BB plaque....need advice

[Joe Tonich]

I turned a disk and had it laser engraved for my sons Basketball coach.

Now I need some advice.........

I'm planning on having all the boys sign it with Sharpies, and was wondering if I oil it first would it stop the ink from bleeding, or should I do a coat of wipe-on poly first? After they sign it I'm gonna put another coat of wipe-on poly to seal it. You think that would work?

It's made from some old pine I rescued from a life of shelving that was down my basement.

Joe

[John Miliunas]

Joe, IMHO, I would go with your second thought. Poly first and have them sign it, making certain you give enough time in between each signature that, the next player doesn't smear the previous attempt! :rolleyes: Neat idea, BTW!!! :) :cool:

[Keith Burns]

My 5 cents worth....after everyone has signed it I would use spray lacquer as with any rubbing you run the risk of smearing. Just been my experience. Cool idea and nice job by you and the engraver.

[Bill Stevener]

I would go along with Keith, with the spray lacquer applied first, as not to allow the sharpie to leach the signatures in the wood, as it will do with the pine.. Then the final coat of spray lacquer, with out touching the signatures.

Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>:)

[Lou Morrissette]

On my intarsia, I generaly put on one coat of gel varnish. After that's dry, I sign it with a Sharpie. I then add the finish coat of wipe on.

Lou

[Mark Cothren]

Lookin' great, Joe!

[John Hart]

What a great idea! IT Contest material!;)

[Michael Stafford]

Joe, I would surely test any method on scraps before I committed this wonderful piece to any solvents in various finishes. Nice work, Joe!;)

[Glenn Clabo]

Joe,
I can tell you that I signed and dated a pc of cherry before I put and finish on it...and it ran when I put the first coat of wipe on poly on. I used a sharpie...and really can't say if it would have been better...but I'd be testing all combinations until you find one that worked.

[Pete Simmons]

Not sure if you can get back to the laser but if you can.

Get all the sigs on paper and scan them in. Then laser them onto the wood as images. Works great.

[Corey Hallagan]

Joe, that is very nice and a great idea!

Corey

[Greg Savage]

Not sure if you can get back to the laser but if you can.

Get all the sigs on paper and scan them in. Then laser them onto the wood as images. Works great.

This is exactly what I would do. If you use a Sharpie and lacquer over the sigs, you will be left with an illegible mess! I experimented with this method in my early days of guitar building.....(Ya gotta sign your work somewhere!).....Needless to say, this method was quickly scrapped.

If you can't get back to the laser, you may give an engraving tool some thought. I have used my engraver, an SCM, for signing all my work.....a turbo-carver will work well also. The high speed that it spins at (@300,00rpm) makes it easy to put a signature on wood....It is very much like writing with a fountain pen if you have a nice sharp bit.

A much less expensive route can be a paint pen which can be found at local art supply stores....Many custom guitar builders use these to sign their work.

[Dick Parr]

Another great job Joe, and another nice thought.. You da man;)

[Bill Stevener]

Hi Joe,

I will stick with my original suggestion.

I don't clam to know anything about Guitar building, finishing, signing and or playing.

However two coats of spray lacquer, Signatures with a Sharpe, and about 3 coats of spray lacquer seems to work. Has worked for me for a long time now.

Play with it some before you commit yourself.

Note photo attached, just an old rough cut piece of pine, with lots of ridges and valleys.

Good luck,

Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>:)