Enjoyed the video Rick and thanks for the idea of using a saw frame. An old coping saw frame might work for this as well and since they're deeper than a hacksaw allow more wrap around/surface area to contact the wood.
I just watched your video on making a wire burner. Very unique on the hacksaw. As a guitar player, I went by my local guitar shop and they gave me a set of old strings at no cost. They work great and you get 6 different sizes. Even better if you are able to get a 12 string set.. John D
John Danner Good idea, John. I'm not a guitar player or any stringed instrument (or any non-stringed instrument) player, so that never occurred to me. I thought about trying weed whacker line, but that didn't seem too likely to work. I also tried using the back side of a hacksaw blade (the non-toothed side), and it worked but not very well...I think the metal conducted the heat away too fast for it to burn effectively.
Good tip Rick! And just think, I was considering tossing my old Craftsman hacks saw from the 1970's. LOL Repurpose is now the name of the game. All the best, Charlie
A piece of formica can be used to burn a perpendicular face or can be held perpendicular to an angled face and won't slip out like a wire. Interesting idea with the saw frames, but the dowels at the end of the wire work great.
+Doug Freeman Hi, Doug. Thanks for commenting. I haven't had any formica, but I have used quarter-inch thick pieces of MDF before. I have several wire and handle burners, but I wanted a method that didn't require me to reach over the lathe.
anyone know what rpm's the lathe needs to be running. my entry level delta lathe doesn't seem to turn fast enough to burn, just leaves a nice groove. same with the strip of mdf to burn in stripes into my lighthouse ornaments. 1500 rpm?
1500 rpm should be plenty fast. I don’t think MDF is going to work very well. Wire is the best. I have used the narrow Formica samples that you can get at Home Depot or Lowe’s. I have several gauges of steel wire that I use.
Thank you, Robert. For face burning, I use a small Formica sample that I picked up at Home Depot. A narrow scrap of wood will also work, or an old credit card or something similar.
Hello Rick. I know this is not wire burning but you can use other substances to burn lines and it works on normal (as in 90 degrees to axial rotation) surfaces. I use a small piece of Formica but understand that stiff cardboard works. Maybe a good follow up to your video would be what other substances would work under such conditions.
BowlsByCharles I believe I've heard Formica mentioned as a burning tool. I've never tried that, but I have used small thickness pieces of MDF for burning 1/4" lines....it works okay, but the edges aren't really sharp. Thanks for the ideas!
RICK, one more tid bit. Don't touch the wire after using it. If it's hot enough to burn wood, it will burn your skin to. Be careful where put the wire right after burning the wood. I've seen the wire burn the bench. I've seen the wire laid on paper and it actually started on fire. Be safe, be careful. Always think safety first!
You're absolutely right, Richard, and I wish I had made that point in the video. I always hang my burning wire on a metal peg without it touching anything until it cools down. Thanks for the tip!
If someone is going to burn lines in a bowl like you demonstrated, do you cut the grooves first, apply finish and then burn the lines or do you burn them and then apply finish?
Hi, David. I always burn the lines before I apply finish. I usually will may a very small groove with the tip of a skew or a point tool,,because that makes it much easier to keep the wire in the right place at the start of the cut.
Yes, it does, although it gets used up faster than a wire. I use Formica samples from Home Depot for burning lines on face surfaces, where a wire won’t work.
I think the saw frame idea is perfect. I have a couple old coping saw frames and soon will have a couple nice 'framed' burning tools. Thanks for a great idea.....
Cool another tool I can make ! I just bought everything I need to make a set of 4 carbide cutters I got EVERYTHING I needed on ebay for 50 bucks including shipping so happy with that ! I'll email you when I'm done.....can I enter them for my turning project? .......thanks.....John
Hi, Morris. I didn't try that and it might just work. In the past, I've tried to use a length of thin metal stock to burn a line, and it didn't work very well...I think because the mass of the metal absorbs the heat fairly quickly. With the wire, there's not much metal to suck the heat away.
I had to look that up one up...I had never heard of a shotel. I use a 12" hacksaw frame for a larger worth piece. In practice, however, it doesn't really matter. If an inch or so of the wire is in contact with the work, the burning occurs very quickly.
I was wearing a short sleeved t-shirt and thought I was safe. I took another look at my video...you're right, my left sleeve was very near the spinning work piece when I was using the two-handle wire burner. That's a good reason to use my hacksaw-frame burner only! Thanks!
I did do that one time, although I don’t think I used walnut. It was on the edge of a turning where a burning wire wouldn’t work. Thanks for watching, Cynthia.
you are trying to burn a line on an inclined plane. , looks about 45 degrees. and then you push straight down . This is probably why the wire slips . It need to be pressured at right angles to the wood. This keeps the wire taught, and slipping to the side would need the wire to lengthen. Keeping the wire taught and perpendicular to the wood , not to the rotation, keeps it in the groove. Try it.
