Branding iron

[Michael Henriksen]

Has anyone here made a branding iron by deep engraving on steel? I'm looking to have one made (app. 2x1.5") but I'm not sure if it is doable with laser engraving. I'm not sure how deep the engraving needs to be. Milling will not work due to the nature of the design. If you know someone who can take on the job I'd appreciate if you could let me know. No one here has a laser engraver.

I could make one myself by engraving the pattern in acrylic and then casting it in alu. However I need to build the furnace for that first and since we are relocating that won't happen until the move is over. I still have no idea exactly when that will take place.

It is my logo I would like as a small branding iron. The black part needs to be the raised part.

[Tim Bridge]

I think it would be more cost effective to use someone like https://brandingirons.com/ to make a custom iron.
I used them for a standard branding iron and the quality is very good.

[Mike Turner]

I bought 2 branding irons some yrs back from a place similar to the one listed above.(bought the one you heat with a propane torch and then the electric one) I make flutes and bowls and only tried it on the flutes.I never could be consistent.I'd either over burn or under burn.I gave up but I am sure it was me and not the irons.I would like to use them on my flutes! My brand/logo was small....under an inch.

[Michael Henriksen]

Thanks for the link. They look very nice but costly. I guess I will have to wait until the furnace is completed.

[Dave Sheldrake]

That would mill into a brass block easily mike

[Michael Henriksen]

That would mill into a brass block easily mike
Must get a CNC mill then :) I have been mulling over buying one for a long time but I still remain undecided. My financial situation is somewhat unclear at the moment as the house purchase in Denmark is dragging out. We are looking to buy an old farmhouse and I would then use the barn as my workshop. However that requires planning permission, which I have applied for, but it looks like the council have a lot of people on summer leave now.

[Kev Williams]

Definitely do-able by a 'real' engraving machine ;)

Worked this out in Casmate, took about 40 minutes (I'd rather do this than work :D )

Red hatch would be done with an .062 endmill, removes the bulk,
blue hatch is setup for a .012" wide tool, 2 maybe 3 passes to get about 1/16" deep, which should be plenty for a wood burn (I'm assuming)
A wider tip tool could be used to half the end depth, faster to save a little time...
About 3/4 to 1 hour engrave time in aluminum, add 1/2 hour in brass-

The Corel file is below...

363005

363006

[Michael Henriksen]

Thanks Kev, good to know. Yes, it's a branding iron for wood. I though that tool radius might be an issue at the size I'm after, hence asking if it was something that could be laser engraved.

[Kev Williams]

it IS an issue, but using a .015 cutter with say 15* of draft, it won't mean much to this piece-

[Lee DeRaud]

Yes, it's a branding iron for wood.Uh, am I the only one getting a chuckle over a bunch of guys with lasers talking about making branding irons to mark wood?

Can't you like, I dunno, use the laser instead? :D :rolleyes:

[Michael Henriksen]

I can't really get a large table top into my laser.

[Lee DeRaud]

I can't really get a large table top into my laser.Understood, just kidding (mostly).

Someone once asked me how much my "branding iron" cost. I said, "About $10K." The look on his face was worth every penny. :D

[Kev Williams]

Uh, am I the only one getting a chuckle over a bunch of guys with lasers talking about making branding irons to mark wood?

Can't you like, I dunno, use the laser instead? :D :rolleyes:

I took this to mean use a FIBER laser to make the branding iron--which would work! Would take awhile in steel, about half the time in aluminum...