Pyrography

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Wasn't sure which to post this in so here goes. After watching a DVD by Brian McEvoy on embellishments to bite the bullet and get a woodburning outfit. I finally decided on the Optima 1 dual burner. I contacted several people that do woodburning and they all told me 3 to 5 pens is all that is needed to do any and all woodburning. They said other pens are nice but not needed. I also went with the fixed pens as most all of them said they would hold up better. They all said after being used a lot the joints where you change pen tips do become weak after a while thus losing heat. I am posting a couple of pictures of the first test piece. It is not the best but didn't think to bad for the first burn. Added a little color at the urging of the LOML. It is going to take a while to get used to burning curves, etc. I still have 4 pens coming, a book on woodburning and a two DVD set to hopefully help with the learning curve. I have two HF's waiting for me to get comfortable enough to do some woodburning on them and hopefully many others.
 

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That looks like Fun Bernie. Not meaning to hijack the post or anything like that but I just recently inherited a burning set as well as carving tools dremels, electric carvers ( see pics) the burner is a razor tip ssd-10 with one fixed tip and one that is interchangable tip(though I can't find the push in style that I have anywhere) from a friends dad that can't use them anymore due to health reasons. One of the guys at the turning club told me that the interchangable tip style I have doesn't exist as it is not the screw in type just a push in. I have no idea only that It works like it is. I have been meaning to spend some time with these as I am interested in incorporating it into the turnings. So this is an interesting post of yours that is definatly interesting maybe even a new section on the family site dedicated to this. Anyways LV has a set of 5 tips on sale right now that I have ordered to see how they work but I have found it impossible to find any tips anywhere even in the local hobby store.
 

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Thanks everyone for the kind comments.

Cynthia I used some pens from Michael's. They are double ended with a brush like tip on one end and spade type tip on the other. I imagine a fine tipped sharpie would work to. I have a couple I am going to try. I also found that the color won't bleed past the burnt lines so that is a good thing.

Drew you might check this website for tips. You can e-mail her as she sells razor burning units and tips. These are the three tips recommended to me. The HD30M, HD14M & 99.015 Pens. Sue Walters is a top woodburner and she was helpful. Her webpage has lots of good info on it. I bought this DVD from her ( Pyrography Nibs & Their Use) and hopeful it will be helpful. I also got here 2 DVD set (Pyrography Workshop with Sue Walters DVD).

http://www.suewalters.com/RazertipEntrancePage.html

I did a awful lot of research before I bought and hopefully will have fun for a long time. Hope this helps.
 
Thanks Bernie, That is fantastic. I picked up a pyrography learn to burn magazine from scrollsaw woodworking & crafts last month and it has a review of all the burners and a complete list of tips and such to do with the burning.
 
Nice set of carving gouges you've got there Drew, some block gouges and some detail gouges plus two sets of riffler rasps, from that set I guess that the previous owner was into bird or decoy carving.

Sorry for the hijack Bernie, that first attempt looks promising to me, I can foresee some turnings with burnt in decorations:thumb::thumb:

I guess that pirography is very much like drawing, you must play with the line thickness to drive the interest where you want it to.
 
Nice set of carving gouges you've got there Drew, some block gouges and some detail gouges plus two sets of riffler rasps, from that set I guess that the previous owner was into bird or decoy carving.

Sorry for the hijack Bernie, that first attempt looks promising to me, I can foresee some turnings with burnt in decorations:thumb::thumb:

I guess that pirography is very much like drawing, you must play with the line thickness to drive the interest where you want it to.

Yea Toni he was into carving birds and animals. I really have no idea what they all do but it should be fun to learn. It took me awhile to figure out the one tool from ryobi that looks like a dremil was actually an electric carver. I am still trying to figure out what the aluminum handle thing is I thought it went with the dremel but i just saw something last night that leads me to beleive that it is a carving attachment. Any help identifying would be of great help as I don't know any stores that even stock these tools so that I can go and ask.
 
Cynthia I will see what I can do. I have been watching a DVD by Brian McEvoy and have 2 DVD's coming from Sue Walters on the pen tips and their uses plus her DVD on starting woodburning. I have 3 more practice pieces I am working on with simple rose patterns but these I sanded just like I was finishing a vase from 80 grit up thru 400 grit. Brian told me that makes it a lot easier and nicer to burn. It has been a learning process.
 
Drew you have figured out the pyro kits are much used by wood carvers. Check out the catalog offerings by suppliers of wood carving tools and accessories. I'll betcha you find your needed tips.
Yes, those carvers make some incredibly realistic ducks and other birds using those detail woodburners.
 
This is the set that is selling at LV Right now that I ordered.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=66965&cat=1,41115,45497&ap=1

The problem I am having is that of the two pens that came with this one has a tip that slides in and out. Not the screw in type and this may just be an older model of the interchangable tips or maybe someone modified it but honestly it looks like this is the way it was made. Anyways I have asked around and no one can tell me for sure and the only interchangable tips are the screw in pens now. What I have makes good contact and such so I ordered the tips to see if they fit what I have.

Takes me back to those old days when we use to get the wood burning kits for christmas. I feel sorry for the kids of today as they are missing out on all the fun stuff we did as kids. My friends were shocked when they came over and saw my kids playing with a hammer and nails. They were all concerned about the kids hurting themselves. I said it will only happen once and then they will learn. :rofl: Rotten dad that I am. :rofl:
 
This is the set that is selling at LV Right now that I ordered.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=66965&cat=1,41115,45497&ap=1

The problem I am having is that of the two pens that came with this one has a tip that slides in and out. Not the screw in type and this may just be an older model of the interchangable tips or maybe someone modified it but honestly it looks like this is the way it was made. Anyways I have asked around and no one can tell me for sure and the only interchangable tips are the screw in pens now. What I have makes good contact and such so I ordered the tips to see if they fit what I have.

Takes me back to those old days when we use to get the wood burning kits for christmas. I feel sorry for the kids of today as they are missing out on all the fun stuff we did as kids. My friends were shocked when they came over and saw my kids playing with a hammer and nails. They were all concerned about the kids hurting themselves. I said it will only happen once and then they will learn. :rofl: Rotten dad that I am. :rofl:

Drew, you're not a rotten Dad. When my son (now 23) was little, whenever his grandpa came over then got out the toolbox and took out the tools one by one (dropping them on the floor). By the time my son was 3 he knew the name of every tool in Grampa's toolbox. :thumb:
 
...The problem I am having is that of the two pens that came with this one has a tip that slides in and out. Not the screw in type and this may just be an older model of the interchangable tips or maybe someone modified it but honestly it looks like this is the way it was made...

The plug-in replaceable tips (and the pens that do with them) are made by Detail Master:

http://www.detailmasteronline.com/pens_repl.html

I've got one of these pens, and the main shortcoming is that sometimes the tips don't make as good of electrical contact as they should, so it doesn't get as hot as you'd like.
 
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