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I needed to read this --- this is the final push I was looking for to tip the scales . I'm IN!! Now to find the thin EZ mount and get cracking..... and of course to track down some acrylic blocks. My friend was using some nice ones with bevelled edges ---not just the square chunk.... I'd rather use those as they seem easier. Ah.... another thing to "find" hehehehehe
THANKS...
I've tried many UM systems over the yrs, even HALOs and more types of blocks than I care to admit. I think CTMH have the best!
__________________ "I drive way too fast to worry about my cholesterol".
River City Rubber Works
I like the ones with wavy edges and gridlines. I'm tempted to try the Unity "handles" though - but they are quite expensive. If I was just starting with unmounting and had no acrylic blocks though, I'd go for it. They are acrylic in the center with wood grips on the sides.
WELL WORTH the Price! Their blocks work GREAT especially if you like the "feel of wood" and the ability to see where your image is placed. Plus the largest size let's you combine several images to fit an A2 base card.
Great company and excellent customer service8-)
If we're "unmounting" our stamps (and by unmounting I mean removing the rubber from the foam, and the foam from wood) why are we "remounting" them with EZmount? Wouldn't it just be simpler (sp?) to leave the SU foam on them? I'm way confused about this whole process and not sure I have the guts to actually do it, even though I've wanted to since CTMH came out with "My Acrylix". I'm seriously thinking of just going down to the bare nekkid rubber and using Tack-n_peel on my blocks...anyone else read these threads and thinking this? :confused: Would love to watch a tutorial of someone unmounting their stamps... anyone else become addicted to video tutorials? LOVE THEM!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
First of all, no question is a dumb question. Especially this topic which can be really confusing!! I love Tack'n'Peel and use it with bare rubber and also with new SU stamps with the backing paper still on - it peels up off the TnP easily with the backing paper staying right on the SU stamps. So I still have the SU foam that way.
Some people do use the original foam cushion with sticky backing -- just stick and unstick the back off and on fabric a bunch of times to reduce the tackiness so they come off your acrylic blocks more easily. That's the thing. Older sticky isn't sticky enough and brand new can be too sticky. People who like the foam cushion like EZmount (me included!! I've done a bunch of 'em) because you have the foam cushion feel and also they have just the right 'stick'. They aren't sticky to the touch but stick beautifully to acrylic blocks.
If you don't miss the cushion feel... I say YES - just use bare rubber w/ Tack'n'Peel. (some people also like to have a stamping cushion, mouse pad or magazine under their cardstock when they stamp for a more cushiony feel).
If you buy brand spankin' new SU stamps, the backing paper won't get permanently stuck to T'n'P and you can use them that way too.
If you want cushion - EZmount is the superior product, IMHO. Great cushion, great attachment to the rubber, and perfect temporary attachment to the acrylic block.
If we're "unmounting" our stamps (and by unmounting I mean removing the rubber from the foam, and the foam from wood) why are we "remounting" them with EZmount? Wouldn't it just be simpler (sp?) to leave the SU foam on them? I'm way confused about this whole process and not sure I have the guts to actually do it, even though I've wanted to since CTMH came out with "My Acrylix". I'm seriously thinking of just going down to the bare nekkid rubber and using Tack-n_peel on my blocks...anyone else read these threads and thinking this? :confused: Would love to watch a tutorial of someone unmounting their stamps... anyone else become addicted to video tutorials? LOVE THEM!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Hi Shelly.
You might want to go back and re-look at post #23 of this thread (page 1) where I put a picture of NOT taking the foam off or using EZMount. I agree, it seems so silly to take it off just to put it on. It also seem so silly to me to buy a product that works just like TIOAO glue when the glue is so inexpensive (IMHO.. dont' flame me, if you want to then go for it). Maybe I just don't get it.
I tried the sticker on the foam method for a few and now I'm doing a bunch. The revelation for me was that I don't have to do them all (duh!), I can do the sets that are really "archives" not active.
I cannot bring myself to unmount my SU sets, nor can I stop mounting the fewer new SU sets I order. But I also buy unmounted rubber from several sources and they are ever ready for the acrylic blocks . . . yet I still find it easier to grab my wood-mounted sets. I am old school, even though I only started stamping 3 years ago!
