"dean" wrote in message
ups.com...
I want to mark the firewood as I get it (I'm taking about 12" rounds,
not little pieces), and I'd like to be able to mark it (for example M
for maple, O for oak, etc) with a stamp of around 1-2" letters,
something that's easy and quick to do. Stamps I have seen on Northern
Tool, etc, are all max 3/8" letters for steel.

I have done some welding, and am open to ideas.

The old time loggers, who used to float their logs to the sawmill, used to
"brand" their logs. The brand was welded to a splitting maul. Usually two
or three letters or a logo was fabricated (in reverse?). When swung against
the end of the log. the brand became visible from the wood fibers that were
compressed under the brand.

I have seen these "branding mauls" in museums and in private collections. I
don't really know what they would be worth though.

If you are just going to brand firewood, you may just be able to get by with
a simple symbol of some kind. You also may want to go to a smaller hammer
as well. Just use something big enough to make a noticeable mark.