# DIY Branding Irons?



## MrSamNC (Dec 14, 2011)

I'd had the notion to fashion my own branding iron for my projects. Anyone else attempted/accomplished this? If so, did you go with a design or legible text? I've seen the hobby-irons with brass letters, but just curious if anyone else has thought of an alternative to the $80 custom-made irons.

Thanks!


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## MrSamNC (Dec 14, 2011)

Wow… 117 views, but no replies.  Hmm… guess this isn't a common idea?


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I've got nothing. I've seen this question posted before. Most got about the same response as yours if memory serves me right.. I found a branding iron with initials (DE if I remember correctly). I always wondered if I could re-cut but its never made it to the top of my list.


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## Stephenw (Nov 14, 2011)

It could be done. Engrave your design into a chunk of copper or brass. Perhaps carbide burrs in a Dremel tool to do the engraving. Attach your custom "brand" to an old heavy duty soldering iron…


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## MrSamNC (Dec 14, 2011)

Thanks Stephenw, that's an interesting idea.


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## prattman (Aug 8, 2012)

Hey Sam, I got a branding iron for Christmas and when I posted my first branded board ,SawSucker commented that he had made his own brand. He didn't give any details but if you look him up he might be able to help.


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## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

Sam, I use a branding iron but also use rubber stamps
for some of my customers own logos. Once oiled it also looks
great and for $5 including artwork you cant go wrong. It also
gives you a chance to try different designs.
Alternately if you look on woodgears he has a pantograph that
you could use a dremel on and engrave a block of brass. Great thing
about this way is you do the large artwork in plywood then when the
pantograph reduces it you have a very neat looking design.
He also has a font generator that can do mirror image.
Would like to see how you go with it.
Jamie

Edit. http://woodgears.ca/pantograph/index.html

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Personalized-Mounted-Custom-Rubber-Stamp-Return-Address-/260793282223?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb87daeaf


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## History (Dec 22, 2012)

Yep, I made a branding iron. I used steel, and it has my initials.


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## mtenterprises (Jan 10, 2011)

I made my own branding iron many many years ago from a 3/8" square head bolt. I used my Dremel tool with abrasive wheels to cut away what I didn't want. I epoxied it into a wooden handle I had lying around and I heat it up with the propane tourch or on the gas stove. It ain't perfect but I use it anyways. It was one of my first metalworking projects. Today I'd just put a chunk of steel on the mill and have at it, that was then this is now.
MIKE


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## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

*Mike* I prefer your one to my precision made one
It is hand crafted for hand crafted pieces
Jamie


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## mtenterprises (Jan 10, 2011)

Jamie, thanks for your compliment. 
My only problem with it is it's a bit too big for some of the projects I do now so I just sign them with a ultra fine Sharpie and cover it with Minwax water base polycrylic before my regular finish. Sharpies are solvent based so it has to be covered by a water base clear coat first or it will bleed.
MIKE


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## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

*Mike*, time to make a wee one then?
When I use inks I give them a wee dab of
finish normally Danish oil, I dont rub though, I've
smudged a fair few in the past.  Normally a rush
order to boot.
jamie


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## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

I've made several for my work. At one point I did custom orders of them in my Etsy shop, perhaps I should do that again.


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## mdennisusa1 (Jul 3, 2012)

I'm wondering if a guy could use a Dremel tool and a diamond bit to carve around a deisign on a block of brass to make a simple branding iron or signature block. Has anyone tried this? Once the snow hits and I have time to spend in the shop I give this a try and report back.


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## mtenterprises (Jan 10, 2011)

Yes, basically what I did.
MIKE


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## hydro (Aug 9, 2013)

I have made several branding irons, using multiple techniques. They are simple in the concept, heated with a torch, and all utilize a steel block to act as a base for the design and to work as a heat sink.

Technique #1- Make your design out of thin strips of steel or stainless steel (be sure to reverse it) and then braze them to the base block. The strips should be a minimum of 20 gauge, and about 3/16 high to be easy to work.

Technique #2- Make the design out of 1/8" thick copper, brazed to the base block as above. Here you need to create the design and reverse it in your software, then print it. Glue the printed design to the copper stock and cut it out using a jeweler's saw. Be sure to plan some webbing if there are design elements that will be separate in the brand. Braze it to the base and last, carve away the webs using a Dremel or similar tool.

With these techniques (and some welding skill) you can make all sorts of branding irons!


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## RedwoodFever (Jul 22, 2013)

My mom was going to get me a Rockler branding iron for my birthday….but she has been delayed with trying to deal with finding a new investment property. This delay may actually save us money. See Rockler wants like $220+ or something for a custom torch heated branding iron. I recently noticed that there are several up and coming people with small foundries on ETSY that are offering $80-$90 dollar branding irons. One guy can actually make it any size that you want. For a competitive price, I would rather pay a small craftsman (I'm one) and have the flexibility of going a little oversize and probably still pay less than Rockler.

So until my mom finishes that image, I'm going to have her get me 6 Jorgensen 48 inch Cabinet Master clamps and 2 Rockler Assembly square kits. Those will pay for themselves.


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## woodcox (Nov 21, 2012)

Another alternative to making your mark is with toner transfer from a computer printer. Ibuildit.ca has good info with the process and possibilities are limitless.


