Replies

1. 
   famosrichit | Feb 13, 2006 06:24pm | #1

   Branding irons

    

   http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=6378&SearchHandle=DADADJDHDADADDDGDDDGGDDGDCDHDJDECNGFGCGGGFCNDEGDGGGDCNGCGEDGDCCNGCDAGEGCGGDFGBGBGGDCGBDFDADADADBDADADADADEGCHFHCGODADADADEDADADADADADADADBDFDADADADBDADADADADADADADADADADADADBDADADADADEGCHFHCGODADADADBDB&filter=burn

1. 
   sawdustandshavings | Feb 21, 2006 12:42pm | #18

   Hello,

   Wow, I sure would like one of those branding irons, but I dont know how to get one over here in britain, any tips?

   Sawdust.'It's not a mistake It's a design feature'

1. 
   Radish54 | Feb 21, 2006 07:22pm | #20

   Sawdust,Look back in the post for the link to BrandNew. It's a web page, they probable ship across the pond. BTW I have enjoyed seeing your work around here. As it was been said about here, I wish I had your skill at your age!Radish

2. 
   GregGibson | Feb 14, 2006 12:17am | #2

   Bob,  My cabinetmaker Dad had a rubber stamp made up with his logo.  With a black ink pad, it looks just like it's branded.  Much less expensive than a custom branding tool. 

   Greg

1. 
   bob k | Feb 14, 2006 05:19am | #3

   Thanks, Greg.  I should have thought of that.  Years ago, I was commissioned to make toy castles for knights, for a local classic toy store.  I had a stamp made to replicate the stone facade of the castle walls.  By varying the pattern of how I applied it, it looked random enough and worked well.  I just might try this with a signature.

3. 
   user-76549 | Feb 14, 2006 03:36pm | #4

   I also use the branding iron  I feel this gives a personal touch to your own handcrafted item

4. 
   wdrite | Feb 14, 2006 05:44pm | #5

   Bob,

   I used to sign with a woodburning pen but didn't like the results.  Also don't like branding irons on small work.  I now use a black Papermate pen.  With it I can customize the size of my signature or add comments if the project is for someone special.  Works for me.

5. 
   tailsorpins | Feb 14, 2006 09:30pm | #6

   Signing the piece!

   My Dad had decals made, but today the cost is prohibitive, unless you do your own with the kits at the hobby centers.

   I found that you can contact Current , http://currentlabels.com , the return address label specialist, and order the self-inking, rubber stamp to say about anything you might want ... they don't care, as long as the number of lines and characters per line fall within their guidelines.

   I use the Oval, with my name in the center, and a brief description of my specialties across the top and the bottom.  The ink is available in colors and is permanent.  I overcoat it with shellac or lacquer or varnish with no problem.  To date the pieces, I use steel stamps near the oval.

   The $15 cost of this option is less than a fourth the cost of the hot stamps.

   There goes the methods of work cash award I have been holding out for!!

   John in Texas

1. 
   carpenter5 | Feb 15, 2006 06:27am | #7

   When i make country style furniture I hand sign my piece with my logo and year in an indiscriminate place.. believe it or not in pencil... works great too.

   crpntr5

1. 
   Radish54 | Feb 15, 2006 10:12pm | #8

   Try this site, nice folks, better designed branding irons than usually found in the woodworker catalogues. I made my own design in Adobe Illustrator, and although I wish I would have gotten a larger size than the 1 inch circle, it brands in with nice sharp lettering and logo, especially in tight grained wood like maple or cherry.

   A graphic designer (like me!, [email protected]) can help you if you need your own very customized branding iron, or your local copy center can be of help. Otherwise they have some nice designs that can be customized with your name etc.

   http://www.brandnew.net/

   Edited 2/15/2006 2:33 pm by Radish54

1. 
   Jfrostjr | Feb 19, 2006 05:11pm | #16

   I use a branding iron, then below it I "sign" my initials with the month and year using a black permanent marker.. After all I expect my stuff to last 'generations'.Jerry

6. 
   Garry | Feb 15, 2006 10:44pm | #9

   I have used a wood burner with a fine round tip recently and it worked well for that particular peice.

   Garry

   http://www.superwoodworks.com

7. 
   JsHerbel | Feb 16, 2006 01:06am | #10

   For the past 9 years, I have "signed" all my furniture by placing my hand on the piece and spray painting around my hand leaving an image of my hand where I then sign my name and date with India ink. I do this in an inconspicuous area (but not too inconspicuos) such as on the back of an entertainment center, the underside of a table, drawer bottom, etc. The customers seem to be thrilled by this signature.

8. 
   burlman | Feb 16, 2006 03:30am | #11

    

   My first post so excuse the mistakes

     I made a branding iron by filling my initals in the head of a 8" spike its not pretty but its mine

9. 
   Bioman | Feb 17, 2006 09:33pm | #12

   After seeing the most recent issue of FWW I though momentarily about signing my pieces; made by "Jimmy Carter".  $50K to 300K per piece?  Wow.

10. 
    bleubassplyr | Feb 18, 2006 02:43am | #13

    I faced the same dilemma you are pondering now. I tried Sharpie's but the line isn't very graceful looking and bleeds a little. I ended up using a uni-ball gel grip pen made by signo with 0.7 tip. I got it at Staples. It is permanent and looks good. I usually finish over it anyway.

    There are more old drunkards than old doctors.  Ben Franklin

11. 
    woodman1549 | Feb 18, 2006 02:55am | #14

    I use a branding iron also, not the electric one but the one u heat up with a torch.

12. 
    philjohnwilliams | Feb 19, 2006 08:37am | #15

    hi,

    while you can sign with a pen of marker, there is a danger that the ink from one of these will fade over time. assuming you intend your piece to last a long time, i would reccomend pencil (or a branding iron). the graphite from a pencil will not fade, and with a couple of coats of finish over it will not rub off either.

13. 
    KeithNewton | Feb 20, 2006 05:28am | #17

    I use a burning tool with a skew tip and do a free-hand sort of cuneiform style of lettering. I don't try to hide it. sometimes it may be on the front of a piece, and I always write it vertically.

    If I forget to sign a piece, I usually get ask to come back do it later.

    I don't sign a piece if I am not satisfied with the artistic merits of the piece. Here are a couple of pics.

    the img 905 is K. Newton
    img 904 was Nov 30, 2004
    img1534 is the date 05-22-2005

    
1. 
   Jfrostjr | Feb 21, 2006 06:09pm | #19

   Those are really nice "signatures". I wish I had that skill.Jerry

2. 
   joinerswork | Feb 23, 2006 03:28am | #22

   Keith,

   "I don't sign a piece if I am not satisfied with the artistic merits of the piece"

   The first shop I worked in, the boss told the story about a piece he'd built to a client's specs, that he wasn't exactly proud of, so he didn't label it as he normally did.  Sure enough, he got a call back, to the effect that he must have forgotten to attach his label, and would he please come back and do so.  The shop label read "Built by XXXXX"-- under that, he wrote, "Designed by YYYYY"

   Cheers,

   Ray Pine

14. 
    JMadson | Feb 22, 2006 09:21pm | #21

    I've created mailing labels on my inkjet printer using clear labels. I was messing around one day and stuck one on my workbench. I sprayed a couple of layers of poly on top and it's lasted about two years so far with no degradation. You can print anything you want and add any logos or images.
    Joe