Branding Iron

[Jay Jagerson]

Ok its not quite a spinny question but being that I seem to be getting sucked into this vortext thing I thought I would ask here.

Is it common or do most of you sign and date your work?

Do any of you use a Branding Iron?

Comming from the flat side of the world I have signed and dated most every thing that I have made. I have always wanted to get a branding iron but have not to date.

When I get into all things spinny I want to date and number the items as I go. In the flat world I singed and dated but did not number my work.

For those of you who got a iron do you use it?

My penmanship is horrible thats why I always wanted an iron.

Jay

[Lee Koepke]

my wife got me a branding iron that I use on most of my flatwork. BrandNew Industries I think. GREAT customer service.

Its the one you have to heat with a torch, takes a bit to get used to getting it the right temp, but I like it.

Havent done many round things yet, but will try to get the brand on there when appropriate.

I like to sign my stuff for various reasons, one of which is to make it 'personal, not production'.

[Paul Williams]

My kids gave me a branding iron that is my signature and changeable year. It really doesn't work with round things so I end up using a sharpie pen. I don't number, just my initials and the year.

[Scott Hackler]

My wife bought me a branding iron with the changable date. Here are my pros/cons.

Pros:

Really puts a nice finishing touch
Last forever
Applys name and date in one stamp

Cons:

Surface must be FLAT (concaved bottoms wont stamp correctly at all and the brand will look terrible when half is missing)
Takes 10-15 minutes for the iron to heat up fully
Size restriction on stamping smaller stuff
Non very personal. Hand signing is a more personal finishing touch, IMO.


At the end of the day, I dont use it that much. A lot of the things I have been turning are just too small for this to work (i.e., ornaments) I have been thinking about grinding the retangle brass stamp down to barely enough to cover the name so it would fit on more vessels. The retangle shape of the stamp is a bit too big to fit into a small foot/bottom without the sides of the retangle touching. For now I have been signing with a #2 pencil and sealing it in with the lacquer. Not real professional, but a lot more personal. I have been thinking about getting a archival pen and using it or an engraver and filling it with stain or gold crayon (like Drozda does).

She bought this through WoodCraft and the total for the electric iron with date was around $130 or so.

Hope this helps

[Jay Jagerson]

Thats the exact input I was looking for. Being that I'm really only looking at spining smaller items like ornaments and those little bird houses I see around here sounds like the iron is not a god deal for that.

From what I gather I might as well give up on the flat stuff and turn my table saw into a bench/work surface so would need to stamp for that work:)

Really I was more than courious I think of what others do.

I think I would number this time around, that would be my only change from my flat work.

[bob svoboda]

From what I gather I might as well give up on the flat stuff and turn my table saw into a bench/work surface so would need to stamp for that work:)

Isn't that what tablesaws are for??? :D:

[wes murphy]

I use a rubber stamp that I had made and black grocery stamp ink. yo9u can make the stamp as small as you need. That leaves only the date to fill in and type of wood, if your so inclined. My handwriting is very bad also, that why i went the stamp route. Much cheaper than branding irons and will last forever, just remember to put stamp on after finish has set.

[Scott Hackler]

I might add the fact that I haven't figured out the best way to mark my ornaments. Hand signing is difficult from the size needed to "hide" the mark so its not real noticable unless your looking for it. I have thought about getting a trademark registered and having a real small iron made to apply it to ornament bulbs. I would want something shorter than 1/8" and no longer than 1/4" or so. I don't know if this is at all possible though.

[Lee Koepke]

I might add the fact that I haven't figured out the best way to mark my ornaments. Hand signing is difficult from the size needed to "hide" the mark so its not real noticable unless your looking for it. I have thought about getting a trademark registered and having a real small iron made to apply it to ornament bulbs. I would want something shorter than 1/8" and no longer than 1/4" or so. I don't know if this is at all possible though.
how about some tiny dots ... that only you know about ???

[Scott Hackler]

I think, at least for my stuff, I want a symbol or set of initials arranged in a specific way so there wouldnt be any doubt that I turned the piece. (after someone asked around to who this mark/initials belonged to). I have never sold anything. I have given quite a few things to family and friends but as my skill level increases I forsee a need to permanently mark my work that would be consistant from, piece to piece. You never know when someone will go crazy for your work and you win the turning lottery by turning stuff that sells for thousands of dollars!!

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use a sharpie style which has archival ink. I get them from Hobby Lobby. I sign, date and species of wood before applying finish. Haven't had a problem. I tried a branding iron but on about 75% of the stuff I turn it doesn't work well especially if it isn't flat.

[Jim Sebring]

I'm with Bernie. I use a very fine point, archival ink pen on the bare wood. Black works well on light colored woods; silver or gold on dark woods. The finish over the signature will protect it forever. I sign with my first initial, last name, year in Roman Numerals (MMX this year), and type of wood.

[Mark Patoka]

I have a branding iron with my initials/logo, about 1" square, and only use it on turned items if the bottom is completely flat, otherwise it doesn't work well. I use a woodburning pen in those cases to recreate my logo, year, and usually the species of wood. My unartistic woodburning doesn't look the best but it is functional.

I tried using a permanent pen once or twice but as soon as I sprayed on the finish it bled the ink. Guess I need to try the archival pen route.