Glue Small Stamps to Handle

[dprezgay]

I am trying to organize the tools at our local BSA.  I am going to buy several of the Craftool Native American Symbols stamp sets.  They are 1/4" 2d stamps that need a small stamp handle to use.  After working with Cub Scouts, I find it necessary to buy a bunch of the small stamp handles and glue them to the stamps.   This brings up the price by about 3.00 per stamp (there are 43 stamps in the set that costs about 30.00 for the whole set,) but it would solve several problems. 

   Every session during the day we ended up looking for these stamps that were missing due to the small size. 

   The younger kids had a harder time changing the stamps since some of the extra handles that they had were too tight and got stuck in the stamp.  

The question I have is:

     What is the best glue to use that will stand up during it's (ab)use by the kids? 

I'm talking about the repeated mallet blows and occasional dropping of the stamp.

This seems excessive to add about 130.00 to the cost of a 30.00 set but I believe it would speed the kids up and save time by not having to look for the lost stamps.    

The group sizes I deal with in the BSA Day Camp program are usually less than 10 with a total of up to 125 kids a day.  And I am pretty anal about making sure all the stamps are there after each session since I am taking my own personal stamps to the events. 

But I can't make it to each Day Camp and they are supposed to have 4 sets of these tools to loan out.  So I am trying to raise money to buy the rest of what they need.

What do you think?

 

 

 

 

[TomG]

Take a stamp of each size to Home Depot ot Lowes or other hardware store and find the proper steel rod to fit.  Cut it to lengths that match the "real" handles. Grind off any rough or sharp edges on the top end.

You may be able to get a small machine shop to donate time to do the cutting and grinding. Or a parent who has the appropriate tools at home

Use JB Weld to put a SMALL dab in the hole. Then spread some around the junction of the shaft and the top of the stamp.

Once dry, it's not coming apart.

Oh.. Be sure to use the regular stuff. It takes longer to set, but it gives you more working time. Even still, don't mix more than you can apply in about 3 or 4 minutes.

 

[dprezgay]

6 hours ago, TomG said:

Take a stamp of each size to Home Depot ot Lowes or other hardware store and find the proper steel rod to fit.  Cut it to lengths that match the "real" handles. Grind off any rough or sharp edges on the top end.

You may be able to get a small machine shop to donate time to do the cutting and grinding. Or a parent who has the appropriate tools at home

Use JB Weld to put a SMALL dab in the hole. Then spread some around the junction of the shaft and the top of the stamp.

Once dry, it's not coming apart.

Oh.. Be sure to use the regular stuff. It takes longer to set, but it gives you more working time. Even still, don't mix more than you can apply in about 3 or 4 minutes.

 

Thanks for the idea of using a steel rod.  My only question is that based on how thin the rod would have to be wouldn't it eventually bend?  I know very little about steel and hardness requirements.  

Is the JB Weld the stuff that has 2 parts and you mix them together?  Could I put 1 part in the stamp and the other on the handle then twist the rod around to mix it in the stamp hole?  

 

Dale

 

[TomG]

1 hour ago, dprezgay said:

Thanks for the idea of using a steel rod.  My only question is that based on how thin the rod would have to be wouldn't it eventually bend?  I know very little about steel and hardness requirements.  

Is the JB Weld the stuff that has 2 parts and you mix them together?  Could I put 1 part in the stamp and the other on the handle then twist the rod around to mix it in the stamp hole?  

 

Dale

 

The rod you get at the hardware store should be more than ample.  You are talking about kids and either wood or Poly mallets I would assume. You never hit any of these with a steel hammer anyway.

Yes, you mix the 2 parts in equal amounts. And only what you'll use in about 1/3 - 1/2 of the setting time. I would not suggest putting the 2 part is and mixing there. You need to premix it until it's grey.
If I was going to do a bunch of these, I would take a piece of wood, drill holes that would just hold the rods, with enough space between them for the stamp to clear.  Put a rod in each hole.  Mix up the JB (I use Popsicle sticks) and put a small amount on the end of the rod. Then, slide the stamp on. I would work fairly quickly so that I could put something on top of the assembly and weigh it or clamp it down a bit.  Just so you don't loose the adhesion from expansion.

