Somethng I learned last night

Did it leave anything decorative?

Kevin I like a first or second string from a steel string guitar, but we bluegrass people do some strange things anyway. :-)

Thanks for the info, I have been using a 2' piece of concrete rebar tie wire (comes in spools) and it works great. I estimate it is about 1/16" or less. The steel wire works better, heats up quicker. Next time somebody pours a sidewalk in your area...........bum a piece from the form workers. They won't miss 2' off the 100' roll strapped on their side. Good Luck Lyndell

Can get the same at a slightly higher price as picture hanging wire. Annealed solid steel, not braided. My shop is pretty messy, but even allowing for losses in the sweepings, I'm still working the same $1.39 roll after five years.

Actually, I walked into the Dollar Store a while ago and saw somw wire fishing leaders, about 5 in a pack, and bought them. The braided outside wire burned off fast but the interior wire holds up well and does a nice job of burning lines. It was just a thought for someone who does not play guitar or banjo or for that matter does not know a player. If you get the e and b string from someone changing strings, it should give a several years supply of burning wire.

And if you really want to go upscale, get a hack saw and mount the wire where the blade goes. Gets good tension on it, and easy to manipulate. Should go w/o saying that one should never wrap the wire around their fingers!

...Kevin

I use common soft wire that comes in a roll in a box from Lowes. A trick I use for tapered areas to help start the burn straight: I cut a tiny groove with a sharpened tool made from an old screwdriver. Then the wire will start the burn right in the groove without slipping around.

Right Kevin! Handles on the wires! there is a picture of one idea on my quick tips page.

I use braided copper wire, about 12 gauge... got 50' of the stuff from a friend that wanted me to ground the dc hoses.. *g*

I like the garrote style, lots of wire wrapped onto 2 pieces of 3/4" dowel... the point is to burn the wood, not your fingers... DAMHIKT

mac

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How fast are you spinning? The way copper conducts heat, I gave up on it fairly early on the way to steel.

Usually still at 450, the speed that I sand at.. (slowest available) If I'm not getting the burn that I want, I'll go to 800..

I've never had it conduct enough heat to scorch the dowels, and it seems to work well for me.. I'll eventually go with Derrell's idea with the fishing leader, as my neighbor uses it on his boat, but not until I manage to wear out the one I'm using now..

Then again, my kid WAS talking about getting new strings for his electric guitar.. *g*

mac

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