> What brand of eraser's do you other carvers out there recommend?
> Also, where do you buy your supply and how much should they cost?

I head to my local "Micahel's Art Supply" or "A.C. Moore" and grab a sheet
of carving material. It is basically the same stuff as in the speed ball
kits. It comes in large sheets about 8.5" x 11" x 1/2" thick. then I cut
a square out of this material. They have a pink and White varient.
Either one should suffice.

I did start out with erasers, although you need to be careful as some of
them end up becoming quite hard after a year or so.

Hope this helps.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeremy Disch |Department of Chem. |www.tufts.edu/~jdisch
jdisch@tufts.edu |Tufts University |www.tufts.edu
Pearson 323 |Rybak-Akimova Lab |ase.tufts.edu/chemistry/rybak
(617) 627-5745 Lab|GCMS/MALDI TA |
(617) 627-3443 Fax| |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Staedtler also makes small vinyl erasers that are 7/8 in. by 1.1/8 in.
They carve nicely and come in a package of 4 for $1.50 to $2.00
depending on where you purchase.
I like the size, and back them with 1/8 inch plywood cut to size and
stamped with the carved stamp image, then coat the wood with a non-
yellowing clear finish.
----
Bill

--- In letterbox-usa@y..., nomad1@t... wrote:
> Hello everybody,
>
> I just started the art of stamp carving and carved my first image
> from a Staedtler Mars Plastic eraser.
>
> What brand of eraser's do you other carvers out there recommend?
> Also, where do you buy your supply and how much should they cost?
>
> I'd appreciate any information along these lines anyone would be
> willing to share. We are working on getting our first Letterbox
> series out.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mark (from Beth & Mark)

Hey Mark & Beth!

I use just about anything I can get my hands on, basically. A good Mars
carving block or Magic Rub eraser is a good starting point. They aren't
too spendy and it you make mistakes it doesn't set you back much.

Two other common types of rubber to carve with are Nasco Saf T Kut
block, which is a firm white product that can be purchased in blocks
inexpensively at Art Media. It tends to be a crumbly medium so some
people aren't wild about it. Once you get used to it, though, it's
pretty workable.

Probably the best stuff I've used is Speedball Speedy Stamp, which comes
in bubble gum pink. It cuts beautifully. The only drawback I find with
it is that it's a wobbly medium that might be more suited to mounting.
That can be found at Michael's craft stores.

I hope this helps. See you in carving class in a couple weeks!

Best regards,

Amanda Briles
The Paisley Orca

What is a Mars Carving block? Is that different from the eraser?

How big is it? How much does it cost? Where do you get it? =D

~ Mischief ~
P3F3

-----Original Message-----
From: paisleyorca@webtv.net [mailto:paisleyorca@webtv.net]


Hey Mark & Beth!

I use just about anything I can get my hands on, basically. A good Mars
carving block or Magic Rub eraser is a good starting point. They aren't
too spendy and it you make mistakes it doesn't set you back much.



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Ok, so I have a lot of questions today

Bill, what specifically do you use to mount the stamp to the wood block?

~ M ~

--- In letterbox-usa@y..., "Bill" wrote:
>Staedtler also makes small vinyl erasers that are 7/8 in. by 1.1/8 in.
>They carve nicely and come in a package of 4 for $1.50 to $2.00 depending
>on where you purchase.
>I like the size, and back them with 1/8 inch plywood cut to size and
>stamped with the carved stamp image, then coat the wood with a non-
>yellowing clear finish. ----
>Bill

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I just got some Speedball SpeedyCut carving block (about $7 for a
sheet that is 6"3/4 x 11") and cut it up for 12 different stamps.
This gives a larger area than the little erasers and more of a square.
I got tired of that rectangle!
I must say that Bill made some gorgeous stamps from the staedtler
small vinyl erasers (Dash Point Park in Federal Way, WA) They look
very professional!
Also, my signature stamp is from a Staedtler eraser and it starts to
crumble after repeated stampings...does anyone have any advice about
this problem?

