Branding Your Work

It’s not uncommon for woodworkers to use a branding iron to mark their work. It’s cool (actually, it’s pretty hot), and a sign that you’re proud of what you accomplished. Here’s an approach that’ll make your woodworking uniquely your own.These are not, actually, wood brands, they’re steak brands. The idea is that you plunk the brand into the coals as you’re cooking for the masses and, right before serving steak, you brand it. It shows your guests who’s really in charge of the grill.

I’ve found that steak brands work equally well on some woodworking projects. I’m unlikely to use these on a guitar I’ve built, but they’re great for projects like the barbecue cart I’ve shown here. In my shop I heat them with a propane torch, not a bed of coals.If you’re going to use these on a woodworking project, practice first. Branding a steak is a no brainer. Branding a woodworking project is more art than science. A nice looking brand will be a function of the temperature of the iron, hardness of wood, and how long you hold the brand against the wood. When you practice, make sure it’s on the same specie of wood you made the project out of. Your goal should be to touch the iron down once and make a good impression. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to hit the exact same spot twice. After branding, lightly sand the surface to clean up the area around the brand.