How Do You "Sign" Your Furniture/Cabinetry Builds?

c_dwyer

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For those of you who like to "sign" your creations as part of your business or hobby:

Do you use:
A) A wood burning stamp with your logo?
B) An ink pen? or
C) Other?

If A) Can you recommend a stamp manufacturer and product type (electric or heat with blow torch)?
If B) Can you recommend an ink/pen type that won't run or bleed after applying your first coat of finish?
If C) Please describe.

Thank you!
 
I originally used a Rockler branding iron but found it difficult to consistently get a good impression of my logo.  It would either be too light, too dark or incomplete.  I also had trouble with the logo varying from side to side.  They recommend practicing on similar wood before burning the impression but I never got the hang of it enough to get it perfect on a repeatable basis.

I have switched to 1-1/2" spin cast medallions from AT Designs and would never go back.  I have a dedicated router with a bushing and a round template that I use to recess the perfect depth/size hole.  A little bit of five minute epoxy and I'm done.

Here's the proof they did for me.  The actual coins are not highlighted as dramatically.  At first I was disappointed but I have grown to like the more subtle effect.
 

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If I sign at all, I use an engraved brass plate with just my name.  You can get them from Woodcraft for ~ $5 each.  Generally I just use them for larger pieces.

[member=6237]deepcreek[/member], I like the medallions.  Can you share the up-front tooling cost and the rough per piece cost?
 
[member=6237]deepcreek[/member] I’m also interested in more details on this - that looks great!  Is that their coin offering?
 
A) I use the branding iron (with a torch) from Lee Valley Tools
B) I use BIC Marking ultra fine point available at Walmart (one pack of 6 different colors). Permanent even on metal or plastic
C1) Laser-etched wooden name tag
C2)  Shop-made medallions of various designs
C3) A maple leaf metal stamp to indicate the origin of manufacture

I sign and date most and every major piece of my work.
 

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I bought these in 2014 so pricing may have changed.  Also, I was able to purchase direct as a reseller and had to provide proof with a state sales tax certificate.  Otherwise, they sell through distributors and I don't know how that impacts pricing.

I purchased the pewter crests (or coins) item# 912PW150 in the 1-1/2" size and of course, one-sided.

The coins themselves ran $3.33 each for 100.

I provided a jpeg of camera ready art.  As I recall, they had to re-do it in their format (vector?) and sent me a proof.  There was a nominal one-time art charge that does not apply to future orders (unless you want changes).

I'm sure there were shipping and handling charges as well but I don't recall the amount.

There are certainly cheaper ways to go but we're building heirloom quality furniture and this was the right choice for us.  Nothing wrong with other types of discs, branding, ink/sharpie, lasercut, carving, etc.  The coins are just one option.
 
Thanks Joe!  I emailed them, they are on holiday but will connect next week - this looks great!
 
I have only ever written my name and date on the hidden parts of staircases so if someone removes it they may know when it was made and by whom as it may be of use to historians. Hopefully I'd be long, long dead by that time.
Rob.
 
Here's an example of the importance of signing your work.

This cabinet came out of a machine shop (not sure if that was the original intended use) and we discovered the maker's signature during the restoration process.  I did some research and found him listed in the 1910 census.

It was originally built in January 1902 by Joseph Rudolph Geschel (1868-1944) of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

Pretty cool.

Hopefully, he would approve of our transformation of his work from a utilitarian cabinet in a machine shop to a piece of furniture for your home.
 

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Joe, you did an outstanding restoration job on that cabinet. The feet you added make a huge difference in the look  8)
 
I have a brand I got from a chap on Etsy. Very high quality and only needs a 1 minute heat from a torch.

Cheers. Bryan.

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Mario Turcot said:
Joe, you did an outstanding restoration job on that cabinet. The feet you added make a huge difference in the look  8)

Thanks for the compliment.  We also replaced the top molding with Walnut to match the feet.

The broken drawer face was the most difficult part to repair.

We cut it back and did a lap joint to splice in the missing portion.  We did not want to replace the whole drawer front.

Lots of sculpting and sanding to get an invisible repair.
 
Is this the place you are referring to?

 

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