when first starting out I thought making names was the cats meow. But I never could glue the letters where they looked good for trying to glue them on one at a time always ended up looking like crap.

   So, this is what I'm suggesting.

Draw some parallel lines under the letters so each name is attached as one piece to glue on to a board and they will be exactly like they were printed out from Microsoft Word.

Oh, this hunk of maple was all the same color. No dark and light wood so this was enhanced with the air brush with a small amount of dye stain. Try doing this with a brush or a rag full of color!

This project is wonderful.  EVEN the letters.  Great idea for lining them up.

• Another trick I have learned is to use a STRAIGHT edge (ruler, 1/2" board, painters tape, etc.) taped to the board so I don't have to try to get rid of the pencil marks..
• Trick #2 - When cutting the letters out, do not get rid of the scrap.  Lining up the scrap and putting C glue on the letters then drop them into the holes in the scrap.  This keeps the letters lined up perfectly.

 

Just my 2 cents

32 minutes ago, Fred Wilson said:

This project is wonderful.  EVEN the letters.  Great idea for lining them up.

• Another trick I have learned is to use a STRAIGHT edge (ruler, 1/2" board, painters tape, etc.) taped to the board so I don't have to try to get rid of the pencil marks..
• Trick #2 - When cutting the letters out, do not get rid of the scrap.  Lining up the scrap and putting C glue on the letters then drop them into the holes in the scrap.  This keeps the letters lined up perfectly.

 

Just my 2 cents

That assumes all the letters are cut nice and evenly out of the board. 

Yepper.  Pilot holes are cut woutside of the letters to they will always will ne nicely cut.