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Wood Burner Plans

Hi All.

A few weeks back I asked for help in troubleshooting some plans I came across on the 'net to make one's own woodburner (pyrographic) control box. Thank you to all who took the time to respond and provide assistance. I now have a working control unit thanks to your help. The following is an article I posted on my web site as well as submitted to one of my club's newsletters: ________ My web URL:

________ The article in full: Making a Burner Control Unit

For years I've used various markers to sign and date my turned pieces. Problems arose when the finish I used would remove or worse yet, smear, the ink. I had to use two different markers depending on whether I was using either an oil-based or an alcohol based finish. I liked the wood burning systems, but with costs passing $120 they were just too expensive for my budget.

I came across a carving web site on which free plans for building a homemade burner control box and hand piece were offered. After assembling the parts and wiring them up as directed, I couldn't get any heat in the nichrome test wire. A couple weeks of troubleshooting with various folks on the rec.crafts.woodturning news group led me to a solution that seems to work beautifully - with total costs coming in at around $25 not including the case, which I elected to make of wood. Here's a rough wiring diagram to perhaps make things a little more clear:

Reply to
Owen Lowe
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What's the cost, so far?

Reply to
Lobby Dosser

Not including the wood to make the enclosure - which was from my scrap bin - about $25. I took the control unit and a quickly made handpiece to a couple local chapters' meetings and folks were suitably impressed. There's quite a good bit of variablity in the heat through the nichrome wire. I think it's a winner and will add a pic to my web page after I get my dig. camera back from the shop. :(

Reply to
Owen Lowe

Oh, yes. One more thing. A fellow member ran my article and plans by his electrical engineer son and got a thumbs up. The only suggestion would be to possibly include a fuse either on the incoming line or on the handpiece line. Not essential, I was told, but wouldn't hurt.

Reply to
Owen Lowe

Lot better than $120! Nichrome wire - hmmm. I've got an old foam cutter kicking around. Wonder if I could use that. I look forward to seeing the handpieces. Thanks for the article.

LD

Reply to
Lobby Dosser

And one other thing --- Nichrome wire brings back memories of high school physics. Mumble mumble mumble whatever you do, do not expose the wire to air; keep it in the water - mumble mumble mumble. Leaves wire sticking out of water. Wire begins burning. Procedes to grab both terminals to shove it under. Zaaaappp!! Learned a fair amount about electricity that day. Plugged into a 110, of course.

LD

Reply to
Lobby Dosser

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