Try This: Make A Custom Branding Iron with a Rotary Tool

Marking my gear with a sharpie has generally been my preferred method of marking things as mine, but in the past few months I’ve been seeing some pretty impressive ways to skip the marker for something a bit more classy.   I’ve been marking my stuff since the first day of school, when I walked into that classroom with everything (including my tighty-whities) proudly marked “Skinner”. As I’ve grown up, fewer items get marked but I still find myself looking for a discreet way to personalize my things. While this brand won’t work on plastic, fabric, or metal surfaces, the majority of durable goods I have around could use a bit of custom personalization, especially my hiking gear that tends to get passed around in the woods. This branding iron project is a great starter into working with metal, with only a few basic tools necessary to get the job done right. The small amount of materials needed and small space required all point to a perfect afternoon in the garage.