Using wires for burning?

[Dino]

So I just turned a quick little carvers mallet for myself and wanted to add a few little details.

I've seen videos on youtube where people use wire to add burnlines on the wood in little recess they make but I have no idea which wire to use!

I have some copper wire but as soon as it touched the wood it snapped due to heat.

Thanks guys!

 

[nev]

Guitar strings work well, just remember to use some wooden 'handles'.

 

[paulm]

Or a bit of formica pressed into the groove heats up and chars a nice dark line too.

Cheers, Paul

 

[Dino]

Guitar strings! Yes! I have some of those.

And...what is formica Paul? Google shows me some kind of plastic.

 

[Hitch]

I use welding wire between a couple of pairs of vise grips.
Usually plenty of that readily available!

 

[Woodmonkey]

Use one of the thicker (bottom three) strings they burn much better than the thinner ones

 

[CHJ]

Whatever wire you use make sure it is attached to a couple of scrap bits of wood, do not be tempted to hold it in your fingers
Severed fingers make a mess of unsealed wood.

 

[Dino]

haha, thanks for the advice CHJ...I was tempted, I'll be honest. And thanks Woodmonkey, I'll definitely do so.

 

[monkeybiter]

I've used copper from electrical cable, but I like the sound of the formica, it would allow for rings on a flat surface etc.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It's easier if you score a line first (not in a cocaine sense) - it'll save the wire slipping around. Also if you wish to do parallel lines, use a sharp dividers to score a series of lines - you can keep them dead parallel.

 

[Dino]

Yeah, I figured that. I scored the lines already just need a way to actually...burn them.

 

[gregmcateer]

And...what is formica Paul? Google shows me some kind of plastic.

Correct:
Wikipedia is your friend;
Formica laminate is a brand of composite materials manufactured by New Zealand-based Formica Group. The material was discovered in 1912, and is manufactured for a variety of applications today. In common use, the term Formica refers to the company's classic product, a heat-resistant, wipe-clean, plastic laminate of paper or fabric with melamine resin.

I haven't tried it, but I would think any form of man-made laminate, (i.e. not wood!), should work.

Try breaking a bit of some old kitchen worktop and use that.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[Bodrighy]

I haven't tried it myself but have heard that old credit cards work as well.

Pete

 

[J-G]

And...what is formica Paul? Google shows me some kind of plastic.

Formica laminate is a brand of composite materials [...]
Try breaking a bit of some old kitchen worktop and use that.

You could try to find a local joinery company and beg them for some of their old samples. The various manufacturers send these out each time there is a change on the patterns offered. I have a customer who uses laminates for a variety of his work and seeing a box full of old samples I begged a few strings with just this process in mind.

The samples in the photo are 54 x 67 x 0.7mm thick 'Nevamar' by Panolam and if anyone would like some they are welcome to them for the cost of postage - send me a PM.

 

[ianedge]

I saw somewhere that you can use the base material from printed circuit boards so I gave it a try and it seems to work ok,

 

[Dino]

I picked the guitar string route since I had some of those! Currently the glue is drying on my make-shift wooden...toggles?

I'll post a picture of the mallet when I am done asking for tips and what not. Should be tomorrow or tuesday.

 

[chill]

I haven't tried it myself but have heard that old credit cards work as well

must have money to burn :lol:

 

[chipmunk]

Brass picture wire often has a fine steel wire in the middle to provide the strength.
This single strand of steel wire (approx 0.5mm) is ideal and even though the temper goes quite quickly it doesn't matter.

...but as others have said use wooden toggles on each end and create a groove with either a skew point or the corner of a scraper to stop the wire moving from where you want the burn line.

This will obviously only work for spindles and the formica is your best bet for grooves in a flat surface.

HTH
Jon

 

[Glynne]

For larger lines, bike (& motorbike) cables work well.

 

[duncanh]

I saw somewhere that you can use the base material from printed circuit boards so I gave it a try and it seems to work ok,

Yes, PCB material works well, it's what I use for flat work. I tend to use the fibre glass version. I also use paxolin, which is a type of resin bonded paper. Use some extraction or a mask when using these as I believe they give off unpleasant gases when burned.
For wire I have some that I bought years back specifically for the job. I think it's nickel chrome wire and is the same as used in pyrography machines - I have a few reels which I bought from Peter Child a few years ago. It can take a lot of heat and lasts for ages.