Burn a line...

[Phillip Kelley]

I have seen a video where some type of cord/wire was used to burn a line, the material burned almost instantly...does anyone have any idea what kind of product this may be?

 

[jttheclockman]

Piano wire or guitar wire

 

[Silverado]

Wire fishing leader will also work.

 

[toddlajoie]

They sell these...


KC Wire Burners - 3 Pack | Pen Making | Craft Supplies USA

 

[asyler]

i've also used copper electrical wire. different gauges will give you different burn lines

 

[jttheclockman]

Just a word of caution, Do not Do not Do not wrap wire around your fingers or hands. Also make some handles for it because the wire gets hot. This was a public service announcement. We return to your regularly schedule program already in progress. :biggrin:

 

[alankulwicki7]

As the others have pointed out, most people use wire. I thought about buying some wire burners but I just made my own. Just make sure they are long enough or you risk burning your fingers when the wire gets hot. DAMHIKT

Another thing I've used is a laminate counter sample from Home Depot. Just hold the little sample in your groove and it will burn a nice line...

 

[lorbay]

I use one of these. This is from my Pottery days.
Lin.

 

[Rick_G]

Just about any kind of small gauge wire with a couple handles to hold on to as in lorbay's post.

 

[JimB]

I made mine from guitar string and handles from scrap wood. Any music instrument store will have old strings they will probably just give you or if you have a friend who plays.

As already said, never, ever, wrap the wire around your fingers or hand. Hold only the handles.

 

[Phillip Kelley]

Thanks for suggestions! I have used wire before, Whatever i was watching (can't find it again) smoked almost instantly when it was applied to the wood...I caa't imagine what it may have been.....

 

[JimB]

I think how fast it starts to burn has more to do with lathe speed. I turn up the speed and it starts smoking in a few seconds

 

[terry q]

Those little sample squares of plastic laminate you find at big box stores work pretty well. You can sharpen the edge with sand paper and get a fine line or use the whole thickness for a bold line.

 

[alankulwicki7]

Those little sample squares of plastic laminate you find at big box stores work pretty well. You can sharpen the edge with sand paper and get a fine line or use the whole thickness for a bold line.

Sandpaper works but sometimes I will also thin them out on my disc sander...

 

[thewishman]

The first time I tried this, I realized that copper conducts heat as well as electricity - very efficiently. The next piece, I left the insulation ON!

 

[Super Dave]

I don't remember where I saw it but you can use a Hacksaw frame with a wire between posts. It keeps the fingers safe.

Dave

 

[Sylvanite]

If you're going to make your own line burning tool out of wire, be sure to fabricate handles for it (preferably ball handles). [size=+1]DO NOT hold the bare wire![/size] If, for some reason, the wire snags or wraps the workpiece, you don't want it slicing your hands.

Regards,
Eric

 

[sbwertz]

They sell these...


KC Wire Burners - 3 Pack | Pen Making | Craft Supplies USA

I use this set, too. The handles keep you from burning your fingers, and there are 3 thicknesses of wire for narrow, medium and wide lines.

 

[Tom T]

Any good wire mentioned above will work. They sell three wire kits on a few web sights not sure where mine came from I pick them up with a bunch of other stuff from a really great Turner who was sell tons of stuff.

Pleas heed the warning. You can loose fingers or a hand. Do not grip the wire by hand. Do not use handles with holes in them. The set I have has small wooden balls one on each end(leave that along guys) that the wire is run through the balls. It seem to work well. I got wire prior to that from ace hardware. Cheap and got 5 or so sizes. Comes in a small roll. Put some kind of holder on the short pieces I cut off the roll. Can not remember how I did the handles.

 

[Sylvanite]

AThe set I have has small wooden balls one on each end(leave that along guys) that the wire is run through the balls.

The reason I recommend ball handles is so that if the wire does catch, the balls will be pulled out of your hands. You don't want a handle that will drag your hands into the lathe.

Be safe,
Eric