A Maker's Mark...

[Jim Frye]

Not Bourbon, but label. Awhile back a question was asked how I mark something I make. I described the way I label things now and thought I'd post a couple of pictures of the process. I print the label using the ink jet printer on our computer and then soak both sides of the sheet of paper with thinned varnish. It then gets hung up to cure. I do just text, but you could add artwork, or images if you wanted. When dry, the paper is like very thin plastic (I use 20# paper). The varnish turns the paper somewhat translucent, yellowed, and you could spray the back side with some white paint to make the label opaque if you wanted. I cut the label out and glue it onto the inside, bottom, or back of the piece. Then the label gets finished over with the regular varnish finish. The result is a permanent label to identify who is responsible for the piece. The one in the pictures is about 1 1/2"x2" and is affixed to the inside rear of the side table I'm making for our living room.

[LCHIEN]

NIce!

[leehljp]

I like the idea, especially the part about painting the backside with white. You have given me the best idea yet for making mine. I have been contemplating an electric burning iron with logo on it, as Loring has. But this will do well, and let me develop my own over time.

I used to do logos and business cards for others when I lived overseas, and of course for my own use. For me, I would start with a basic idea and then it would morph, more or less into a final design over a couple of years. BTW, I didn't make any profit off of the business cards, or layout designs for others - it was usually for co-workers who liked mine over commercial ones from companies who wanted an arm and a leg for custom design work. I had a couple of high end printers (for that time) and graphics layout apps, plus two daughters in school over there that were learning graphics layout from their dad . One went on to do their schools entire school annual on our computers. They helped me often on the layouts and sometimes I would give them the work to do, if I didn't have the time to do it.

Thanks for the idea. If I decide to go the electric burning iron path later on, at least I will have the logo design done well ahead of time.

[Condoman44]

I have done mine with a Word document that is laminated and then attached with double sided tape. I often describe something not obvious about the piece (like remove window to get it into the room) and include my name and install date.

[cwsmith]

The varnished label idea is nice, but I wonder how many years that will endure? A wood-burn might be better, although more time consuming and expensive. I do like the idea though and being a graphics oriented person, that would work well for me. I have both a mono and color laser printers, a laminator, cutting boards, light tables, both document and flatbed scanners, and camera with copy stand. (If anyone needs anything, let me know.)

However, I have not done anything in woodworking that bears marking. With a couple of exceptions, most of my woodworking skills are just household things, built-ins, repair and remodel. So really nothing compared to the level of craftsmanship and artistry of Jim and the many others I have seen here on this forum.

I do like the 'maker's mark' idea though and I think everyone should identify their craftsmanship. I've seen so many projects on the forum that are worth taking pride in and leaving your mark on.

Over the decades, about the only crafts that I've left my signature on were some water colors and acrylic paintings that I did years ago for relatives and friends who liked them and I'd just give them the piece. Unfortunately perhaps, is the fact that the hundreds of technical illustrations that I've drawn, cartoons, logo's, photographs, etc., I was never allowed to sign them in any way. While a draftsman has his "drawn by" box on a detail drawing, illustrations printed in a technical manual, parts catalog, engineering and marketing proposals, or product brochures, the illustrator or author is never given credit and at least with my employer's there is no signature or identification opportunities, not even on the title page.

Often, you never get a copy of the final printed document either, or get to keep even your initial layout. Sometimes there is an exception and I have kept a few, as well as a copy of a few manuals and brochures. But that can become an annoying accumulation over time. I still have the pencil layout of the very first technical illustration that I did at the start of my career (the card feed assembly on an IBM keypunch machine). I expect one day after I pass, someone will simply look into a box and wonder why in the devil did Grandpa keep so many different parts catalogs and manuals, and then toss them into the dumpster with my other junk.

CWS

[Jim Frye]

Here's another example of this method. I made a folding tailgate for my riding lawn mower and decided it needed some labeling like a pickup truck tailgate. I copied the taillights from a Toyota Tundra truck off of a Google search and the logo from the front of the mower. After sizing the images and printing them out, I applied the varnish and painted the backs with white spray paint. I then glued the logo and fake taillights onto the back of the tailgate and sprayed everything with clear coat. Just a bit of whimsy from my twisted mind.

[LCHIEN]

Ride'em cowboy, Yippee!

Looking good, JIm.

[twistsol]

Jim, your ingenuity never ceases to amaze me.