[Irish]

Hey Vicki,

Thaks for joining in. I will try the steel wool tomorrow morning to see how it lifts the haloing. This is something that had never happened before this so ... I hadn't had to find a solution to it

Woodie,

To quote a favorite TV German WWII officer "I know Nothing!" about the why behind the heavy cords or why three different grades.

There seems to be a different in feel (and that's all this is - a judgement call by a non-techno geek) between the Colwood cord and the RazorTip cord. The RazorTip 'feels' lighter in weight or thickness then the Colwood. I noticed this right off and made note of it back in the visual part of this thread.

The Colwood cord is nicely flexible during work and moves well in relationship to the pen, no problem here.

In my experience, this is just my experience, the RazorTip cord can become too flexible and sort of limp. It gives me lots of movement but I have had a couple of times that, being too focused on the burning, I didn't realize the cord had crept (sp)/slipped/moved very close to the pen tip.

The last time I was pulling the tip towards me in a long stroke and just about burned into the cord ... AH! So I grabbed a large paper clip and a couple of big metal washers to hang on the cord about a foot away from the pen. That has added just enough weight that the cord stays out of my way.

The last thing I want to experience is the shocking sensation of my pen tip burning through my pen cord while I am holding it .... That experience did teach me to not only pay close attention to where I am burning on the wood but also to keep checking my surrounding areas on the table.

Again, not having any understanding of electric work ... could the heavy cord gauge be part of why this pen tip doesn't lose heat when it hits the wood ???

Bill,

Excellent suggestion. I will see if I can obtain the heavier cord. That would let me try it and also try out how easy or hard exchanging the cords would be with their back arrangement .... But, you realize, again, all I could post here is my impressions, feelings or experiences, nothing as tangible as 'gee, this increased the temp setting 15% in ratio to the whatchamacallit on the whozeboob connector ...

Susan

[Bandaid]

Thanks for being so generous with your talents Susan. Great tutorial.

Reg

[Irish]

I wanted a chance to play with this new unit without having to stop for photos, take notes, think out and write down where I was headed next or go to the scanner before I did something different.

This is about 1 1/2 hours of play.

Susan

(Mike absolutely put his foot down that I can't turn this one into a step-by-step. He said I would be posting until New Years Day ... sorry.)

[Woodartist]

I don't think the technical details matter, Susan. The most important info will be what you see at the business end of the pen....if any. That is what counts to the pyrographer.......

[WOODIE13]

Very nice!

[Pyrographer]

Originally Posted by Irish

I wanted a chance to play with this new unit without having to stop for photos, take notes, think out and write down where I was headed next or go to the scanner before I did something different.

This is about 1 1/2 hours of play.

Susan

(Mike absolutely put his foot down that I can't turn this one into a step-by-step. He said I would be posting until New Years Day ... sorry.)

ok, but curious which technique you used...squiggles, tight circles, etc????

Nedra

[Irish]

I guess you would say its a real tight squiggle - random doodle stroke at low temp ... around 4. There are a few places like under her eyes where I used the side of my writing tool to 'pull' in a little shading.

I did try the skew as a shader .... AH! .... I just have no control over that technique?!? So I went right back to my tight little doodles.

I am not going to 'review' the skew chisels here. I am so unable-incapable-untalented with that type of tip that I have no right to cast judgment in any way shape or form!!!! One day, Nedra, I am headed your way and gonna plop my bottom down into one of your class chairs so that you can show me how you use that shader tip !!!!

I didn't get any further on this portrait today. And, usually I wouldn't have worked so long on her face. But her expression in the photo is so very important that I just thought that if I could capture it I wasn't about to waste time working the other areas.

She's got a long way to go before her face starts to have any real tangible shape, especially where she has it tucked into her grand dad's arm. But I think I have the expression enough to go ahead and work the rest of the photo up to where she is.

The photo is scanned at 200% of the original.

Susan

Susan

[Pyrographer]

Originally Posted by Irish

I guess you would say its a real tight squiggle - random doodle stroke at low temp ... around 4. There are a few places like under her eyes where I used the side of my writing tool to 'pull' in a little shading.

I did try the skew as a shader .... AH! .... I just have no control over that technique?!? So I went right back to my tight little doodles.

I am not going to 'review' the skew chisels here. I am so unable-incapable-untalented with that type of tip that I have no right to cast judgment in any way shape or form!!!! One day, Nedra, I am headed your way and gonna plop my bottom down into one of your class chairs so that you can show me how you use that shader tip !!!!

I didn't get any further on this portrait today. And, usually I wouldn't have worked so long on her face. But her expression in the photo is so very important that I just thought that if I could capture it I wasn't about to waste time working the other areas.

She's got a long way to go before her face starts to have any real tangible shape, especially where she has it tucked into her grand dad's arm. But I think I have the expression enough to go ahead and work the rest of the photo up to where she is.

The photo is scanned at 200% of the original.

Susan

Susan

Well, first of all Susan I couldn't burn anything with those skews. Give me my spear shader and that's a whole 'nother ball of wax.

I'll make you a deal...you come visit and I'll show you mine if you show me yours!

I might have to try some doodling myself. I've tried some of the other techniques and didn't like them....you know pointilism, hatching and cross hatching but squiggles and doodling I'm great at so I guess I should be able to transfer that talent into some of my burns. Guess I'll go to the 'ol drafting table and do some doodling

Gee if you come now you can go to the Balloon Fiest....over 800 hot air balloons from all over the world!!! And not a hotel room or RV space to be got!

Nedra

Nedra

[WOODIE13]

Are you using the writing tip for that? May have to invest in a small one for the finer detail work.

Looks outstanding.

[squbrigg]

My compliments Susan and thanks. That is a great tutorial and so very kind of you to take the time and effort to do it. Very objective in your review of the Colwood and I like the sound of it.

Well done!

Bob