HOT Stamp Marking

Usually it's done with a benchtop Hot Stamp Press, which uses a heated text block much like a leather branding iron, combined with a roll of heat sensitive colored tape. When an arbor press-like frame presses the iron into the work, the tape underneath has it's color transfered into the impressions, while the heat-resistant backing is rolled onto a spool. The text can either be custom made, by a shop that makes them, or possibly assembled from stock type if the text specs matches the type available. It sounds like you need is a figure, which would have to be custom made. It's not that expensive, relatively speaking, because the tool is basically like a heat-resistant stamp. Since it doesn't get hit like a regular letter stamp, it doesn't even need to be hardened.

About the machinery, if you can find or find someone who has a hot stamp press, that'd work fine. They are usually benchtop machines. I know a guy who has a fully functional one from the mid 1900's.

This company is one of the best for supplies for this area:

'll make the die for you if you give them the artwork.

ww88

As for who will do 100 pieces of nylon, you can check with a gift shop that sells imprinted party goods -- napkins, cards, etc. They either have or a have a service that provides hot stamping with a Kingsley hot-stamping machine. They have attachments for imprinting pens, pencils, and the like.

I happen to have one of those machines, in perfect condition and complete, which I would be willing to sell. I imprinted many thousands of things, including 23 carat gold stamping on leather and plastic luggage, when I was in high school. But I wouldn't advise buying one (mine or any other) just to do 100 parts. Mine is worth something between $300 and $500, and it takes a while to learn to use one on anything that requires a little melting, like the plastic on a pen barrel.

-- Ed Huntress

Thanks Ed.

Maybey it si worht getting.... I need to find out. These are military replacement parts, lagacy parts no long made by the original source. I'm still trying to find out How importnt it really is to be How exact...

A bit of confusion about what is REally needed. If it has to be exact, then whatever it takes I guess.

Thanks again..

The stamp, can I make it out of Aluminum I presume, Or steel? And the temp controller is adjustable to get the amount of heat just right.. ?

With a desk top unit, I'd need a fixture to hold the small part, and a stamp itself, and some adjustablility for the distance, clearance?

Thanks again!

The temperature controller is an adjustable rheostat. It requires practice to get it right, because the imprinting film is quite temperature sensitive. But anyone can do it with a little practice. I worked out settings for all the materials I worked with -- various kinds of paper and cardboard, plastics, different types of leather, and so on.

The type, or the stamp, is made of some special type metal that appears to be mostly zinc. It's a hard zinc alloy, though, because my type shows no wear at all. Kingsley used to offer a service that made custom stamps. You sent them artwork, and they sent back a stamp.

You can get a look at one online. The company may even still make them. They've been around for at least 60 years or more and they're very well made. You'll see them on ebay from time to time.

They're like a little arbor press. You can adjust for the height. They sell several fixtures but you also can make one easily from aluminum stock or whatever.

-- Ed Huntress

I often look at the neighboring state's EBAY auctions. They recently listed a hot stamping machine that may be of interest.

I am not sure if they will ship this or not.

Paul in Oregon

Well, that did not turn out very well. Just do an Ebay search for "stamping machine" and it should show an entry for the State of Washington surplus in Auburn, WA.

Paul

You could probably kludge something. Kingsley hot stamp machines are commonly used to label wires in aircraft. You might check your local avionics shop.

Kevin Gallimore

Check out

They sell machines and supplies. Also have some videos of the process. Paul

I have not tried this, but if you're using a single pn, Lee Valley tools has a number of options for electric branding irons that are normally used for marking wooden furniture. They make the heads to order- or there may be an option to get one with replacable numbers and letters.

Assuming that it's not so hot that it just melts the nylon into a puddle, it'd probably be the easiest way to go.

Thanks acveryone. The mark is a symbol. Not letters or numbers. I'll have to use a very small endmill, about .008" to make the die for this. The symbols are pretty small on the part.

Looks like I have a way to go here.

[ ... ]

[ ... ]

Just post the auction number -- that is all that is needed:

280167033379

Or if you want a URL which will get you there, just tack the auction number onto:

right after the "item=". That is all you really *need* to get to the auction. The rest is preserving some of your personal search options which nobody else really needs. And the longer URL is more likely to get folded and make it more difficult to use.

So -- all put together, it becomes:

and right now it is sitting at $12.00 with three bids and three days, 22 hours left to go.

Good Luck, DoN.