I started on some signs yesterday by cleaning the bark off of a live edge cedar slab left over from the house siding. I then cut them to various lengths starting at about 14 inches long. After cutting them to length I used a sander to smooth out the rough edges.
The next step is to decide what you want your sign to say. I used various stencils to make a variety of signs. After stenciling they are ready for the wood burner. I used the wood burner today for the first time but I usually let Shannon have the honors after all she is the artistic one.
Here she is just getting started, working at the kitchen table with an extra lamp to help see those pencil lines.
It is really interesting to watch her work. When drawing with the burner you need to always pull toward yourself. Pushing away just doesn't work. In order to always be pulling towards yourself you have to spin the wood. That is where the artistic part comes in to be able to make long curving lines while spinning your board and keeping even pressure and constant speed.
The outline is made first, following the pencil lines made with the stencil until they are all covered. Spinning the board around and around as she goes making it look real easy.
The final step is to do the shading to make the sign really pop. The wood burning is now complete on this sign and Shannon hands it back over to me to put a hanger on it.
I start by drilling a small hole in both top corners.
A small wire is looped through the holes then twisted leaving a tail 3-4 inches long.
The tails are then twisted into a coil to ad a little whimsical addition to the almost complete sign.
Here is the sign, done and ready for a new home
