Aligning Tandy's Small Alphabet Stamps

[Ellen]

How do you alight properly a small alphabet stamps from Tandy?

Either I became prejudiced, or they really are misaligned on their squares... Pure guess work from my side.

Thanks.

[Tree Reaper]

Ellen;

Did you see the George Hurst demo on the Tandy site?

How do you alight properly a small alphabet stamps from Tandy?

Either I became prejudiced, or they really are misaligned on their squares... Pure guess work from my side.

Thanks.

[Ellen]

Nope, going there now. Thanks!

I used a ruler, as it usually recommended.

[Ellen]

They have the video for a gigantic 3D stamps only. :Sigh:

[pete]

How do you alight properly a small alphabet stamps from Tandy?

Either I became prejudiced, or they really are misaligned on their squares... Pure guess work from my side.

Thanks.

Ellen,

take some playdough, a ruler, and see how far off they are when you try a straight line-up. I have one that's crooked and marked it with a sharpie. I almost always carve letters but some folks want the small fonts and don't care about the stamped look. I bevel and spoon them anyway to get rid of the halo.

pete

[wildrose]

They are NOT aligned on the stamps all the same way. I don't use a ruler. I stamp whatever is the middle letter of the word/phrase and work sideways from there. After I've stamped that first letter, I lightly tap the next one, take it off, see how it is, and go from there. Again, it's a matter of practice, and I also try to mark/remember which ones are way off.

[Gawdzilla]

Anybody tried filing/grinding the sides of the stamps to correct the alignment?

[HellfireJack]

I had to grind down the sides of one alphabet set I bought. It didn't look like they were finished during manufacture with lots of flashing left on all sides. I used a dremel with a metal grinding stone.

[Tree Reaper]

My stamps are square to withing 1/64" but there is a burr on some edges that should be cleaned up.

You might have better luck using a square or straight edge to place the stamps against, although I haven't tried it myself.

[Billy P]

I have a bunch of sets of letters from 1/4" up to 1" mine mostly line up right, but like Holly said I start in the middle and work out. Another thing that I consider is mine are all old, none newer that the mid 70's and most older. We all know that back then they made things better that today, so that is probably a factor as well. One last thing too is all the letters are not the same size, ex. the I is a lot smaller than the W. Anyway hope this helps some Billy P

[Ellen]

Thank you all!

I did as Wild Rose advised, bot this is very frustrating and only on third piece of leather it went in acceptable way.

If they are not plated, maybe I should try to grind them on sharpening stone.

By the way, I have no idea how to use 3mm (1/8") alphabet (from Lee Valley) that is made on beveled round metal bars, always a round halo imprint. I guess that letters are not made high enough for a leather.

Edited February 5, 2011 by Ellen