Hi, Geoff. The only time I have a problem with the wire slipping out of the precut groove is when I'm working on a section of the spindle that is angled down or up, which I think is what you're talking about. Right? However, since the wire curves under pressure, applying on an angled area of the work precludes a clean cut at a 90 degree angle to the surface. If the wire only contacted at a single point, then it could be held at 90 degrees to the surface, without slipping out of the groove.
I've tried using metal bars before and it didn't work. I think it's because the thicker metal conducts the heat away too rapidly, and because the bar won't wrap around the workpiece like a wire will,so it won't generate enough heat.
Now I know why I kept an old hack saw handle all these years. Thank you very much.
Thanks for commenting, Daniel!
Thank you for the demonstration Rick.
+Jack Maravola Thank you, Jack.
Thanks for putting this together for our viewing pleasure.
Dave
David Sutton Thanks for commenting, Dave.
Love the tshirt.
Have only just recently seen this turning burn technique, thanks for the vid.
+Aaron DC mediA It's my favorite T-shirt! Thanks for commenting, Aaron.
Thank you for the wire burning techniques.... As always thanks for your knowledge.....
Thanks, Randy!
Enjoyed the video Rick and thanks for the idea of using a saw frame. An old coping saw frame might work for this as well and since they're deeper than a hacksaw allow more wrap around/surface area to contact the wood.
You're right, Tim. I didn't think of using a coping saw frame...that would work well. Thanks for the tip!
I just watched your video on making a wire burner. Very unique on the hacksaw. As a
guitar player, I went by my local guitar shop and they gave me a set of old strings at no cost. They work great and you get 6 different sizes. Even better if you are able to get a 12 string set..
John D
John Danner Good idea, John. I'm not a guitar player or any stringed instrument (or any non-stringed instrument) player, so that never occurred to me. I thought about trying weed whacker line, but that didn't seem too likely to work. I also tried using the back side of a hacksaw blade (the non-toothed side), and it worked but not very well...I think the metal conducted the heat away too fast for it to burn effectively.
OMG that is a great IDEA, I love it! thank you!
Thank you, Tara.
Great video! Thanks!
+Steve Brown Thanks, Steve!
Good tip Rick! And just think, I was considering tossing my old Craftsman hacks saw from the 1970's. LOL Repurpose is now the name of the game. All the best, Charlie
Charlie Zellner Thanks for the comment, Charlie!
I like the hack saw idea, I used an old bike break cable and drilled a hole in the handle and tied it off with a electrical crimp thing
That sounds like a couple of really good ideas. Thanks for watching, John.
Genius!
Thank you!
Great vid! May I suggest Kanthal wire? Used in heaters and what not. Also used in vaping.
Thanks for the suggestion, Doug.
very cool
Thanks for watching, Jeff.
I just made a few nice ones from some scrap baltic birch 1/2 inch ply I had laying around from my scroll sawing days.
That sounds like a good way to build it, Steve.
A piece of formica can be used to burn a perpendicular face or can be held perpendicular to an angled face and won't slip out like a wire. Interesting idea with the saw frames, but the dowels at the end of the wire work great.
+Doug Freeman Hi, Doug. Thanks for commenting. I haven't had any formica, but I have used quarter-inch thick pieces of MDF before. I have several wire and handle burners, but I wanted a method that didn't require me to reach over the lathe.
anyone know what rpm's the lathe needs to be running. my entry level delta lathe doesn't seem to turn fast enough to burn, just leaves a nice groove. same with the strip of mdf to burn in stripes into my lighthouse ornaments. 1500 rpm?
1500 rpm should be plenty fast. I don’t think MDF is going to work very well. Wire is the best. I have used the narrow Formica samples that you can get at Home Depot or Lowe’s. I have several gauges of steel wire that I use.
Great idea, wire works better if you tension it.
I'll try that out. I leave it slack so that more of the wire will touch the wood. Thanks for watching, Joe.
Great video. Any methods for an interior burn line?
Thank you, Robert. For face burning, I use a small Formica sample that I picked up at Home Depot. A narrow scrap of wood will also work, or an old credit card or something similar.
Hello Rick. I know this is not wire burning but you can use other substances to burn lines and it works on normal (as in 90 degrees to axial rotation) surfaces. I use a small piece of Formica but understand that stiff cardboard works. Maybe a good follow up to your video would be what other substances would work under such conditions.
BowlsByCharles I believe I've heard Formica mentioned as a burning tool. I've never tried that, but I have used small thickness pieces of MDF for burning 1/4" lines....it works okay, but the edges aren't really sharp. Thanks for the ideas!