A couple of things,,,
The rods need to be pretty straight out of the stamp. As close to a right angle as possible. if the rod is a tight fit, don't put hardly JB in the bottom. It is thick and a tight fit won't allow it to spread up the shaft. This is fine as you will put more around the outside where the rod and stamp meet. You just don't want a slug of JB in the bottom of the hole and almost no rod in the hole <g>...

Make sure you wipe the tstamp hole and rod down with something to remove any oil or grease before assembly.

 

Good luck

 

[dprezgay]

8 minutes ago, TomG said:

The rod you get at the hardware store should be more than ample.  You are talking about kids and either wood or Poly mallets I would assume. You never hit any of these with a steel hammer anyway.

Yes, you mix the 2 parts in equal amounts. And only what you'll use in about 1/3 - 1/2 of the setting time. I would not suggest putting the 2 part is and mixing there. You need to premix it until it's grey.
If I was going to do a bunch of these, I would take a piece of wood, drill holes that would just hold the rods, with enough space between them for the stamp to clear.  Put a rod in each hole.  Mix up the JB (I use Popsicle sticks) and put a small amount on the end of the rod. Then, slide the stamp on. I would work fairly quickly so that I could put something on top of the assembly and weigh it or clamp it down a bit.  Just so you don't loose the adhesion from expansion.

A couple of things,,,
The rods need to be pretty straight out of the stamp. As close to a right angle as possible. if the rod is a tight fit, don't put hardly JB in the bottom. It is thick and a tight fit won't allow it to spread up the shaft. This is fine as you will put more around the outside where the rod and stamp meet. You just don't want a slug of JB in the bottom of the hole and almost no rod in the hole <g>...

Make sure you wipe the tstamp hole and rod down with something to remove any oil or grease before assembly.

 

Good luck

 

Thanks,

 

Dale

[byggyns]

On 6/3/2018 at 7:03 PM, TomG said:

The rod you get at the hardware store should be more than ample.  You are talking about kids and either wood or Poly mallets I would assume. You never hit any of these with a steel hammer anyway.

Yes, you mix the 2 parts in equal amounts. And only what you'll use in about 1/3 - 1/2 of the setting time. I would not suggest putting the 2 part is and mixing there. You need to premix it until it's grey.
If I was going to do a bunch of these, I would take a piece of wood, drill holes that would just hold the rods, with enough space between them for the stamp to clear.  Put a rod in each hole.  Mix up the JB (I use Popsicle sticks) and put a small amount on the end of the rod. Then, slide the stamp on. I would work fairly quickly so that I could put something on top of the assembly and weigh it or clamp it down a bit.  Just so you don't loose the adhesion from expansion.

A couple of things,,,
The rods need to be pretty straight out of the stamp. As close to a right angle as possible. if the rod is a tight fit, don't put hardly JB in the bottom. It is thick and a tight fit won't allow it to spread up the shaft. This is fine as you will put more around the outside where the rod and stamp meet. You just don't want a slug of JB in the bottom of the hole and almost no rod in the hole <g>...

Make sure you wipe the tstamp hole and rod down with something to remove any oil or grease before assembly.

 

Good luck

 

This is great advice. Also, the steel rod in hardware stores is softer steel than most tool steel. This means that the steel will be less likely to splinter and send dangerous fragments into little eyes and hands. 

After reading your initial question, I was also going to suggest JB Weld, which Tom has already done. His method of mass preparation should work great for the quantity you are dealing with. Just make sure the top end of the rod that will be struck has been rounded off or slightly chamfered to remove any burrs and prevent damage to the mallet from a sharp edge.

[dprezgay]

Moderator - Please Close/Lock this post and move to old/sold forum.

Thanks,

Dale

[Northmount]

Good discussion.  Will lock but not archive it.