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pyrography??

Posted by john mackay on February 13, 2015 at 2:09pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

does it matter what plywood you use?

I have some ply wood that doesnt seem to burn that well.

I made a couple of ovation leaves but it took for ever to burn the veins.

it will burn solid wood easy enough.

perhaps the plywood is a bit soft.

what you guys use when you burn wood(pyrography)

our wood burning pens are not the same as you USA guys use?

I have this type....

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Replies

  • Bama Hound February 15, 2015 at 4:52pm

    Farmer Ted is right about the grain. You are going through summer growth and winter growth on the tree. You will have inconsistencies in the grain. Birch plywood burns well and oak is better left for other things. "Oily" made a good point of sanding the piece prior to burning. I wipe a workpiece down with a wet cloth and let it dry completely before I sand it to whatever level grit that will be on the finished piece. Don't try to get really fine with the paper as you will burnish the surface and make it harder to burn.A used piece of 150 or a new 220 is good enough. When burning it is best to have workpiece at an angle like on an artist easel You can't get around heat rising, if you can figure out a way to lay on your back to burn you are perfect. That probably, not possible in most shops but you get the idea. I burn for hours at a time and the pens get really hot.I change pens and wear a leather glove.You can really go crazy with this stuff. Can throw in some painting with it.

  • Bama Hound February 15, 2015 at 2:26pm

    http://www.woodcarverssupply.com/NEW-BURNMASTER-HAWK-PEN-10-TIPS-SE...

    I have another addiction,like CBG's aren't bad enough. I do much pyrography. This is for serious burning. Burning scales like on fish & snakes. Feathers for birds and hair (O.K., you fellows keep it clean out there) I bought mine over 20 years ago and it is not the brand that I bought, but it is from the same people. They have cheaper things so look around  I have bought many things from them and have been satisfied with all. This is a family run company. Check out their catalog. Many woodworking tools.

  • Ron "Oily" Sprague February 14, 2015 at 1:31pm
    Anything hot enough can be used for woodburning. You could repeatedly use a heated knife blade, if you wanted to go retro. A soldering iron with a hard cylindrical conical tip works just as well as a proper pyrography tip, as long as it gets hot enough QUICKLY. 20-30 watts, not hot enough. 100 watts, now yer talkin'. Yes, the glue in plywood can be a PITA, but that's only if you're burning down farther than a single layer. Little trick is to dry sand the surface before you start burning, gets the top glue coating off. Quick pass with a belt sander and 120 grit, or a palm sander over just the area you wanna burn.
  • john mackay February 14, 2015 at 12:46pm

    some got astray here!!

    I meant for ovations leaves veins as stated above not fret markers.

    anyway I bought a 60w soldering iron so we'll see how that goes.

  • Mike February 13, 2015 at 10:41pm

    Not sure but possibly the glue used to layer it may be part of the problem as well.  I don't know though, just guessing...

    • Mark > Mike February 14, 2015 at 11:36am

      • Damn why does it take so long to get the right answer....thanks Mike. I have done my share of pyrography and mikes answer is spot on.

  • Keith February 13, 2015 at 10:11pm
    ok somewhat off the topic but not really. I just put side markers on the neck of my latest cbg and to get it right I just pulled the yip out of my soldering iron and turned it around to the blunt end and just held it in place. That burned perfect round dots in the side of my neck... Er the guitar neck, I wouldn't burn my own neck... On purpose anyway.
    • Scott aka Farmer Ted > Keith February 13, 2015 at 10:19pm

      Yup, I do that all the time, but with my solder iron and an extra tip I set aside for that purpose...easier and cheaper than buying those plastic inlay sticks. I use a hole punch to make a divot for each spot first, so the tip of the iron doesn't decide to wander from where I want it.

  • The Phrygian Kid February 13, 2015 at 7:10pm

    its more about the accelerant.

    get that right, and its art

    ;)

    2294991466_416638c786_o.jpg?w=700

  • john mackay February 13, 2015 at 4:29pm

    I thought that to dont get hot enough 30w?

    I might buy one that goes up to a 100w but its a soldering iron which is the same thing.

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