So my daughter has a friend that wanted to do a wax seal for a romantic letter to their significant other. My daughter knew that I had wax seals I use for packaging sometimes and asked me if I could help out. I have several metal wax stamps I have purchased, but nothing that would be suitable for the friend. So of course I decided to see if I could create a limited use stamping seal with my K40.
Used 1/8" plywood, another option could be acrylic. I engraved and cut two. One I just did several coats of a spray sealer and the other I did several coats of brush on lacquer to see if I could get the bottom of the heart smooth. Glued on some wood pegs as handles.
I use faux wax for seals which is dispensed with a mini low temp glue gun. Also use a clear embossing ink on the stamp which gives the wax an extra sheen and acts as a mold release. Candle wax could also be used, but is more problematic in my experience.
Normally with metal stamp seals the metal acts as a heat sink and cools the wax quickly so it releases quick. With the wood stamps I need to let them cool for at least a minute before peeling the the stamp out to prevent the wax from distorting.
The brushed on lacquer finish (left) defiently gave a more glossed finish, and released easier, while the other was more matte. Either one looked fine. So, for limited work, a laser engraved wax stamp is definitely useable. Just remember that if the image is not symmetrical you will need to mirror the image before engraving.
