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Fractal Lichtenberg electrical woodburing - FATAL ACCIDENT

You may have seen some of those cool "lightning strike" woodburned fretboards and stuff, but it's always seemed way too dangerous for me to want to have a go at. I've just picked up on this UK news article about a man who died whilst trying this technique. It's a harrowing and very sad event, and I'd urge anyone thinking about trying this to consider the very real dangers.

http://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/fire-and-rescue/113904/man-ele...

I take this as a reminder not to jury-rig power tools or electrical equipment - this can and does have fatal results. You don't get a second chance when death comes dashing into your workshop with a 2000volt homemade thunderbolt. Please be careful out there.

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Permalink Reply by darryl kernaghan on September 9, 2017 at 1:05pm

Yes John, that's why i made the mains to primary circuit as safe as i could, but i might add a dead man footswitch before the box, on the HV secondary side, i could come up with nothing to make it safe, so i went down the physical isolation route, that way, i have to knowingly break the rules to touch the live area.

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Permalink Reply by John Sawyer on September 20, 2017 at 4:08pm

That is the way to go! I did add a foot switch to the mains side...

For demonstration purposes, we have a large box with a plexiglass lid, the lid has a micro-switch, wired in series with the foot switch. Signs everywhere say don't touch even the box... anybody gets close, the foot comes off...

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Permalink Reply by Kigar on September 13, 2017 at 2:34pm

Used one of my first pieces for a neck. A piece of oak.

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Permalink Reply by JL on September 14, 2017 at 1:08am

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Permalink Reply by John Jordan on September 19, 2017 at 4:54pm

Our American Association of Woodturners (12,000 + members) has banned any demonstration of these techniques at any of the national or regional symposia. There have been deaths other than this one CBJ reported.

There is a commercial unit available and it includes several safeguards. I have one and will post info and a pic when I get back home-I'm currently on the road teaching (woodturning).

I don't really use it-its sort of a one trick pony.

John

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Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on September 19, 2017 at 5:59pm

I don't understand why anyone would want to do this. You can get the very same random results using a woodburner. Why risk life or limb to take a short cut? As someone who has recently survived having 110 go up threw my left knee and out my right hand I have to say No. Just no.