What is your woodworking signature?

[ChrisD]

Is there a certain style, construction method, material, design element, finishing technique, etc. that you tend to gravitate towards when you design for a project? I guess 'signature' is a misnomer in that your preferences may not be unique.

I kinda had to ask myself this question recently as I contemplated on the next projects that I want to do, i.e. furniture for my kids' bedrooms (or maybe I'm just having a Maslow's Triangle moment). Of course, at the rate that I complete projects, they may well be old enough to leave the nest by the time I'm done; but it's a nice dream to have anyway.

I certainly have not built enough to be able to establish a pattern of design tendency, but from the sketches that I have made of the pieces that I want to make, the books I buy, the articles in a magazine I pick to read first: I think I will be a Shaker-Arts-and-Crafts-and-White-Oak guy who signs his work with a fine-point Sharpie!

What about you?

[Sam Conder]

Every piece I have ever designed has ended up looking very Shaker. Not intentional necessarily, I just design what I like.

[crokett]

Lately my signature seems to be odd bits of trim or contrasting wood added to cover mistakes.

[Russianwolf]

I can say that when I make a chess board, I tend to make it octagonal (miter the corners of the frame so that there are no sharp edges). I guess that could be said to be a signature of my design.

[gsmittle]

If you were to pin me down,

I'd say my signature style is slightly out-of square-and-one-short-leg....

g.

[dkhoward]

my style tends to be more mission oriented .. . . and usually iwth one blood splatter somewhere in an out of the way place .. ..

[TB Roye]

Does drop and smears of blood count as a signiture? For some reason I alway manage to inflict a small cut on myself and not notice until a nice clean ready for finish is all bloodied up. I have not developed the skills necessary to have a particular style or signiture. If I did it would be more the simple or shaker style. I do like the stickley style and mission style but being Scandanavian I do like that style also.

Tom

[Stytooner]

My projects lately have been rather transparent and fish like.

Actually I basically let the project dictate style, finishes, design and so forth. I like to do a little bit of everything, so translated, I reckon my sig would be eclectic.

[Rob R]

i suppose i'm with Sam. they always end up having the roots in shaker design. but when i go into a store, the shaker furniture...um no thanks.

go figure.

rob

[Ken Weaver]

I tend toward the mission/A&C style - maybe a reflection of my skill level. I like the sturdy, non-delicate joinery, probably a result of being too unsure of myself at this point to try queen anne or something.

[linear]

Not mine, but a friend of mine uses a penny dated from the year the project was completed. It fits neatly in a 3/4" hole, so all you need is a 3/4" forstner bit, and from there out it costs $0.01 per project.

I like the silver sharpies myself.

[Ken Weaver]

Not mine, but a friend of mine uses a penny dated from the year the project was completed. It fits neatly in a 3/4" hole, so all you need is a 3/4" forstner bit, and from there out it costs $0.01 per project.

That is such a cool idea! Use epoxy to seal the penny in the hole?

[Salty]

I use the hap-hazard style.
If the finished project hap...pens to look good...so much the better.
The hazard? Well, if there is a mistake and it isn't visable, there isn't one and noone but me will know.
If it is visible I just say it was designed that way and the reason is my secret.

:-)

[linear]

That is such a cool idea! Use epoxy to seal the penny in the hole?

Ken, I'm pretty sure they just press-fit in there. Unless you got a runout problem with your drill press.

I was once looking into getting a custom brand made for pyrography. It didn't take long to convince myself I would be better off taking a piece of brass plate and using a Dremel to engrave my own brand. Then I just need to to tap it and thread in a stud that lets you attach it to the tip of a cheapie woodburning iron (or soldering pencil). Or thread on a handle and heat him up with a propane torch.

[scmhogg]

Steve