Ok, another dumb question. What is Tack and Peel and where do you get it? I live far from craft stores and usually have to order on the internet. If I understand what everyone is saying, I could cut out SU stamp sets, leaving the paper on the sticky and put them onto an acrylic block with Tack and Peel. Or do you put the Tack and Peel on the paper backing?
That would let me try the unmounted "feel" before mounting on wood to see if I like it.
Tack 'n' Peel comes in a small sheet - about 4 x 6-1/2", I think, for about $8. You trim it to the size of your block, peel off the yellow backing and stick the TnP to the acrylic block. The side you stick your stamp to has an acetate covering you peel off and replace when you're done. So, you peel off the covering, and most commonly, the rubber die alone is attached to the TnP. You can also use the brand new SU stamps with the backing paper still in place on the TnP and the whole thing will come right off again. I love it!
Barnes and Noble sells it (there was a thread here about the title of the item being wrong and it was very misleading -- it looked like you'd get six sheets instead of just one. Several SCSers called and wrote, I believe, and they did correct it, but there was some complaint about customer service. I called myself and they were nice to me. Just FYI. Generally I've found them fine to deal with), and I think 7kidscollegefund.com, and the first place I ordered it from may have been Las Vegas Stamps -- all online.
It may seem costly for a small sheet, but you only cover your acrylic blocks with it once. And you can still use the other side of yoru block for regular acrylic stamps, too. I love it.
Thanks for the information. I ordered a sheet from Joann with a 40% coupon online. It will be interesting to try. I might start with a new stamp set I am waiting for from SU.
How do you guys store your sets that are larger and don't fit into a CD case. I would think a DVD case would work but they all that the part in the middle for the disc to snap into....PLEASE HELP!! Open for all ideas!
__________________ Financial Freedom: In the works! Less stamping supplies but peace of mind!
I think I have a couple of sets that are split between two cases. Okay.. don't hang me here... but the first set that pops into my mind is Changing Seasons (quite rare and some people may *gasp* that I unmounted it - but unmounting IS reversible, y'know!).
Also, my SU background stamps are still on wood blocks and I don't see much point in unmounting those. My un-wheels are in an SU clamshell case - one jumbos and one standards.
I've been reading the posts about going unmounted and just happen to have a TON of vinyl cling sitting around already.
I've read that after time, the vinyl cling doesn't cling as well. If that's true, what do I do then? Simply put on a new piece of cling? (I'm sure the answer to this is obvious, but I just can't visualize it!)
__________________ "Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don't count on harvesting Golden Delicious." (Bill Meyer) http://serendipityandwhimsy.blogspot.com
I only put vinyl cling on a few and I also was a little disappointed. I ended up just peeling up the rubber from the foam altogether, then use EZmount or Tack'n'Peel. Such a shame - I really had high hopes for the vinyl cling :(
I need a good storage system for the larger SU stamp sets. I don't like splitting them between two CD cases. That's what is holding me back from unmounting the sets I have now.
Ok, I have another question. I've been unmounting my sets for the last 2 weekends... and some of the rubber comes off really easy, and some if it is REALLY sticky. I kept reading to use goo-gone on the sticky mess that it leaves behind on acrylic blocks... and so I ran out and got some... only yesterday did I read the label that said "do not use on rubber" so how do you get the really sticky mess of the back of the rubber? I'm unmounting my stamps to bare nekkid rubber.
I needed to read this --- this is the final push I was looking for to tip the scales . I'm IN!! Now to find the thin EZ mount and get cracking..... and of course to track down some acrylic blocks. My friend was using some nice ones with bevelled edges ---not just the square chunk.... I'd rather use those as they seem easier. Ah.... another thing to "find" hehehehehe
Ok, I have another question. I've been unmounting my sets for the last 2 weekends... and some of the rubber comes off really easy, and some if it is REALLY sticky. I kept reading to use goo-gone on the sticky mess that it leaves behind on acrylic blocks... and so I ran out and got some... only yesterday did I read the label that said "do not use on rubber" so how do you get the really sticky mess of the back of the rubber? I'm unmounting my stamps to bare nekkid rubber.
I got a rough sanding block and sanded the stubborn stuff off of my rubber worked great
I need a good storage system for the larger SU stamp sets. I don't like splitting them between two CD cases. That's what is holding me back from unmounting the sets I have now.
