how do you sign your work

[bzglass]

I am looking for the best way to sign my work. I am aware of the ti-pens and sig. canes, and disc flips. Are there any other methods.

What I am wondering is what works best for you, and what are the pros and cons of the different methods. I want to begin signing my marbles, and othwer stuff as well.

[vetropod]

I use a ti-pen on all work and my brass sig stamp on larger pieces.

Downside of the stamp is the surface texture and finding the right place to put it.

Also have a bunch of "W" murrini, but haven't been using them - too hard to incorporate them without messing up the piece.

Granted, this is all for small soft-glass sculptures. Yes, I am a bead lady - I rock the Effetre :D

[Swampy]

Initials made into a monogram + year, scratched in with a diamond point, comes out about 3mm tall. To make it more prominent, I might use Rub n' Buff to fill the marks, it's available in various metallic finishes mixed with Carnuba wax, so quite durable.

If you look at Steve's sea horse picture in 'Bec's work' thread, his method looks quite effective.

[byron3]

I guess 1/4" high embossing stamps and a 5 lb. hammer are out of the question??
j/K...

Hey we used to get Tommy Chong signature pieces, he simply signed the outside of the tube with a Sharpie.......... and peeps used to pay good money for that shit.

[steven p selchow]

A pilot permanent gold or silver pen on the bottom works good, can't be a different brand, these even hold up to heat, kinda hard to find that brand, but an office supply is a good place to look.

steve

[dorkeedude]

I have heard that ti-pen can fade away if washed several times. I know a guy that had a custom tube done for his wedding, and the guy signed it with a ti-pen but you can't see it anymore.

[petto]

ti-pen or sig millie. sig millies work great for pipe work but not always so great for non pipe work. you can be creative with them though.

[Greymatter Glass]

Ti-Pen for my marbles. I started with a Ti pen, went to a rotary engraver for a while, then a vibrating engraver for about a week, and now I'm back to the Ti-pen. The engravers disturb the surface of the marble and I find it a bit unsightly.

Kevin O'Grady can make a nice signature cane if you need one made, but I would have problems with incorporation of a signature milli in most of my designs.

the Ti-pen is very subtle, yet can be easily found when looked for.

I've never had a problem with the Ti-pen rubbing off.

[Emmett's Glass]

I use a ti pen. I have done repairs on finished marbles and the sig is visable after re-anealing.
E

[ALIEN!]

Toenail encasements. Ya just can't beat DNA.

[faded]

burnt in thumbprint.

[lucidvisions]

Ti-pen. Hard to see so it doesn't distract anyone from the actual piece and very detailed so you can actually do your signature exactly like you would write it in pen.

Josh

[richsantaclaus]

I have a ti pen but having trouble using it.

What technique do you guys use to scratch your stuff into the glass?

Water, dry, oil to make it not jerk all over the place?????

[berning]

burnt in thumbprint.

i guess i've signed some of my work and didn't even know it

[SNYD]

Its all about the Ti Scribe (http://www.playingwithfireglassworks.com/store.html)

[lucidvisions]

Rich, Just get wet, (saliva works very well) and sign at a 45 degree angle. You don't need too much pressure, just use about the same amount as if you were using a real pen.

Josh

[Skye Perry]

I have heard there are two different ti pens one you have to get wet and one that you don't have to get wet .I use the blue one that you get wet and then use .I was told that one will eventually wear off and the one you don't have to get wet does not .These days i do sig milli its fast and easy and custies like to see them on my work .I Think they stand out better than a ti sig and if they are made right can be more legable.

[Greymatter Glass]

I've seen a few variations of Titanium writing pens/scribes. As far as I can tell they're all the same quality of metal in practical terms despite marketing attempts to prove one is better. There are essentially two commercially available titanium products, they come from the same stock, one is certified for aerospace one is not.

While there are countless alloys incorporating titanium in their composition I'm not aware of alloys being used in the ti pens, they're all essentially pure titanium.

It's like when people tell you they blow glass with medical grade oxygen because it's better - it comes from the same bulk liquid tanks as industrial oxygen, just goes into a different tank with special fittings.

In the end pick the one you prefer to write with - design changes will make a much bigger difference than if you start with bicycle spokes or welding rods or aerospace grade rod.

As for wearing down the tip ... I've signed quite a bit of work with mine and it hasn't worn down much, if any, that I can tell. They're $18-20 anyways, buy a new one every year and you're good to go.

The older blue "Ti-Pens" I used needed to be broken in with an emery file or smooth concrete a bit to take the super sharp point off the end or it would slide around all over the place, the batch I just got seem ready to go as-is.

I use spit or water to wet the piece I'm signing, but the main thing I've found is I used to press way too hard. Like someone above said - regular writing pressure is about all you need...maybe a little bit more. I have also signed stuff dry... it works ok, just not as smooth.

[steven p selchow]

Thats a new one Doug..medical grade oxygen? Im nieve to this,,but isn't that why the doctors tell you not to smoke or have open fire in a room using medical oxygen on a patient...kaboooom.

[NUBBLET]

I always thought the bottle of O2 would not ignite .

O2 is an accelerant , but not actually flammable right ?


Turn just your oxy on and try to light your torch , it will not light .

now take the cherry of a cig (no flame) or even a cherried piece of paper , put this in front of said oxy stream , fireworks .

this does not take the fact that they will rocket right through a wall or two if the top is knocked off ,away though .

[GlassFreak]

I always thought the bottle of O2 would not ignite .

O2 is an accelerant , but not actually flammable right ?


