3D Printed Stamps: Further Examples and Works in Progress

We have a number of students who are working on the 'stamp' project that is currently being developed.  In this project we are using the 3D Printer to produce the base and plate for a stamp, including having the name of the person or the organisation clearly marked on the base and then we are using a laser cutter to produce from engravers stamp rubber a laser cut of the stamp design.

Students were asked to choose either a personal stamp or one for an organisation that they were part of or had an association with, as shown by the local rugby club on the left.

The handle and base have been designed as a single print in Tinkercad by students who are ten and eleven years old with limited experience in 3D Printing.   This is then combined with the use of Inkscape to produce a laser cut template which is then cut into the engravers rubber (which was sourced from a speciality engravers shop.    The use of Inkscape has allowed the logo of the organisation to be imported directly into the printing progress without it having to be adapted or created separately.   

The size was left up to the students but the adage that 'bigger is better' was applied to this particularly with the lettering as this was clearly visible in the larger scale prints while it was just holding itself together in the smaller scale prints as seen below by 'Jackie'.    The connection between the top of the stamp and the design on the rubber has developed as well as the students have abandoned the idea of just repeating the

same design twice and instead focussed on having two seperate prints/designs - one at the base and one on the handle/design.   

The prints have ranged in length from three to six hours and the designs have varied in size, the Opunake Surf Club design being effectively twice the size of the 'Coastal Rugby' one.   

Once the process of the laser cutting of the base rubber has been completed the two designs will be combined, via superglue and the design and process will be complete.

This level of project would not feasibly be completed by a classroom due to the length of time that would need to be combined to successfully complete all the prints in the series.    Further updates in the process will continue and be detailed here.