Does anyone have any tips on wire burning? 
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Wire Burning
- Thread starter rowdyyates115
- Start date
Only thing I will say is just be careful it don't snatch and start spinning.
I use two pairs of pliers and hold the wire between em just in case, believe me there have been many occasions when I am glad I did.
Any bit of wire will do Ie welding wire to fuse wire will do the job, I am using at the moment nickel chrome wire for the heat qualities it has, a wider piece is fantastic for burnishing.
I use two pairs of pliers and hold the wire between em just in case, believe me there have been many occasions when I am glad I did.
Any bit of wire will do Ie welding wire to fuse wire will do the job, I am using at the moment nickel chrome wire for the heat qualities it has, a wider piece is fantastic for burnishing.
sbwertz
Full Member
Take a couple of 1" dowels about 3 inches long, and drill a small hole in the center of each to make handles for the wire. Thread the wire through the holes and secure it. The wire gets HOT. I have three different thicknesses of wire, and painted the handles different colors so I can tell at a glance which is which. Mine are about 10 inches long.
I just use the braided wire from fishing traces with a 75mm x 25mm handle on each end. Can also use a pointed piece of hardwood.
For internal burning I use the free lamination sample (kitchen worktops) from most hardware & kitchen design stores.
HTH
Col
For internal burning I use the free lamination sample (kitchen worktops) from most hardware & kitchen design stores.
HTH
Col
You do whatever suits you just remember when it grabs, and it has and still does with me .
You will be standing against a metal bladed strimmer, I urge you to use caution.
There is no safe way I have found though Woody's idea of the saw sounds the neatest and best suggestion yet.
Using handles is giving your lathe a set of nunchucks to play with, come on people we have beginners here as well as you experienced bloody idiots.
Think about the advise you give out.
Braided wire??? I hope you wear a suit of armour in front of that the flails would slice you to pieces. Good advise??
You will be standing against a metal bladed strimmer, I urge you to use caution.
There is no safe way I have found though Woody's idea of the saw sounds the neatest and best suggestion yet.
Using handles is giving your lathe a set of nunchucks to play with, come on people we have beginners here as well as you experienced bloody idiots.
Think about the advise you give out.
Braided wire??? I hope you wear a suit of armour in front of that the flails would slice you to pieces. Good advise??
Jim
Grand Master
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2011
- Posts
- 15,617
Over at T/R they sell these Kip Christensen Wire Burners Pen Turners i bought a set of these a long while ago, but i now go down the road of using the hardwood for my burning, no problems with wires breaking using this method ... 
Over at T/R they sell these Kip Christensen Wire Burners Pen Turners i bought a set of these a long while ago, but i now go down the road of using the hardwood for my burning, no problems with wires breaking using this method ...
After reading about the dangers of wire I think the hardwood stylus is the way to proceed..just don't poke your eye out with it !!!:wink:
Over at T/R they sell these Kip Christensen Wire Burners Pen Turners i bought a set of these a long while ago, but i now go down the road of using the hardwood for my burning, no problems with wires breaking using this method ...
Total lunacy in my opinion, I am no H&S advocate I learn through my own mistakes.
I certainly wouldn't pay for them and if I did I would bring a law suit to whoever I bought them from at the first accident.
I don't want to put you off using wire, I use it myself but keep it short, no longer than needed for the job and be ready to stand back and switch off the moment it snatches.
You only have to go a touch too deep and that will take the wire straight out of your hands hence I use pliers and pull against the length of wire so my hands come away when it grips.
Use wire by all means but think about how you use it and what type of wire, only ever a single strand of varying width / gauge for me
I have done what Woody suggested, works brilliantly thanks for the tip Woody.
I use a little jnr hacksaw with some of Brian's heater element wire.
Fat clumsy fingers nowhere near the spinny bit wonderful idea young man.
And I found I have more control over over the pressure I apply.
Recommended top tip for today.
I use a little jnr hacksaw with some of Brian's heater element wire.
Fat clumsy fingers nowhere near the spinny bit wonderful idea young man.
And I found I have more control over over the pressure I apply.
Recommended top tip for today.
Good on yer George put a photo of it up so everyone can see what its like I still haven't made another one yet
Well you caught me by surprise there Woody, it's nothing special just a poundland jnr hacksaw with a bit of wire tied in knots.
I did think I might use the adjuster to tension the wire and guess what? It works perfectly, yet so simple even I could manage it all on my own LOL.
I use an old brake cable and a gear
I prefer to use a small piece of Formica held at a downward angle in line with the lathe bed, if it did snatch it would end up in a pile of shavings, though this hasn't happened yet.
I have tried wire but wasn't keen, not that it didn't work well, it did, but I`d forget how hot it had got, put it down somewhere inappropriate & regret it immediately
I have tried wire but wasn't keen, not that it didn't work well, it did, but I`d forget how hot it had got, put it down somewhere inappropriate & regret it immediately
On my way to Poundland tomorrow...... Cheers