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Can someone tell me what the trick is for getting Stampin' Up cling stamps to cling to an acrylic block? Mine just fall right off. I've tried several different brands of blocks and also my Fiskars stamp positioner.
The material SU used for the stickers doesn't work so well for clinging to the blocks. Some tricks I've learned/read about here are: huff on the block before sticking the stamp to it - the moisture makes the stamp stick, trim the sticker smaller than the stamp so some of the foam is exposed, leave the stickers off, or put a repositionable adhesive over the sticker (like Aileen's TIO&O).
Thank you! I have tried huffing and that doesn't work for me. I will try to trim without ruining them and I'll remember that before I adhere the stickers on my next set. Out of desperation, I used a glue dot but I don't want to ruin my blocks!
Yes, I have that issue too and I use a piece of double sided tape on the sticker. When it loses its' "sticky" I peel it off and use a new one. Works for me
Thank you! I need to get some double sided tape, I guess. I've been ordering all cling stamps to save storage space! I also like to see where I'm stamping.
I have stopped putting the image "sticker" on the backs of the stamps so they will stick to the acrylic blocks. Recently I have read that putting the Clear-Mount Perfectly Placed Guides (on page 7 of the big SU! catty) helps the stamps with the image stickers stay on the blocks. Has anyone had experience using the Guides?
SU is usually so good about customer service-why don't they 'get' the message that the material they have been using for the clear mount stamp label does not STICK to acrylic blocks??? This has been a problem since they started offering their clear mount stamps. As customers, we shouldn't have to make adjustment for a stamp company's refusal to produce a useable product. I still buy SU stamps because the images selection good but it is frustrating to have the stamp fall off onto a clean piece of card stock after inking it. Lately, I have been trimming the labels to leave the foam backing exposed and this seems to help the stamp cling to the acrylic block. Sometimes, I can only trim away a narrow portion especially on sentiments.
I totally agree that no one should have to take additional steps, sometimes multiple steps, to get a product to work as it should. It's really not acceptable. I'm a big fan of SU's, but I think they really stumbled when they released the stamps with these labels. It has been particularly disappointing that the problem has never been fixed in all the time they've been offering this option.
In the past couple of years I've been buying more rubber stamps from companies that offer cling-mount. They're ready to use right out of the package, they stamp beautifully, and I enjoy not having to fuss with them or find a fix in order to use them.
I usually didn't have problems until their new inkpads came out. One of the tiny Christmas Bingo Bits stamps came right off the block and stuck to that new inkpad. And it just did the same thing with the large Christmas Tree single stamp! :shock: :mad: Great, so now the problem is even worse with the new inkpads. Looks as if I'm adding Tombo glue on all my cling stamps. I'm mystified too as to why SU hasn't figured out how to make a decent cling material.
__________________ Cindy in Oregon
Last edited by Cartermrc; 12-10-2012 at 09:07 AM..
My pet peeve is that if SU is trying to go with cling mount then why aren't ALL their new stamps available that way?
Except for a VERY FEW stamps, most stamps are available in both wood and clear mount now. The exceptions are some single stamps, some backgrounds and I think I remember seeing a few double mounts that are only available in wood. The changeover happened in June of this year.
As for the clear mount sticking problem, I no longer put the stickers on mine. Trimming the sticker does help, but they still won't stick quite like a regular clear mount. That is the ONLY thing I don't like about the clear mounts, but the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for me. I love the DVD cases and the spine images. I love stamping with rubber and I love Stampin' Up! images.
I say don't use the stickers. I stopped after putting them on my first two sets. Too much hassle with them flipping off the block at inopportune moments.
Most of my non-SU clings don't have pictures on the back. Without the stickers, the SU clings stick perfectly to the block.
Some don't have problems with the stickers. Some do, and want to use them so they feel the work-arounds are worth it. Many just don't use the stickers.
