Branding Iron

It was recommended that I purchase a branding iron to mark my work.  I have thought about it for some time and made the purchase.  I took my logo and took out the car in it.  I submitted it to a couple of online vendors that had good reviews.  One said they needed a specific vector format that I had no clue what they were talking about.  The other said they could work with the file.  I even asked about the thin lines and they said they could do it. So I went with Branding Irons Unlimited.  They were patient with me and helped me out on what I needed. 

Here are a couple of things that I learned from the experience:

·         They will send you a proof of the actual size of the brand.  If you do not like the size, go to a copier with a reducer/enlarger to find the right size.  It makes it easier on you and on them.  I thought I wanted my logo to be ¾” tall.  That made it huge.  It took a couple of tries but I found the right size

·         Do not brand finished product.  I thought I would brand everything that I had in inventory.  The finish (shellac) came off on the brand and made it more difficult to brand.  It all burned off and the branding iron is clean now.

·         There is some fiddling with the temperature.  Use lots of practice pieces.  I still screwed up several brands.  Little temperature changes seemed to also have dramatic affects.

Overall I am pleased with the purchase and like how it turns out most of the time.  When done right, the brand comes out clear.