"Terry Coombs" wrote in message
...
Martin Eastburn wrote:
On 3/12/2015 8:26 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:
I want to make a small branding iron to mark my bee hives , and
am looking for suggestions for what /how to do that . I was thinking
about using something like 1/16 x 1/2 inch iron , but am unsure
whether to heat and bend to shape or to weld small strips . There
will be at least one shape that must be bent , the number 2 . I have
a logo designed , consists of a nested A and W , with a 1 & a 2 in
the vees of the W for "The 12 Acre Wood" . It's been suggested to
bend it up from heavy wire , but I'm not sure that'll be rigid
enough to get a uniform imprint on the flat wood surfaces . Any
alternative suggestions ?

You need to get someone with a CNC plasma or water jet machine and cut
it out of 3/8 or 1/2" steel and have a line across the back welding
all to it and a handle on the line.
However:
That is small - 1/16 x 1/2 - that could be custom ground.
Larger and thicker ones. This is a small hand one - suggest making a
form with the letters pressed in using letter type or rubber letters
into a casement material - and pour metal into the design... Making a
head to a handle.

Not a easy task, but possible.

Martin


Total size is not set in stone , but I'm thinking about 2" tall and 3-4
inches wide . Might be closer to square ... I have stock on hand that I
could make strips from . I like the casting idea , that might work to make
a pattern and cast it in aluminum . Only concern there is if I overheat it
... on the other hand a chunk of aluminum would stay hot enough long
enough to do more than one per heat .

I make lead casting molds in aluminum. Aluminum does heat up quicker than
steel, but it also cools down quicker. You need to get it hot enough to
scorch wood. I think you will find that it drops out into a puddle on you
unexpectedly one time when you overheat just a little bit.