Signing

[Tom Bucanan]

I use a thin-tipped sharpie to sign the bottom of my work. Recently, I have been finishing and buffing the piece and then signing it over the wax. Will this quickly rub off? Should I put of coat of finish on the piece (I use antique oil), sign it, and then build the finish on top of the signiture? What do you guys do? My only fear is that if I sign the piece intially, it may smudge (even after the ink has dried?) when I go to put more finish over the signiture. What do you guys recommend?

[Ben Gastfriend]

My initial thought is that a finish on the base of the piece is unnessesary.

If you are finishing the bottoms, the signature would probably rub of if put ontop of wax. If you put it on before the tripoli, since it's an abrasive it might "sand" it off.

If you are going to finish the bottom, I'd sand, wipe it off, sign it, put your base finish (like BLO) on it, then buff.

I'll be interested to see what happens.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Tom - I use an archive quality black ink pen that I picked up from our local Ben Franklin's store, would have to think just about any craft store would have one. I sign the work as soon as I am finished and just before any finish is applied. I use Watco Danish Oil, Antique Oil or Poly and have never had a problem with things getting smeared.

[Bernie Weishapl]

When I pull it off the lathe and it is complete I sign it. I then put the finish on. If you put it on top it will either rub right off or wear off. The only finish I have had problems with smearing is lacquer and you won't have a problem if you give it really light coats till it is built up some.

[Scott Hubl]

I used to use those real thin tipped paint markers in Gold or Silver and Black too. They worked nice and looked good.


I then upgraded to a Detail Master Excalibre Burning System.


I can have 2 pens plugged in at the same time, switch between the two with just the flip of a switch, 130 watts. The pens heat up to 2,000 degrees in about 7 seconds or less.


They work real nice and there are alot of different pens and tips to choose from.

I use the pens with NON removeable tips for better electrical contact.

They can be bought at Woodcraft.

They have a website also. detailmasteronline.com.


Heres what mine looks like I have added a couple more pens since this pic was taken. I'm Very happy with it.

[Curt Fuller]

The only thing I've ever had smudge a sharpie is lacquer.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I had thought about burning Scott but wow those things are pricey for a hobbiest. I think maybe if I were in production mode. I had given it some thought but just never looked into until now.

[Reed Gray]

The Sharpies will not work well over wax. It clogs up the tip. I use the Mahoney's oil, and if I don't let it sit for a couple of hours, it will smudge. I have since switched to a pen called Staedtler permanent Lumocolor. For the Mahoney oil, this also needs to cure for a couple of hours before using, or apply after the oil has soaked in. It does a good job of writing through finishes, which will ruin my Sharpies. For darker woods, there are 'paint pens' in a variety of colors. They do need a little drying time, but are color fast very quickly.
robo hippy

[Mark Singer]

If the piece comes out good I sign my own name with an engraving tool or a Sharpie. If it comes out so-so I sign the name a of a SMC member at random. If somebody says that piece you made was "so-so" , its probably one of my pieces

[Scott Hubl]

Bernie,
In the future I plan to put it to more use than just signing.

Adding some embellishments to plain looking pieces, and little art work to small lidded boxes, so I went ahead and invested in it.

It's not like using the old woodburners of our youth thats for sure. Like I said in about 7 seconds the tip is at 2,000 degrees and ready to go. There pretty sweet. They have smaller less expensive units, I just tend to buy the best I can afford and be done with it, saves on upgrades later on down the road.

You can add alot of textures to a turning also, or some pyography work. Very versatile.

[Scott Hubl]

Cindy Drozda uses a small dremel engraver, the pieces are finished , engraved then uses a GOLD wax stick rubs it into the engraving and hand buffs the excess off, leaving the gold deep into the engraved signature.
I think the gold is kinda her Trademark

She does this in one of her DVD's. Fabulous Finial Box , I believe.

[Wayne Cannon]

The Sharpie ink disolves in alcohol, so I would be concerned that it might bleed if finished with shellac. On the other hand, I've used alcohol to remove the ink, and it is pretty resistant, so I doubt that a simple coating with shellac would cause problems -- though a rubbed shellac might.

[Alex Cam]

I bought a dremel engraver and brought it back after trying it a few times. Maybe it's a 'user issue', but I found that it was difficult to engrave anything that didn't look sloppy.

Paint pens from Staples/Office Depot/etc.. is my method of choice.

[Steve Busey]

I bought a bunch of laser engraved veneer discs from some a couple SMC members. I make a little recess with a forstner bit and glue them in flush. Still need to use a paint pen to mark date & wood, though.

[Steve Trauthwein]

I bought the razor tip burning system. Not too bad price wise and it way exceeded my expectations for signing work. With some practice it works very well and no more smudged signatures.

Regards, Steve