Letterpunching?

[Jelly]

I've decided to mark each of my tools, partially so that I don't have to periodically scribble my name in permanent marker on anything I take to work, partially because I feel the need to assert my ownership over the array of second hand tools I seem to be aquiring...

Having ruled out interchangable type as unduly expensive, I had a go at one of my home made planes... turns out it's rather difficult to get all the letters lined up by eye.

So does anyone have a suggested methods of lining up punches, i'm thinking of creating a jig by morticing an offcut so that it's held square, and with at least one edge parallel to register the punch to a straightedge... Is there a a
simpler solution or handheld technique that i'm missing?

Secondly, Whilst i'm confident I can mark brass saw-backs and tools with a flat wooden surface; how to mark my chisels is puzzling me. Marking the upper portion of the blade will (i presume) require a hell of a whack, if the punch is even hard enough that is, but marking the handles poses a risk of both the punch glancing and in the case of my work set, the plastic shattering when exposed to such a concentrated impact.

Any suggestions/experience thankfully accepted.

 

[AndyT]

Interesting question - I don't have an answer but I agree that it's a problem! With the rather old and rough letter punches I have, the sides are not all ground parallel, so any sort of jig that registered off the bodies would not work. Maybe a thin straightedge to butt the tips up against would help.

You make me realise that although almost every old plane I have is marked with an owner's name, hardly any of my old chisels are. The ones which are marked have handle shapes with flats or near flats on (eg octagonal) but the mass of ordinary curvy handled ones are not marked. Did nineteenth century workmen never pinch anyone's chisels? Were they too cheap (relative to planes) to be worth marking?

 

[Racers]

Hi, Andy

Lots of my chisels are marked, some even have 3 names on, even the carver style ones.

Pete

 

[AndyT]

Hi, Andy

Lots of my chisels are marked, some even have 3 names on, even the carver style ones.

Pete

I've gone and looked, and there were more than I remembered - about half. They are all marked using the same sort of one-piece name stamp as was used to mark planes, which works ok into the side grain of boxwood or ash.

Maybe that's what you need to do Jelly - buy a trad name stamp - they are still available and there are threads on here discussing them at length.

It won't work on plastic though. We did once have at work some sort of chemical etch for marking PCs - something like that might still be available if you really want to mark those.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

There are a couple of possibilities. One is to have your own name stamp made up - try http://www.spanglefish.com for a stampmaker and engraver; there may be others - that would work nicely on wood, but not on harder steels. Another possibility is to buy one of those hand-held rotary engraving tools, and mark the steel part. A bit of practice on some scrap first may be a good idea. Alternatively, ask a professional engraver to do the job. Don't try letterpunching hardened steel - it'll wear the punch out in no time, and may even shatter the tool.

The better quality letterpunches do align quite nicely if guided against the edge of a piece of bar or a lath of wood (you may even be able to make a shaped guide to fit curved wooden chisel handles), but the better quality ones (Priory, for example) cost a LOT more than the budget ones.

Plastic handles could be marked with a budget set of letterpunches by heating them and melting the impression into the plastic (don't try it with decent punches - the heating will spoil the temper and render them useless for any normal punch work). I've never tried this, so so experiments on scrap may be in order if anyone does decide to try it.

Edit to correct website address given above - it should be www.spanglefish.com/metalstamps

Also may be worth trying www.eyreandbaxter.co.uk

 

[Wildman]

vibro engraver with carbide tip will do the hardest of materials.

 

[pedder]

Secondly, Whilst i'm confident I can mark brass saw-backs

You will have a good chance to leave a bow in the spine and the blade.

Cheers
Pedder

 

[Jelly]

Pedder, I hadn't really considered that (yet had considered that marking the plate of a larger backless saw would most likely result in bowing)... If only I had the cash for some priory low-stress punches.

That aside I think I'll be ordering a traditional name stamp come next payday; well given that i intend to base it round my moniker probably not that traditional

 

[MickCheese]

You need one of these.

http://hpclaser.co.uk/index.php?mai...oducts_id=40&zenid=k8ub7tgissd9h24judue1jnul0

Mick

 

[tomatwark]

This is the company as that made mine and many other members on here metal-stamp-personalise-your-treasures-t45989.html?hilit=name%20stamp

Tom

 

[jimi43]

I have to say that the Chalco stamp I bought was worth every penny!

Obviously great on end grain....

...but ok on long grain too...

Jim