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Norm Zax
10-27-2010, 6:32 AM
I'd like to create my own brand for later use on wood creations. My tought was to take a large bolt nut, paste the graphics (laser printed) onto one surface, remove the excess with burrs, and weld on a simple rod as a handle. The brand would then be heated over the cooking stove for use. My questions:
* Is there a simpler DIY method?
* What burrs can remove this hardened steel (type and online site please)?
* Should I start with a softer piece of metal (and then what burrs? perhaps glass etchers diamond powder coated?)
Thanks!
Norm

Niklas Bjornestal
10-27-2010, 7:01 AM
It might be worth to try etching it. Paint the surface and laser where you want to remove material and put it down in a solution with saline(?) acid (HCl) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). I dont know if it can remove enough material to get the deapth needed, but since the chemicals are cheap it might be worth a try..
Try using copper as material.

George D Gabert
10-27-2010, 8:32 AM
Simple steel will work well. A dremel tool with a hardened steel cutter will cut metal well. the problem will be, the patience to take time and get good detail.

An air powered die grinder with with die grinder bit will be much faster.

Both can be found at most large hardware outlets

GDG

Martin Boekers
10-27-2010, 8:53 AM
You may want to have one made probably cheaper in the long run,
here's a company stateside that ships overseas.

http://www.branding-irons.biz/price-list.html


Marty

Bjorn storoien
10-27-2010, 10:19 AM
You can engrave and cut your logo reversed like a stamp in acrylic and use this to make a sand mold like the ones used to make toy soldiers .

i have made logos for casting this way but they where made in bronze by a blacksmith

some hobby / Craftsuppliers have kits with sand etc for making metal models



Bjorn

Robert Walters
10-27-2010, 12:10 PM
There's always the lost wax/foam casting method.

Martin Boekers
10-27-2010, 12:25 PM
Will you be able to cast something that won't melt or deform in the heating process to brand?

Marty

Robert Walters
10-27-2010, 2:33 PM
Will you be able to cast something that won't melt or deform in the heating process to brand?

Marty

Aluminum melts at 1200F or so, They make pots and pans out of aluminum.

I guess if you can heat up an aluminum pan on the stove and can brand something with it, it would work. Easy enough test.

Though, I'd probably buy one pre-made that uses a 400W soldering iron. Kinda saves all the trouble of splashing 1200F molten metal all over you.

Wil Lambert
10-27-2010, 2:40 PM
You can use brass or copper for this. Much easier to work with and will heat better than steel. Best thing would be find someone with a cnc router and barter with them. Machining a stamp wouldn't take very long.

Joe De Medeiros
10-27-2010, 2:47 PM
If you have access to a kiln, there is this product called metalclay bronze, you mold it like plaster-cine and fire it in a kiln. After firing you end up with a solid bronze piece. There is Metalclay Bronze and Copper, as well as Silver and Gold. It's mostly used to make jewelry. you can get it at RioGrande Dot com under metal clay.

Martin Boekers
10-27-2010, 3:14 PM
Aluminum melts at 1200F or so, They make pots and pans out of aluminum.

I guess if you can heat up an aluminum pan on the stove and can brand something with it, it would work. Easy enough test.

Though, I'd probably buy one pre-made that uses a 400W soldering iron. Kinda saves all the trouble of splashing 1200F molten metal all over you.

I guess what I was getting at would be how would I achieve without special
equipment to liqufiy metal to cast.

I've never done this, could it be done at home?

Marty

Robert Walters
10-27-2010, 5:08 PM
I guess what I was getting at would be how would I achieve without special
equipment to liqufiy metal to cast.

I've never done this, could it be done at home?

Marty

Look at these videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uONEzu4uvvQ&feature=fvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbvgTYotK8E&feature=related

Chuck Stone
10-27-2010, 6:29 PM
I was just looking at the bronze clay from the link above.. seems like
you could easily laser your own logo in wax, then mold the clay into the
wax. Melt off the wax and then have someone (ceramic shop?) fire the
bronze for you. Ta-daaaa .. almost instant brand!

In fact, I might just do this myself! :D

Richard Rumancik
10-28-2010, 12:58 PM
Chuck, you might have some problems with lasering wax. It probably won't work like you hope - unless you find a pretty special wax. Usually wax will just melt and re-solidify and you will not get any detail. Wax is just below polyethylene and polypropylene in their molecular structure, and neither polyethylene or polypropylene will laser well at all.

You might have better success in using acrylic to make a pattern. If you made it like a rubber stamp, then maybe you could make a plaster impression off that. Then cast into plaster.

Or, laser into the acrylic to make a "mold" and try to cast the bronze clay into the mold. Release of the characters could be an issue. Characters need to be high to provide a grinding allowance.

Or, chemically etch/electrolytically etch the brass like Niklas suggested.

But it really might be better to machine brass directly on a CNC mini-mill. There are a lot fewer steps and quality would be better.

Richard Coers
10-28-2010, 4:51 PM
I was just looking at the bronze clay from the link above.. seems like
you could easily laser your own logo in wax, then mold the clay into the
wax. Melt off the wax and then have someone (ceramic shop?) fire the
bronze for you. Ta-daaaa .. almost instant brand!

In fact, I might just do this myself! :D

A better way would be to laser a block of Delrin or similar in stamp mode with you laser and then just press the clay into the "stamp". These clays do shrink, so the art work would need to be oversize. Better to find a jewelry artist for firing the clay. I think the bronze needs to be convered with fine charcoal for the firing. (No contact with air). There are metal clays that can be fired with a butane torch, but they might only be the silver and gold variations. Then you are talking $ for the clay.

Chuck Stone
10-28-2010, 5:05 PM
I have some jeweler's wax and I've tried that. It does re-melt, but not
all of it.. there is some loss. That loss leaves room for the clay, I'd think.
(but I haven't tried anything yet)

I've been working with Corian, EOS and Delrin, I just figured the wax would
allow me to de-mold easier.
Hey .. I can try them all :D

Bill Cunningham
10-28-2010, 10:35 PM
Most companies that make letterpress type printing plates and hot stamping dies can also etch them from brass for longer runs 1/2" or 1/4" just send them your artwork, and they will etch it.. You can then braze the plate to a metal bar heat and press....

Joe De Medeiros
10-28-2010, 11:37 PM
A better way would be to laser a block of Delrin or similar in stamp mode with you laser and then just press the clay into the "stamp". These clays do shrink, so the art work would need to be oversize. Better to find a jewelry artist for firing the clay. I think the bronze needs to be convered with fine charcoal for the firing. (No contact with air). There are metal clays that can be fired with a butane torch, but they might only be the silver and gold variations. Then you are talking $ for the clay.

it shrinks about 5% as the binder burns off. Silver and gold can be done with butane as long as the piece is not large because you need to heat it evenly. If you fire it with out charcoal, it will be brittle.

edit:
I have used Delrin, acyclic, and rubber for molds, it's important to use a release agent, I use olive oil.

Robert Walters
10-29-2010, 12:34 AM
There is Machinist Wax intended to be milled.

Another DIY release agent is vaseline + toluene or acetone.