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Tips on woodburning

I'm doing a few primative builds and want to do some woodburning. In the past it seems like I could'nt get my burner hot enough. I also could'nt do fret lines nice and straight.

I'm also thinking maybe making a few of my own burning tips from a typewriter or other metal parts. I'm not an electrician, but one of my old woodburners died and I took it apart not much to it. What do ya think?

recomendations on a building or buying a good, hot woodburner? How to make Straight fretlines? Homeade burner/stamps?

Thanks,

Wade

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on August 3, 2011 at 9:07am

I use my soldering iron with a wide chisel tip with frustrating success.

I've found the best way to get straight lines is with my metal tri-square. I lay it on the neck and bear down strong with the iron on the neck to lay a nice groove to follow. Then I remove the square and move at a slower pace to get a good burn. The groove helps keep the iron straight and removing the square keeps too much heat from dissipating through the metal rule.

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Permalink Reply by Delvero on August 3, 2011 at 9:13am

You can also make shallow cuts with your fret saw first.

E D said:

I use my soldering iron with a wide chisel tip with frustrating success.

I've found the best way to get straight lines is with my metal tri-square. I lay it on the neck and bear down strong with the iron on the neck to lay a nice groove to follow. Then I remove the square and move at a slower pace to get a good burn. The groove helps keep the iron straight and removing the square keeps too much heat from dissipating through the metal rule.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on August 3, 2011 at 9:18am

I tried burning fret marks with a woodburner. Didn't come out as well as I thought. Oak is a bastard to burn sometimes. Either use fretwire or marker/ink in my opinion.

-WY

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on August 3, 2011 at 9:45am

That's what I do on all my fretless builds. The woodburning tip follows the fret slot nice and straight.

Delvero said:

You can also make shallow cuts with your fret saw first.

E D said:

I use my soldering iron with a wide chisel tip with frustrating success.

I've found the best way to get straight lines is with my metal tri-square. I lay it on the neck and bear down strong with the iron on the neck to lay a nice groove to follow. Then I remove the square and move at a slower pace to get a good burn. The groove helps keep the iron straight and removing the square keeps too much heat from dissipating through the metal rule.