Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Does anyone use a "stamp press"? I was thinking about making my own press but if there is a better way I would like to try it.
Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks in advance
Herb
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My solution? Stick 'em between the pages of an unwanted paperback (or hardback) book, and pile a few other heavy books on it. Cheap and works great.
Bob
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I do something similar to Bob.
When the stamps are barely dry -- like not noticeably wet but not bone dry either -- I put them between sheets of white paper inside an old heavy phone book. Then I pile up a few more phone books on top and leave them overnight. The next day they come out nice and flat.
I prefer not to let them touch the book directly in case any ink somehow is transferred to the stamp. Don't know if it can happen, but better safe than sorry.
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Hi
I use Showgard Desert Magic II Drying Books .After soaking off the paper you have to let the stamps nearly dry out before putting them in, otherwise the pages tend to go black ,as I found out with my first book.
There are two different types of pages in the book ,a very thick blotting paper and a shiny
type paper .
You place the stamps gum side down on the shiny page ,then the blotting page goes on top.
Then under my five volumes of Stanley Gibbons for a few days .
You have to make sure with the peel and stick stamps there is no adhesive left on the stamp or they do stick to the page.
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Brian - Here's a secret about the Drying Books - I have several that I have had for perhaps 5 years and use them constantly. They have a shiny paper with another blotting page between each piece of shiny paper.
A dealer told me to blot the excess water off the stamps after they are placed face side up on the shiny paper. (I use several layers of paper towel and then hang the paper towels to dry so I can reuse them again) Then I place a piece of paper towel on top of the stamps before closing the book. I leave the stamps in the book overnight.
Then I take out the stamps, put them in a container with another piece of dry paper towel on top of the stamps and place a weight on top of the piece of paper towel to keep the stamps flat. I leave for a couple of days before sorting and filing the stamps away.
The important thing with drying books is to stand them up and fan out the sheets and leave to air dry for a day or two before closing them up and putting them away. Otherwise the blotting sheets will turn black with mildew/mould.
I do not have one page in my drying books that have discoloured since using this method.
I use the Apak Stamp Drying Book MADE IN CANADA and available through FvH Stamps in Vancouver in two sizes www.fvhstamps.com
I have also known collectors to place several stamps between two pieces of white paper and use a warm iron to press them.
Liz
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My method differs from most described above in that I find no need for heavy weights. Briefly, I put the soaking-wet stamps between sheets of newsprint first, then (after, say, 30 minutes) between sheets of printer paper, then again (after another 30 minutes) between fresh sheets of printer paper. To ensure flatness (or prevent curling), I place a 5-mm-thick book or telephone directory on top of the second pile of printer paper. However, I find even this is barely necessary if the stamps are to be transferred to stockbooks more or less straight away.
At each transfer (newsprint→printer paper→printer paper), I do some rough sorting and removal of damaged material. If I keep working, the water really does evaporate quickly: within a couple of hours after their removal from the soaking-box the stamps can be dry. (Of course, if I leave them for longer between the sheets of newsprint or printer paper, drying takes longer.)...g
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My method is similar to the others in using a drying book. I then press the whole book between 2 boards clamped together. I leave it for a day and they come out nice and flat. if they were too damp going into the book they may curl a little bit but if they go into a stockbook or envelope they stay flat.
I like the idea of the paper towel over the stamps in the drying book. I'll add that to the process next time
Brian
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I have been using phone books since 1946. No white paper, just the phone book. the back pages; so the weight of the front pages is usually enough to flatten the stamps. I use several pages, and note the page number, so I can find the stamps. No need for stamp drying books, just a heavy phone book. I place the stamps into little piles, while wet. never had a problem. once in awhile some of the stamps might stick together, so I just soak them again.
Richaard
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01:57:22pm
Over the years, on occasion I have won some lot in the Vance Auctions. That put my name on their mailing list and I soon discovered that usually they print their auction list on some fairly high quality paper. Several pages, folded in half become about the size of a standard (US) sized letter sheet , which makes them easier to set about the stamp room to dry, and so the wet stamps can be placed on them, face down, and then later sometimes stacked with a weight for a few hours.
Stickies are kept separate and air dried after which a tad of talcom powder kills the gummy crapola.
The auction pages themselves dry easily and can be used over and over.
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Thanks everyone! Some good ideas I can try out.
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I have mostly used drying books. As others have pointed out, the keys are to (a) let the stamps get dry enough to be "just damp" when you put them in the book and then (b) air dry the book thoroughly after you remove the stamps, so it doesn't get nasty and moldy.
~Peter
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I had the pleasure to meet a gentleman who soaked stamps off paper as an income for 15 years and that was on top of his normal job and 10 years as a retired person. He was so quick with his self adhesives (pre 2003) it was unbelievable. To flatten and dry his stamps he used news paper on top of news paper and when finished for the day would place heavy books on top of the news paper. He sold his stamps, know matter what they were for 30c a bundle of a 100 but you had to buy a kilo at a time.
That is 25 years of selling stamps for .3c each.
I use the drying books and Liz has explained the way to do that spot on but I dry them in the books for 4 days. It straightens out many a bent or unhinged stamp. lol lol
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08:08:54pm
After soaking the stamps and blotting them dry what is the best way to flatten the stamps?
Does anyone use a "stamp press"? I was thinking about making my own press but if there is a better way I would like to try it.
Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks in advance
Herb
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this post
re: Drying books or Stamp press
My solution? Stick 'em between the pages of an unwanted paperback (or hardback) book, and pile a few other heavy books on it. Cheap and works great.
