unmount some of my alpha's. I am glad to hear the difference between the foam and the cling system. My DD has colorform toys (you remember those, don't you???) and they lose their cling after playing with them only a few times. Even after cleaning, they're still "loose".
I Need Advice on Going Unmounted!!!
Ez-mount foam
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