Rubbur Stamp Making using 3d Printer.

[Maindron1]

Hi everyone,

I make book covers using faux leather and I have been trying to find a way to print on the covers, the options I was able to find are way too expensive.

If you guys could please help with this question:

Can I use one of the cheap 3D printer with at least a 6" width to make the the mold for a rubber stamp.

Thank you.

[awerby]

Hi everyone,

I make book covers using faux leather and I have been trying to find a way to print on the covers, the options I was able to find are way too expensive.

If you guys could please help with this question:

Can I use one of the cheap 3D printer with at least a 6" width to make the the mold for a rubber stamp.

Thank you.

Sure, that would work, as long as you used RTV (Room Temperature Vulcanizing) rubber, like a 2-part silicone mold rubber, to make the stamps. The normal process for making rubber stamps involves putting a magnesium master pattern plate in a heated press, which wouldn't work in this case since the plastic plate would melt.

But I'm wondering how good an impression that rubber stamp would make on your faux leather, and what sort of ink you'd need to use. Have you tried rubber-stamping on that stuff before?

Andrew Werby
Juxtamorph.com

[richardphat]

Not every cheap 3D printer can print rubber. Affinia or UP series won't be able to print flexible such as ninjaflex, despite the fact they use direct drive extruder filaments which is reccomended by Fenner Drive. Meanwhile, the ultimaker with bowden tube is able to print ninjaflex without hassle, which is not recommended by FennerDrive

Fact is, it is much more complicated that it sounds. Generally speaking, you would want an open source 3D printer to print your rubber stamp. The reason behind is so control the printing speed with literally no acceleration while doing infill, outer shell. Having closed source software doesn't give you the ability to have much control on your printer speed.
Unless you do not mind voiding the warranty, I do know some old makerbot is able to print flexible, but then that is as far as I know about.

[Feign]

Richard, the more straightforward way would be to print a PLA mold and pour in a 2 part molding rubber like Andrew mentioned but taking it a step further.

Print the negative of the stamp without the bottom layer, making your walls nice and high, and then pour in your rubber material before removing the PLA from the printer bed. Let the rubber cure (a low heat setting on the heated bed will speed this up by quite a bit). Remove both the PLA and the rubber from the plate, then carefully remove the PLA bits from the rubber. Voila, a rubber stamp without the extrusion on the bottom layer!

[richardphat]

Indeed is a straightforward, it's just not all mold can be printed due to the nature of geometry of the stamp. Sometime you have to print the rubber directly, and so the opposite is true.

[Feign]

If you can come up with a rubber stamp that requires internal details and doesn't have a flat face along the bottom of it, then I'll be pretty impressed.

Now I'll agree, there are rubber things that might need internal structure. But a rubber stamp is safely assumed to be flat, solid and defined with an image on its bottom surface, by the definition of it being a rubber stamp.

They say the easy way isn't always right, but when the right way is easy, don't go looking for a harder way.

[3DPBuser]

Why not just go on ebay and search "custom rubber stamps"... you email them the logo or text, and they send you the stamp.

However for other needs:

control the printing speed with literally no acceleration while doing infill, outer shell

Why no accel?

[richardphat]

Why not just go on ebay and search "custom rubber stamps"... you email them the logo or text, and they send you the stamp.

However for other needs:



Why no accel?

It's viscous even at room temerature in the PTFE tube, the delay is sufficiant enough to drive you mad.

[Teledog]

I'd assume the application depends on how many covers you want to do.
Not sure a 3D printer is the solution.
Lots of prints? : Might want to check out "screen printing", a few art/hobby shops sell small screens / Diazo emulsion kits.
A few prints? : Might want to use a vinyl cutter for a few stencils, and they're always customizable on-the-fly.

[34Ford]

I can make rubber stamps in minutes on my laser.