Bob
Login to Like
this post
re: Drying books or Stamp press
I do something similar to Bob.
When the stamps are barely dry -- like not noticeably wet but not bone dry either -- I put them between sheets of white paper inside an old heavy phone book. Then I pile up a few more phone books on top and leave them overnight. The next day they come out nice and flat.
I prefer not to let them touch the book directly in case any ink somehow is transferred to the stamp. Don't know if it can happen, but better safe than sorry.
Login to Like
this post
Auctions
re: Drying books or Stamp press
Hi
I use Showgard Desert Magic II Drying Books .After soaking off the paper you have to let the stamps nearly dry out before putting them in, otherwise the pages tend to go black ,as I found out with my first book.
There are two different types of pages in the book ,a very thick blotting paper and a shiny
type paper .
You place the stamps gum side down on the shiny page ,then the blotting page goes on top.
Then under my five volumes of Stanley Gibbons for a few days .
You have to make sure with the peel and stick stamps there is no adhesive left on the stamp or they do stick to the page.
Login to Like
this post
Auctions
re: Drying books or Stamp press
Brian - Here's a secret about the Drying Books - I have several that I have had for perhaps 5 years and use them constantly. They have a shiny paper with another blotting page between each piece of shiny paper.
A dealer told me to blot the excess water off the stamps after they are placed face side up on the shiny paper. (I use several layers of paper towel and then hang the paper towels to dry so I can reuse them again) Then I place a piece of paper towel on top of the stamps before closing the book. I leave the stamps in the book overnight.
Then I take out the stamps, put them in a container with another piece of dry paper towel on top of the stamps and place a weight on top of the piece of paper towel to keep the stamps flat. I leave for a couple of days before sorting and filing the stamps away.
The important thing with drying books is to stand them up and fan out the sheets and leave to air dry for a day or two before closing them up and putting them away. Otherwise the blotting sheets will turn black with mildew/mould.
I do not have one page in my drying books that have discoloured since using this method.
I use the Apak Stamp Drying Book MADE IN CANADA and available through FvH Stamps in Vancouver in two sizes www.fvhstamps.com
I have also known collectors to place several stamps between two pieces of white paper and use a warm iron to press them.
Liz
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this post
10:31:23am
re: Drying books or Stamp press
My method differs from most described above in that I find no need for heavy weights. Briefly, I put the soaking-wet stamps between sheets of newsprint first, then (after, say, 30 minutes) between sheets of printer paper, then again (after another 30 minutes) between fresh sheets of printer paper. To ensure flatness (or prevent curling), I place a 5-mm-thick book or telephone directory on top of the second pile of printer paper. However, I find even this is barely necessary if the stamps are to be transferred to stockbooks more or less straight away.
At each transfer (newsprint→printer paper→printer paper), I do some rough sorting and removal of damaged material. If I keep working, the water really does evaporate quickly: within a couple of hours after their removal from the soaking-box the stamps can be dry. (Of course, if I leave them for longer between the sheets of newsprint or printer paper, drying takes longer.)...g
Login to Like
this post
re: Drying books or Stamp press
My method is similar to the others in using a drying book. I then press the whole book between 2 boards clamped together. I leave it for a day and they come out nice and flat. if they were too damp going into the book they may curl a little bit but if they go into a stockbook or envelope they stay flat.
I like the idea of the paper towel over the stamps in the drying book. I'll add that to the process next time
Brian
Login to Like
this post
re: Drying books or Stamp press
I have been using phone books since 1946. No white paper, just the phone book. the back pages; so the weight of the front pages is usually enough to flatten the stamps. I use several pages, and note the page number, so I can find the stamps. No need for stamp drying books, just a heavy phone book. I place the stamps into little piles, while wet. never had a problem. once in awhile some of the stamps might stick together, so I just soak them again.
Richaard
Login to Like
this post
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
26 Jan 2012
01:57:22pm
re: Drying books or Stamp press
Over the years, on occasion I have won some lot in the Vance Auctions. That put my name on their mailing list and I soon discovered that usually they print their auction list on some fairly high quality paper. Several pages, folded in half become about the size of a standard (US) sized letter sheet , which makes them easier to set about the stamp room to dry, and so the wet stamps can be placed on them, face down, and then later sometimes stacked with a weight for a few hours.
Stickies are kept separate and air dried after which a tad of talcom powder kills the gummy crapola.
The auction pages themselves dry easily and can be used over and over.
Login to Like
this post
08:58:07pm
re: Drying books or Stamp press
Thanks everyone! Some good ideas I can try out.
Login to Like
this post
re: Drying books or Stamp press
I have mostly used drying books. As others have pointed out, the keys are to (a) let the stamps get dry enough to be "just damp" when you put them in the book and then (b) air dry the book thoroughly after you remove the stamps, so it doesn't get nasty and moldy.
~Peter
Login to Like
this post
re: Drying books or Stamp press
I had the pleasure to meet a gentleman who soaked stamps off paper as an income for 15 years and that was on top of his normal job and 10 years as a retired person. He was so quick with his self adhesives (pre 2003) it was unbelievable. To flatten and dry his stamps he used news paper on top of news paper and when finished for the day would place heavy books on top of the news paper. He sold his stamps, know matter what they were for 30c a bundle of a 100 but you had to buy a kilo at a time.
That is 25 years of selling stamps for .3c each.
I use the drying books and Liz has explained the way to do that spot on but I dry them in the books for 4 days. It straightens out many a bent or unhinged stamp. lol lol
Login to Like
this post