My father and son "little table" project is coming to an end, (boy does it go slowly when you try to involve a 3 year old at every step :) ), and now I'd like to sign it with his name and mine underneath.
I'm not sure the best way to do this. Is there a technique people use to make some semi-permanent signature on the bottom? What do you craftsmen do?
I've used a new copper penny (shiny) with my initials written on it in permanent fine tipped felt pen. The penny is mounted flush on some unseen surface and secured with super glue. The penny's date is showing so you know the year.
Most of the time I use a branding iron, other times I use a "sharpie" and just write my name, date, etc on it.
Use a fine line Magic Marker, but make him practice on several pieces of wood first. A 3 year old isn't very good at signatures. Alcohol removes it, but it can't get the ink out of the grain very well. When you have both signed it you can preserve the signatures with a coat of polyurethane.
Charley
Dave FL
I'm left handed so my technique may not work for you if you are right handed.
I sign the piece (holding the Sharpie in my left hand) and then put a coat of poly over it.
Glad you got your little guy in on this project and be aware it's not your project, it's his. He built it all by himself and you just helped.
If your guy is typical of all little guys, date the project with a marker and both of you 'sign' with a thumb print or handprint on the underside. Handprints seen to go over big with my guy. We use an ink pad. Be amazed how mush difference there is between hands 10-15 yrs down the road.
Pete
Sounds like a neat project! I admire you for involving him at an early age - hopefully it sparks his interest!
As far as signing work, my preferred method is do do my initials and the year with a woodburning pen. I doubt woodburners are "approved" for 3-yr-olds, but maybe with close supervision? Up to you. One possibility would be to sign a small piece and then inlay it into your real workpiece, which would give you as many practice tries as necessary. Burned names/initials won't fade with time, and won't be dissolve or run with any solvent or finish. Also, I have learned that it is possible to woodburn initials after the first coat of poly or shellac.
One method I tried that DIDN'T work very well was to apply a coat of poly, scratch through it with a scribe, fill in scratches with stain, wipe off excess stain, and apply subsequent coats of poly over the top. Sounds good in theory, but in my experience (on BB ply) the stain kind of wicked along the grain under the poly, so it came out looking pretty streaky. Readable, but far from ideal IMO.
I really like the handprint idea mentioned above, though! That would be really cool. Make sure your finish doesn't dissolve whatever ink you use, though! If this is a problem, you might try a couple coats of shellac over the ink, then finish - but the alcohol in shellac dissolves some inks (i.e. sharpie) also. Just practice before you do the real thing and you'll be set.
Have fun, and I'd be interested in seeing a picture!
Andy
Wed, Oct 31, 2007, 1:26pm (EDT+4) snipped-for-privacy@replacetextwithnumber.hotmail.com (Thomas=A0G.=A0Marshall) doth query: What do you craftsmen do?
Oh? So now we're supposed to be craftsmen? It ain't rocket science; basically, do it any way you want. Lately I've been using a business card glued on the bottom, or inside - with only a PO Box and e-mail address, NO telephone number. I write on a date, and anything else pertinent. Or, just use a felt tip pen, ball point, carve it in, whatever. Don't try to make simple things complicated,.
JOAT It's not hard, if you get your mind right.
- Granny Weatherwax
That's what I do. Sometimes I put one coat of sealer on first, sign it, and put a couple coats over that. Usually I sign it just before I put on the finish. It soaks in a little but not much. My name, the date, the wood I used, and (usually) who it's for. I made a table for my Mother in Law and Sister in Law, when they were both in motorized wheelchairs, that was easier for them to use with their chairs than their current kitchen table. After they'd both passed on and the belongings were being distributed, one of the other sisters saw that signature and asked for the table. I thought it was just a nice finishing touch. To her, it's a lot more than that.
You can go to a trophy shop and have them make you a nice little brass plaque. You can order fancier plaques from Woodcraft or other wood\hobbiest suppliers. You can make a nice paper label like the old commercial furniture folks and decopague or shellac or poly it onto the piece. Wood burning pen as some mentioned. Metallic or other paint pens (gold is most common). Punch set.
Charley said something like:
Perhaps I can have him sign some small rectangle piece of redwood, or other wood that would stand out from the rest, and carefully inlay it underneath. That way, I could wait until we had just the right signature.
Andy said something like:
Thank you.
He fixes everything with me, and wants to make everything I bring up as a possibility. He'll sometimes go to bed for his 3 hour nap mid day and wake up with the very first words out of his mouth (as he did a few days ago): "Are we going to use the counter sink?" or "stainless steel screws never ever rust".
Ah yes....you and I came thunked of the same idea...
That's too bad. As I was reading this I was thinking to myself that it seemed like among the more clever ways of containing a stain I had ever seen.
...[rip]...
That's a good idea... Get him to "sign" a oval or some other interesting shape in interesting wood, then you sign it once he gets a keeper. Then inlay that into the underside of the piece.
Clint
You can also do your own photo-etching to make your own plaques. One of the wood-working magazines had an article on it in the last couple of years, which is probably useless info to you... :) I thought it was Wood Magazine, but a quick search of their website turned up nothing.
Clint
Sign it in pencil then go over it with a Dremel and a thin bit.
snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com said something like:
A router bit? Those are hard to control without a router.
Or are you referring to one of those pointed grinder things?
The Dremel has a router attachment, but it is usually used for detail work or wood carving. It does take a little bit of practice so the bit won't run away from you, but it is fun to work with. Sample:
You can buy a small router base for the dremel tool. It works well for this kind of thing with a V shaped bit. I once made about fifty signs out of lexan with this tool. As long as you have the depth set right, you can follow lettering all day.
Lee Michaels said something like:
Perhaps. My dremel is close to having its 67 virgins however. It sacrified itself in an attempt to cut through a stone-like counter top and the dust has slowed it's 30,000 rpm's down to something more like 10,000 or so.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.