Making a Custom Wood Sign

Here is a quick instructable on how I made the sign for my workshop. Check out the things I make in my workshop at Facebook.com/steamjunkprops.

Step 1: Find a Plank

First part of this project was to find my board. I used a big chunk of pine that has been sitting outside for quite some time.

Step 2: Draw Out the Design and Begin Routing/Carving

I started by drawing out my design and then using my router to carve out the background. I used a 1/4' straight bit. The detail here really depends on how  fancy you want to get. I wanted a slightly grungy look, so I didn't obsese about straight edges and sharp points.

Step 3: Weathering

The next Step on this was to make it look oldish and finish it. I hit it with a hammer and other heavy objects to make it look distressed and then used my propane torch to blacked the entire thing. once the whole surface was charred, I sanded off the top layer so that only the bottom was burnt. To lighten it up a little, I then hit it with a wire brush to get rid of some of the ash and give it a cool look. Once I was happy with how it looked, I gave it a coat of Shellac and it was complete.

I would love to see anything you do similar and if you have questions, i am happy to help.