# Question Of The Week... ( 2017 Week 16)



## ripjack13

*How do you differentiate your work from someone else's?*







**Rules**
There is no minimum post requirement,
primates, woodticks and leprechauns are welcome to post an answer.
And of course the  and the doc too...


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## Blueglass

By the mistakes... I know where they are on my pieces. Everybody else's stuff looks perfect.

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 6


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## DKMD

I write my name on it unless it's theirs... in that case, I write their name on it.

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 4


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## Mike1950

It has my signature on bottom- Yikes  What kind of question is that!!! But seriously- If I have a signature piece- It is that I like to make round things but have a very lazy lathe. This is my signature. Have a couple over the top quilted ones- a myrtle and a couple others in the makins. I am addicted to this shape. Makes me feel like a turner- almost waste as much wood....

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 4 | Way Cool 1


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## Tclem

Simple. All of my work looks the same. No mistaking my boxes.

Reactions: Funny 5


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## Mike1950

Tclem said:


> View attachment 126286
> 
> 
> 
> Simple. All of my work looks the same. No mistaking my boxes.



GRRRRR - Where are MY crawdads!!!!!!

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 2


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## Tclem

Mike1950 said:


> GRRRRR - Where are MY crawdads!!!!!!


I ate them. 200lbs

Reactions: Funny 4


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## Lou Currier

I think most peoples work is unique...even the way we turn pens have signature style in minute ways. Bowls and other pieces are easy to sign but pens are not. There are little intricacies on my small pieces that I know I do that make them identifiable.

Reactions: Like 2


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## ripjack13

Tclem said:


> I ate them. 200lbs



So thats why you had a dr check you out.....

Reactions: Agree 3


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## Tony

Honestly, there's not much that sets my work apart from others. I brand my cutting boards so I know they're mine, but otherwise that's the only thing. At some point I hope to find a standout "thing" but I'm still searching. Tony

Reactions: Like 1


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## kweinert

I think I'm still searching for a style. At the moment there are few enough things that is probably recognize them. 

I'm not even entirely sure I want a signature look to be honest. If I do something that turns out well then of course I want people to somehow know its mine.

But I'm not sure that I want to be recognized just by a particular shape or style or something like that.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## steve bellinger

I try not to make anything the same,so I guess my initials are about the only way one would know. Of course I can tell cause I know where all the mistakes are. lol

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## justallan

We talking ranch work or woodwork?
Ranch work, mines the stuff that gets done right! Woodwork, not so much.
Believe this for sure, I brag on you guys that have sent me stuff or made things for me.
The only thing that I make worth bragging on is my crib boards. I guess I should put some info on them fishing for sales, but so far I've had as many sales as I want to keep up with.

Reactions: Like 3 | Way Cool 1


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## Don Ratcliff

I don't sign my stuff, that way when other stuff that's cool is not signed I can claim it as my stuff.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 3


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## David Hill

I sign most all the things I do on the lathe-- one way or another----except the small stuff-- too much trouble.
I'll get around to signing my occasional flatwork sometime.
When I see other's works, I like to know who's it is---good conversation starters, among other things.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mike1950

justallan said:


> We talking ranch work or woodwork?
> Ranch work, mines the stuff that gets done right! Woodwork, not so much.
> Believe this for sure, I brag on you guys that have sent me stuff or made things for me.
> The only thing that I make worth bragging on is my crib boards. I guess I should put some info on them fishing for sales, but so far I've had as many sales as I want to keep up with.



You make some damn fine elder burl slabs out of elder burls...

Reactions: Like 2 | Thank You! 1 | Agree 2


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## rocky1

I can give my work away to friends and in-laws, I can't give everyone else's away.

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 3


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## Spinartist

I have several styles of hollow vessels, mills, bird house ornaments... etc. that I regularly make for shows & gallery's. I do sign all my pieces too.

I've been to many shows with each of the 3 woodturning guilds I'm a member of over the past 16 years & I still find it amazing that a customer will go through each guild's booth with a few hundred items on the shelves & frequently they will pick out a few items from the same woodturner even though the pieces are scattered & mixed throughout our booth.
We had 10 guild members displaying at this show.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 3


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## Sprung

While it's not something I can really do on pens and other small turnings of that sort, I do like to sign my work when I can. Whether it's writing on the bottom of a bowl or signing a piece of furniture. One thing I had started doing with furniture is drilling a shallow hole of the appropriate size for a penny and gluing in a penny from that year as a marker of what year it was made in.

