Stencil Making

[dawnsunshinein]

Ok Pros, pitch in here and give me a help. Some of our newbies don't know all the tricks in making stencils so I thought this might be a good place to post it and everyone can throw in their tricks. I'm going to start it off with how we do it although I don't have any pictures to put in. If any of you have pics or can take pics that would be great.

One way we do it is with an engraver pen. We pick them up at Harbor Freight for under $10. You can make a photo copy of whatever you are wanting to stencil. Then take a cheap photo frame, glass, and use it for your matte. Then you just draw around the picture and parts that you want to remove and it will cut it out. This is for one time use stencils.

For the mylar, old x-ray film or whatever plastic sheeting you choose we use a woodburning tool that we buy from Wal-Mart. Hubby used a teeniny little drill bit in the Dremel and cut a hole through the tip. Then we find bronze sewing needles put it through the hole until it stops then bend it to stay in. This makes a very fine drawing point for burning the stencils.

P.S. The stencil sheets they sell at Wal-Mart are really too thick. Need to go to an art supply store and get thinner than what they sell at Wal-Mart.

Ok, NEXT...

[cessnagene]

I am very new to this and want to start learning. I want to learn how to make stencils and learn how to use the airbrush. I've been buying supplies here and there. Is the engraving pen you were talking about an electric one or is it non-mechanical?

Also, this is my first post, but have been looking at many other threads on this site and enjoy them a lot.

I bought some plastic from Wal-Mart (thicker type), have also bought frisket paper but haven't tried to create anything yet.

I hope to start learning soon.

[dawnsunshinein]

Welcome to our family Cess! Yes the engraving pen is electric. I was hoping more of the experts would pipe in with advise on this. I just posted some basics to get newbies started. Maybe others will join in eventually...

[Holeshotrob]

I make mine by hand with an exacto knife or if they are really detailed, I make them on my plotter. Before I had the plotter, I did it all by hand. I would use transfer tape on my substrate, draw my image and cut it out lightly so as not to score the substrate.

When doing it this way, don't be cheap on the blades. It will bite you in the ass when you have to fix scoring on your substrate. I don't care how good you think you are, you WILL score your material if you use one blade too long.

I became pretty good with a blade in my beginning years. Prolly couldn't do it worth a crap now, damn plotter spoiled me!:D

[Kat]

All my freehand shields are all hand made because I am frugal. I have never ever bought a stencil/shield set...ever. Won't do it, no need.
I like x-ray film...thin pliable, cuts well and they last FOREVER. I have 6 shields I have been using for about 8 years. They are my favorite and I prefer them because they are thin. They wash up well when they get gunked with paint too. Ask your doctors office, clinic xray department...they always have bad films they toss out. They will just cut the name off.
I also use page protector sheets. I buy the mylar ones. You know then ones you used to use when you turned in your term papers and stuff in school.
They cut well with an exacto(and like Rob say's, don't be stingy with the blades, keep plenty on hand) or stencil burner.
If you use the burner, you need to sand all the blebs off the edges and make sure your cuts are straight and smooth.
My other half also brings me thin sheet mylar home from work, their scraps.

Masking...hate the stuff but I like clear re-positional contact paper. I de-tack it by putting it on my pant leg and pulling it up a few times. Doing this cuts down on left behind residue.
I have used transfer tape in the past and that stuff works great as well.

Torn paper...I use this ALOT. It is nice to use to soften a hard edge or when you need irregular edges. I tear it in all shapes and I use the same ones over and over. Think eye lashes, leaf edges, flower edges...

I also use all my Dads old drafting templates. I inherited them from him and there is TONS of useful shapes...

[dawnsunshinein]

:tup: Thanks Rob and Kat! I was feeling kind of foolish here all alone...:o

[Docmadman]

Well dawn, dont ask for Pro's to pipe in next time :D Sooo I am FAR from a pro, but I will give my shot at stencils. First off, I am now in the same boat as Rob, got my plotter and DAMN what a difference, you'd now have to pry that out of my cold dead hand (and in the other is my Iwata) as for by hand, Dawns soldering iron is a great one, I found a very similar setup at harbor freight, came with a bunch of different tips (exacto blades, small needle tips etc) and works decent. The old tried and true method of exacto scoring is very time consuming but you do need to do what you can. Walmart has a nifty crayola art cutting kit that is battery opperated and basically preferates your material. Alot quicker than the exacto, just not as clean. leave a tad bit of trim room to clean it up and your good. As for materials, I got these kick ass document covers from Fedex Kinkos, the clear ones they use for their book bindings that work well, even against solvent based paint.

