For the last 15 years I've simply bought a basic stick on label that says Made by ............ Given the price of buying these from a local trophy shop I've decided to buy myself a branding iron to do the job but am after any suggestions. I'd imagine there are some that are better than others and traps for new comers so any help is very welcome please??? Btw I don't sell my projects I donate them to family and close friends. Cheers
Kerry - Working with wood, the smell the feel, is such a joy, its a meditation of sorts.
G’day Kerry Every maker deserves the credit for the items they make! I had some help from an old graphic designer to refine my “logo”. I got a Melbourne based company to make my “logo” for a hot stamp insert for a big soliding iron which I purchased separately. I’ll have to chase up the details for you tomorrow.
I'm in the same boat as Pottz. Bought one from Rockler, heat with a propane torch and brand. Just simple text or a standard design.
You can get fancier with self heated units but unless you are doing a bunch of stuff in series, not really worth the extra cost over the torch heated unit IMO.
As of the last few years I have been using my laser. Infinite design possibilities. Dr. John lases round wood "pucks" that he then attaches to projects, look very slick!
I started with the heat it with a torch type, and never got the time versus temp part down, and it was very inconsistent. Moved on to a really cheap electric, and it was a step better, but the heating portion was also cheap, and it was still pretty wide in range of effectiveness. Moved to a really well made custom one, cost over a hunnert bux, but I plug it in, set my little timer deal I use for timing glueups. Anyhow 15 minutes, and I can brand any wood, and get spectacular results. Experience had taught me Cherry, and SOFT Maple, I don't push down much at all, and it is great, if I press it they both burn really easily, and it sort of mars the brand, You can still see it, but it is notable.
There are a few peeps in the game of making them, but I was at a woodworking show where I believe all of them attended, and the guy I ended up buying from was the one at the show who showed far and away he was willing to work with you. I didn't have artwork at that time, but my idea was simple. I wanted a tree shape, and my name below in a easily readable font. Terry sent me over 60 looks, to see what I wanted, so deciding was right there, and I was really happy. My brand is bigger, and he suggested an upcharge heating element to make sure the brands are consistent. All I know is except for the 2 woods I know to be really burners, all others, including pine come out like a good engraver did them. Anyhow my guy is Terry Desilets, and his company is Custom Branding irons My Wife makes baskets, she gifts, and sells them, and brands her work, Terry worked with her to get the perfect brand, and she is a bigger cheerleader for him than I am.
So my contribution is this. No matter what you get, before you brand, take a piece of scrap from your project, and brand that first. If you like it, proceed. If not, well adding more time to heat if electric, or longer heat if it's a torcher would be my guess, but if you just can't get it done? I know from experience Terry can help you out. Price WILL be more than a junker. But always practice before you play, and because I have identified woods that brand differently, you will no doubt see a little variation. Better to see it on a piece of scrap, than a project you spent time on making.
On my first Cherry piece I branded a piece of scrap that I "thought" was gonna be a nice sized piece for another small project. That thing has over 300 brands on it. Now every time I use Cherry I go back and do several practice runs. Soft Maple is so close in burning I do my practices on the Cherry board. Everything else I do them on scrap from the project.
Probably not as refined as you are looking for but a friend of mine welded this quick and dirt branding iron out of some scraps and I turned a handle for it. I have to add the cross bar on the A using the edge of the iron but it works with less than a minute of heating with a propane torch. I have to be careful not to overheat it.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
I have also thought about 3D printing a Stamp to use with some ink or paint. Another cool idea I saw was to print your logo on some onion paper and then fix it down like a decal by applying shellac or polyurethane over it it.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
Since the advent of so many types of printers, from laser straight to the product, or printer printers with both paper and vinyl a branding iron is becoming "Ole Iron" Soon they will be hard to find, once the current makers are all retired, and most of them are getting to that point.
Whenever possible, I brand on center. Inside, outside. I made a jig, a big bbply faceplate to attach to my lathe. Crosshairs indicate where the brand will be. I draw center lines on what gets burnt, line up crosshairs. I put d/s tape to stick it on, clamps if needed. I can brand anything I can attach to it. I set a level on the brand before heating with a propane torch. I got a thing for old Stanley levels, have way more than I use.
Sometime I get it real hot, brand a scrap, then brand the project. Usually, the 2nd brand is good. It does take a lot of practice.
I want to do right, but not right now. Gillian Welch
wow your very meticulous, i just stamp it wherever. hell most of the time i dont even do a makers mark. i really dont even think about most of the time !
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