As far as differentiating one's work from another's work in appearance is something that I think comes with time. I think, over time, each individual woodworker kinda falls into their own style, or styles, of work they do - they try to imitate stuff that catches their eye, but then they add their own personal flair to it and that can develop into a person's own style and can sometimes help differentiate one's work from another's.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Mike1950

Sprung said:


> While it's not something I can really do on pens and other small turnings of that sort, I do like to sign my work when I can. Whether it's writing on the bottom of a bowl or signing a piece of furniture. One thing I had started doing with furniture is drilling a shallow hole of the appropriate size for a penny and gluing in a penny from that year as a marker of what year it was made in.
> 
> As far as differentiating one's work from another's work in appearance is something that I think comes with time. I think, over time, each individual woodworker kinda falls into their own style, or styles, of work they do - they try to imitate stuff that catches their eye, but then they add their own personal flair to it and that can develop into a person's own style and can sometimes help differentiate one's work from another's.



Plasterers sign their work with a coin somewhere. Usually a quarter. When work was very detailed other sigs. Were used. There is a certain hotel in PNW that has a ballroom with roosters cast in plaster around the room. One rooster is physically better endowed then his breathren.

Reactions: Funny 5


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## woodtickgreg

My sister got me started with signing everything I do. I think I want to get a brand made like my metal stamps. I stamp all my tools now.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Brink

Easy, I don't make things the way others would

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Don Ratcliff

Brink said:


> Easy, I don't make things the way others would


It's for the best you don't try to write words on things big guy... mama'da brink almost had a merry crismas last year.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Great Post 1 | Funny 3


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## ripjack13

Don Ratcliff said:


> It's for the best you don't try to write words on things big guy... mama'da brink almost had a merry crismas last year.



nerry christnas.....

get your incorrect spelling correct man....


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## barry richardson

My work is identified by a burn mark placed there by the lightning bolt of Zeus




...... he's a big fan......

Reactions: Like 1 | Great Post 1 | Funny 5


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## Don Ratcliff

ripjack13 said:


> nerry christnas.....
> 
> get your incorrect spelling correct man....


I think you should look again... in fact I think a link to the picture should be here to view. I do live in the show me state so I can't tame your word.

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 1


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## steve bellinger

Don I can't TAME your word ether.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Don Ratcliff

Take, I can't take your word...

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Mike1950

amazing how hard it it is to stay on subject in this forum..........

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Don Ratcliff

Mike1950 said:


> amazing how hard it it is to stay on subject in this forum..........


What was the topic?

Reactions: Funny 1


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## ripjack13

Don Ratcliff said:


> I think you should look again... in fact I think a link to the picture should be here to view. I do live in the show me state so I can't tame your word.


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## ripjack13

Don Ratcliff said:


> What was the topic?



We were giving brink a hard time. I think....


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## Brink

ripjack13 said:


> We were giving brink a hard time. I think....



Bring it on, novice.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## ripjack13

Brink said:


> Bring it on, novice.



I'm still learning....maybe you should give me some pointers....


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## ripjack13




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## David Van Asperen

I find it hard to sign saw dust which seems to be my signature project

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 4


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## Don Ratcliff

David Van Asperen said:


> I find it hard to sing saw dust which seems to be my signature project


Watch out, @steve bellinger is gonna ask how you sing sawdust or some silly things like that. I on the other hand know you mean sign sawdust and find your comment very funny as its intended... others are more critical about using correct smelling...

Reactions: Funny 4


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## Don Ratcliff

ripjack13 said:


> View attachment 126337


Are you sure that's not the "After" pic?


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## Brink

Don Ratcliff said:


> Are you sure that's not the "After" pic?

Reactions: Funny 1


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## steve bellinger

who's me's , eyes cant spell's fur the life of's me's. why do ya think i need a wife fur. O she's not hears rights now by the ways

Reactions: Funny 1


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## David Van Asperen

@Don Ratcliff thanks for the heads up, I fixed I think


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## Clay3063

Tclem said:


> View attachment 126286
> 
> 
> 
> Simple. All of my work looks the same. No mistaking my boxes.



Hey Dude! Your boxes look like my boxes!!!

What's up with that?

Reactions: Funny 3


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## Clay3063

woodtickgreg said:


> My sister got me started with signing everything I do. I think I want to get a brand made like my metal stamps. I stamp all my tools now.



Wife and I were just talking about that. I have been signing most all of my custom metal work with a mig welded signature. Kinda hard to weld with a mig on wood.


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## Clay3063

Mike1950 said:


> amazing how hard it it is to stay on subject in this forum..........



Speaking of which, did I tell you about my squirrel?

Reactions: Funny 2 | Way Cool 1


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## ripjack13

Don Ratcliff said:


> Are you sure that's not the "After" pic?



Good eye Don....

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Don Ratcliff

ripjack13 said:


> Good eye Don....
> 
> View attachment 126366


There's she is, how could anyone forget that little nugget of WB history.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## ripjack13



Reactions: Funny 1


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