3D stamp, INS, and rubber mallet

[cherrycoke216]

Hi, my sister's friend wants us to make the wedding favor soaps with a 3D printer-made stamp.
Here's the thing, I have never used a soap stamp, let alone a 3D one.
I have read some stamp threads, and cannot find my answers.

Does the INS of soap effect how the stamped soap looks? Does the material of 3D stamp effect how the stamped soap looks? Will rubber mallet help? How many times should I hit the rubber mallet? Where should the rubber mallet placed? ( middle? Or try 4 times with every corner of stamp? ) and does the lye concentration effect the stamped soap?


Here's photo of me trying my hands on the 3D stamp they made. I have not buy a rubber mallet yet, just using the force of my thumb & palm.

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[SunRiseArts]

I have purchased soap stamps on eBay that work perfectly. I have a 3d plastic one from the printer that a super cool person made for me with my soap name.

I know people like to use a mallet, I don't. I am not sure if I am too strong, but the times I used the mallet, my stamp went all the way through.

In my personal experience the stamps made out of stone or acrylic perform way better. The plastic one from the 3d printers are more tricky. What I personally do is let the soap rest 24 hours after I cut it, and then I stamp it putting soft pressure on the palm of my hand, gently. You do have to catch a certain hardness of the soap, I am unsire how to describe it. But at a point that is not too soft, not too hard. It might take more than 24 hours depending on your recipe.

For me this method works every time, but the plastic ones can perforate the soap and fill the cavities of the stamp. I read on another thread people using a piece of Sarah wrap to avoid that issue. You may try that one.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I've not used one, but a common tip seems to be laying some cling film (seran wrap?) On the soap first, so that the stamp stays clear of debris.

I think that sunrise makes a great point - try it at various times, often as possible, on spares if you can. Then when it seems good go for it on the others

 

[Seawolfe]

Just like cutting soap, there is definately a sweet spot in regards to timing and hardness for stamping. I don't use a mallet, I like a wooden spoon

 

[cherrycoke216]

Thanks pals. Now I have to try it in a few days.
Wooden spoon( taking notes, thanks for the tips! Guys! )

 

[BaBa]

I am one of those who like mallets. I think it gives you more comfort to do many stampings, but you need to control your strength. It is better for bigger and harder soaps, like Marseilles'. It has to be hit only once, at middle.

One trick is to glue your stamp to a quite big plate (same size of your soap) and this should force you to hit the stamp with a perpendicular angle, and thus provide you more evenness. It also prevents soap to break just at the limit of your design.

I have made stamps for other applications before, good ones have an even surface and slightly beveled edges. 3D prints typically present fat lines on their faces and tend to break the soap when taking the stamp out. You may polish that out by hand with thin sandpaper (600 to 800), then remold it with epoxy or acrylic. It is just a matter of how freakingly precise you want to be.
Another option is to 3D-print it directly in metal or rosin in stereo-lithography, but again, small 3D prints can't match hand precision.

It is also possible to laser cut Plexiglas, but it's pretty expensive.

For the texture, I would say the ideal is when the soap is already hard, but you can still mark your finger in by pressing with some force.

For the INS, don't worry. A low one actually doesn't mean your soap will be too soft, it's just the difference between iodine and KOH saponification values. I never figured out what it could mean exactly. Most of oils give correct soaps if you wait enough (like Castille ones).

As the quantity of water affects the hardness of the soap before curing, it can be said that lye proportion affects the time you'll have to wait before stamping.

 

[cherrycoke216]

I am one of those who like mallets. I think it gives you more comfort to do many stampings, but you need to control your strength. It is better for bigger and harder soaps, like Marseilles'. It has to be hit only once, at middle.

One trick is to glue your stamp to a quite big plate (same size of your soap) and this should force you to hit the stamp with a perpendicular angle, and thus provide you more evenness. It also prevents soap to break just at the limit of your design.

I have made stamps for other applications before, good ones have an even surface and slightly beveled edges. 3D prints typically present fat lines on their faces and tend to break the soap when taking the stamp out. You may polish that out by hand with thin sandpaper (600 to 800), then remold it with epoxy or acrylic. It is just a matter of how freakingly precise you want to be.
Another option is to 3D-print it directly in metal or rosin in stereo-lithography, but again, small 3D prints can't match hand precision.

It is also possible to laser cut Plexiglas, but it's pretty expensive.

For the texture, I would say the ideal is when the soap is already hard, but you can still mark your finger in by pressing with some force.

For the INS, don't worry. A low one actually doesn't mean your soap will be too soft, it's just the difference between iodine and KOH saponification values. I never figured out what it could mean exactly. Most of oils give correct soaps if you wait enough (like Castille ones).

As the quantity of water affects the hardness of the soap before curing, it can be said that lye proportion affects the time you'll have to wait before stamping.

Wow! Just WOW! I thought you said you're a newbie. ( probably as an artist, 3D print something is a must? The fiancé-to-be design that stamp using their names and omit a R so they are two become one, and he said the material is PLA.

And YES!!!! I have given thoughts about remold it in other soap stamp materials.

Thanks for the seasoned expertise reply. Really grateful for your time and knowledge!

 

[BaBa]

Oh, you're welcome I love to share knowledge! And yes I am a CGI artist, so I'm pretty used to 3-D print. I've also been working with etching and screenprints for more than 5 years now. I am in fact a newbie in soapmaking, but with a strong technic background. And I like reading ^^