RICK, one more tid bit. Don't touch the wire after using it. If it's hot enough to burn wood, it will burn your skin to. Be careful where put the wire right after burning the wood. I've seen the wire burn the bench. I've seen the wire laid on paper and it actually started on fire. Be safe, be careful. Always think safety first!
You're absolutely right, Richard, and I wish I had made that point in the video. I always hang my burning wire on a metal peg without it touching anything until it cools down. Thanks for the tip!
Have you ever tried a small gauge braided wire for burning such as wire sold for hanging pictures?
+MM Reporter I haven't tried that, but it does sound like a good idea. Thanks for the suggestion!
RickTurns it works fine.
yes they are called KC Burning wires, Rockler has them too... Nice job, and yes I am going to make me some now...
Cw Hussey Thanks for commenting, CW.
If someone is going to burn lines in a bowl like you demonstrated, do you cut the grooves first, apply finish and then burn the lines or do you burn them and then apply finish?
Hi, David. I always burn the lines before I apply finish. I usually will may a very small groove with the tip of a skew or a point tool,,because that makes it much easier to keep the wire in the right place at the start of the cut.
Thanks Rick. I'm just trying to learn. There's a lot of stuff to know.
A piece of Formica works very well.
Yes, it does, although it gets used up faster than a wire. I use Formica samples from Home Depot for burning lines on face surfaces, where a wire won’t work.
Rick: I have done a lot of Marquetry in the past and have several coping saws. I agree with Tim Pollock in the use
Yes, a coping saw frame would work well. Thanks for watching!
I think the saw frame idea is perfect. I have a couple old coping saw frames and soon will have a couple nice 'framed' burning tools. Thanks for a great idea.....
Cool another tool I can make ! I just bought everything I need to make a set of 4 carbide cutters I got EVERYTHING I needed on ebay for 50 bucks including shipping so happy with that ! I'll email you when I'm done.....can I enter them for my turning project? .......thanks.....John
I think you’ll like the carbide tools, and it’s fun to make your own tools. I’d love to see a picture when you’re done.
nice burn video .
Robert Kutz Thank you, Robert.
Would flipping the saw blade not work?
Hi, Morris. I didn't try that and it might just work. In the past, I've tried to use a length of thin metal stock to burn a line, and it didn't work very well...I think because the mass of the metal absorbs the heat fairly quickly. With the wire, there's not much metal to suck the heat away.
should use a modified Shotel (curved knife), would allow you to use it on larger pieces of wood
I had to look that up one up...I had never heard of a shotel. I use a 12" hacksaw frame for a larger worth piece. In practice, however, it doesn't really matter. If an inch or so of the wire is in contact with the work, the burning occurs very quickly.
packs of guitar string are about $5- $7 and come with a variety of gauges.
+Robert Schuster Thanks for the tip, Robert! I'm not a guitar player, and would never have thought of that.
👍
Thanks for all your comments, Major.
I was scared your shirt was gonna get caught in the machine , I think it would have been safer to go under instead of over 😬
I was wearing a short sleeved t-shirt and thought I was safe. I took another look at my video...you're right, my left sleeve was very near the spinning work piece when I was using the two-handle wire burner. That's a good reason to use my hacksaw-frame burner only! Thanks!
Scrap piece of Wanut shaped as a shim will do the same burn,thick or thin..Have a great day
I did do that one time, although I don’t think I used walnut. It was on the edge of a turning where a burning wire wouldn’t work. Thanks for watching, Cynthia.
Thank's for your quick response..
you are trying to burn a line on an inclined plane. , looks about 45 degrees. and then you push straight down . This is probably why the wire slips . It need to be pressured at right angles to the wood. This keeps the wire taught, and slipping to the side would need the wire to lengthen. Keeping the wire taught and perpendicular to the wood , not to the rotation, keeps it in the groove. Try it.
Hi, Geoff. The only time I have a problem with the wire slipping out of the precut groove is when I'm working on a section of the spindle that is angled down or up, which I think is what you're talking about. Right? However, since the wire curves under pressure, applying on an angled area of the work precludes a clean cut at a 90 degree angle to the surface. If the wire only contacted at a single point, then it could be held at 90 degrees to the surface, without slipping out of the groove.
why not just turn the hacksaw blades upside down
I've tried using metal bars before and it didn't work. I think it's because the thicker metal conducts the heat away too rapidly, and because the bar won't wrap around the workpiece like a wire will,so it won't generate enough heat.
Not to be picky, but you should lose the watch!
It's too expensive to lose. Maybe I should just take it off while I'm turning. ;-)
Lol @@RickTurnsWoodturning
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