[Mike K]

For quick see thru repairs or see thru in general,regular clear packing tape detacked on your pants if your worried about lifting works nice.
Very thin paint edge and more solvent restiant than you'd think.
I use it for quick repairs where you need to see both sides and lightly cut out what you need.

[blade58]

i use transperentcy film with a exacto knife it takes i little bit of effort i'll try the iron thanks for the tip i'm working on getting a plotter soon i hope

[KRAY0N K1NG]

do you have a tut for that stencil burning tool your hubby made with the dremel? That sounds like a cool and fun way to mod a iron. Or do you have pics of it? Would like to make one myself.

[dawnsunshinein]

woodburning tool that we buy from Wal-Mart. Hubby used a teeniny little drill bit in the Dremel and cut a hole through the tip. Then we find bronze sewing needles put it through the hole until it stops then bend it to stay in. This makes a very fine drawing point for burning the stencils.

Sorry Krayon King, don't know exactly what you are asking. It's a wood burning tool found in the craft dept. at Wal-Mart. Just used the dremel for drilling a small hole in the tip so a needle can be threaded through it, then the needle heats up and draws a finer line the the burning tip did. I don't have a pic but if you have any more questions just let me know.

[seetwisted]

Everything you all do works for me...When I am cutting reusable stencil, I do my cutting on a piece of glass,you can get nice smooth and even cuts. I also have been known to use anything I can find to attain a shape or effect.Nuts,bolts,washers,torn cloth or paper,my own finger,fingernail stencils (very small designs)...basicaly,whatever works.

[KewlKustomPaint]

Dawn, that's creative making a stencil burner, but they are cheap to buy and some of your art supply stores or even arts & craft stores sell them.I bought mine from and art store and it comes with the fine tip so no needing to make one from needles.I think Coast Airbrush sells them also. but they are about the same price as a wood burner maybe cheaper and I got a set of 3 replacement tips as well.

Pellon is good for making T-shirt stencils.that is all my Roommate uses for his T-shirts cause it absorbs the paint and doesn't transfer to the T and it cuts great with a burner or exacto blade.

[dawnsunshinein]

Yes Kewl Jeff, you are probably right, but we already had the wood burning tools and hubby wanted a finer line than what it burnt, so voila'! He made his on. He likes to modify what he already has rather than buy new. hee hee

[KewlKustomPaint]

thats kewl Dawn if he already had one,just would save poeple time and money
if they don't already have one cause they are not expensive.atleast for a cheap one like I bought which works great.

[Zeek]

found this site might be easier to get then build but gives you a better idea how to make http://kitkraft.biz/product.php?productid=2222&cat=204&page=1

[WawlMono73]

Hey all,

Theres quite a few talented artists on here so was wodering if anyone can draw something up for me in stencil....its from a family portrait and looking for a3 size and it would be better if you are based around london....looking for reasonable prices. any takers please PM thanks

[blacksheepkustoms]

If you have a local blueprint shop in your area, you can buy large pieces of mylar from them. You can either get it in 24"x36" sheets with a matte type finish, or clear. Mylar is very resistant to solvent based paints and cuts very easily, and is reusable many times. I went down and bought a pencil type soldering iron to cut my stencils for stuff like chain link, and other common items used on custom art work on bikes. The mylar sheet cost about $5 for the large sheet. Or, a lot of times they have scraps that they will give you. Hope that helps.

[Niviottirralm]

Ive noticed that the stencil ink on polyester doesnt last at all. Is there an alternative paint or ink that would stay on polys without damaging the string?

BorisBecker

[uscgboatie]

Stencil tips........

Get x-ray film from vets offices to skirt the privacy laws. Dip in a mix of bleach and water 50/50 or so to strip the film to a cool transparent blue.

I use overhead transparencys for most work for ease of cutting.

Use a dremmel to smooth out tight turns you cant get with a blade. if not use sand paper on a pencil or other round or needed shape.

Use a hole punch to place strategic hold downs near spots that fly or flutter cover hole with tape. This works great with large paper stencils when used near the image while still using the size of the stencil to mask over a large background.

Use magnets if you can

[pauly air]

I use ONE freehand shape, and lowdensity polyetholene sheets, cutting with xacto knife.

[aroulge09]

Hi,
didnt really know where to put this.

i was just wondering how many rackets will a yonex stencil ink pen do making a yonex symbol roughly?


cheers,
Gav