How can I sign & date My work??

[Brian Fulkerson]

I have completed a recent project (Short of finishing) for a family member and would like to sign and date the piece. Being new to serious woodworking, I think I need to start signing the pieces that I complete.
The project is a Hard Maple (end grain) cutting board. I will be finishing it with a deluted (with mineral spirits) mixture of GF's Salad bowl finish.

Thanks for your help,

Brian

[Todd Hoppe]

Several woodworking suppliers sell branding irons. Perhaps one of those would be ideal?

[Anthony Whitesell]

Check Rockler for branding-type iron's.

[Joe D'Attilio]

Why don't you try a brand for your name and wood burn the date?

Brands:

http://www.rockler.com/CategoryView....ilter=branding

Date attachment :

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...ilter=branding

Burners

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...=wood%20burner

[J. Z. Guest]

The poor man's way would be to just wood-burn it in with a soldering iron and a chisel tip.

[Bill Huber]

I use the branding iron from Rockler and I also use a penny bit from them also. I put a new penny in for the year I made it.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...=penny%20drill

[Brian Fulkerson]

Any other methods besides branding. I have heard of methods using permenant pens. Anyone use this method?

[glenn bradley]

Any other methods besides branding. I have heard of methods using permanent pens. Anyone use this method?

I recess a penny of the appropriate year in an inconspicuous place (drawer back or rear apron) and sign in permanent ink.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

I usually put a penny in (providing I remember it) and then sign it with a Sharpie in an inconspicuous place if asked. About the only more durable signing material I can think of would be india ink....but could be messy. It would have to be burned in on a cutting board and even then would probably have a limited lifetime depending on how much use and cleaning it got.

[David DeCristoforo]

Pen and ink (like Glenn). Sign and date. I have also found that pencil works just great if you seal over the sig. The brands are OK but there is something about an "actual" signature that people really seem to like.

YM

[richard poitras]

I had a rubber stamp made at one of the local office supply houses, they can put any design on it and your name .it only cost me about $8.00 I think plus the cost of an ink pad..

[Keith Starosta]

I use the branding iron from Rockler and I also use a penny bit from them also. I put a new penny in for the year I made it.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...=penny%20drill

This is exactly the method that I have started using since I got my branding iron for Christmas. Although, I've been using a quarter.

- Keith

[tim mathis]

hi, on some turned items i use an archival ink pen they have many different sizes and colors and the ink is waterproof and fade proof. you can write really small with the 005 -- a .20mm line ( my favorite). i was amazed with them when signing really small items or just a small signiture. i bought mine at michaels craft store. this is worth checking out.

[Doug Shepard]

I've thought about the branding irons too but never seem to pull the trigger on one. I've also seen ads for small round medallions from wood that are printed with both a signature and graphic that you inlay into something using a forstner or brad point bit. Test anything done with a pen or marker on some scrap first. Some finishes will cause the ink to run, especially shellac (alcohol). The old trick about getting ink stains out of clothes with hair spray works because of the alcohol in the hair spray.

[Jeff Hallam]

A word of caution when branding an end grain cutting board. I made 6 boards as Christmas gifts and branded them... However, each time the brand was applied there was a loud *crack* and a fissure formed in the particular block that I was applying the iron to. This crack seemed to close back up after finishing so I suspect it was just the sudden change in temperature and the wood had nowhere to go (glued on all sides in an end grain board).