Think: Nick Bantock.
July 14, 2005 3:12 PM Subscribe
I want to make a custom rubber stamp.
So far, all the places I find online are too cookie-cutter. I want to be able to have more than three fonts to choose from, I want unusual format choices, I want to be able to manipulate the kerning myself. Anyone know of where I might be able to find something like that?
So far, all the places I find online are too cookie-cutter. I want to be able to have more than three fonts to choose from, I want unusual format choices, I want to be able to manipulate the kerning myself. Anyone know of where I might be able to find something like that?
Um. Disclaimer: This is a friend's web site. But it is definitely what you asked for.
http://designyourowncard.com/
Yes, the templates look cookie-cutter, but you can go in and manipulate them in just about any way you could imagine. Tons of fonts, etc. Moving the text blocks in odd ways. Deleting and adding text blocks. Adding graphics -- your own, or clip art. And so on. Just click on one of the templates, and go in and start messing with it.
On preview: DYOC will do what trevyn mentions.
posted by litlnemo at 3:26 PM on July 14, 2005
http://designyourowncard.com/
Yes, the templates look cookie-cutter, but you can go in and manipulate them in just about any way you could imagine. Tons of fonts, etc. Moving the text blocks in odd ways. Deleting and adding text blocks. Adding graphics -- your own, or clip art. And so on. Just click on one of the templates, and go in and start messing with it.
On preview: DYOC will do what trevyn mentions.
posted by litlnemo at 3:26 PM on July 14, 2005
I've had stamps made up by Blade Rubber (ba-dumm-tish). Came out beautifully. But they're in London.
posted by blag at 3:52 PM on July 14, 2005
posted by blag at 3:52 PM on July 14, 2005
Just about any stationery store (or big box equivalent) will make a stamp from your image, either printed or digital. I first had this done at a mom-and-pop stationery store in small town NH circa 1996 and at Staples several times since. I've paid $15-30.
posted by TimeFactor at 3:58 PM on July 14, 2005
posted by TimeFactor at 3:58 PM on July 14, 2005
If you can print out what you want, you can make a stamp. Check out these guys, starter kits with video start at $59.
posted by Marky at 4:02 PM on July 14, 2005
posted by Marky at 4:02 PM on July 14, 2005
On Jalan Malioboro in Yogya, Indonesia, there are guys who will carve any design you like into a rubber stamp--by hand. You tell them what you want, come back and pick it up a day or two later.
posted by gimonca at 4:06 PM on July 14, 2005
posted by gimonca at 4:06 PM on July 14, 2005
Most brick&mortor places, if not online places offer a service where you just bring in the design printed on a sheet of paper, and they make it into a stamp. (They actually photocopy it onto acetate first, so if you can print to transparancy, that might be even better). It means you get precise control of everything, and they just turn it into a stamp of identical dimensions.
I've had stamps done this way, I was very impressed with the results.
posted by -harlequin- at 4:20 PM on July 14, 2005
I've had stamps done this way, I was very impressed with the results.
posted by -harlequin- at 4:20 PM on July 14, 2005
The Granthams kit Marky mentioned is sort of misleading. The kit contains some ingredients and a video telling you how to build an exposure unit for making polymer stamps. However, the equipment for building the unit is all purchased separately and ends up costing maybe an additional $100, plus you have to build the thing yourself.
Also, they don't include written instructions, just the video, which is irritating.
(Yes, I bought one. I own a rubber stamp company but I don't make my own stamps -- I farm that part of the process out. So I bought the Granthams kit to build my own stamp exposure unit, and was a little disappointed. It's true, it is cheaper than buying your own commercially-made polymer exposure unit, but...)
If you only need a few stamps, don't go that route, just have a company make them, as it will be much cheaper. If you want to make custom stamps for people, though, you could consider doing the Granthams route. If you plan to sell a lot of a particular design, however, you want rubber, not polymer (generally) for cost reasons, so you would go a different route. E-mail me if you want more details about that process.
posted by litlnemo at 4:27 PM on July 14, 2005
Also, they don't include written instructions, just the video, which is irritating.
(Yes, I bought one. I own a rubber stamp company but I don't make my own stamps -- I farm that part of the process out. So I bought the Granthams kit to build my own stamp exposure unit, and was a little disappointed. It's true, it is cheaper than buying your own commercially-made polymer exposure unit, but...)
If you only need a few stamps, don't go that route, just have a company make them, as it will be much cheaper. If you want to make custom stamps for people, though, you could consider doing the Granthams route. If you plan to sell a lot of a particular design, however, you want rubber, not polymer (generally) for cost reasons, so you would go a different route. E-mail me if you want more details about that process.
posted by litlnemo at 4:27 PM on July 14, 2005
Oh, I wanted to add that at craft stores like Jo-Ann and Michaels you can sometimes find a little "Make your own stamp" kit for about $50. It has a stamp from a picture of a little boy on the front of the box. Avoid this kit like the plague. I bought one to mess around with, and the results were awful. It's basically a polymer thing, with black-light exposure, but I could not get a tolerable image out of it -- and I do this stuff enough that I know how to prepare the art, etc. For $20, it would be a fun experiment, but for $50, it's not worth it.
I think, though, based on the phrasing of the original question, you specifically wanted online resources, so all of this may be off track...?
posted by litlnemo at 4:31 PM on July 14, 2005
I think, though, based on the phrasing of the original question, you specifically wanted online resources, so all of this may be off track...?
posted by litlnemo at 4:31 PM on July 14, 2005
A friend of mine and I got a 1 1/2" square (well, a circle, really) self-inking stamp made my a local office supply store. It cost about 25 bucks. Try calling around.
posted by interrobang at 5:26 PM on July 14, 2005
posted by interrobang at 5:26 PM on July 14, 2005
I echo the brick and mortar approach. the folks are local and we've had a couple stamps made by them by supplying them with PDF files. Cost was entirely reasonable.
posted by plinth at 6:26 PM on July 14, 2005
posted by plinth at 6:26 PM on July 14, 2005
We did this for our wedding (for faux embossing) but instead of bringing in a print out to the stamp place we just emailed them an .eps and then picked up the stamp the next day.
posted by Mitheral at 7:15 PM on July 14, 2005
posted by Mitheral at 7:15 PM on July 14, 2005
i have used iprint.com in the past with great success. you just upload your own black and white image and they mail you a stamp. you can even upload a graphic and then add text next to it in various "wacky" or plain fonts with their web-based layout interface. their 3 inch by 1.5 inch stamp with wooden handle is only 15 bucks. the only slightly weird thing was that when i was viewing my "final design" that i had uploaded, their display of it looked slightly low-res (crunkly/pixellated) - and i had uploaded a very hi-res black/white graphic. but the stamp i got was really good quality and sharp, and so i think that their "preview" function was just sort "imperfect".
posted by chr1sb0y at 6:31 AM on July 15, 2005
posted by chr1sb0y at 6:31 AM on July 15, 2005
If you're into charity stuff,
Ready Stamps creates awesome quality stamps (and will give you the reverse plate if you ask, great for making raised stamps with clay, etc.
Ready-Stamps is a community-based business of
United Cerebral Palsy Association of San Diego,
promoting the independence of disabled persons through training and employment.
posted by agregoli at 7:34 AM on July 15, 2005
Ready Stamps creates awesome quality stamps (and will give you the reverse plate if you ask, great for making raised stamps with clay, etc.
Ready-Stamps is a community-based business of
United Cerebral Palsy Association of San Diego,
promoting the independence of disabled persons through training and employment.
posted by agregoli at 7:34 AM on July 15, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by trevyn at 3:23 PM on July 14, 2005