Marking a new workbench

[Allen Breinig]

Do you guys mark your workbenches when finished with a maker and year? I just finished a roubo style bench which appears that it may be around in more than 10 years, and am thinking it should be marked at least with a build year.

If you mark your benches what is your method of placing your makers mark and or year?
Thanks,
Allen

[Prashun Patel]

I don't believe you finished your bench, because I can't see any pictures

A bench is like any piece of furniture. If I were proud enough of it, I'd mark it. I tend to mark my markable things out of sight. I'm a humble narcisist,

[David Eisenhauer]

I have seen the owner's name, city and the year of build carved? (or whatever they call cutting letters) into a lower stretcher. It looked good and I believe I will do the same on my bench one day after I learn at least some rudimentary letter carving.

[Peter Aeschliman]

I'm a humble narcisist

ha! That was funny.

[Jim Koepke]

I have seen the owner's name, city and the year of build carved? (or whatever they call cutting letters) into a lower stretcher. It looked good and I believe I will do the same on my bench one day after I learn at least some rudimentary letter carving.

One way to learn letter carving is to just do it. I have a piece that I work on occasionally that was started about 3 years ago. One side the letters are raised and the other they are carved below the surface. They are pretty crude. Lately I have been cleaning up the letters to make smooth edges and fields. I know almost nothing about carving. Reading here, watching Mary May when she is on the Woodwright's shop and her free videos at > https://www.marymaycarving.com/carvingschool/ < have helped me understand not only the use of the tools, but also some important aspects of sharpening some of the tools.

I have also bought a book by Chris Pye. (I think that is the name, the book may be out in the shop.)

Maker's Mark & Date in Heart.jpg

This stool was made for my wife, which is why the date is inside a heart. It tends to prop my feet more than hers. We both use it.

The mark on the right is a combination of my initials carved in crudely with a gouge. The heart and date were carved with a smaller gouge. The upside down letters were stamped in with punches. If one wants to do a date with a set of letter punches, use Roman Numerals. All of the lettering was 'enhanced' with an extra fine tip Sharpie™.

The pencil marks left from the making of this piece are still there. Looks like I was thinking about going with a splay angle of 15º and then went with 5º.

jtk

[Allen Breinig]

Left Corner.jpgRight Corner.jpgClean Top.jpgRaw Wood.jpg

[Allen Breinig]

This bench is built out of recycled pallets. You can see the one picture of the wood I started with, 4x6 12 foot long. I usually mark my work with a standard wood burning brand, "Handcrafted by Allen Breinig" but I want to add the year to this one. One idea I had was to buy a small brass plate and attach it with screws. I would love to carve it into the bench but that is a skill I don't have and tools I don't own, yet.

[David Eisenhauer]

Thanks Jim for the carving link/info. Good stuff. Nice bench Allen that it begging for your signature in a noticeable spot and let Prashy do the humble thing.

[Allen Breinig]

Thanks David
I usually do it like Prashun, I mark it where you are going to have to be looking for it to find it. Might even need a flashlight. I will sometimes mark the year with a sharpie but I don't know if that will last very long or not.

[John Sanford]

A workbench is a different beast than a piece of furniture or a knick-knack. The latter are well served by humble narcissism, a time honored tradition. A bench, on the other hand, is a working tool. The logic of marking tools is so they can easily be identified if they wander off. Since we certainly don't want anybody laying on a five finger discount and helping themselves to our workbenches, I advance the proposition that an upfront, in your face marking is the best way to insure that some scurrilous knave doesn't bogart your bench.

I will leave it to your own imagination regarding the best method of confronting the gent audacious enough to ignore the neon makers mark on the front stretcher of your 7' Roubo by picking it up, slinging it over a shoulder and walking out of your shop with it.

[Barry Dima]

Ok Prashun you asked for it. I figured everyone had seen enough workbench pictures.

I don't even know what that means.

But seriously, great bench, especially the vise. And it's from pallets?! If I was you, I'd sign it proudly.

[Allen Breinig]

Thanks Barry
It is from pallets, not the standard 42" pallets. They shipped some large stand up reach forklifts on pallets made with these 4x6 12 foot beams. I managed to get 4 of them so 8 beams total, and used 6 of them to make this bench. You can see the beams in the last picture. It has a few character marks from nail and bolt holes.