Our custom branding irons are made using BrandNew Industries’ proprietary process, which can duplicate even the most detailed artwork.
Follow these guidelines to produce a truly great brand:
- Vector files are preferred, but PDF and JPG files will work too.
- Resolution of 300 dpi, or larger.
- Avoid large solid areas next to thin spaces. Heat from surrounding black areas scorch out the fine white line (or negative space).
- Ideal line thicknesses
- Standard Relief = .01” to .02”
- Extra Relief = .04” to .06”
- Steak Branders = .06” to .08”
- Artwork should be sharp, clean line art, black on a white background.
- Email your artwork to sales@brandnew.net. Please include your name, company name (if applicable), and your phone number in your email.
If you have questions about submitting your artwork, please call us. We are always happy to you. Your satisfaction is our goal!
The 3 biggest factors in determining the price of a custom branding iron:
- The size (length x height)
- How you want it heated, electrically or flame-heated
- Knowing the material you intend to mark. This helps us determine the most cost effective way to make your branding iron. For instance, we can make a branding iron to mark food and to mark smooth wood using the same process, but we can save you money if we know you’re going to use the brand primarily for smooth wood.
We can us most any font.
Google Fonts has a great selection to choose from. As a general rule, simpler is better.
There are many free photo-editors available on the internet.
We recommend Photopea.com
This is a great free PhotoShop alternative and you don’t need to create an account.
The “relief” of a branding iron refers to the depth of the engraving. Standard relief designs have a depth of .04,” while extra relief ranges from 0.1” to 0.20.”
Standard-relief branding irons can hold a great amount of detail and create shallow, surface-type brands. The designs are chemically etched into copper and are suitable for smooth wood, leather, and plastic surfaces.
Extra-relief branding irons cannot accommodate as much detail within the artwork as standard relief, but they do create deep brands that are ideal for uneven surfaces. BrandNew’s extra-relief branding irons are manufactured on a computer-controlled mill; we make them using brass, bronze, aluminum, or stainless steel. Most branding iron companies are limited to brass or aluminum. This means that BNI offers branding irons that are more durable and can be heated to higher temperatures for branding a greater variety of materials and surface types.
BrandNew’s steak branding irons and western style branding irons are manufactured from steel using a water-jet process. They offer very high relief (meaning the designs are etched deeper into the metal) and are ideal for branding uneven surfaces, such as steaks or rough-cut wood.
- Our steak branders are 3/16” relief and include a 10” – 12” steel shank and a wooden handle.
- Our western-style irons are 3/8” relief, are 18” long and feature a ring-end handle.
Due to the high relief of these brands, the amount of detail achieved is less than our extra-relief branding irons and are better suited for a simple logo, symbol, initials, etc.
Yes, we do ship internationally. Click here to get an international shipping quote.
You will need a drill press with a ½” chuck and a spindle-to-table clearance of at least 5”.
Use an open flame such as a propane torch. Keep the flame moving back and forth across the branding iron. Do not leave the flame in one spot over the branding iron. Watch the color of the branding head: when the color starts to change, make a test brand on a scrap piece of material. If the mark is too light, go back and heat it longer. If the test mark is too dark and creates more than a wisp of smoke, let it cool down for a few seconds and make another test mark before attempting to brand the final product. Let the heat do the work. Use only slight pressure, rocking the branding iron (without lifting it) forward to back and left to right.
There are 3 main keys to making the perfect brand:
- Temperature – The ideal method for controlling temperature is by using an electric branding iron coupled with a temperature controller. You can also use a laser infrared thermometer to measure the temperature of a flame heated branding iron. Otherwise, simply test the temperature on a scrap piece of material before marking your final workpiece. If the branding iron produces more than a wisp of smoke it is probably too hot.
- Pressure – Use light and consistent pressure on your branding iron. Let the heat do the work, not too much pressure. Rock the brand slightly left to right and front to back without lifting the branding iron.
- Dwell Time – Keep track of how long you hold the branding iron to your workpieces. Make adjustments as necessary.
Plug the branding iron into any standard outlet and let it warm up for approximately 30 minutes. Then make a test mark on scrap material. You will need to practice to learn how long to hold the dwell time. Let the heat do the work. Use only slight pressure, rocking the branding iron (without lifting it) forward to back and left to right.
We strongly recommend using an electrically-heated branding iron with our temperature controller for branding leather. This method will allow you to dial in the ideal temperature for branding your particular leather. Rigid leather like saddle leather brands very easily, much like wood. Soft, supple leathers may be trickier. If the leather is soft and supple, try low heat and stretching the leather while branding the material.
We strongly recommend using an electric branding iron with a temperature controller and Teflon spray. Different plastics have different melting points. The trick with plastic is that you are trying to melt the plastic, rather than burn it. The artwork should be thin lines, with lots of open space between lines. You want the plastic to melt and flow into the open space around the lines. Use the temperature controller to find the ideal temperature to melt your particular plastic. The Teflon spray will help reduce the chances of the plastic sticking to the branding plate.
If you are trying to brand a cylinder with a standard flat branding iron, the easiest way is to secure the branding iron in a fixture like a vise, with the heated branding head pointed up. Then roll the cylinder over the branding head.
BrandNew Industries makes custom branding solutions for uniquely shaped objects like baseball bats, sports balls, and other sporting equipment. Our product line specifically designed for branding cylinders and baseball bats is Model 128JO. Shop our web site or call us to discuss your specific needs.
If you are using an electric branding iron without a temperature controller, you might overcome the problem of over-burn by spritzing the wood with a litter water before branding.
BrandNew warrants our products for 1 full year against manufacturer defects. If you have a problem with any of our products, please call us. We will do our best to help correct any issues, many times even after the warranty expires.
Our electric branding irons are designed to get hot enough to brand hard woods, nominally 800 degrees Fahrenheit.
We have made branding irons to fit the bridges of violins, and even smaller. Here is a branding iron made from custom handwritten initials at less than 1/2″ tall.