Turn just your oxy on and try to light your torch , it will not light .

now take the cherry of a cig (no flame) or even a cherried piece of paper , put this in front of said oxy stream , fireworks .

this does not take the fact that they will rocket right through a wall or two if the top is knocked off ,away though .

ive heard that oxygen under pressure is explosive... but its always been something that confused me...

[Greymatter Glass]

Oxygen is not explosive in the traditional sense that it ignites, expands, and ruptures a container.

_ANY_ gas under pressure has the potential for "explosive" decompression if its container ruptures.

Read up on the Fire Triangle. You have to have 3 things to have fire:

Fuel
Oxygen
Heat

If you take out any one of those you will not make fire. Period.

Oxygen is not, and cannot replace, fuel. Oxygen (as O2) does not burn on its own. If you lit a match in a room of 100% pure oxygen only the fuel (wood/paper/match gunk) would burn. In 100% oxygen it would burn very fast, explosively so in fact, but once the fuel is consumed you'd still have all the oxygen that was not used in the burning process left over.


What pure oxygen will do is lower the ignition temperature of any substance below the ignition point of the same substance in regular every day air, i.e. If paper requires 600 degrees to ignite in air then in a pure oxygen environment it may ignore at 300 degrees (not fact, just example)

The real problem starts when you mix oxygen and petroleum products. Normally grease will only burn if heated above several hundred degrees, but in the presence of pure oxygen its ignition temperature can drop to below room temperature and spontaneously ignite. That's why you don't get grease on oxygen fittings.

Steve: medical oxygen used on patients is the same oxygen we burn on our torches. The reason they don't want you smoking is because a: your cigarette will burn very fast and could ignite into a small fire ball setting the patient on fire, and b: human tissue is flammable, if you're on high concentrations of oxygen a fire could rush into your lungs and burn you from the inside out. c: the oxygen is not being consumed by an existing fire as it is with our torches and can raise the percentage in the room making nearby objects easier to ignite if ashes fall on them.

[GlassFreak]

so the oxy would just feed a pre existing explosion, like say your prop tank blew and ruptured your oxy, it would feed the first explosion making it like 10 times worse?

[NUBBLET]

try the cherry in front of just oxy , its crazy as fuck .

basically if your propane went it would burn at X rate , if it took out the oxy also then it would burn way faster , not sure of the exact ratio . It may be twice or ten times as fast .


look for an episode of Myth Busters , they did the oxy and petroleum gig , enriched the oxy level of a cockpit and had busters head lathered with hair gel . They thought it wasnt going to work then poof melted face mask straight to his face , it was kinda cool to watch .

[GlassFreak]

trippy

[davidwillisglass]

i've never been a fan of the scratchy pens, they leave a very light line and kind of stick as you are writing. i use my dremel with a diamond point.

[hippi]

i like the way SALT signs his...with glass stringers..simple and wont rub off or ruin the piece

[jr23]

The best sig is a heavy does of style. Let the glass talk.

[GlassFreak]

what i wanna know more is how do people come up with theyre names? its almost required that you have some name to be known by in glass, and all the good ones are taken... i wanted ghost for a while, till i figured out someone uses it.

my gf said i look like a pirate so that should be my name... but then i thought about it... glASS Pirate... idk about that...
or Caveman, but theres a million cavemans out there

[Swampy]

heh heh

[dorkeedude]

heh heh

I like how you sign your work.

[scottypm]

what i wanna know more is how do people come up with theyre names? its almost required that you have some name to be known by in glass, and all the good ones are taken... i wanted ghost for a while, till i figured out someone uses it.

my gf said i look like a pirate so that should be my name... but then i thought about it... glASS Pirate... idk about that...
or Caveman, but theres a million cavemans out there

I mumble really bad and i would talk and people couldnt even tell iwas saying anything ha. i picked up the name "mumbles" real quick :-P

[FiredDesires]

GlassFreak, I had to smile reading your post about trying to come up with a name, as GlassFreek has been used for about 18yrs by a friend of mine...it is hard to be unique I know but even then some folks don't say necessarily what they read......I get called FiredDesigns alot of the time. I picked my name because I was into fire (torching/kilning) and hoped that people would.. desire..
As to the OP, when I "do" sign, I usually sign my marbles with ti-scribe and mini sculptures with a milli.

[GlassFreak]

well ive had Happy Trees Glass in my head for a long time, but i just cant figure out something to be known by... i suppose all things come with time.

[aspenglass]

I have a ti pen but having trouble using it.

What technique do you guys use to scratch your stuff into the glass?

Water, dry, oil to make it not jerk all over the place?????

You can use any liquid to wet the surface with a Ti-Pen, I use hand santitizer now, I used to use saliva but that tended to turn some folks away seeing me lick the marble then sign it. You can contact me through jim@aspenglass.com if you have any more trouble.

As far as titanium writing tools, they are both the same material. I am the maker of the Ti-Pen, Aspenglass.com . I think the ti-scribe claims to be "more pure" pure titainum? Not sure how that works but pure is pure. The main diffenrance from people that have used them both is ergonomics and one can be carried in your pocket and one cant.

The titanium tools are just one of many options,I stopped using a diamond to sign when a gobblet foot cracked straight off the "L" on my name. Probably my fault or not related but didnt want to chance it again.

[Swampy]

I stopped using a diamond to sign when a gobblet foot cracked straight off the "L" on my name. Probably my fault or not related but didnt want to chance it again.

a tiny jeweller's hammer is the biggest thing I would use to carve it out.

[derekg0]

heh heh

Hey swampy, thats hot! nice job on that