Do you 'sign' your work? If so how?

[Togalosh]

Hello Gents,

On the rare occasion that I finish a piece of furniture I have the thought to sign it somehow but am not sure how & wondered if you did it & how you do it?

I love looking at old furniture & finding something that shows who made it & when is a real thrill (I know I should get out more) ..so thought to do the same - just on the off chance that my work isn't turned to chipboard in the near future.

Did makers of yesteryear do it - if so how ?.. I've seem the Antiques Roadshow experts looking for marks under drawers etc but can't recall actually seeing the means by which it was done.

Ink stamp (as on Schrieber furniture) is not the way for me for whatever reason..
Metal stamping needs stamps to be cast & could be difficult to achieve a legible result in wood..
Branding/pyropgrahic mark appeals to me (if not the insurance company) if done well & discreetly.
..or stickers in an out of the way place could be good.

Do you think it's a naff/pretentious/egotistical idea or just normal business nous?

 

[drillbit]

I always like to leave some way of people knowing that it was me who made a piece of furniture.

My favourite indicators are either to cut one or more dovetails wonky, or sometimes leave one of the tenons a bit wobbly.

But I don't think it's naff or egotistical at all for someone who makes decent stuff to leave their mark on it. I think you should do it subtly though - so in 200 years time when your stuff comes up on Antiques Roadshow, they can point to some cryptic little mark, rather than saying 'It's got Bob Bloggs written in marker pen underneath'. How about just carving something small on a non exposed face, to be your 'mark'? Like a little outline of a hammer or something. and the year.

 

[AndyT]

I just write my initials and the year, in pencil, underneath or on the back.

Pencil is fade-proof and simple.

 

[woodbloke]

I recently had stamp made at Chalco:

...they work best on end grain though - Rob

 

[Harbo]

I use these:

Rod

 

[mtr1]

I use a brass disc I had made.

 

[James C]

I think I remember reading an article about a woodworker who left their name in morse code in the inlay banding of everything he made.

 

[Grahamshed]

Just dont carve a little mouse

 

[flounder]

Slightly OT, I have heard of people inlaying a coin in their pieces with the year it was made being the same as the year the coin was minted. Is there any legal ramification of using current currency in a piece of furniture?

 

[Jonzjob]

I pyrograph my initials on the bits I turn. In fact a well known tennis player has a similar idea. The main difference is that mine has JRF. Works well and takes a few seconds to do. :mrgreen:

 

[jimi43]

Chalco me...

Getting another one soon...changing me name to GABRIEL!!! :wink:

Jim

 

[DTR]

Slightly OT, I have heard of people inlaying a coin in their pieces with the year it was made being the same as the year the coin was minted.

I did this to my workbench. It's the only thing I've made that's worth more than the coin

 

[Togalosh]

I always like to leave some way of people knowing that it was me who made a piece of furniture.

My favourite indicators are either to cut one or more dovetails wonky, or sometimes leave one of the tenons a bit wobbly.



..& there's me thinking I was being original.

 

[Togalosh]

Wow - nice stamps/disc .. I like them very much...stamped in the end grain of course.. I knew that *cough* .

I'll try pyrography (if Lidl are still doing that cheapo set) until I can come up with a design for a stamp & my overall work quality improves.

Thanks Gents !

 

[Jonzjob]

I had meant to say about the wonky joint jobbie. Does it count if all of the joints are wonky

If so, I have been signing anything that I've made with joints in it (hammer) (hammer) (hammer) That's why I stick to turning :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[maltrout512]

I add a couple of acorns with stalks to the back of furniture that I make.

 

[Togalosh]

I add a couple of acorns with stalks to the back of furniture that I make.

I like the cryptic- nous(?) of it.. like a hallmark.
You say 'add' but they looked carved.
My skills are not up to that just yet.

 

[Grahamshed]

Slightly OT, I have heard of people inlaying a coin in their pieces with the year it was made being the same as the year the coin was minted.

I did this to my workbench. It's the only thing I've made that's worth more than the coin

Oh, I so wish I had got in first with that one.

 

[Charlie Woody]

I recently had stamp made at Chalco:

Rob

Hi Rob

Just tried to Google Chalco and all that came up was financial news for a company in China Do you have a link for them please?

Also do you, or anyone else, know if there is a similar product that can be used on long grain?

 

[redmoorphil]

I find a little corner and draw a small spiders web with a spider dangling from it.
Started to do it on toys years ago to add some illustration to them and it just stuck.