What’s not to love about a Stanley tumbler? I wanted to see if I could love mine even more by personalizing it using Citristrip to etch it. I was a bit hesitant because let’s face it, they are not cheap. Finally I worked up the courage after 3 months to give it a try.
Credit given to M2C1Designs on TikTok who originated the Citristirp tumbler process.
Which Stanley Tumbler Did I Use?
- Stanley 30 oz Adventure Quencher
- Powder Coat Paint (matte / textured NOT smooth and shiny) there are different types of finishes on the Stanley and I think this matters when using Citristrip
- Color: Cornflower
Safety First
Please make sure you are always protecting yourself properly when working with chemicals. Read my previous post for more safety information.
Time Method
So I made this adorable template of leopard print to go on the top. Sized it perfectly, and adhered it to the tumbler.
Full Citristrip tutorial on how prep your tumbler: Etch a Painted Tumbler Using Citristrip and Your Cricut
I applied a thick coat of Citristrip. The key here is to make sure the Citristrip does not dry out where it’s touching the paint.
I applied it all the way around and wrapped it in aluminum foil to keep it from getting everywhere.
I let it set for 20 minutes and then I started checking it every 15 minutes by scrapping it with my weeding tool. You want to catch it in the sweet spot when the paint is coming up easily, but don’t leave it on too long because it can start to eat into the neighboring paint under the vinyl and you lose your crisp lines.
Most of my tumblers I’ve done in the past take between 30-60 minutes. So I was certainly surprised when I kept checking it and there was no progress.
Finally, I gave up 4 HOURS LATER! The paint hadn’t budged an inch and the vinyl was starting to warp. So disappointed.
Heat Method
But have no fear because there is always the heat method, right…?
I started by testing a piece on the bottom.
- I did 700 degrees F for 90 seconds. Nothing.
- I amped it up to 850 degree F for 90 seconds. Too much. The paint was removed a little under the stencil telling me it was too hot.
Now I’m out of test room on the bottom, so I have to jump in and test the tumbler itself.
- I figured I cannot go wrong with 780 degree F for 90 seconds. Nothing. The paint didn’t budge.
- I notched it up a little to 820 degrees F and I got mixed results. In some places it was too hot (removed some paint under the stencil) and in other places not enough because the paint wouldn’t come up.
I was left with disappointing results.
I have seen some people have success etching Stanley’s with Citristrip, but I have only ever seen it done on the smooth shiny painted ones. I personally prefer a matte finish. I think this is one tough matte finish.
Perhaps there is a method out there that works on this type of Stanley Tumbler paint, but I’m not wasting another tumbler trying to find it. RIP dear Stanley.