Topic Title

Can anyone tell me where you order your shop drawing stamps from? I thought you could by shop drawing stamps right from the AIA website with the standard disclaimer on it. I can't seem to find it on the AIA website at all.

Thanks all.

You could make up your own (with a desktop publisher - like PagePlus - or a graphics editor, like DrawPlus, or (gasp!) draw it up in DataCAD) and take it to OfficeDepot/OfficeMax/Staples/Schwaab/(add your own source here) and have them make up a rubber stamp for you (pre-inked or not).

You could also make up labels (4x3?) that you can print as needed and just paste them onto the shop drawings.

Make sure you run the verbiage by your insurer FIRST, whichever way you go.

I have ordered my rubber stamps from DesMoines Stamp Company (http://www.dmstamp.com/) for probably the past 20 years. Never had to return one that wasn't perfect. They make anything custom you need in either rubber or in metal to be used for embossing. I designed my own shop drawing stamp that is about 2 1/2" high x 6" long and has lots of tiny text in a big disclaimer that tells the contractor he is responsible for everything and I for nothing. I e-mailed them the camera ready layout and text. They sent back a stamp that has performed well since about 1990. They can also make the stamp to be self-inking so you don't need to deal with ink pads.

Thanks all. Where did you find the language that appears on the stamp? Did you just go with what the stamp company offers?

Thanks again.

The old DPIC (now XL Insurance) used to give their insured firms a book they published which had the verbiage in it. I think that they still offer this - IF you use them as your E&O carrier.

The stamp company won't have language for you unless they have absconded it (i.e. copyright infringement) from another shop drawing stamp they have made. The verbiage on my stamp came from experience and practice and reading about legal cases that involved shop drawing review. See the attached for my stamp language. I have not updated this lately but two things I would change:
1) Change Approved to "Accepted". Recent legal cases have put architects through the ringer for stating something is approved rather than them just being accepted.
2) Add in language stating that "review of shop drawing submittal information does not approve or accept a change to the design or details of the project; Contractor takes full responsibility for consequences of design and detailing changes executed by shop drawing information."
3) I would add after "dimensions" the word "quantities" so that you let it be clearly known that you are not checking the contractor's dimensions or quantities. The essence of the shop drawing review is to make sure that the project design criteria is not being incorrectly altered by the checking of a shop drawing. I have had contractors wanting me to pay for the extra quantities the job required after I had "approved" a shop drawing stating certain quantities of the widgets the shop drawing info said would be provided and then the job took more than that quantity.

Shop Dwg stamp image.png (44.14 KiB) Viewed 11105 times

Thanks to all for the help and advice

Giuseppe

Acorn Sales also has Shop Drawings stamps, and fast service for State Seal rubber stamps and embossing dies. They also have some shop drawing stamp language samples, or you can custom order your typical disclaimer.

http://www.acornsales.com/

My local stationer messed-around for 6-weeks with my NY State seal, delayed the job....and it was a lousy impression once-delivered. Acorn did my PA stamp in just a few days.