making my own Stamps

[cudofcow]

I'm wondering if anyone has tried to use 3D printing to create custom stamps? I was browsing Shapeways.com and noticed that you can use your own CAD designs to create stainless steel 3D printed objects. Could make for some really amazing designs. People on that site have used 3D printing to create replacement parts for home appliances, I wonder if the steel is any good for leatherworking purposes. Just thoughts...

[cem]

I've used shapeways in the past and had wondered if it would be possible to make stamps with the stainless, I'm not sure if they would be strong enough though with a long shaft like normal stamps but I had thought of trying something like the Tandy letter stamps where a smaller pieces pushes into the main shaft.

If anyone else wants to look into this as well a free fairly easy to pick up program is available here http://www.123dapp.com/123d It's made by Autodesk and is a scaled down version of their 3D Inventor software. Anyone else who already knows about 3D CAD a stl file is usually what shapeways wants. I believe they take other formats as well but stl seems to be the easiest format for them to work with.

Cheers,

Clair

Edited September 16, 2012 by cem

[lwleathers]

I don't think the stainless steel 3D models made in shapeways will be suitable for leather stamping. As they are not solid stainless steel, strength is a question. They might be able to make 100% fillings on the model but the price will be very high. Secondly, their stainless steel final polising is quite raw, it may leave undesirable marks.

But I've never made anything from shapeways and my speculations are only based on what they describe on the website.

http://www.shapeways.com/materials/steel

It's definitely an interesting thing to try! Would be great to hear from someone who had experience making a stamp from them.

[cem]

I had a couple of models I needed printed at Shapeways so I thought I would try a stamp as well so here are the results in stainless. Keep in mind this is a small stamp the cem part is 14mm Length x 4mm width. I haven't had to make a part with tolerances for awhile so the hole isn't big enough for the Tandy letter handle but I found a pin punch that works with it.

The stainless is heavy and feels like metal, there is some stepping on the sides which is expected with the 3D printing process but it doesn't interfere with how the stamp works. There was some powder residue in the small crevices most I was able to get out with a scalpel blade but what is left doesn't show in the impression. Bottom of the cem has been polished slightly as well as the rectangular backing. The leather I punched into is 3mm and the cem part is 4mm plenty of depth so as not to get marking from the rectangular backing.

I'm pretty happy with it and I will be using it for some things I make, I also had a plastic version made as well but haven't used that as yet as I want to make a mold of it first and cast it into a stronger plastic. I don't think this process will take over from cnc milled stamps but it is another process that can be used and I had fun experimenting with it. The cost of the stainless stamp was $12.45 and the plastic $4.20, I wouldn't of purchased if I only had these to do as Shapeways now has a $20.00 shipping fee to Australia so I waited until I could bundle them with something else.

Please excuse the quality of the photos I had to use my phone as someone forgot to charge the battery again on our family camera, the stamp is smoother than what it appears in the photos.

This also could be a possibility for one off buckle inlays for belt makers.

Cheers,

Clair

[lwleathers]

Hi Clair,

Thanks for sharing the stamp you made on Shapeway! I wonder how big (dimension of the design) was the stamp you made?

Cheers,

Calvin

[cem]

Hi Calvin,

Total height of the stamp is 1.5 cm x 1.6 cm width at the rectangle part sorry I don't know how to convert it to inches, I didn't want to try anything too big in case it didn't work.

Cheers,

Clair

[Fullmetalsam]

Hi Clair,

This is soemthing I've been looking into as well (Shapeways for leather stamps).

You said in a previous post that you had ordered both the stainless and the plastic version of that stamp... did you ever get around to using the plastic stamp as well ??? How did it perform compared to the stainless one ???

[cem]

Hi Fullmetalsam,

Sorry just saw your message, I only got to use the plastic one once it worked okay but wasn't heavy enough at that size and unfortunately it didn't survive the silicone molding process the cem part came away in pieces and to top it off the mold had an air bubble in it, the cast in resin worked better but because of the air bubble I'm not able to use it. If you want to try a plastic one from Shapeways I would try something bigger, once I need something else from Shapeways I'll probably give it another go as well.

Cheers,

Clair

[Fullmetalsam]

Hi Clair,

Thanks for your reply.... even if it's a sad story for that stamp : )

I was looking at shapeways for a bigger stamp (almost 2"x2") and I have ordered a plastic one before you had replied. At that size the stainless steel is not too affordable : ) But I can't wait to see how it's going to perform - even if I only get a couple good impressions out of it, it's going to have paid for it self and may get the stainless steel version when the plastic one is destroyed.

I can update this thread with the result of that stamp once I get it - I know I've been searching for this kind of information for a long time. : )

[oreste]

Hello people

Hello from Germany, I have read with interresse these posts and would like to use material a notice geben.Ich round brass rods from the hardware store for example 6mm cut into pieces-is hard enough and will not rust and will not rub off too.