Pyrography FAQs - Great for users looking to get into pyrography.
#What are the best woodburning/pryography pens and who sells them? Everyone has their own opinion on the “best” burner, but in the end it all comes down to just practicing the skill. You can make amazing detailed pictures with just about any burner out there. There are 2 main types of tips, thicker tips that you screw into the pen and smaller wire tips that are pushed into the pen not screwed in, there are also fixed tip pens that has the nib wired into the pen itself. The main companies that sell wood burning tools in the US are: Razertip, Colwood, and Walnut Hollow.
Below are a few options for woodburning units, these range in price, from 30$ low-end units like the Walnut Hollow Detailer, to 250$ (or more) higher-end units like Razortip D10.
Razortip| Colwood| Walnut Hollow ---|---|----|---- Razortip SK| Colwood Cub (Great Starter Unit)| Creative Versa-Tool (Very popular) Razortip P80| Colwood Detailer| Creative Woodburner Razortip SS-D10| Colwood Super Pro | Creative Detailer
#What kind of wood is best to burn on? The most common woods to burn on are Basswood, Birch, Balsa, Poplar, and pine (be warned, pine is sappy and difficult to burn on if inexperienced). These are woods that burn at lower temperatures, both basswood and birch have a very light color with almost no grain while pine has a stronger grain and can release sap when burning. Hardwoods such as maple (my personal favorite), cherry, and walnut will require higher temperatures when burning. Make sure what you are burning on is untreated wood, burning on treated, stained, oiled wood will cause fumes in the air that can be dangerous (if this is the case sanding/stripping the wood may be required before burning). Certain woods are unsafe to burn on as they contain oils/release a chemical when burned (though it happens naturally, it is still dangerous to our lungs). These woods are usually exotic, so remember to do your research. The easiest place to find wood to burn would be at popular craft stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby and big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes. Walnut Hollow also sells wood online as well, but for a wider selection of wood types and thicknesses check out your local wood mill or lumber yard.
For inquiries about wood types, use Wood Database.com for further information. Type in wood in question, and look underneath the allergies/toxicity section.
#My tips/nibs aren't burning as well as they used to This could be due to your tip needing to be cleaned. Tips get carbon buildup and burning over sap will also cause it to not burn as efficiently. Just get a very fine grit sandpaper (600 grit or higher) or crocus (some also use tinfoil or tea strainers) and remove the buildup on the tip. As a warning though, using sandpaper will eventually wear out your tip as it thins the metal over time. Also remember to temper your woodburning tips before use. The most common way people break their wood burning pens is by putting them straight on the board after buying them. Before putting any pressure on the tip of a pen, you first should always temper the metal by heating it up for 15-30 seconds, then letting it cool off. The metal should darken, giving it greater strength, and making it less likely to break.
#What’s the best way to get the image on the wood? Many people use transfer paper aka graphite paper and just trace it directly onto the wood, usually some level of B lead will work not H. There are also methods of printing and transferring the ink onto the wood, but it does depend on the type of printer you have (laser vs. inkjet). Drawing directly on the wood is also a good way to get your image ready to burn. I recommend using darker lead on you drawings and transfers, 2b or higher should do the trick.
#What do I use to protect the wood after I finish my burn? Common finishes include oil based, water based seals like polyurethane or polyacrylic. There is wipe vs spray, food safe, lacquer etc. Best depends on a few factors, will it be exposed to sunlight, do you mind the color changing after application (deepening in color, yellowing over time, bringing out the grain more in the background), do you want a glossy finish vs matte finish.
#How do I fix mistakes? Oh wouldn't it be nice to be able to erase mistakes... well there are a few options to fix that pesky burn. You can sand the area down (200 grit or higher to avoid scratch marks) or use a small sharp knife like an Xacto blade and lightly scrape over the area, this is also a nice way to make sharp clean lines or scratch out some highlights. Dremel tools are also effective at removing unwanted burns, but are more expensive than other means.
#Can I burn on ___? There are many different things you can burn on (just make sure it is untreated) such as leather, bone, paper, plywood (the first layer is thin wood, if you burn through this layer then you will hit the glue layer which can cause a horrible smell and can be dangerous for your health), and cork. Generally the more dense the material you are trying to burn on, the higher the heat required.
#Is woodburning safe indoors? As long as you have the proper ventilation it is safe to burn indoors, you can get a carbon filter if you need more ventilation/ burn at high temperatures often that create a lot more smoke. I highly recommend plugging your wood burner into a power strip with an on-off switch, and getting in the habit of switching both your burner and the power strip off after leaving the room.
#Can I use a soldering Iron instead of a pyrography pen? Soldering irons tend to not get as hot as a pyrography pen because the solder melts at a lower temperature than wood burns. It is possible to use a soldering iron, though the tips are not as ideal and the results may not be as good as if done with a pyrography pen.
#additional Information:
Past discussion Threads:
######Thank you to u/MerryContrerry for putting this list together! Edited by u/Nine_Five_Core_Hound.
Posted Jan 15, 2021, 7:00 PM UTC · edited