Have you ever wondered how that shiny, metallic lettering gets put on pencils, books, napkins and photographs? It is done by using a foil stamper, sometimes referred to as a hot stamping machine. Foil stamping machines are commonly used for putting names on books, logos on matchbooks and much more.

Using a foil stamping machine is far easier than it may initially seem. Essentially a foil stamper uses heat, lettering and foil to stamp letters and logos onto a solid surface. For customized names, individual letters can be selected with tweezers (due to heat) and inserted into the type selector. As the stamping head, containing the lettering, is brought down to the foil, the pressure and heat cause foil from a foil roll to be transferred to the surface.

Foil stamping machines are available in a wide variety of sizes, depending on the stamping volume and the item being stamped. The two most common categories for foil stampers is manual operation and pneumatic (air powered) operation. Manual operation is ideal for low to medium-volume use and pneumatic operation is ideal for medium to high-volume use.

Special guides are available to hold pencils, napkins, books and other items in place during the stamping process. These guides are recommended, but not always required, for repeat stamping. Almost anything with a solid surface can be stamped, including leather, plastic and wood. Different types of foils are needed for different materials. This helps to prolong the life of the stamped text.

Laminating machines are commonly used by businesses for stamping a company name or logo. They are also very popular with the wedding industry for stamping a bride and groom name onto napkins and other memorabilia. Photography studios also like to use foil stampers for stamping the photography studio’s name onto the picture.

Foil stamping transfer machines are usually sold as individual machines, for those wanting to purchase their own custom materials and fonts, or as a system that includes everything needed to get started. Custom logos can be made for most foil stamping machines.