Stencil Cutting Kit

[Adam & Eve Tanning]

Having a stencil cutting kit with instructions can open up the door for numerous more stencils and custom designs. The TAT store would still make the money from the kits to offset losing income on stencils and yet still be selling more paint. I have a guy who cuts stencils for me and some of them are very large and use lots of paint. Many of the stencils wanted by guys are much larger than the Tat Store provides.

[Adam & Eve Tanning]

hey that was my idea to do your own stencils

[Ladyoh]

kit are you talking about? Blank stencils, a exacto knife and a pad? Or a burner? (my daughter is drooling over the idea of the stencil burner)

Ladyoh

[joe]

We here at TAT can make stencils large for you. Almost any size. All you got to do is ask.

[joe]

To burn stencils you need a laser engraver. When I got one they were right around 25 grand. Now you can get them as low as 18 grand I think.

[Tat2guy]

All I want for Christmas is a laser engraver. After reading most of these post I have gotten the idea that people want a way to cut stencils and cut cost. I use a elec. stencil burner which was a sugestion from a member, but the down side is that it takes time and effort. The only time in the past that I needed a special stencil was this year at a event. And I used exacto knife and cutting pad. Old fashion but it works. I have found stencil designs that would just need to be scan into your engraver with all the bridges there, but the cost for a custom is what holds me back. What I would like to see is contest or whatever you want to call it and have members submit designs for consideration for a new poster and stencil set.

[airbrush gypsy]

You should submit that for the product idea ... "a contest or whatever you want to call it and have members submit designs for consideration for a new poster and stencil set."

Oh wait, is it to late to submit it???

[Brew City Gal]

yeah Lloyd, thats a cool idea!!!!

[pegt10]

I personally do not like burners, they leave a rough edge. One cool idea, going to your doctors office and asked for damage or used xray film, cuts real nice with exacto knives.

[Tat2guy]

pegt10 you are just full of good ideas. Aren't the xrays a type of mylar?

[airbrush gypsy]

If I remember right alcohol takes the black off of the film. Do you know, Pegt10?

[pegt10]

Hi Tat2guy, Xray film is similar to Mylar,but cuts a lot easier. My doc gives me 10x10 sheets and some the larger films that I use for t-shirt stencils. These films work great if you do not mind at times the film will have images on them, bones.hehehehe

[Tat2guy]

Bones are good as long as they are not mine. And they aren't those airport xrays. hahahaha

[Tat2guy]

Thanks Pegt10 for the heads up. I went to the VA here in Boise yesterday and stopped by the xray department and they gave me a couple of sheet of film that was a test for them. The picture looks like they xrayed a toilet seat with a smiley face on it. LOL Any way I took one of the designs that I put in the stencil contest that didn't make it into the final 20 and cut it. You are right it is easier to cut then the 10mil mylar. I haven't gotten to use it today because my son has been in a wrestling match all morning but plan to soon. I will take a picture of it and post it with the tat and stencil. Hey can you give me a call when you get a chance.
Lloyd
Happy Holidays :D

[Tat2guy]

When I posted my last post on this subject, I also posted it on another forum (Tatconnect.com) and got a reply from one of its members adding caution when using used xray sheets. Here's what he had to say:

The x-ray film I have is 7 mil thick. And it looks cuts and feels just like mylar. X-ray film has a coating of silver nitrate, which is not a deadly poison like arsenic, but is not a healthy chemical either. Better than the actual x-ray film, is the blank film sheets they use to clean out the machine. They are the same, but without the chemical coating. Either way, get while the getting is good, because the x-ray industry is going digital. Soon x-ray film will be a thing of the past.

Charlie
I thought this was good information to pass on to our members too. I will let you all know if more information is posted on this subject.
Lloyd

[Kevin]

I read that thread on TatConnect too. Very good information. I used to get used film, way back when, when I worked in EMS, but usually we found actual x-rays that had a fault on them and we would use q-tips and water to draw new bones or different fractures on them. I worked night shift, what can I say!!

[Franco]

this mylar film and all. Really good info. Not sure yet how it applies or how it helps me grow my business, but I am keeping an open mind as I'm sure there has to be an inherent value I am missing.

I checked out the tatconnect.com forum and think it's great. I think I will join just to stay in the loop in case there is information there that could help me. Information is never wasted. I think everyone should check it out and see if it offers what they need or want. Choice is good.

[Tat2guy]

is what I get out of it. It cost me nothing and saves me time and shipping costs.
We started putting tats on at my son's wrestling matches to support the team and other parents saw that we had these cool school logo's on our faces and asked where we got them. We told them that we made a stencil and apply them to our face. They in turned asked if we could put them on them. And other parents have asked about there schools too. What was a simple idea to support our son and team has turned out to be a good thing for our business and the school. At matches we charge $3.00 per tattoo and $1.00 goes back to the school wrestling program. The xray film is easy to cut and strong and easy to clean. And for cutting simple designs like we are doing for the schools. The cost of having tatstore cutting and send them are not cost effective and the turn around time is weeks. Because of the work load tatstore has. There are a lot of members who cut their own stencils and have posted as much for many reasons. When pegt10 first posted on this xray film as a material that stencils could be cut from I got to thinking what a great idea. Tigertats also uses this material to cut stencils and likes it a lot. I looked up on the web and there are suppliers that sell new film for around 60.00 per 100 and it comes in several sizes. But if I can get it for free and spend a hour to cut then its worth it to me. What start out as a way to support our team has turned into a way of promoting my business, our schools and my bottom line.

[Franco]

so it is for a few stencils here and there that people might request. I always use tatstore because I get my stencils within a week (never had a problem getting them fast) and I typically pass the cost onto the client since most of them are corporations asking for custom stencils. Since I'm not as talented as most, attempting to create a Yahoo stencil from scratch would probably have me looking like an amatuer and not be good for my business. One of the stencils I had made I "paid" for myself. During our conversation I ascertained that they were wanting the stencil and I upcharged $50 to cover the cost. But in the end I looked like a great guy for providing their companies logo in a stencil.

I think it's great people are making their own stencils.

[greg01]

I used a pc of old x ray film to cut out a simple stencil with a hot knife and it worked great, took a liitle time but it does work

greg01:)