got my etcher,,now a question

S

shaker

Joined
Apr 12, 2005
Messages
274
OK finally got an etch-o-matic came with a few stencils
now im not too totally clear on how the stencils work
instructions say to draw or type on the stencil keeping in the box ,,ok so far.
so i am supposed to just simply draw on the stencil?
is this only going to put a depression in the stencil? or does the stencil have to be cut through? if i make my own stencils out of a thin piece of plastic and cut my pattern out will that work?
how does a stamp work? does it just put an impression in the stencil? or cut it out?
All the tuturials I have read till now have not really cleared this up for me ?
I'D like to be able to make my own stencils at home so Im not always waiting for the mail, especially since I am in Canada.
 
Hi Shaker

The wax stencils that came with your etch-o-matic are of limited use. They are generally only good for a few impressions. You can just draw (with a slightly heavy hand) a picture using a sharp pencil and it will work. (Test on scrap before the maiin blade. It does quite well with an old typewriter impacting the words you want and they are often used this way in "first knife" classes. I also had some luck creating stencils from the computer and printing them on to the wax stencil with an ancient 24 pin printer (no ribbon required). Great if you have no artistic ability.

Lastly, you could get the stencil making kit from etch-o-matic or buy Canadian :D . These stencils are generally good for 50 or more impressions and they can do anything you can print on a transparency - and do it well... at about $2.50 each. There are places in Canada you can get these made and if you want to try it out, just drop over sometime and you can try our setup.

The stencil makers do lots more than knife stencils, including glass etching - rubber stamp making - sign making and more. Kinda cool.

Hope this helps

Rob!
 
yes some of that did help out , i'm afraid that your a little too far away to drop in on ..i'm in eastern ontario
I think ill give it a try on making my own stencil from a transparancy sheet and razor blade my design out of it .
again thanks ,,shaker
 
Shaker

The wax stencils work just like the old memograph paper did on the memograph machine. I'm assuming you were old enough to remember them since you didn't post your age on the profile.

If you want to put a nice image on the wax stencils, tape one to a sheet of printer paper and run it through a dot-matrix printer. Anything you can print on the stencil you can etch.

Jim Arbuckle
 
DAMNENG said:
..........The wax stencils work just like the old memograph paper did on the memograph machine. .......
Click to expand...


Mimeograph.....dang, are you old or what, Jim? :D Turn the crank, clunkclunkclunkclunk; time for ink...thick purple crap everywhere! Unintended cheap buzz, bad headache! :(

I bet you still call a "copy" a "Xerox", too, don't'cha. ;)
 
Shaker

Just an after thought, make sure you store your wax based stencils where the temps don't get above the eighties. They don't work for shi- after being heated.

Jim Arbuckle
 
fitzo said:
Mimeograph.....dang, are you old or what? :D I bet you still call a "copy" a "Xerox", too, don't'cha. ;)
Click to expand...

Mike

Guilty as charged. Ugly knows no age limit! Old farts rule!

Jim Arbuckle

PS I also never use the word awsome!
 
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