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I've started to go unmounted with SU!
Woo!Hoo! I've been wanting to unmount my (about 150 retired) stamp sets for storage reasons for a while now. I ordered some Aleene's Tack It Over & Over and some Grafix vinyl cling. I did not go the EZ mount route because I really wanted the foam intact. The TIOO did not come in so, so far I've only tried the cling method. I LOVE IT!!
I had ordered a bunch of retiring SU sets and I just trimmed them as usual took the paperoff then back then put them on the cling and trimmed again. I know several of you have been wondering about taking the plunge so, here's some of my observations/tips.....
1. Storing in CD cases - obviously saves on storage space. The second smallest SU box (think SAB set size) takes up half a cd case. I have Alphabet Soup & Noteworthy in one case. There are tons of CD storage options. All of mine were literally in my basement (found an unused rack that holds 250 CDs & our CD's are in binders so I had a ton of cases, too).
2. Mounting & Unmounting to Acrylic Blocks - not nearly as big a deal as everyone makes it out to be. Literally, no real difference in convenience than grabbing a wood mounted stamp from the box. I bought a set of gridlined blocks from KMA that I keep on my table ready to go. I also keep my stamping area cleaner because I am forced to clean the stamps as I work.
3. Cleaning stamps on Acrylic Blocks - I was concerned that the stamp would not stick enough to really scrub like I do with wood mounted. Not True. I scrubbed like crazy and the stamp stayed put. A couple of times the block got dirty and I just cleaned the stamp, returned it to the case, then scrubbed the block on my stampin scrub.
4. My only hiccup in my plan - My previously mounted SU sets are not as easy to unmount. I tried to microwave them but the stickiness stayed on the wood and not the stamp. I really do not want to replace the foam because I may want to resell down the road. I am going to try TIOO on those sets when I get some. My concern is that I don't want to deal with sticky. If anyone knows of cling with stickiness on one side that would be ideal.
5. Unexpected benefit - This really made me reevaluate my inventory. I really thought about the work involved and the resale issues of unmounting. I figured if I loved the set enough to chance those issues then I could keep it.
I hope that helps any one thinking about unmounting. I will update this once I find a method for the unsticky stamps.
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Bridget
Proud to be a former SU Demo & forever USC Gamecock Fan!
I've heard of people who've run their stamps thru their xyron and then attached the vinyl cling. Never tried it myself, mind you, but it's a suggestion.
You might also try running the vinyl cling thru the xyron instead, but I noticed when I was working with it that it does stretch somewhat with handling and I'm not sure how much the running thru the xyron might affect it.
I have indeed been debating going unmounted for a while (small apartment...stamps taking up half the living room, lol) and your post has made me decide to do it!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cbet
I've heard of people who've run their stamps thru their xyron and then attached the vinyl cling. Never tried it myself, mind you, but it's a suggestion.
You might also try running the vinyl cling thru the xyron instead, but I noticed when I was working with it that it does stretch somewhat with handling and I'm not sure how much the running thru the xyron might affect it.
Great Idea! I'll give that a try
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Bridget
Proud to be a former SU Demo & forever USC Gamecock Fan!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Faereygirl
Thank you so much Bridget....
I have indeed been debating going unmounted for a while (small apartment...stamps taking up half the living room, lol) and your post has made me decide to do it!
Thanks!
Good luck with the space saving quest. I know I tossed the idea around before I took the leap. That's why I posted this thread. I'll post back after I try the xyron technique.
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Bridget
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cbet
I've heard of people who've run their stamps thru their xyron and then attached the vinyl cling. Never tried it myself, mind you, but it's a suggestion.
You might also try running the vinyl cling thru the xyron instead, but I noticed when I was working with it that it does stretch somewhat with handling and I'm not sure how much the running thru the xyron might affect it.
Great Idea! I'll give that a try. Thanks.
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Bridget
Proud to be a former SU Demo & forever USC Gamecock Fan!
I've heard of people who've run their stamps thru their xyron and then attached the vinyl cling. Never tried it myself, mind you, but it's a suggestion.
I tried this last week but the rubber and cushion was too thick to run through. :( I used some permanent adhesive dot sheets to get the "sticky" on the cushion and then stuck this to the static cling sheets. Well, I did this for two sets. Then I heard about the Alene's Tack It Over and Over stuff. But I do wish someone would make the vinyl cling sheets with an adhesive on one side. I only have the 550 Xyron, so I'd have to cut up the vinyl sheets in order for this to go through it. I wonder how that AS 6000 glue would work?? I suppose the big thing is to find a glue that would stick to the vinyl sheet.
