The best stamp ink I've found ,thus far, comes from Jerry Butler out in California. Doug Peck used to offer Jerry's ink but found that since the shelf life of the ink was, probably, less than a year, Doug doesn't cary it anymore. Jerry still sells the ink.
As Jerry advises, I place a dollop of ink about the size of a BB on a clean piece of glass. I spread the ink out as thin I can with a single edge razor blade. I have discovered that if you allow the ink to dry (after it has been spread on the glass) for about 15 minutes the process of applying the ink with a rubber stamp is much more precise. When the ink is first applied to the glass it is very slippery and causes the stamp to slip or skid on the piece being stamped. After the ink dries to the point of being tacky, the stamp is much less likely to slip when pressed to the work and a crisp image is transferred. If a mistake is made the ink can be easily removed with mineral spirits without harming the paint on the work piece. The ink will dry at room temperature overnight and is very durable. I have had good results in stripping paint from -METAL- pieces by using acetone. I place the boiler or tender shell on it's side in a small bread pan and pour in enough acetone to come half way up the work piece. After only a few minutes the old paint becomes soft and can be removed with a toothbrush. Turn the piece over and repeat. From there I follow Tom Jarco's advice in preparing the piece for painting. Acetone isn't especially harmful in regards to skin contact but should be used outdoors to avoid inhaling the fumes and it is very flammable. It's not a bad idea to wear protective gloves for the stripping process. Acetone costs about $8.00 per gallon at most hardware and construction supply stores. Joe Messinger _________________________________________________________________ Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail S-Trains list sponsor: http://www.americanflyertrains.com All the Flyer you desire...books and accessories too! To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list send a note to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