If you are having so much aggravation using them, I'd just not put them on any more sets. Use a stamp positioner if placement is critical. You'll get over not being able to use them (I did). I know it's disappointing. But there it is.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Last edited by Rachelrose; 12-10-2012 at 04:47 PM..
I highly recommend the Perfectly Placed Guides (page 7 in annual catalog). I was having the same problem with my stamps not staying on the acrylic blocks. After buying the guides and placing them on my acrylic block I have put all the stickers on my CM stamps and do not have any problem with them staying on. They work great!
There is a piece in the guides that you can cut to whatever size you want. If you don't use SU blocks you can certainly cut the guides to whatever size you need.
Please try this first before you give up on them. The guides are not very expensive and they certainly changed my mind about the CM stamps.
Have you tried cleaning your block occasionally? The grease and grime from fingers, ink and cleaner will keep the stamps from sticking well. Just use some dish soap and warm water, let air dry (or use a lint free cloth). Also, make sure the back of the stamp is clean as well, sometimes I just swipe it across my pants a few times before sticking it to the block.
SU sells a little cleaning cloth that works pretty well too. It's just like an eyeglass cleaning cloth so if you have one of those give that a try too.
I like knowing what image the stamp will stamp and also know which end is 'up'. If the label was going to be made of non-sticking material why does SU even bother including it in the set? I know I am just being crabby but SU stamps are not cheaply made so the whole set should consist of useable material.
I know we are now 'beating the stick with the horse'. Just my 2 cents of complaint!
I find that if I press very firmly with fingers and hold for about a count of five the stamp adheres very strongly to the block. Of course, the block needs to be clean. I always check after pressing the stamp on the block to see if it is secure.
Any updates from SU regarding this issue? I think I'm going to try purchasing the guide stickers for my blocks. I like having the image sticker on my stamp & don't want to go w/o it. It has helped to press the stamp on the block for a few seconds before using it but there are instances that the stamp will still fall off or slip on my block.
Most of the problems I have with this are solved by cleaning my blocks. They don't look dirty, but once you wipe them down and look at the paper towel you used, you see all the gook that was on there! I usually use Goo Gone followed by Stampin' Mist to get the oily residue from the Goo Gone off.
On smaller stamps, I have been leaving the sticker off the stamps because it seems it's harder to get the static tension that allows the stamp to stick to the block on a smaller stamp. The larger ones it works better. But I also find that if you put the sticker on the back of the stamp in such a way that it becomes cupped, that makes it harder to get the stamp to stick as well. It's a fiddly business, so it can be easier just to leave the stickers off.
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I know you said you like the stickers but I just don't use them. I do wish SU would just print the image on the foam itself. I don't think there has been an update put out about this. I do find like the others thought that my blocks need to be cleaned even if they look "clean". And the guides do help the cling a little but I like them more because it's much easier to the stamp lined up straight :-)
I don't just trim the outer edges of the sticker. I trim the inner "negative-space" parts too. I almost never clean my blocks (and when I do it's more for the photopolymer stamps), and I don't do any of the other things (huffing and puffing, etc.) and they stick. I almost never buy any solid-image stamps so this has worked for me so far. I emphasize that I do cut the dickens out of those stickers. Almost nothing of the sticker except for the black lines of the image remains. If I was less um... compulsive, I would also leave the stickers off. I too have cling stamps from Magnolia, and they stick within a fraction of a section (five entire seconds not needed) on my ultra-dirty blocks.
edited to add: Magnolia's cling stamps DON'T come with stickers or images on the back, so I know I CAN use cling without the images on the back - so I know that as a last resort I CAN just leave the sticker off.
Can someone tell me what the trick is for getting Stampin' Up cling stamps to cling to an acrylic block? Mine just fall right off. I've tried several different brands of blocks and also my Fiskars stamp positioner.
I don't put those clingy things on my stamps. Mostly they are for indexing.
I just use the stamp the way it come with Cling foam on the Rubber stamp.
It Clings really well. I take the clingy film and attach it to my Stamp box. and then place my stamps inside the box.