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## MalcolmLaurel (Dec 15, 2013)

I made one years ago from a gear from a broken can opener (the only chunk of metal I had laying around at the time). Used a file and a Dremel, as I recall it tool quite a long time. It was a sword in the stone image about 1/2" high, the logo I was using for the pipes I was making back in my college days (where I developed some of the techniques I still use for my lamp making. I think I still have the branding iron somewhere, maybe I should dust it off and make a few more, the way things are going in Colorado and Washington… some of them were quite elaborate and would fit well with the current fantasy movie craze..

Nowadays I sign my work with an ordinary pencil, though, before applying the shellac.


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## splatman (Jul 27, 2014)

Here's one on YouTube.


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

I bought mine from this guy on a recommendation. 
http://www.branding-irons.biz/index.html

It is oval, with Handcrafted By on the first line, 
and Tsunami Guitars in script and in a bigger font on the second.
It looks like this one:









The pricing on these has gone nuts. Now he wants $165 for a heated version, and $125 for a standard one you heat yourself. He messed up my order, and it took weeks, so he sent me an electric for the price of a standard. 
I like the results, but it takes forever to heat up, (over 20 minutes), and I sometimes end up heating it up quicker with my propane torch. It does, however, look great on my work.

If I had to do it over again, I'd probably think of making one, much simpler, like Mike's. But I must admit, 3-4 times, people have called me and said, "I saw your name on the bottom of…can you build me such and such?" 
So it has paid for itself.

I've also used rubber stamps, years ago. They are simple to use, easy and cheap, and you don't have to wait for something to get ready to use it. I think the nice ones with logo's and diagrams are nice.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

For our plant I once made a machine that would edge band a high pressure laminate band around the edge of tops which were laminated on the face with high pressure laminate. The tops were 2 inches thick and the corners had a radius of 1-1/2 to 2 inches. The biggest problem I had to solve was that the band would crack or break as it was being applied around the curved corners. We used the thinner HPL sheets (maybe 1/32 thick). We would make about 500 to 1000 tops at a time so the process had to be reasonably fast. After experimenting with heat guns I determined that the bands could be heated enough so that they could become flexible enough to go around the corners without breaking or cracking.

The point is that I had to make an aluminum plate that would heat the banding in the portions of the banding that would go around the corners. These heating blocks would be the perfect way to make a branding iron fixture. For instance you could take a block of aluminum maybe 1" x 4" x 6" and thread one end with holes to mount a smaller block of steel or aluminum on the nose that contained your pattern or 'brand'. This block would draw the heat from the larger aluminum block (heat reservoir) because it would be fastened to it. The aluminum block would have a couple of holes (maybe 1/2 or 3/4 dia) bored into the sides so that you could insert a couple of cartridge heating elements in the holes. Cartridge heating elements are readily available and inexpensive. They are heated by electricity and have a couple of leads so they are easy to wire. They are shaped like a cylinder so they just slide into the holes. The holes need to be larger (say maybe 1/64 larger) so the cartridge heater can be easily slid in and out. These heating elements will need to be replaced as they will eventually burn out. This block could have 4 thru holes so you could mount a linear motion bearing (probably can get on Ebay) along with the proper shafts for the bearing to be mounted on a simple to build frame. You would end up with a device where you could slide your latest beautiful wood box under the frame pull down on a lever and brand the bottom of your box with a nice logo or other type design. Obviously this would be used on some type of wood item that you built in quantity. The right do it yourselfer could build this for probably less than $350 or so. So if you needed to brand 20 or 30 pieces of something every week or so it could be a nice addition to your shop.

With a little mechanical ability someone could build one of these presses with a drillpress and vise and a few drills and taps. You might have to get a machine shop to mill the ends of the aluminum block at least on the end where the brand will be located so the heat would transfer efficiently. This could also be done with a hacksaw and file. However, it could be done on a milling machine in a minute or so. If you ever get to be friends with a machinist hang on to him and give him a twelve pack of beer every once in a while. ;-|

I believe that I have seen places on the internet that will make logos for branding irons and I think they make them shaped like a small flat plate with 2 or 4 mounting holes. This is how the brand can be mounted on the end of the aluminum block.

Disclamer:* If you do not have the skill and know how to build something like this then don't do it or get the right help. It involves heat and electricity which can kill or injure or cause a fire. Also, only a skeleton plan of the idea is given. You must fill in the details. I'm certainly not responsible for anything that you do or don't do regarding such a press nor do I say that it will work properly.*

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## bearkatwood (Aug 19, 2015)

I wish my setup had been $80, but the wood-burner with regulator and the iron with electric regulator was expensive, but worth it. It is a breeze to use and looks better than the sharpie I uses before.
Here is a video of my setup.


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## Texcaster (Oct 26, 2013)

Mine is blacksmith made, a bP. The end is dome shaped to avoid gas build up. I have to rotate the brand 360*.in theory I can vary the brand footprint. I haven't tried that yet.










Better imprints, the temp is important.










The logo is very easy to inlay as well. This inlay is as tricky as I get.


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## bearkatwood (Aug 19, 2015)

O.K. so it turns out that I spelled signature wrong )signiture) on my video so I had to erase it and redo it. Turns out I am not a brilant woodworker  
Here is that video redone.


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## jbay817 (Aug 6, 2015)

All of you interested in having a high quality brand for your projects, please see my post here:

I have the expertise and experience to help you have a custom brand for an affordable price (~$40-60). I can make a 3D model of your 2D logo/brand/image, etc. so that you can have Shapeways 3D print it for you in stainless steel.


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