Branding Iron

[Mike Vickery]

For those of you that use a branding iron or have tried useing one for signing or marking your work can you give me you thoughts about them.

Also where did you get yours and about what did it run?

I know not many do it but i have seen a few people post that they do.

[Jim Becker]

I have one for my furniture work, but not for turning. I'd have to buy a custom brand due to size since I don't often do large pieces...and can't justify the investment. But...I do now use my Colwood pyro setup for signing work.

[Travis Stinson]

I have one for my furniture work, but not for turning. I'd have to buy a custom brand due to size since I don't often do large pieces...and can't justify the investment. But...I do now use my Colwood pyro setup for signing work.

Jim, can you show us how your signatures look with the Colwood setup?

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

I know some turners who use burnings in their design work make their own pen tip brands , usually with copper wire.

[Jim Becker]

Jim, can you show us how your signatures look with the Colwood setup?

No different than with a Sharpie marker...just more permanent. And I have terrible handwriting...:rolleyes:

I don't have any pieces on the shelf around here with the burned signature...all given away at this point...so I can't show a picture.

[Travis Stinson]

Be sure to take a picture of your next one to show us, I'm anxious to see how it looks.

[Mike Vickery]

I know some turners who use burnings in their design work make their own pen tip brands , usually with copper wire.
Jim actually I do that as well. My signature when I burn it with a pen looks even worse then when I write it. Believe me in is pretty bad to start with when I write it.

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

Jim actually I do that as well. My signature when I burn it with a pen looks even worse then when I write it. Believe me in is pretty bad to start with when I write it.

You could always use a template:D

I have always used a Sharpie myself........just looked at a nice HF I have from Wally Dickerman and he also uses a Sharpie.

[Andy Hoyt]

Seems to me that Lee DeRaud has the ultimate signaturizer.

[Al Wasser]

I have one of the branding irons that I use for flat work. Maybe its me, but it is a little tricky to use and get the brand heat just right. It is easy to overheat and that blotches the brand and under heated you get a weak brand. If you got one the size to do bowls or boxes it would be smaller than mine(I think) and being smaller would be harder to use and easier to over heat and botch the brand -- my 2cents

[TYLER WOOD]

I personally use a cheap large discout store (:) hint) pruchased wood burner kit I got about 7 uears ago. If I go really slow I can get nice results, but typically am in too much of a rush to go real slow. So I end up with fair results with the finest point provided. Or a sharpie, when to rushed to let the burner heat up for 10 minutes.

[Kevin McPeek]

Iv'e been toying with the idea of a branding iron myself. I thought for doing bowls it would have to be slightly conical to allow for the convex on the bottom of a lot of bowls or boxes for that matter. I suppose you could plan a flat area to allow for the flat iron to contact the surface evenly.
I have one of the cheapo burners that has the replacable tip so I figured on using that for the heat source or go the old fashion was and torch it.

Mike, I have some .050" copper wire if you want to try to make one.

[Jess Wetherhold]

I ordered mine from the site below. They sell light duty and heavy duty in different wattages and they can make anything you send them in any size. I have no problems whatsoever with mine. I purchased the 200W heavy duty tool and I think I paid $289. Seems steep but it will most likely last for the next 50 years.
http://http://www.brand-first.com/electric_tools1.htm#medium (http://http//www.brand-first.com/electric_tools1.htm#medium)

[Paul Engle]

I just bent one from drill rod ( had it welded up ) and use a torch to heat it up, have used it on steaks for the bbq etc, I made a set for my folks bbq and have been using mine ( just initals ) since 1983 , cost was the rod 1/4 inch by 16 inches and the weld was 5$ back then for each one . Mine is a Pj with the j welded to the bottom of the P, my dads is PS welded at the top of the S and P , and a running iron for stuff for the kids, great fun , but full name is spendy from Woodcrafter supply I think. looks like a rubber stamp 1/2 in by 1 1/2" electric heat was over 100$, torch is some what cheaper.

[Larry McCumber]

Seems to me that Lee DeRaud has the ultimate signaturizer.

And what would thatbe?

[Mike Vickery]

And what would thatbe?
I am betting it is a laser engraver.

[Pete Jordan]

Hi Mike,

This is the branding iron that I bought from Brand-first.com

I didn't have any bowls ready to put it on so I branded a tool for you. I bought this to brand bowls but I also use it for baseball gloves and anything else it will work on.

[Lee DeRaud]

I am betting it is a laser engraver.Yup. :cool:

And no, I didn't buy it to sign turnings...it's a bit pricey for that chore. :eek:

[Jim Becker]

And no, I didn't buy it to sign turnings...it's a bit pricey for that chore.

But as a secondary use...a one time programming for your "logo" would be a very nice thing. Just do them in batches!

[Ernie Kuhn]

Sat in on one of Molly Winton's demos in Portland. I believe for "make your own", for use in a pyro pen, she used nichrome wire, not copper?
Ernie

[Ernie Kuhn]

Jim Shaver,
I attended Molly Winton's demo in Portland and believe she made hers out of nichrome wire, for insertion in pyro pen.
Ernie