Signature help needed...

[David DeCristoforo]

It has become necessary for me to figure out a way to sign the bottoms on my "amphora" pieces. I know there have been some threads on this but I have a bit of a "sticky wicket" here because the bottoms on these pieces are very small and are, more often than not, dyed black. To further complicate things, I have taken to cutting beads and coves into the undersides of the bases which leaves little area for signing. I am thinking about a brand but I cannot find any that are small enough. It would have to be very small... maybe even just a wire element bent to shape. I am also thinking about using a rapidograph pen with gold ink or something. I was also considering an engraver of some sort but I have never used or owned one and I'm not sure about the result without a lot of practice. So I decided to throw this out there. How would you sign the bottom of a piece like this???

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I am also thinking about inlaying a brass disk in the bottom (of future pieces), about the size of the "inner circle" in the one above (which would be about the size of a quarter) . This would add a bit of weight to the bottom and help counterbalance these somewhat "tippy" pieces. If I went that way, I could have the brass disks engraved. This is not my "favorite" idea but it is a "contender"....

Thanx in advance for any suggestions...

DD

[Keith Outten]

David,

Go to our Friends of The Creek Directory and see if one of our laser engravers is in your area. They could easily make quarter size disks for you or possibly engrave directly on the piece inexpensively.
.

[David E Keller]

Have you considered shortening your name?I use a pyro pen... I naturally write very small, so I've been able to sign areas less than an inch in diameter with my name and the year. I don't have any photos, and I'm watching football, so maybe I can post a photo tomorrow if that helps you.

[Jamie Donaldson]

I use a vibrating engraver on many of my turnings, then lightly buff with gray Scotch Brite and wax to soften the appearance of the writing. With my writing there is no doubt that it was hand signed!

[Scott Hackler]

First off, I would definitely advise AGAINST any kind of brass plate or lasered disk and such. Hand signed is the only way to go on "art" pieces.

My loving wife bought me a branding iron with "Hand made by Scott Hackler" and I only use it on plates or large bowls. I dont find this personal enough for a piece that I have spent a conciderable amount of time designing and making. I have used an archival ink pen on some pieces, my NSK Presto for engraving my name and on some, burnt it in with the Burnmaster unit. I like the clean lines of the pen, but the burnt or engraved seems a lot more permanent. The burnt signed pieces are not very visible on dark wood, but by tipping the piece you can see the name just fine.

I also just print my name with the year. I stopped numbering things a long time ago and my actual signature is so sloppy you wouldnt be able to read it. So printing is good enough for me.

[Richard Madden]

I would suggest an engraver. I have two, and on one I sharpened the point a little finer and that seems to help signing a small area. I've not tried highlighting engraving, but I have seen it done on dark woods.

[charlie knighton]

i use zig writer pen, you can sign it before or after finish dryes. i keep two colors, black and red. i would probably sign it not on outer ring, but the 2nd outer ring. just imo.

[Nate Davey]

Have you considered stylized initials of a symbol and date to shorten things up......like Prince had for a while :D

[Curt Fuller]

With 17 letters and a space in there too, even signing a fairly large turning would present several challenges. I would suggest that you design a classy "logo" type signature incorporating your initials and go with that on these delicate bases. If you've ever seen Vaughn McMillan's signature on his work it is unmistakably his 'mark'. I think he has made a wire burner with his signature logo. You cold pm him over at WTA and I'm sure he would be glad to help. Once you get a distinctive logo you like you can chose you method according to what you're signing. I prefer a dremel engraver. They're pretty cheap and easy to use. I sharpened the engraver tip to allow a finer signature.

[David DeCristoforo]

Hummm... a plethora of ideas. Just to be a bit more specific as to the nature of the problem, here is my signature:

206778

I gave up trying to write out "DeCristoforo" many years ago and opted, instead, for this "stylized scribble". But even at this size it's still way too big to get onto such a small area. I use the "first part" whenever I have to initial something so it ends up looking something like this:

206777

I am looking at trying to make a small wire burner but I'm thinking that a fine tipped pen might be the best if the ink is opaque enough to read over a dark or black surface.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

With that signature, you should have been a doctor. The problem is the length of your scribble.....I mean name. I see two solutions. One, start making really big pieces and scribble away. Or, I'm thinking you could rename yourself. You remember "The Artist Formally Known as Prince". That might be a bit too long. How about something shorter like, DC. Who knows, they might even name a famous city after you.
faust

[Nate Davey]

I like the second example, in a million years, archeologist will try and decipher what language we used and that will keep them busy for a while.

[Russell Eaton]

David I was lucky enough to find a lightly used high speed engraver for a couple hundred dollars on craigslist. I would agree with Scott Hackler that it will do a good job on regular signature. I print as well on mine and it will make very small letters.

[Thom Sturgill]

I would agree with the printed initials, but something like 'D DC' but with the last D and C overlapped and follow with the year. I have used engravers, pens and now burn my name.