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Kimberly,
Here's what I tried. I stuck (as much as it would stick) the stamp on the vinyl, cut it out, removed the stamp, and then ran the vinyl thru my xyron. It worked fine but it is a tad more work than I want considering I still have about 125 sets to unmount. I'm working on it. It still seems less work than removing the foam and EZ mounting. I'll keep playing and post back my results.
Overall, I am tickled pink with the unmounting. I have a weekend crop in October and I can wait to walk in with a 60 CD case over my shoulder instead of making 2 trips with all those stamp boxes. My 7YO DD tried the new system out today with no problems at all.
Okay, gotta go look for the UPS man with my new catties, I hope.
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Bridget
Proud to be a former SU Demo & forever USC Gamecock Fan!
I did the same thing...microwaved my stamp to remove the rubber. Stuck it to the vinyl cling (with cling backing attached) and cut it out. Ran the cutout cling with backing attached through my Xyron, then attached the rubber and removed the cling backing. I believe there is a product called Creative Cling that is the vinyl with adhesive backing. TAC might carry this in their product line.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Novell
I did the same thing...microwaved my stamp to remove the rubber. Stuck it to the vinyl cling (with cling backing attached) and cut it out. Ran the cutout cling with backing attached through my Xyron, then attached the rubber and removed the cling backing. I believe there is a product called Creative Cling that is the vinyl with adhesive backing. TAC might carry this in their product line.
Ooh! That would be so much faster. I have a TAC catty on the way so I'll check it out. Thanks!
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Bridget
Proud to be a former SU Demo & forever USC Gamecock Fan!
A friend of mine that is not a demo used some kind of adhesive that she got from the FEED AND TACK store. She puts it directly onthe back of the stamp without foam and it peels off easily and adheres to the acrylic block nicely. She said it is a little spendy, but it will last forever and the one she sent me seems to be perfect! If you want to e-mail me, I will get the name of the adhesive that she used and get it to you.
I do it a little differently. I store the rubber in CD cases, and I have spread the inside of one side of the CD case with Aileen's Tack it Over and Over. I have also spread Aileen's Tack it Over and Over on my acrylic blocks. It makes clean up so easy, and storage, too.
I have recently unmounted my stamp sets as well. I LOVE it! Clean up is a breeze! and WOW does it take up SOOO much less room! I went ahead and bought multiple shapes and sizes (plus duplicates of the sizes) of acrylic blocks. I keep those in a drawer of my 12x12 sterlite containers that is next to my chair, this makes it sooo convinient and since I have multiples then there is no waiting for a block so my dd and I can stamp at the same time.
I think I might tweak my system a bit though... I bought the sheets to store in binders but am now wondering if I might be happier with the cd storage???? The sheets are a little awkward to "flip" through in the binder. BUt as far as the UM I LOVE that!! I went ahead and used the EZ mount method (didnt know about the tac it way until I already started the EZmount)
I'm really enjoying reading about other's systems too.
As far as the storage... I wonder how it would be to use 4x6 laminated sheets to store the sets and keep them in the cropper hopper photo storage boxes... (thinking out loud hear)
As far as the storage... I wonder how it would be to use 4x6 laminated sheets to store the sets and keep them in the cropper hopper photo storage boxes... (thinking out loud hear)
This is precisely what My Sentiments Exactly has available for their clear unmounted stamp sets. They come on a stiff sheet of acetate, and they recentlyish started carrying a box that fits the sheets of acetate (which are all a standard size).
This is precisely what My Sentiments Exactly has available for their clear unmounted stamp sets. They come on a stiff sheet of acetate, and they recentlyish started carrying a box that fits the sheets of acetate (which are all a standard size).
Really? Hmmmm ... I'm wondering if that might work best for me. I need to see if I can find some pictures.
So, if you wanted to go unmounted with SU stamps.... and with sets that have not been mounted yet. What would be the best things to buy and way to do it? I'd love to have more storage space.. and have been really thinking about this. Need to give it a try for a set and see how I like it.
