What to use when signing turnings?

[Phillip H Smith]

This is perhaps a really naive question. But...what is the best "instrument" to sign a turned piece?

I've avoided using an ink pen, because I thought the ink would not stand up to the solvents in finishes. So, I've used a permanent ink "Sharpie" pen...but that stuff sort of spreads into the wood leaving a somewhat blurred signature.

What do you folks use?

TIA...

[Nancy Laird]

I use my laser - I've designed a logo that I can laser onto the bottom of my turnings, with a place to change the date and the species of wood.

I've heard of others using a dip-pen and India ink.

Nancy

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I generally us a extra fine point Sharpie.

[Tom Sherman]

Phillip you can put a coat of sealer on the bottom then sign it with a sharpie and not have it blurr out.Hope it helps.

[Dennis Peacock]

How about an engraver like this one. (http://www.dremel.com/en-us/tools/tool-detail.htm?H=188090&G=69667&I=66216) I've heard that these work really well and only requires a lite touch when writing.

[Patrick Taylor]

There are previous threads on this subject with good information. I use archival pens (from Staples) after the piece is done, even over wax.

[charlie knighton]

you may want to try wally world back in the sewing deptment, they have crafts back there also

Bart Castleberry of Blue Ridge Woodturners put me onto the ZIG pens

they are pigment ink, acid-free, archival quality,lightfast, waterproof, fade proof, and most important non-bleeding:D

[Joe Tonich]

I use one like this that I bought from Rockler........

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b156/jt6089/burner.jpg

The tip second from right is the one I use. Can use it like a pen and burn your autograph on permanently.

[Brad Schmid]

I use either:

1) Colwood woodburner with a fine tip
2) fine black paint pen

Cheers

[Cory Martin]

How about an engraver like this one. (http://www.dremel.com/en-us/tools/tool-detail.htm?H=188090&G=69667&I=66216) I've heard that these work really well and only requires a lite touch when writing.



I just bought that one today it is quite easy to use and versatile. I used it to mark a bunch of tools. Thanks for the heads up Dennis.

Cory

[Bob Boettcher]

I have tried wood burning with limited success. Seems to burn deep then nothing, very spotty. I have used a Koh-I-Noor draftsman pen with India ink which works well, and just purchased some Zip pens to try.
I just watched Cindy Drozda at the Utah Symposium sign a very small base of a box with an engraver, very nice signature. She then rubbed in some gold engravers wax, and rubbed it off, leaving her signature in gold against a background of Padauk - very nice.

Bob

[Bill Boehme]

I have tried various things and prefer the Dremel engraving pen. I apply a finish on the bottom first and then engrave. After that, I rub a bit of dark stain over the area. The engraved lines will pick up the stain and the remainder gets wiped away. It really makes the signature stand out. Finally, I apply a bit of finish over the bottom to protect the stain in the signature from smearing. I have tried different types of stain and like both the furniture touch up pens and pigment stains. Pigment stains are a bit easier to get a clean result, but are a bit messier to handle.

Bill

[Dale Stagg]

I don't have one of these, but have seen them in action and would love to get me one of these http://www.artwooddesigns.com/powercrafter.html. It is much higher speed than the dremels and feels more like carving with a sharpie than with any other lower speed tool. It works on glass, or any material. I got to try one at a woodworkers show and was a dream to operate.

[Ernie Nyvall]

A fine tipped artist brush and India ink. The brush doesn't get caught up in the grain and the ink, once dry, isn't affected by the solvents... so far as the ones I've used anyway.

[Bill Boehme]

I don't have one of these, but have seen them in action and would love to get me one of these http://www.artwooddesigns.com/powercrafter.html. It is much higher speed than the dremels and feels more like carving with a sharpie than with any other lower speed tool. It works on glass, or any material. I got to try one at a woodworkers show and was a dream to operate.

I have always thought that having one of those things would be the cat's meow. However, I am wondering if, at such a high RPM, the torque reaction would present just as much a problem, if not more, in controlling it as you would encounter when working on a piece of wood that has large differences between the hardness of early and late wood in the grain. I presume that you would need to learn to use it by making only lateral translations in position and avoid any angular movement of the pen. Does anyone here have any experience using one and could give an evaluation?

Bill

[Jim Becker]

When I have the time, I use a Colewood burning pen with a very small tip. If I'm in a hurry, a fine-point Sharpie makes do. I prefer the former, even though it takes more time and effort. And it's more permanent.