Signature on Your Work

[Rich Aldrich]

Do you actually sign your name on your work or do you print your name? I am a mechanical engineer (please dont hold that against me), so I have been printing my name on my work because I generate a lot of drawings which are all printed. Does it matter if it is signed or if you print your name?

I started thinking about this when I was reading David D's post about his signature.

By the way I havent posted in a while because I was looking for and found a new job. The papermill where I worked for 23 1/2 years filed for Chapter 11 and shutdown August 5, costing the one horse town of Manistique it's horse and 150 jobs. The mill used recycled paper and Chinese competition for purchasing paper to recycle drove the mill out of business. It appears that one really cares if we loose environmentally friendly jobs or any jobs for that matter. There are efforts to get the mill up and running so maybe a buyer can be found. I hope for this community that a buyer is found and that the place can make money again.

I looked for a job for two weeks and now work for a contracting company in Escanaba, MI called Industrial Maintenance Services as a Senior Project Manager. I have a 135 mile round trip every day to work, but I was lucky to be able to stay in the Upper Pennisula of MI.

[Richard Jones]

Rich,

Former project manager here, so I print my name as well.......:) I use a Dremel engraver, print my name, location, species, month/year. One in each quadrant on a bowl/HF/NE. I tried markers, ink, really expensive ink, etc., and they all ran, depending upon what type of finish I used. The ink probably wouldn't with my current finish, but I like the engraving.

Glad you were able to locate work, it's pretty dry for a lot of folks.

To me, the piece doesn't mean any more or less to me if it's "signed" vs printed. I can only HOPE that folks will be arguing about the authenticity of my bowl signatures in 100 years on the 2111 version of Antiques Roadshow.............:)

Rich

[Thomas Canfield]

As a former project manager, engineer, fetch and get, whatever, printing is my usual also. I also use a Dremel engraver but try to have a little extra and the THC at first of name are connected like a brand, and only have name, wood type, and MO'YR to keep it simple.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use archival ink and print also. The key is to spray a extremely light coat on then let dry and spray another light coat. Most times I spray dewaxed shellac. That will protect the ink from running.

[Ian Jeffcock]

I print mine. If I used my signature no one could read it.

[Rich Aldrich]

I use archival ink and print also. The key is to spray a extremely light coat on then let dry and spray another light coat. Most times I spray dewaxed shellac. That will protect the ink from running.

I use the same pen. I like your idea of spraying a coat over the top to protect it.

[Rich Aldrich]

I print mine. If I used my signature no one could read it.

That was my initial reason for printing rather than signature.

[Lee Koepke]

I prefer the signature. I print everything in the real world, but still sign my name. Its not necessarily legible, but its mine. Its (to me) more 'personal' regardless of its legibility.

PS ... congrats on finding work!

[Thom Sturgill]

FWIW, I painted (oils) as a hobby for years. You pretty much never see an oil painter's 'signature' that is not printed. They just develop a distinctive style.

[Scott Hackler]

I always print. My signature is so sloppy that you wouldn't be able to distinguish any of the letters other than the "S" and maybe the "H". Besides that, "signing" with my signature would be very difficult in a very small format that is needed on a lot of my work. I had thought of delevoping a "mark" but that falls along the "noone knows who I am" rule, so my name will be clearly printed on the bottom of my pieces!

[charlie knighton]

i write mine but you can do either, in fact, one could say if you switched that you were in a different phase of your work. i use a zig writer pen, usually use oil or poly finish, the zig does not run, apply either before finish or after finish dries.

[Rich Aldrich]

My printed signature is a little different. Being an engineer, I print in all capital letters. The first letter is larger than the rest of the letters in each word. I actually learned this technique from one of my high school class mates who went to Michigan Tech with me and then we both went to work for McDonnell Douglas in St Louis. She is still there, but it is now Boeing. She is an electrical engineer (a sparky) and I am a mechanical engineer (gear head).

[paul wiser]

i print also. no one could read my chicken scratch. i found that a pygma micron marker works great under most clear finishes. haven't had it run yet

[Craig Wiser]

I could allways read your writing!:cool: So just what does a P.T. Sales Associate sell?

[Dan Hintz]

I scanned mine in and use my laser... I place it on a curve to fit the bowl bottom.

[Scott Hackler]

I scanned mine in and use my laser... I place it on a curve to fit the bowl bottom.That's cheating!

[Steve Kubien]

Funny, but I use a Staedler 0.1" archival pen and I have never had it run. I sign/print my work before applying the finish. No running issues with walnut, danish or tung oil, lacquer, shellac....

[Gary Max]

I relearned how to write my name.

[Greg Just]

I sign using a Dremel engraver on low speed

[Rick Markham]

This is something I've spent a lot of time thinking about. My legal signature is chicken scratching, plus I don't really want my legal signature floating around now a days. So I essentially developed a new signature that is legible, that is uniquely mine, I've tried all types of pens, just doesn't come out exactly to my expectations, I do like the dremel engraver it's super easy like writing with a pen, and I have been using that instead of a pen now. I'm a bit happier, but still not satisfied. I'm in the process of having a buddy design me a maker's mark to be made into a brand and punch. Some of the bases on piece I am making are not conducive to being handwritten on with anything. We will see, after it's designed I get to see what kind of quote I will get for having it made. I might be writing on my work with a crayon after I see what the quote looks like.

[Jon McElwain]

I have not tried it, but I really like Cindy Drozda's approach. She writes with the dremel engraver, then seals, then rubs gold colored wax(?) into the voids, then finishes. It gives the piece a gold signature that looks pretty sharp. It probably would not work on a light colored wood unless you used a contrasting color filler. I'm still using an archive pen.

[Baxter Smith]

I sign with a cub woodwriter. Got tired of using my jr. high woodburning kit.:rolleyes:

[David DeCristoforo]

If you (or anyone else0 decide to go with a branded logo or signature, I can highly recommend Sean at Buckeye Engraving as the "go to" guy to make it for you.

[Tony De Masi]

I sign mine with a fine point sharpie then go over it with a Cub Woodburner. Seems to work for me.

[Jon McElwain]

Truth be told, I don't want my name on the majority of what I make!! :eek: