Intro to Wood Burning

Intro: Intro to Wood Burning

This doesn't go into to much detail, but it will show you whether or not you will enjoy wood burning or if it isn't for you. Its a cheap way to decorate a room. and it is environmentally friendly because it doesn't require shipping and is made from natural materials such as wood.
you can get a wood burning kit at wal-mart, micheals, target or any store like these. or if your lucky you can pick one up for cheap at a flea market (make sure its in good shape becaus eyou don't want sparks flying everywhere). i got a few peices of wood with my kit but i bought most at Micheals. You can get small plaques at wal-mart and target also. (sunkist is also available at wal-mart.). Don't limit yourself to just plaques and the like. you can burn anything thats wood, such as a porch swing, a bench, a box, a carving, or a frame. Start out simple though, you don't want to stress your self out and then get so down on yourself that you don't want to try it any more. It is tough and takes patience and time so don't rush it but it is worth it when you see it everyday and know that you put your soul into it unlike if you just went to the store and bought a painting.

STEP 1: Gathering Suplies

for a simple wood burning, you will need a wood burner, a tip (preferably a multi-tip for beginners), a peice of wood that you want to engrave/burn, and a safe surface to set the burner down on while cooling. this is often overlooked andresults in fire damage (don't be an idiot and burn down the neighborhood). For this i used a ceramic coffee cup.

STEP 2: The Burning

you need to have an idea picked out before you start wood burning. woodburning, like making a sculpture, is unforgiving. if you mess up you have to start over or cover it up. wood burning requiers a steady hand and patience. you can't rush it, some more complex wood burnings take dayse on end to complete. if you don't have either of these skills, wood burning will not work out for you.

start with the words (if you want it to have any). then add in pictures or a back ground here are two of the more simple ones i have done.

STEP 3: The Burning: Step 2

you want to draw out before hand what you will be burning because, as i said, you can't mess up. if you don't have much faith in yourself you can draw exactly how you want it to look and just place the picture over the wood and poke in dots. then its just a matter of connecting the dots. for your first wood burning i would suggest this. if its an object that is in front of you and not drawn, it helps to have it in front of you.

STEP 4: Finished

its hard to tell people what to do because wood burning is an art that you have to create yourself. when you are done either hang up the wood burning or prop it up. then sit back and enjoy your homemade artwork. here are some pictures of a few of my other wood burnings.

Comments

[sharooq]

Hi, I also wanted to try pyrography. But I invested in a soldering iron instead of a wood burner tool. Well, my first iron stopped heating after the first try, then I went ahead and got a new one. Well 6 keychains later it got burned out on me again. Ever since I'm wondering if the soldering iron's purpose is to heat up ,solder and cool down, and I was keeping it heated for a longer time, maybe thats why it didnt work. Any leads, ideas on this logic?. Shall I get a wood burner tool now, i'm enjoyong this art. Can you guide me to get which one will last longer. As I'm from Pakistan and we don't get hobby tools easily so I probably will have to order from the US. Please, your guidance will be appreciated. Thanks

[mahmad22]

A soldering iron should work on a soft wood and give it a minute to heat up. Im a pakistani myself but I find most of the things you just have to look for them.

[Caitlinsawr]

I want to get into this. Where can I find an easy to handle wood burning pen? Is it just one device or several to make it?

[houseofjules]

What does the grading tip on the wood burner do? I have just started, but I cannot seem to figure out exactly what it's supposed to do.

[ablasi]

So... this instructable didn't actually have any INSTRUCTIONS.

[jjohnston9]

I make game boards using woodburning, it's a lot of fun.

[hrvatska]

I am wondering if you could maybe show the different tips that a standard woodburner might come with, and what effect each one would have on the wood? I'm wanting to burn a design into a coffee table, but have never tried woodburning before. Big project to start with, i know :/

[Dakota Joel98]

I encourage all woodworking people to try this, my parents got me one and I am using it all the time, and it burns much smoother if you pre-draw your pic in pen or pencil. Definitely worth trying.

[omnomnivore3]

So I just finished using a wood burner for Sculpture class and since it was the first time, it was primarily guesswork, but I like the results on the blocks

[jakesllama]

i wood burn my carvings with a sunny day and a magnifling glass inexpensive and it works

[Keira_Yagami]

how much would a good wood burner from Wal-mart cost approx?

[PyroMaster007]

fifteen bucks at the most.

[wolf555hound]

I also think I have the same exact one, and I'd like to know...... could it be used as a soldering iron?

[wolf555hound]

Also, my dad made a wood burned picture, it was a detective hold a dagger behind a cloak. Its amazing.

[mg0930mg]

Do you have a picture? That sounds cool.

[wolf555hound]

yes i do! I took 2 pics as soon as I read this.

[mg0930mg]

That's really cool. Thanks for taking pictures.

[wolf555hound]

no problem, ive been wanting a few pics on my comp any ways.

[wolf555hound]

OK, I have found out you CAN use this as a soldering iron. Just hold it there for a bit. W00T this is gunna really help me.

[mg0930mg]

This will destroy your wood burner, though...