I have heard of some people...correct me if I'm wrong because I haven't done it YET.....that store in a 3-ring binder. They said that you can get transparencies and the stamps will stick on them. Then you just slide them into page protectors.
I plan on trying this when I begin unmounting my stamps!
I have some of my UMs in binders but I don't like that system because it makes the binders way too heavy. I am SO picky...LOL. I am running out of room for all my mounted stamps, though!
I've been unmounting for about 3 weeks, although this week I've gotten the most done. I LOVE all the extra room and can't believe I didn't do this earlier. It does take some time to convert each set though (I'm using the EZ mount system) and I will be so glad when I'm done. If I didn't have my hot kinfe I thinnk this would slowly drive me bonkers, LOL! I only have about 60 sets, I can't imagine those who have sets that number in the hundreds to unmount, yikes!
I have unmounted almost all of my stamps and I have no regrets. I'm actually happy I unmounted them. I have a space issue so that is what got me started with the process. I started small with 10 sheets of EZ mount foam to make sure I liked it. From there I was hooked. As my budget has allowed, I've unmounted most of my stamps. I have left three distinct collections mounted, my House Mouse, Outlines & Holly Berry house images are all still mounted. I figured it would get really expensive to buy all the EZ mount and they would be difficult to distinguish between the different images. They may still get unmounted in the future. I just finished unmounting the rest of my collection last saturday. I went through 100 sheets of EZ mount foam! I can say that my collection is in one set of drawers and SOOOO much easier to use. I have all of my images stamped out and indexed in a notebook by category. When I want to do a project I just look through my noteboo. No more going through trays and trays of images. I find that I use images that were lost in the piles. I would unmount my collection all over again if given the choice.
Residual glue that won't come off.
I've unmounted about 150 sets and love using them UM. Some rubber comes right off the foam material with no residual glue stuck on. Some will not come off clean no matter how careful I am, how long I put in the microwave, etc. They come off with a hard, dried out layer of glue that I can't get off no matter how much I rub with my thumbs. Any suggestions? Anyone used Un Do adhesive remover? Thanks for input.
No I have done a number of them. But there are several I keep on wood, Stampin Up, Magenta, Outlines. I put them in the microwave (basically one at a time) for 5 seconds on high to melt the adhesive. Take out and peel up the stamp. I just did this for a gf in CA over 100 stamps over several hours when I was visiting in April! ;)
I already have my ums in over 150 cd cases. I should unmount all my wood it would save gobs of space and probably help me to keep my stamps closer to me in drawers not across the room!
My desk was purchased in December 2004 for my 25th wedding anniversary (actually the next year 12-12-05)...by my dh. Lucky him got to put it together. I used to have an old metal desk, this one holds so much more.
I do not back the ums with anything, I live in PA and use Aleene's Tack it over and over on them. I am into less trouble. Not only do they fit better in the cd cases without the backing but IF the sticky rubs off BIG DEAL Aleene's tack it over and over is fairly cheap to purchase. Where I live it is very humid and I have not had any problems leaving my stamps backless (just the rubber). ;) Cyndi
Man am I glad I read this thread. I'm consolidating my space and have been thinking about unmounting my wooden stamps, but just wasn't sure. The space issues here and the ease of stamping um images pushed me right over the edge, and this thread gave me some great tips!
Please educate me!
What is all this about unmounting your stamps? I've been reading a lot about it on these boards. If storage is not (currently) a problem, what's the appeal? I'm genuinely interested. . . . Do you then use acrylic blocks to use the stamps? Are they still sticky? How do you store them if they are sticky? I mount my stamps (on wood blocks) in the lower left corner (looking at them from the top down) so that I (a right-hander) can see where the image will stamp. I haven't used any acrylic stamps (I'm such a SU! freak). But I could always be tempted. Anyway, pardon all the dumb questions. . . . I know there are answers out there!
Christie B
WELL back when I used to like to keep my wood mounted stamps clean..I used clear NAIL POLISH on each one ..where the inkpad gets near to the rubber. lol. BUT now most of them are UM. lol. Cyndi
Ah.... another thing to "find" hehehehehe 
unity stamps blocks