[Mike Willeson]

David,

You sort of have a natural logo within your adopted signature...how about something like this:

206802

[David DeCristoforo]

I had been working on some sort of "combined logo" thing when Mike posted his version. I would like to try and make a brand like this:

206823

using something like this:

http://www.fishcarver.com/images/burning instructions.PDF

(http://www.fishcarver.com/images/burning instructions.PDF)It would have to be at least as small as the pic or even a bit smaller. Is there anyone who has had any experience with making "tips" or burning pens like this? It seems like it should be fairly simple to bend a wire to get this kind of an impression. But, having absolutely no experience with woodburning pens I'm really shooting from the hip here. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanx
DD

[charlie knighton]

David, you might contact Molly Winton.... email: turningmaven@hotmail.com

she has a little book she sells at her rotations, very helpful...she has a source for the nichrome wire...hard part is finding the piece that nichrome wire attaches to

then out of the blue i got lucky......won raffle for burnmaster with several burners ....definitely a reason to go to club meetings......enjoy

[Jim Underwood]

Looks like you're well on the way to solving your dilemma David. I was going to suggest a "makers mark" instead of the full sig, but looks like you got there. I've done a similar thing with my initials, although it's not nearly as graceful- think more dwarvish rune, than elvish script...

As for the method of creating the mark, I've used a sharpie. I've also used a regular vibrating engraver with good results. It takes a bit of practice, and a light touch. I've also used my homemade wood burner (plans for Graeme Priddle's wood vaporizer can be found on the web) to sign, but it's a bit on the clunky side yet, as I've just used twisted together nichrome wire out of an old junked heater to make the pen. You can get similar stuff from old blow driers, toasters and the like...

Good luck and let us know what you finally wind up with...


***Oh. Just noticed you found the woodburning pen instructions... That's essentially how I made mine. Should post a picture of the thing sometime I suppose...

[Scott Hackler]

I don't want to be the kill joy, but I don't believe that particular symbol would be possible with NiChrome wire on a burner. The biggest problem with the NiCrome custom tips are that it has to be a continuous piece of wire and if you get too much length to be able to bend it around to make a design... well then the burner unit (off the shelf) won't be able to heat up the wire good enough. If you decrease the diameter of the wire, you can go with a longer length...but then the custom tip is NOT going to be very stiff and durable.

I would think that your best bet for that symbol in a small format is a custom, single purpose branding iron.

[Harry Robinette]

I made one of Molly's wire stamps and love it you have to have a burner to hook it up to but the wire stamp she showed at Cincinnati was easy to make.
The other way to go small is with the Pigma brand archival pens you can get them at Hobby Lobby in sizes down to .005. I just bought some to do some work like Jennifer Shirley does on her small boxes. They come in many colors and are light fast and mark on anything I've tried so far.
Just my $.02

[Richard Madden]

I have not made any custom tips for my burner, but here is a thought. Looking at the drawing you show, maybe a NiChrome wire could be bent to form a "C" to your taste, then in two burns a backward and forward "C" are done. The line connecting the two could be done with either a ball point type writing tip or maybe just use the bent "C" tip on edge. Just a thought.

[David DeCristoforo]

"...I don't believe that particular symbol would be possible with NiChrome wire..."

Well, you might be right. I was trying to think about how to bend the wire into that shape and have everything flat without the wires crossing. Could be a bitch. I came across a Molly Winton article about making branding tips out of flat head copper nails. I'm thinking that might be a better way to go. Some close work with small files but doable. Richard's idea of using several tips sounds workable too. I still have not ruled out pens either. Probably easier to use and much cheaper to buy! But I am really kind of liking the small branded logo idea. Gonna have to play a lot with this. I did find a plan for making a power unit for the burning pen so I will most likely at least try it. At worst, I'll end up with a burner.

[charlie knighton]

i got 2 of those surplus motors/transformers whatever before winning the burnmaster, if you want them i think they were $5, plus shipping of course, no handling fee.

[David DeCristoforo]

"...if you want them i think they were $5, plus shipping of course..."

PM sent.

[Ian Jeffcock]

On delicate art pieces, have you ever considered signing on the top side somewhere. That way people would not have to pick the piece up to reveal the artist name. Artist of all levels have always signed the front of the canvas on their paintings, not the back. Just a thought. esp since your signature has such a nice flare to it.
my 2cents.

[Tim Thiebaut]

This is how I sign many things, years and years ago I worked maint for a large company here in littleton, Johns_Manville World HeadQuarters in Deer Creek Canyon, my bosses name was Thomas Kinsella and he had come up with a stylized way to sign his intials, the TK, after working for him for a very long time I adopted a similar style for my initials that I still use today, I have signed a few pieces like this, its short, unique, and easy to do....


I had been working on some sort of "combined logo" thing when Mike posted his version. I would like to try and make a brand like this:

206823

using something like this:

http://www.fishcarver.com/images/burning instructions.PDF

(http://www.fishcarver.com/images/burning instructions.PDF)It would have to be at least as small as the pic or even a bit smaller. Is there anyone who has had any experience with making "tips" or burning pens like this? It seems like it should be fairly simple to bend a wire to get this kind of an impression. But, having absolutely no experience with woodburning pens I'm really shooting from the hip here. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanx
DD