Saturday, May 10, 2008

Maker's Mark/Branding Iron

Here's what I have been using to mark my work for posterity. This is so at some future date, a Road Show expert can say: "Thankfully, that mark tells us exactly who made this piece of crap!". Or I suppose it might be more along the lines of: "Thankfully, that mark tells us exactly who made this unique, charmingly shabby, country style, distressed piece." Whatever.

It's a branding iron made from a bolt with a square piece of steel welded onto it (thanks T.S.!). I then used a Dremel tool (Yup! This thing predates my metamorphosis into neanderthal mode.) to carve my mark into the square. Grab with Visegrips, heat it with a propane torch, and brand away.


The mark is just something I made up using my initials. But seen sideways, it looks an awful lot like a little pig. Hmm.



I have been planning on making a newer, and possible smaller, version of this brand. To do this without the Dremel would be a new challenge. I've been thinking that I could make one out of an old tinsmith's soldering iron, as the copper would be much easier to work, and it already has a nice handle attached - not that I don't like the Visegrips...

2 comments:

  1. Hi Dan,
    My name is Jennifer, if I sent you a picutre of a desired brand could you make it for me? I can pay you.

    Vettegal717@sbcglobal.net

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Jennifer,

    Hmm. That might be fun. I'll send you an email...

    ReplyDelete

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