# branding iron



## Tuttle (Jul 4, 2009)

I was looking at branding irons, Mann lake, ever hot, wood craft. My question is on intricate logos will they brand deep enough? what kind is best I figured propane since it is portable. How about old fire ones or buying them locally from a fabricater anyone have luck with that? I just want to know mostly your experiences and if the technology can produce a detailed logo that is about the size of a pog that will burn deep and not be a burnt circle. I figured the logo will be name and other information around the circle and a simple bee or something in the middle like a 50 cent piece. Thank you gentlemen and woman for any information given it s much appreciated taking you time out of your busy bee schedule to help a fellow keeper out. Thank you.


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

I got a number style on Ebay for 60.000 numbers and letters work best. designs and such are tough to do thru paint. and week looking painted over.


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

I posted a couple photos of mine on this thread.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...o-the-Orange-Blossom&highlight=Orange+Bloosom


I'm just starting to get the hang of using it and I don't have the greatest heat source.

I had to google pog!
I think depending on the detail of your design and the depth you desire it maybe difficult to find a brand that can deliver a crisp looking brand.

I settled for a lower cost option.
I would guess that even with the high end ones the deeper you want your brand to burn the more it will bleed.


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

deep brand + detailed + POG sized = burnt blur 
That said, if you went to, say, a 2.5" to 3" circle, and kept the detail *somewhat* restricted, you might be getting into the realm of something feasible. Having played around making fairly simple (so far, 1-line, 3/4" characters has been my best success, sorry, nothing fancy here for ya yet) brands for my own use, I can tell you that burn-bleed is pretty horrendous if you start putting lines within much less than 1/4" of each other (try to write "Help Me" around the outside of a POG without any lines being within 1/4" of each other...you'll have an OK brand then, but pretty much 0 space in the middle for your logo...and 2-3 more letters would hang ya for space), so the moral of the story is: "If you want to go detailed, you HAVE to go bigger unless you just want to make a pretty little woodburner design on the VERY surface."


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## Steves1967 (May 16, 2012)

I had two copies of my last name "Stadelman" cut from 1/4 steel one inch high letters for $65.00 by a local waterjet guy. I welded them to a backup piece of steel and then a handle. It is the right height for doing frames and the ends of my boxes. It looks very professional (in my opinion) and since I am waxing my gear really stands out.


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## Steves1967 (May 16, 2012)

Try photos


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## Steves1967 (May 16, 2012)

I don't know why they got rotated but you get the idea. I am heating the iron over the flam from my wax tank. I will probably build a cheap "forge" to evenly heat the whole branding iron but it works good enough for now.


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

For what it's worth 
For those who brand there frames 
I brand all mine on one side 
Doing this helps so I know how each frames goes back 
My ID is always to the rear of the hive 
So if I or anyone is going through and twirls the frame (as always) they know which way it goes back


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## Beesrme (Feb 4, 2011)

I had my brand made by a Company in San Diego, Ca. Brand New is the name I know they make regular bee brands with numbers and letters you might look them up they have web site you might talk with them to see if they could make what you want. Tom


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## sweetas (Apr 16, 2012)

I use a 1/4 inch router with a 45 degree bit to put on my brand (RO1) and the date of assembly eg 4/13; in with boxes the box number ( three digits). Best done before assembly . Takes 20 seconds per frame. ie 10 frames took 200 seconds, I do this freehand . Much quicker than the electric branding iron I hired.


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

3/8" tall, works very well with frames. Once brought up to temperature (I use an old propane space heater) it will brand roughly eight+ frames per heating...1-2 seconds for the first couple of frames and then maybe 4 seconds for the last couple of frames. I've been satisfied with it. I found an online coupon and ended up with less than $55 invested...should last a lifetime. 

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=696&site=ROCKLER


Rockler also offers a few other styles. Beware that the electric-heating irons are slow to heat and reheat...
http://woodworking.rockler.com/c/branding-irons

Best wishes,
Ed


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Having made two pneumatic machines to brand wooden gift box parts, with heads from Everhot(now BrandNew), I would suggest a slightly lower temperature and higher pressure for the best image. As for speed, 1000 pieces an hour should be quite doable with simple automation. Be aware that after several years of seasonal 40hr week use, the image quality will degrade.

Crazy Roland


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