SuperNaturale

Rosal · Joined: 09 Jan 2005 Posts: 247 Location: NC

My dad's a machinist. He also sells crosses.
He makes them from solid brass and engraves them. He makes several hundred a year, and gives most of them away at weddings, funerals and anniversaries. He's been doing it for 25 years?

Click to view this image at its original size

+ View larger

This is a photo of one he sent to the state trooper who took care of my Grandpa's dog when he died in a car crash between Montana and North Carolina.

We can't think of what to call his business.I've wanted to make him an etsy for years, but I'm stuck on that one point.

Any suggestions?

His initials are TAG, and he often engraves that unobtrusively on the crosses. I've been trying to think of how I could incorporate that.

He also makes rings. These three he made from antique silver dollars and titanium. I don't know if he would ever sell anything besides crosses, though. These belong to me, my mom and my grandma.

+ View larger

And just for fun, heres a pic of my dad.

+ View larger

gemma · Joined: 26 Dec 2007 Posts: 1527 Location: Ohio

I don't have any ideas (YET!), but I just wanted to say how happy this story made me. It's very sweet, and I hope your dad's Etsy is wonderfully successful.

Nemesis · Joined: 02 Sep 2006 Posts: 1584 Location: Alberta

What about 'tagged'? It uses your Dad's initials and incorporates the engraving done on the crosses.
_________________
Everyone thinks I do it to make people stare, but really, it's to keep them from looking too closely.

Barbeegrrll · Joined: 08 Apr 2004 Posts: 839 Location: Norfolk, VA

How about "Cross Tagged"
or
"Tagged Across"

Rosal · Joined: 09 Jan 2005 Posts: 247 Location: NC

I like cross tagged and tagged across. I'll run it by him.

I hope Dad's etsy is successful, too. It's always been a dream of his.

He gives most of them away, if he could sell some, that would at least help pay for the materials.

Thanks for the replies- keep them coming!

caropop · Joined: 09 Apr 2004 Posts: 7997 Location: tejas

My dad is also a machinist and makes extra little things on occasion!

He went through a phase several years ago where he made desk nameplates for everyone out of really pretty hunks of wood. He makes me quilt cutting templates. He used to work with a guy that would take all the funky leftover bits from projects and make sculptures of them.

I have no good suggestions, but wanted to share the dad love!
_________________
country cookin' makes you good lookin'

it's a blog!

Barbeegrrll · Joined: 08 Apr 2004 Posts: 839 Location: Norfolk, VA

My Dad had an Etsy shop too! He mostly sells vintage things that he finds at yard sales. He isn't a big seller on there, but he does resell books on amazon and half.com and does good business!

sobriquet · Joined: 09 Apr 2004 Posts: 589 Location: Washington, DC

I'm not wild about cutesy names, so I'd probably do something simple and uncreative like "TAG Bronzeworks".
_________________
"all that beige minimalism makes my penis soft!" - madgeylou

Rosal · Joined: 09 Jan 2005 Posts: 247 Location: NC

I've been urgeing him to make sculptures out of the left overs since I was a little kid. I used to play with them in my barbie house and stuff- my barbie had sculptures and robots.

I often use stuff salvaged from his shop in my sculptures. He's definitely the reason I like to work with metal.He doesn't see the things he makes as art.

Rosal · Joined: 09 Jan 2005 Posts: 247 Location: NC

Dad went simple and to the point. "Crosses by TAG"

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Crosses-By-TAG/300424443378884

I'm setting him up an Etsy shop, and we are selling crosses at a fire department sale tomorrow. I'm really worried we are going to get out there and sell nothing.

scaredsi11y · Joined: 08 Apr 2004 Posts: 3284

How did the sale go? I hope you had good luck!

Rosal · Joined: 09 Jan 2005 Posts: 247 Location: NC

We gave out 12 business cards. Now 12 more people know about his work, so I guess it was a small success.
_________________
My blog:
http://knitsbitsandbugs.blogspot.com/

My shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/KnitsBitsandBugs

Pearliepie · Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 2947 Location: Colorado

I really want to get one to honor my mom's passing, I'm just mulling over what the engraving should say. So, as soon as I figure that bit out he will have an etsy sale!
_________________
We are none of us alone
even as we exhale it is inhaled by others
the light that shines upon me shines upon my neighbor as well
in this way everything is connected

ruggedchick · Joined: 08 Apr 2004 Posts: 4710 Location: Saint Paul, MN

Like Pearliepie, I also am interested in buying one to honor my dad's passing. So please make sure to let us know when the store is set up!

Edit: I see it's already set up! Sweet! Just need to figure out what to engrave!
_________________
beefy and confused.

Rosal · Joined: 09 Jan 2005 Posts: 247 Location: NC

The site is up. I would be so honored to have something he made in the home of a glitteratti. (I am such a nerd)

I'll get you a discount, if I can!

I'm on the phone with him now, trying to explain that I don't know you in real life, but that I know you from the internet.
_________________
My blog:
http://knitsbitsandbugs.blogspot.com/

My shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/KnitsBitsandBugs