# How do you sign your work?



## Psychmike22 (Aug 11, 2014)

Hello, I have been turning pens for about a year now and I am moving into bowls and boxes. I am finally turning stuff that I wood like to sign. What is the best way to put a few initials on a piece? I tried a sharpie but I didn't like how it looked. What works well for you?


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## Dan Masshardt (Aug 11, 2014)

Wood burner.


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## eliasbboy (Aug 11, 2014)

There are a few places that sell personalized wood branding irons.

Here is a link to Rockler that has a few different options.  I'm SURE you can look around and beat the prices tho.

Wood Branding Irons at Rockler: Custom Branding Irons


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## Psychmike22 (Aug 11, 2014)

Thanks. Would anyone care to post a pic? I would like to see how it looks on a piece.


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## Ted iin Michigan (Aug 11, 2014)

LOML got me a branding iron a while back and I liked it and use it as my logo. It (the design) goes on everything (business cards, invoices, etc). I use the iron to mark price tags (pic attached), pen boxes I make (pic attached) and other work (bowls, furniture, cabinetry, etc - sorry, no pics)

Hope this helps.


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## Edward Cypher (Aug 11, 2014)

Cindy Drozda showed us last year that she signs with a dremel engraver with a fine point and then back fills it with gold color.  It was a neat demo.


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## juteck (Aug 11, 2014)

Wood burning pen with a 1/64" ball tip works great for me.


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## Psychmike22 (Aug 12, 2014)

Thank you for the tips. I can easily pick up a burner at Michael's.


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## Dan Masshardt (Aug 12, 2014)

Psychmike22 said:


> Thank you for the tips. I can easily pick up a burner at Michael's.



They only sell the soldering iron type I believe.  Which should be good enough for this.  

I have the razertip setup.


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## George Watkins (Aug 12, 2014)

I sign all of my work with a dremel engraver but I dont back fill with gold or silver, the advantage of the dremel is you can sign your work anywhere and any size, for example on some of the round bottom egg shaped boxes I make I hide the signature inside the lid tenon.


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## Travis Fry (Aug 12, 2014)

Where do you put it?  In the custom knife world there are two places your maker's mark can go, but pretty much just two.  Is there an accepted convention for where on the pen (or off the pen?) a mark should go?  A pen is an awfully small place to put a mark that doesn't take a way from the overall package.  Help me out, I'm a new kid on this block...


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## Dan Masshardt (Aug 12, 2014)

Travis Fry said:


> Where do you put it?  In the custom knife world there are two places your maker's mark can go, but pretty much just two.  Is there an accepted convention for where on the pen (or off the pen?) a mark should go?  A pen is an awfully small place to put a mark that doesn't take a way from the overall package.  Help me out, I'm a new kid on this block...



I think the op is talking about bowls and boxes.


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## Psychmike22 (Aug 12, 2014)

Yes I was thinking of boxes and bowls.


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## MarkY (Aug 13, 2014)

I came up with a maker's mark (of sorts) and use a fine dremel engraver to put it somewhere that looks good


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## HamTurns (Aug 14, 2014)

For a pen I wonder if you could engrave on the inside of the pen clip (and not ruin it)?

Happy turning

Tom


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## Dai Sensei (Aug 19, 2014)

I don't sign pens/small stuff, they are just too small in my opinion and signing ruins them.  Pepper grinders and medium items I either burn in my name/timber or engrave and fill with gold/silver somewhere that is hidden and does not detract from work.  Bowls and larger items I use my brand (soldering iron type)


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## Hendu3270 (Aug 19, 2014)

I have a stamp from Rockler, that I used on larger pieces several years ago. For bowls and such, I use a cheap etcher that I use to cut my initials and the year into the bottom, then use an ultra fine tip sharpie and trace into the insignia. For pipes I use a series of stamps, although I did just place an order for a custom stamp for my pipes.


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## FSU93 (Dec 28, 2018)

*Ink Stamp Branding*

Has anyone tried using a custom ink stamp on the bottom then sealing it with CA?  Perhaps laying down some CA, stamp it, then seal it with CA?  Thoughts?  Thank you in advance.


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## TellicoTurning (Dec 28, 2018)

I've used a sharpy fine type pen for years... all of my bowls and pepper mills have my name, the type of wood and a serial number... while my hand writing isn't the best, it does not seem to inhibit sales any... people instinctively will look at the underside of a bowl or mill and seem to be looking for a signature.  I do have to explain the number occasionally.... the number also serves a sku number on my ETSY store.


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## leehljp (Dec 28, 2018)

Travis Fry said:


> Where do you put it?  In the custom knife world there are two places your maker's mark can go, but pretty much just two.  Is there an accepted convention for where on the pen (or off the pen?) a mark should go?  A pen is an awfully small place to put a mark that doesn't take a way from the overall package.  Help me out, I'm a new kid on this block...



Travis, others who are interested, and you MUST be VERY interested to use this company:

Microstamp, Jeweler's & Crafter's choice for custom stamps & supplies

Use this company for making a stamp to place your logo/name on the inside of a pen clip.


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## jxdubbs (Dec 28, 2018)

What about a metal insert, token, or emblem of some sort? I see them all the time on pens bowls or what not. I can't thing of the exact name. They have your logo or whatever you want. I'd like to do something like that myself but I don't know where you can get them made. 


Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## jttheclockman (Dec 28, 2018)

I know this is an older post resurrected but will add my insight too. Being the question originally was about boxes and things of this nature I have a wood iron that I use on my projects that has my signature. 

As far as pens go yes people add some sort of metal tag that has their logo or symbol. Some people write on the underside of a clip. I think it is tacky to write on the pen barrel itself because that does not add value but takes away value unless you are some famous person or company. But those companies have a distinguished mark or symbol used on all their pens. We have a couple people here that have gone on to become stars in the field and have incorporated the tag thing. Dale Penkala of Opus Mechan fame comes to mind.


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