Signing Your Work Or a Brand?

[Flute Maker]

I make flutes as a hobby and want to put a signature touch on them. I am no good at woodburning or havent developed it much at all....I thought about getting one of the flame heated brands from these guys ...http://brand-first.com/ It would be the BF-FL-1 I'm sure but need to come up with a design.... Anybody ever did anything like this? Or any ideas ? Thanks !!

 

[ScottM]

I bought one of the electric branding irons from Rockler a few years back. It works OK but you need to practice to get it right. However a lot of my scroll work does not have room for a branding so I just sign and date using a ultra fine Sharpie maker. I am not sure where on a round surface like a flute you will be able to brand it.

 

[CarvedTones]

There was a long discussion at Chiff and Fipple about this. I was heavily involved in the discussion and describe the stamp/brand I have (and got the amazing deal on thanks to NCWW!). Scrolling through it, I see I never did post the last update. I should take some pictures and do that soon. My take on it is that if you can afford the cost of the higher end rolling stamp, it will do a better job as you can apply more pressure to each letter. Branding is tricky with small letters. Too much heat and it is indistinct (one long burn mark); too little and it is faint. The best results I have had from a readability perspective are painting the brand with a gold paint that looks like leaf and pressing it. But that isn't the best look for a medieval replica. I need to practice more with the brand.

 

[Flute Maker]

I have doing about the same thing so far... I know a guy Jon Norris who uses one on his flutes... http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...77381066.34100.156755014343769&type=1&theater

 

[CarvedTones]

I did take some pics, but not very good ones. The gold print looks a lot better than it appears in the picture.

This photo really washed out and it was a test piece (a whistle that sounded less than musical) that I did not bother getting as smooth as I would otherwise. I need to take a picture of other things I have stamped. But, as mentioned earlier, the stamp looks much better on this one that the photo indicates.

I also need to try that with dark stain on light wood; press it in and then clean with wiped spirits. I have done faux pyrography with a V tool using that technique.


Here is what happens when you overheat the iron:

 

[sawman101]

A local woodworker who uses the branding iron on his pieces, advises that he made a template, which he clamps to the work, before branding it. That way, if the image is too light in one area, he can re-brand the image with out the danger of "messing" it up.
I sign my work with a #2 lead pencil, before applying the finish. The finish will make the signature permanent. I tried Sharpie pens, but the finish will cause the ink to bleed and run. I usually apply an initial coat of Bullseye Shellac, followed by lacquer or polyurethane. Most of the items I make contain a lot of fretwork, and this method seems to work well for me. Everyone has their own preferred methods, and they work; this is just my method.:eusa_hand