I have posted some carving "How To's" and tips on my website:
www.ScoutdogsBoxes.com and several others have good advice on their
sites too. Check the "links" section of the talk list website. If you
have any questions, feel free to ask.

Scoutdogs

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "jeffrey & deborah boschert"
wrote:
> I'm rather new and I haven't posted yet, but I've been interested
and
> inspired by reading the list. My kids and I did three boxes today.
We just
> moved to Maine and we're trying to do get out and find some boxes
before
> winter really hits. After all the discussion over the past week or
so about
> mounting stamps I thought I'd share an interesting idea we ran
across today.
> Bay Bridge Landing letterbox has a wonderful small stamp which is
mounted on
> the lid of the small ink pad in the box. The ink pad was about 1.5
inches
> square and the stamp spilled over the edge of the lid a bit. It
seemed to
> work great. I held the lid in my left hand and the pad in my right
to ink it
> up then simply stamped it in my log then put the lid back on.
Obviously,
> this would only work for certain stamps depending on the size of
the stamp.
> We also found LLBLB and Best Friends. All were in good shape. It
was a
> beautiful day today. A perfect day for letterboxing.
>
> We have now found 10 letterboxes and I feel like it's really time
for us to
> plant one. I'd love to carve my own stamp and I have some ideas. So
I just
> need to get some supplies and dive in. It seems I should look
for "plumbers
> gasket" at Home Depot or maybe the pink or white stuff at my local
craft
> shop. What would be the most economical (cheapest) carving tool?
Exacto
> knife? Other recommendations for tools or carving medium would be
welcome.
>
> Deborah of The Boschert Family

> It seems I should look for "plumbers gasket" at Home Depot or maybe
> the pink or white stuff at my local craft shop.

I'd probably not get plumber's gasket for carving stamps unless you
have a very specialized purpose for it since--from what I've heard--
it doesn't carve or stamp as well as the "real" carving stuff.

If you get the "white stuff", make sure it doesn't say Speedball on
it! The stuff crumbles faster than Grey Davis's career. Mastercarve
also has white stuff that tends to work pretty well, though. The
pink stuff by Speedball is okay too, just their white stuff isn't.
Nasty, nasty stuff.

-- Ryan

Speedball has a starter kit available with a 3x6 piece of the pink
stuff, a cheap handle and both a fine and wide blade, and
instructions. You might not choose to cantinue with either the
handle or the type of carving medium, but at least it has all you
need in one package to get started.
Aud

Dogscout,

You have a great website. I am VERY new to Letterboxing and the coolest
thing is that there are so many here in Ohio. I'm in Springfield, Clark
County and I'm going to place my first box here soon.

Not to advertise but for anyone in my area, if you come into my store and
mention the Letterboxing mailing list I'll give you a discount on
merchandise. I have a small tactical/preparedness store and I sell military
surplus. I also ship UPS & USPS. My website (still under construction) is
ww.preparednessnetwork.org/bearmountain

I also run a national preparedness organization called NorthStar
Preparedness Network www preparednessnetwork.org/northstar

Thanks for the great mailing list and information - this is great fun!

Suzanne Settle
XO, NorthStar Preparedness Network

"Fear conscripts its own armies, takes its own prisoners."

Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 02:28:14 -0000
From: "scoutdogs107"
Subject: Re: Speaking of mounting stamps...

I have posted some carving "How To's" and tips on my website:
www.ScoutdogsBoxes.com and several others have good advice on their
sites too. Check the "links" section of the talk list website. If you
have any questions, feel free to ask.

Scoutdogs

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "jeffrey & deborah boschert"
wrote:
> We have now found 10 letterboxes and I feel like it's really time
for us to
> plant one. I'd love to carve my own stamp and I have some ideas.
So I just
> need to get some supplies and dive in. It seems I should look
for "plumbers
> gasket" at Home Depot or maybe the pink or white stuff at my local
craft
> shop. What would be the most economical (cheapest) carving tool?
Exacto
> knife? Other recommendations for tools or carving medium would be
welcome.
>
> Deborah of The Boschert Family

Dear Deborah:

I, too, am new to the hobby and a cheapskate to boot. I started off
using a well-sharpened paring knife, believe it or not. That just
didn't work real well, so I've stepped up to a box cutter knife that
I already had at home. I've been happy with this, and I imagine
you'd get similar results from an x-acto knife. I imagine the x-acto
vs. speedball gouges is kind of like asking "which is better for
creating artwork--oil paints or pastels?" Each has different
strengths and weaknesses.

I've also had good luck practicing on cheapy little novelty erasers
from the dollar store--10 for a buck, hard to beat that, and they
have pictures printed right on them that you can practice carving
away using various techniques. The material is thin (about 1/8 in)
so you need to mount them--I've been mounting mine on letter blocks
my kids no longer us, using super glue. Even if you use them just to
practice and want something more original to plant "in the wild,"
your kids might find a use for them.

Cheers,
La Chola

La Chola,

Im SO glad to hear from you! I too am relatively new to letterboxing and a
cheapskate! LOL!

Ive seen such beautiful stamps lately Ive been felling really guilty about
mine which are original, but rather simple.

I also use an X-acto knife, and dollar tree erasers. Ive practiced up and
released several of my simple stamps, and have been feeling awful about
sending people to go find them, when they are so simple! I hadnt found many
boxes before and hadnt noticed the rather glaring differences. Now I think
Im about ready to move up to speedball and pink stuff.

How have your erasers been turning out? Im curious to know if its the
material or the carver?!

Kerri

AKA Lone Pony

Ps. Ive been mounting my stamps on old building blocks!! J



I, too, am new to the hobby and a cheapskate to boot. I started off
using a well-sharpened paring knife, believe it or not. That just
didn't work real well, so I've stepped up to a box cutter knife that
I already had at home. I've been happy with this, and I imagine
you'd get similar results from an x-acto knife. I imagine the x-acto
vs. speedball gouges is kind of like asking "which is better for
creating artwork--oil paints or pastels?" Each has different
strengths and weaknesses.

I've also had good luck practicing on cheapy little novelty erasers
from the dollar store--10 for a buck, hard to beat that, and they
have pictures printed right on them that you can practice carving
away using various techniques. The material is thin (about 1/8 in)
so you need to mount them--I've been mounting mine on letter blocks
my kids no longer us, using super glue. Even if you use them just to
practice and want something more original to plant "in the wild,"
your kids might find a use for them.

Cheers,
La Chola


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