I would totally go the Grafix cling route!!! I was recently RAKed a whole pack of the cling (many thanks, cbet!!) and all I did was trim the rubber down, stick it to the uncovered side of the Grafix (the same way you would stick it to a wood block), then trim the Grafix down to about 1/8" around the trimmed stamp. I like it this way because then I can grip the grafix to peel the stamp off the handle. HTH, and I"m sure there are other ways of doing it that have their own pros and cons.
I'd suggest going with the vinyl cling sheets as suggested, but stick the whole rubber stamp and cushion on the sheet and then trim. (I like a neater look, but that's just my opinion.) That's what I did with some of my SU sets that hadn't been mounted on the blocks yet.
I've been toying with this idea for awhile too and played with the hostess set Flowers of Gratitude to see. I trimmed as usual and didn't mount. I played with one stamp from the set and peeled the foam off. I had purchased an acrylic block with one of my 50% off coupons and I used SNAIL adhesive on four edges. It stayed on the block while I stamped and cleaned. I guess I wasn't thrilled because unlike the clear stamps I couldn't see the direction of my stamp, I'm used to seeing the image to line up as I stamp. How do you deal with that issue? I've only taken the foam off the one stamp from the set so far. I was hoping to see an EZMount set in a trade but it got lost in the mail. Oh well!
I love the cd case idea! What do you do with larger stamp sets and alphabets? I did see in AC MR that they have an empty clear stamp case holder, it was on the bottom shelf at my store, with the clear stamps. It's folded flat and has a ribbon wrapped around it. Has dividers for categories. I don't think that it had storage sheets.
I split up some of my bigger sets into two CDs with the label saying the name of the set and then "1 of 2" and "2 of 2" and the images on the index showing just the stamps in the CD.
I did buy the starter set for the EZ Mount system and I think I will put some of my larger collections on the storage sheets that go in the binder. (I think I'll do this.. I haven't gotten that far yet.) Or I might just keep them in the CD cases anyhow to keep consistent.
I'm a stamp positioner kind of person so I still use my Stamp a Ma Jig for determining where to stamp the image.
Where do you get the vinyl cling sheets that you just stick the SU sets too. I would LOVE to do this with all of my new sets! I don't think I have the energy to convert my sets that are already mounted but I would love to convert any new sets.
I bought mine at Ben Franklin Crafts but I've also read that Michael's has that Grafix (sp?) stuff. The vinyl cling sheets are NOT sticky though. If you haven't mounted your SU stamps yet, then just peel off the paper backing of the cushion and stick it to the vinyl cling.
Thanks! I hadn't actually read all the way back to the first post yet. I jumped in at the end here. I can't wait to try this! Thanks for all the info ladies!
Here's a link to what the Grafix package looks like: http://www.wilde-ideas.com/Vndrs/Gfx/Cling.html I haven't looked for it yet at the Michael's in Fargo -- mainly because I keep forgetting to put this on my list. I have a terrible memory and if something isn't on the list, I don't remember it. LOL I bought some other cling vinyl that works, but it isn't as good as the stuff on the EZ Mount foam sheets. (Now THAT is some good stuff!)
I've been reading all your threads and have decided to un-mount my stamps and use the cd case storage.
Being one of those who needs a visual, is there anyone out there who will post a tutorial on how they mounted the stamps?
Thank you
daisy
Thank you so much for sharing this info with us! I'm just starting out my SU collection (I think I have about 13 sets) but I love the idea of having stamps on acrylic blocks so that I can line them up better. Now what in the world to do with those unused blocks?
I've been reading all your threads and have decided to un-mount my stamps and use the cd case storage.
Being one of those who needs a visual, is there anyone out there who will post a tutorial on how they mounted the stamps?
Thank you
daisy
I think it would SO cool if Stampin' Up started selling their sets as either with or without the wood blocks. Well, I guess they used to do that with their foam mounted stamps, but I'd still like to be able to pull the liner off of the cushion to have the adhesive part available to stick to the vinyl cling. Well, it would be even neater if they gave a choice of wood mounted or vinyl cling mounted -- I don't care if I still had to trim the stamps. That way we'd save the lives of some of those poor unwanted wood blocks and get the stamps the way we want them.
I've been reading all your threads and have decided to un-mount my stamps and use the cd case storage.
Being one of those who needs a visual, is there anyone out there who will post a tutorial on how they mounted the stamps?
Thank you
daisy
I've started to go unmounted with SU!
