All Replies on Signing your projects

I sign mine in a hidden place with a sharpie and then finish it so the topcoat seals in the writing.

-- Save lives, ease suffering, reduce morbidity and mortality, stomp out pestilence and disease, postpone the inevitable, and fake compassion. The Paramedics Creed

a friend of mine prints a decal on his puter for me. He can print any size . I finish a spot and apply, then seal over it.

-- What started as a hobbie is now a full time JOB!

Branding iron, then a sharpie all in a inconspicuos place.

-- Don't rollerskate in a buffalo herd

Ive gone one step further and have named most of my projects .. so far theres been the “ferry table” (wood came from a demolished houwse on ferry street, “Milk, 2 sugars” a coffee table for my dad (thats how he likes his coffee), “The Timberskin” ( a fantasy football trophy), etc … I typically burn it into the piece with a wood burning pen.

-- "there aren’t many hand tools as awe-inspiring as the #8 jointer. I mean, it just reeks of cast iron heft and hubris" - Smitty

I had a rubber stamp made up with company name, phone number, website, slogan and mention my guarantee.
I stamp it on the bottom of my stools and on the back of the puzzles. I make sure that people know it is there so they can call me again for another item or if their friend likes it, they can show them where to order from. also if the item needs to be repaired or fixed due to inflicted damage, they know how to get in tough with me.

I want my customers to know where it is and to be able to find me again. Repeat sales are the easiest sales to make.

I do not like stickers because they tend to fall off after several years.

I would suggest that wherever you put your information, make it easy for them to find and let them know where it is. Tell them that if they need it ever to be repaired, refinished or whatever, here is my information on your product.

That rubber stamp is my best and cheapest salesman.

-- Jim Beachler, Chief Puzzler, http://www.hollowwoodworks.com

I use a rubber stamp to put my logo on the piece then my trusty Bosch Colt with an engraving bit I cut my logo. Gives a bit of a hand signed feel in my opinion. On my smaller pieces I have a R-Buster stamp from Columbia Marking Tools that I stamp my logo into the piece. It is a personal decision with endless options, Good Luck

I use a brand but that doesn’t address the type of wood or date. If I need to do that I use a sharpie next to the brand.

-- Behind the Bark is a lot of Heartwood----Charles, Centennial, CO

I have a small branding tip. with my initials, for a soldering pencil. I embed a current year penny with the date showing, then brand my initials under the penny.

-- The more I work with wood the more I recognize only God can make something as beautiful as a tree. I hope my humble attempts at this craft do justice by His masterpiece. -- Tim

I also put a penny from the year the piece was made in an inconspicuous spot, then use a rubber stamp and ink with my name on it prior to the finish coat….it looks a lot like a branding mark but costs < $10.

My stamp looks alot like this:

-- Happiness is like wetting your pants...everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth....

I print out what I want on my laser printer in reverse then iron it on. http://lumberjocks.com/projects/55626 here is a video by a fellow LJ on the process. I’ve found darker colors do better and the smoother the surface the better.

i either engrave it or burn it then i put a penny made in the same year on it so that if it ever becomes an antique, theres an old penny to go with it. and its a golden time to doing it this year because canada is discontinuing their pennies. I dont know about the u.s. An antique with the last of the pennies is a great value.

-- My purpose in life: Making sawdust

I like the penny idea Mark … clever.

-- "there aren’t many hand tools as awe-inspiring as the #8 jointer. I mean, it just reeks of cast iron heft and hubris" - Smitty

Engrave with a dremel

-- My terrible signature...

thx chrisstef…i got that idea maybe 2 years ago… p.s this is my 1700th post :P thx chrisstef

-- My purpose in life: Making sawdust

Nate, I have a branding Iron that says “Made in USA by Jim Jakosh”
I use that on the bottom or back of big things where it will not be overwhelming. I also sign my name and the year with a fine point Sharpie and often note the wood species on everything- including the branded items!

.............Jim

-- Jim Jakosh.....Practical Wood Products...........Learn something new every day!!

I have a brand that is a “M” and then after I apply the finish I sign and date with a marker.

-- Chuck, http://woodchucksworkshop.blogspot.com

I picked up a branding iron in a box of misc tools. It got the initials of ’’C.E.Co’’ on it. It would be easy for the Co to go away. Anybody have the initials of C.E. who would be interested?

-- There is nothing like the sound of a well tuned hand plane. - http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com (timetestedtools at hotmail dot c0m)

I think that signing your work is great that everyone has their own ways. The ideas with the pennies are great ones

However, I think most people are missing the real reason for signing your work.
It is to generate another sale. If you are proud of your work , which you must be or else you wouldn’t sign it, create a way for that person or their friend to contact you.

I have a piece that was made by someone called The Big Red Barn Crafts. I have had people want to know how to get in touch with him. All I have is a signature, no phone or website. By just putting this on there, he could have had another sale.

I have gotten many return sales because I put my contact info, phone and website, with my name on everything that I do. These are the easiest sales to make as they already love the product.

-- Jim Beachler, Chief Puzzler, http://www.hollowwoodworks.com