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Bowl Signing Pen

T

Ted Mellin

Joined
Apr 4, 2010
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Anyone have suggestions on what to use for signing bowls. I have been using a Uniball Fine Point with less than satisfactory results. thanks
 
ZIG calligraphy....pigment ink..acid-free..archival quality..lightfast..waterproof...fade proof...non-bleeding
has two different point thickness ....do on unfinished wood then put finish over after one minute....if you forget can use after finish applied if finish is dry
learned at a symposium.....found on internet....different colors....black being the most used
 
I use a Dremel engraver. Takes some practice to learn to write with it but your actually engraving in the wood so it won't ever wear off. Some people rub colored wax into it make it stand out better. I don't usually do that. I sometimes use my woodburner. On ornaments I use the pigma fine permanent markers.
 

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I purchased the cub woodwriter about 1990, and have been using it ever since, without any issues. I purchased the spare pen at the time of purchase, but am still using the original pen......if taken care of, the unit and pen has a great life span, it seems. The housing has been redesigned, and looks very different now, but the internal parts are the same. This unit is available from csusa.

If you plan to do much handwriting, it's not easy to use in that mode very well.....and, a more advanced woodburning unit would be preferable. I sign all my bowls with a simple logo that has been my "trademark" signature since sometime in the mid 1980's.

Woodwriter.jpg etsy avatar created march 2016 save.JPG
 
I had one of the Cub woodwriters. never could write with it. It was pretty good for general wood burning but when I started doing finer pyrography and trying to sign my name by writing it just would not work. I got uneven lines no matter what I did. I bought the Optima and the problem went away. I believe the problem is what they call recovery time. When you touch the pen to the wood it soaks up some of the heat. If the recovery time for the pen to heat back up us too slow you get an uneven burn. The Optima was designed specifically to have a short recover time.
 
I use a Dremel with a small cone bit to engrave my name the date,& type of wood. Then I go over it with a black fine point permanent sharpie marker after one coat of finish or sealer has been applied to prevent bleeding. I have never had any problems reading many years later.
 
John King said:
Don't know difference in Pigma "Micron" and Pigma "Graphic."
Click to expand...

Pigma Micron = 6 different tips, all metal/flair types of different sizes, 15 colors (although not every tip/color combination exists). Uses Pigma Ink, which is archival, permanent, water-resistant, etc.

Pigma Graphic = 3 tip sizes, all larger than the largest Micron tip. The smallest is a bullet tip, the larger two are chisel tips. 3 colors, uses the same Pigma Ink.

So, the long and short of it is they use the same ink so pick the tip size between the two lines that you prefer. I also like the Microns, but have found that the "005" is a bit too fine for signing larger work so I use one of the middle sizes.
 
charlie knighton said:
ZIG calligraphy....pigment ink..acid-free..archival quality..lightfast..waterproof...fade proof...non-bleeding
has two different point thickness ....do on unfinished wood then put finish over after one minute....if you forget can use after finish applied if finish is dry
learned at a symposium.....found on internet....different colors....black being the most used
Click to expand...
Can you post a link to the specific pen pls.
 
Amazon.com: Zig pens

U can buy just black or in assorted colors....
 
Glenn Lefley said:
There are so many different sizes of tips. Anyone have a range of a good size tip to get? I have NO experience with this at all.
Click to expand...
Staedtler Pigment Liner, a drawing & writing pen, .5 mm works well. Will even write on a waxed surface, water and fade resistant. In Drafting section at Staples.
 
Mike Brazeau said:
Staedtler Pigment Liner, a drawing & writing pen, .5 mm works well. Will even write on a waxed surface, water and fade resistant. In Drafting section at Staples.
Click to expand...
Thanks mike. Going to cranbrook next week, and they have a staples. I could not believe all the sizes available when went on Amazon. In shop staring at my spindle gouge and about to change profile , wish me luck.
 
Mike's suggestion is the way to go Glenn. I have used their pens for some time and I use .3mm as my pieces are usually smaller and I prefer a finer signature. If the price is right, buy them both! They aren't in with the usual pen section, but usually in the art dept. here. Good luck.
 
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