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?

In article ho%Vi.2394$hd1.17@trndny01,
"Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote:

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.

"Thomas G. Marshall" . com
wrote in message news:ho%Vi.2394$hd1.17@trndny01...

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?

Most of the time I use a branding iron, other times I use a "sharpie" and
just write my name, date, etc on it.

Thomas G. Marshall wrote:

I'd like to sign it with his name and mine underneath.

1. You could wood burn your names into the bottom, but if you have a
dark wood it may not show up too well, especially if you put a
varnish, poly, etc. over the names. Might want to see age levels on
the woodburning tool.
2. Carving names is another way, maybe using leather punches or a
screwdriver and hammer. Could get punches at a craft store.
3. Writing with a permanent marker, again with the color/type of wood
and type of finish.
4. Use paint and a small brush, different colors. I don't think the
color of the brush matters though.

Dave FL

"Thomas G. Marshall" . com
wrote in message

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'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.

On Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:26:37 GMT, "Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote:


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.


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

Is there a technique people use to
make some semi-permanent signature on the bottom? What do you craftsmen do?

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)

(Thomas*G.*Marshall) doth query:
snip 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

On Oct 31, 9:05 am, "Curran Copeland"
wrote:
other times I use a "sharpie" and
just write my name, date, etc on it.

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.



On Oct 31, 6:26 am, "Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote:
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?

Charley said something like:
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

"Thomas G. Marshall"
. com
wrote in message news:ho%Vi.2394$hd1.17@trndny01...

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?

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.




--
Sometimes life just sucks and then you live.

Andy said something like:
Is there a technique people use to
make some semi-permanent signature on the bottom? What do you craftsmen
do?

Sounds like a neat project! I admire you for involving him at an
early age - hopefully it sparks his interest!

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".


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.

Ah yes....you and I came thunked of the same idea...



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.

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]...


--
Sometimes life just sucks and then you live.

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

"Thomas G. Marshall" . com
wrote in message news:8I8Wi.6605$pT.816@trndny07...
Charley said something like:
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

"Thomas G. Marshall"
. com
wrote in message news:ho%Vi.2394$hd1.17@trndny01...

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?

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.




--
Sometimes life just sucks and then you live.

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

"SonomaProducts.com" wrote in message
ups.com...
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.



On Oct 31, 6:26 am, "Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote:
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?

On Oct 31, 9:26 am, "Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote:
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?

Sign it in pencil then go over it with a Dremel and a thin bit.

said something like:
On Oct 31, 9:26 am, "Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote:
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?

Sign it in pencil then go over it with a Dremel and a thin bit.

A router bit? Those are hard to control without a router.

Or are you referring to one of those pointed grinder things?

Thomas G. Marshall wrote:

Sign it in pencil then go over it with a Dremel and a thin bit.

http://www.dremel.com/

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: http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/d...a/HPIM0542.jpg

Dave FL

"Thomas G. Marshall" . com
wrote in message news:J%iWi.7104$MW.3659@trndny05...
said something like:
On Oct 31, 9:26 am, "Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote:
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?

Sign it in pencil then go over it with a Dremel and a thin bit.

A router bit? Those are hard to control without a router.

Or are you referring to one of those pointed grinder things?
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:
"Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote in
message news:J%iWi.7104$MW.3659@trndny05...
said something like:
On Oct 31, 9:26 am, "Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote:
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?

Sign it in pencil then go over it with a Dremel and a thin bit.

A router bit? Those are hard to control without a router.

Or are you referring to one of those pointed grinder things?
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.

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.

On Oct 31, 1:26?pm, "Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote:
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?

He's 3? Let him choose. Isolate an area where you want the "sign"
the project. (Draw a box in light pencil or something to provide
boudaries.) Then explain that lots of woodworkers make a mark or
write their names on their work to show everyone they made it. (You
can even do a Mouseman Thompson number on it!) Ask your lad what mark
HE would like to make. He may draw a pic of him and Dad with crayons,
or just a circle. Whatever, it would be HIS mark and when he looks at
the project 30 years from now . . . Whatever he does you can seal
with polyurethane to preserve it.

FoggyTown