Introduction: Custom Where's George Stamp
Altering a rubber self-inking stamp to make it easier to line up.
Step 1: First Things First, You Need a Stamp.
Have you ever received a bill with a "wheresgeorge" stamp on it?
Have you ever wanted to make your own?
Well, it's pretty easy to order a stamp. I ordered mine from iPrint.com (Trodat printy 4911 with a font size of 8).
This particular stamp has a window in front so that you can see where your stamp will fall but for a single line of text in the middle of the stamper, it is a little tricky to place it exactly where you want it.
Step 2: Tape
We're going to create a locating frame that will be visible through the front window. The frame will show you where your stamp will fall.
The first step is to get two pieces of tape. Any tape will do but I used scotch tape.
One piece will need to be longer than the width of the stamper assembly. The other piece needs to be the width of the inner cavity of the stamper (the shaft that the stamper travels).
Step 3: Stick the Tape.
Place the shorter piece of tape on the long piece of tape so that it is centered and back to back...or front to front... Sticky side to sticky side.
Step 4: Test Stamp
Next, stick your tape to the bottom of the stamp and stamp it lightly.
After you have a good stamp, peel the tape back off being careful not to smudge the fresh stamp.
The ink wont dry on the tape so watch your fingers.
Step 5: Cut Out the Frame.
The previous step was just to let you know where to cut your window. Take a sharp exacto knife and cut a rectangle around the text you just stamped.
My stamper has rubber feet on the bottom to prevent movement. I cut the edges off my piece of tape so that it would fit between the rubber feet.
Also, if you used clear tape like I did, you might want to use a Sharpie marker to color the tape to make it more visible. Color the tape on the side that will be on the inside of the stamper so that it doesn't wear off.
Step 6: Place the Tape.
The tape is ready to be attached to your stamp.
Depress your stamp and hold in the two small side buttons. These will keep the stamp at the open end and allow you to see where your text is located on the stamp pad.
Line up the cutout in the tape with the text in your stamp, making sure it will be unobstructed. Secure the sticky ends of the tape to the edges of the stamper.
Place the stamp upright on a table and use the exacto knife to cut off the overhanging tape.
Step 7: Stamp!
Now you are ready to easily place your stamp.
I stamped the bottom edge of a dollar bill, lining up the empty area you want to stamp with the frame visible through the window on the stamper.
Step 8: Fin
Now the next recipient of this bill will know that it has an entry on wheresgeorge.com and can enter it to see it's progress.
I hope you enjoyed this instructable!
28 Comments
15 years ago on Introduction
Thank goodness we have a citizens' arrest member to brief us on our rights. I remember these representatives in grade school. They usually sat by the teacher. Thanks for the instructable.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Even worse is when the Citizen Arrest Member's sources of information are urban legends.
15 years ago on Introduction
It is illegal to advertise anything on money like this. You can face jail time if they trace one of these bills to you.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Anyone who takes legal advice from a non-lawyer is a fool.
Now ask me how I know you're not a lawyer.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
"§ 333. Mutilation of national bank obligations. Whoever mutilates, cuts, defaces, disfigures, or perforates, or unites or cements together, or does any other thing to any bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt issued by any national banking association, or Federal Reserve bank, or the Federal Reserve System, with intent to render such bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt unfit to be reissued, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both. [Codified to 18 U.S.C. 333] [Source: Section 1[333] of the Act of June 25, 1948 (Pub. L. No. 772; 62 Stat. 700), effective September 1, 1948; as amended by section 330016(1)(B) of title XXXIII of the Act of September 13, 1994 (Pub. L. No. 103--322; 108 Stat. 2146), effective September 13, 1994] "
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
with intent to render such bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt unfit to be reissued
Since I intend for the Bill to continue on to more people and I have not "destroyed" it, it's still legal.
It used to be illegal only because wheresgeorge.com was selling the rubber stamps and therefor, was a profit making website. The secret service contacted the website and told the owner that he should discontinue selling the stamps. He did.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Well, its not up to us to decide if its unfit to be reissued, thats up to the treasury. Its STILL illegal to do stamp bills like this. They just gave the site a friendly warning to stop selling stamps with the intent to deface bills. Hes in the clear now, the people doing the stamping arent. Im just saying its probably a good idea to let people know that they actually are breaking a law doing this (even if the law is fairly vague and hardly enforced)
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
@Nesagwa - please cite the relevant case law; until then, I'll consider your opinion the same as I would for any other random person on the Internet.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
"ith intent to render such bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt unfit to be reissued" Writing on a bill is not illegal. Unless you are deliberatly trying to take the bill out of circulation, it is completely legal. I find your argument asinine. The purpose of www.wheresgeorge.com is to track the progress of a bill. How can you track the progress of a bill if you are deliberately trying to take it out of circulation? Your argument is full of ifs, ands buts, and what ifs.
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
I got a bill like that....ALL THE WAY FROM NEW YORK (I live in L.A.). Yeah, if the goverment really cared they would have confinscated it...
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
its over you lost
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
give it up
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
you are only breaking the law if you do something like that for malicious or wrongful reasons
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Yeah but if the government really cared all they would have to do is look at the site and they would know who is stamping them and where to find them.
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
It is still fit to be legal tender it has not rendered it at all. Also then tell the Bank when they mark the bills with the pen to see if it is legal to is defacing as per you.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
they're not gonna throw you in prison to show you how far a dollars traveled
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
I think the government has better things to do than go after people for stamping "Where's Gerorge.com" on them. Think this through people. LIGHTEN UP and be real.
FYI- Did you know that if you sprinkle salt on a birds tail, you can then catch the bird?
LOVE your post tillytoo9!
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Woah! didnt know that!
14 years ago on Introduction
A few people think even one or two markings is defacement. It's not. The legal standard for "defacement" in the US is rendering the defaced bill "unfit to be re-issued", which is something a few normal stamps don't generally do. Mark your bills in a sensible manner so you don't get in trouble for defacing money! The website does not need to be written/stamped in seven places! One or two is OK.
14 years ago on Introduction
It's actually considered defacing public property. And, yes, you can get in trouble for it. Much like putting a moustache on George. Interesting