How to make a rubber stamp?

Max with my matrix boards>

Raw rubber on a matrix board...and Max>

Raw rubber and Max>

This is the vulcanizer with Max>

Okay, here is a little info on how rubber stamps are made...a little simplified....of course....I am leaving out the blood, sweat, and tears....I do not want to give you nightmares. I start with the images I like and the ones that speak to me. Some of these images are pre-1920ish images, some are sketched by friends and customers....and me. We have some carved images and some are from my travels. I take them, all arranged on a 7x11 sheet of paper, to a place in the city (OKC). They make me a matrix board...a mold see photo above. After a nifty phone call and a 12 mile trek...Yes.... I have my boards!( It's a lot like Christmas every time I get new boards.) I rush to the vulcanizer ( an oven with a car jack) flip the on button and wait patiently for it to warm up to nearly 300 degrees. When it is ready I grab some raw rubber (photo above) and lay it out on top on the board and pop it into the vulcanizer.