--Amanda from Seattle

--- Mischief In Wa wrote:
> What is a Mars Carving block? Is that different
> from the eraser?
>
> How big is it? How much does it cost? Where do you
> get it? =D
>
> ~ Mischief ~
> P3F3
>
Mars block is what to use! It is properly called
Staedtler Mars Artists carving medium. It comes in
various sizes, as well as thickness. I prefer to use
the 4"x4"x 1/2" piece I can get up to four stamps out
of this block. It costs me 3.35 U.S.. I get it from
Rubber Stamp Mania in Essex CT. I don't have her
number but she is a member of this list... she can
give you more details.

this stuff is niether crumbly or overly wobbly, it
holds up to the elements very well!

I reccomend it!!


I just couldnt wait to get my page up with the hints
and stuff. But when I do you will find a link to
staedtlermars

cHIp

=====
www.geocities.com/kancamangusdabull/HOME.html

You pick the place, I'll choose the time,
And I'll climb, that hill in my own way"

R. Waters

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> Bill, what specifically do you use to mount the stamp to the wood
> block?

I'm not Bill, but I'll give a whack at an answer. =)

I've tried a couple of things. Rubber cement I didn't like much.
The stamp would fall off the wood block too easily. The regular
white glue found in classrooms and such I didn't like much either
because when they got wet.... *shaking head*

However, then I tried some outdoor wood glue, and that stuff worked
GREAT! Solid as a brick.

However, I got sick of cutting out wooden blocks (I was using a
hacksaw--not recommended), so I wisened up and realised if I just
made my stamps smaller, a mount wasn't really all that necessary.
=) Not only that, but the pink pudge I use to make stamps lasts a
LOT longer with the smaller stamps, which means I don't have to buy
tham as often. Not that I think they're particularly expensive, but
it's a nice bonus. *shrug*

Ho hum, ho hum, it's off to home I go....

-- Ryan

I think Jay Drew had a brilliant idea for mounting stamps. A recent find was
attached to the outside of the ink pad lid... Pretty clever!
Stephani

I found that one! ... Unless it is not the same one
that I am thinking of ... the one I found was a
mystery box, so I don't want to say too much ... but
it was my favorite box that I have found so far. A
very clever box!
Karen in CT

--- jonsey9999@aol.com wrote:
> I think Jay Drew had a brilliant idea for mounting
> stamps. A recent find was
> attached to the outside of the ink pad lid...
> Pretty clever!
> Stephani
>


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Great stamp supply place at Pigs can Fly - a strool ( like a stroll & a
drool !:-) through their galleries is well worth the time. I'm going to
order some backer sheets as fun foam requires permanent mounting. BTW,
a good "glue" for using fun foam on most things is Golden acrylic gel
medium (heavy) it takes a while to set up but works really well as is
compatible with anything I've tried. You must usually go to an artists
supply usually but I do recall seeing some in a Michaels store.

Susan

I use 3-M spray contact adhesive and coat both surfaces, let dry then
press together. This adhesive is strong and my past experience has
shown it to be reliable, but time will tell how well it holds up
under letterbox conditions.
Be sure the clear coat, if used, is non-yellowing.
----
Bill

--- In letterbox-usa@y..., "Mischief In Wa" wrote:
> Ok, so I have a lot of questions today
>
> Bill, what specifically do you use to mount the stamp to the wood
block?
>
> ~ M ~
>
> --- In letterbox-usa@y..., "Bill" wrote:
> >Staedtler also makes small vinyl erasers that are 7/8 in. by 1.1/8
in.
> >They carve nicely and come in a package of 4 for $1.50 to $2.00
depending
> >on where you purchase.
> >I like the size, and back them with 1/8 inch plywood cut to size
and
> >stamped with the carved stamp image, then coat the wood with a non-
> >yellowing clear finish. ----
> >Bill
>
> _________________________________________________________________
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