I made this welcome sign from a wild cherry tree that fell on our property after a storm this summer.My wife had wanted a welcome sign after seeing one at a craft store.We'll hang it on our front porch to greet family and friends when they stop by for a visit.

Supplies

Tools I used to make this project were a chainsaw,belt sander,wood burning pen,sandpaper grit 50 course to 120 fine,graphite paper,stencil,masking tape,and a sharp pencil or ink pen.

Step 1: Cutting the Log

I wanted my sign to hang flat against our porch wall.So i had to cut the log into planks,not owning a sawmill I solved the problem by making one of my own,well,sort of.I took a skid,placed a log between the slats,I then laid a 2"x 4" along the log,screwing it down with 6" screws.I did this by eye to get it straight as possible because the diameter of the log is smaller at the top than at the bottom.Then I cut the log into planks with my chainsaw, using the 2" x 4" as a guide.

Step 2: Sanding the Sign

I cut the plank down to 18" in length with my chainsaw.Then I used my belt sander to sand the surface smooth.I started with 50 course and worked my way down to fine 120.

Step 3: Transferring Picture to My Wood

The next step was to transfer a picture onto the wood.I googled free stencils on the internet to get these stencils.I had to go to our library to get them copied since our copy machine was out of ink.I then used graphite paper to transfer my picture to the wood.I used masking tape to hold it to the wood.I placed the picture over the graphite paper,making sure it was straight and masked it down.Then I used a sharp pencil to trace the picture to the wood.

Step 4: Burning the Picture to the Wood

I then used my wood burning pen to burn the picture to the wood.I paid $20 for my wood burning pen,it came with several tips and a nice case.I always practice on a piece of wood the same type I plan to burn on,so I know how the wood will react to the heat of the pen.I also clean the tip with fine sandpaper occasionally while I'm burning,a clean tip burns more evenly.

Step 5: Coating the Sign

I prefer Helmsman clear coat to preserve my sign.I usually put 3 thin coats,allowing each a few hours to dry before applying the next coat,but I only applied 2 coats to this sign.Since it will hang on the wall of our enclosed front porch I believe 2 coats will work.

Step 6: Hanging the Sign

I had some #1 copper wire left over from some electrical work I did in my workshop.I stripped off the rubber,cut the length I needed and used 2 eye hooks to run the copper wire through to hang my sign.Now we have a welcome sign to greet family and friends when they stop by for a visit.