[Pyrographer]

Originally Posted by Pippin

I've seen these spoon sets and thought about chopping off most of the handle, drilling a hole in the handle stub, stringing a ribbon, and burning both sides of the bowl for tree ornaments. (keep the handles for paint stirring or chop them up and drill them for beads)

At my probable rate of speed, it would be a 20-hour project.

Pippin, you can actually get wooden spoons in a variety of places. I used to do a lot of them for gifts at work and when we did craft shows several years ago. They really are quick projects and you can do a variety of things with them.

I have found some really nice beech wood spoons (more expensive but very nice quality) as well. I do a variety of things with them including drilling holes in the top of the handle and putting rawhide laces through them so they can be hung on a wall. The make nice gifts for coworkers, etc. If you are doing them and leaving the handles intact be sure you either leave them unfinished or use a food grade finish such as an oil or salad bowl finish...just in case someone actually wants to use them.

Nedra

[Pippin]

Originally Posted by Irish

The acorns that I have used as my guide do not have smooth even surfaces. Go back to post #17 and note the dark acorn centered between the leaves and post #34 for the larger guide image.

There's no photo at 34, but I think I see what you mean at 45-46. Thanks.

[Pyrographer]

Susan, just a comment about the glass over the wood. I have to relate an experience which has caused me to stop putting glass over any type of wood. My mother had a beautful desk and she put glass over the top of it to protect it. I loved the desk and when she died I wanted that desk in the worse (and best) way and thank god my sister didn't like it (she has no taste in classic furniture). Anyway, it was delivered to my door by the mover and we put it in the house and I noticed a problem with the top of it. My mother lived back east and I hadn't paid very much attention to it during my visits so I hadn't noticed it and my mother at this point wasn't paying much attention to anything (being a busy senior citizen she was rarely home).

Well Al and I took the glass off and found the finish on the wood badly marked so I called a furniture restorer to come take a look and he told me that while my mother's intentions were good it actually damaged the wood rather than protect it. The wood built up moisture and it cost me a lot of money to have it restored.

So, while it might take many years for the damage to occur, he did tell me never to put glass over wood.

After watching you burn this project I am now seeing why perhaps you might like having the pen tips longer and be farther away from your work but I, on the other hand like so much more to be up close and personal and when I have used a long tip I have found it awkward. And I do much prefer the foam rather than cork....So the bottom line I think is that it's all about personal preference. And as many people as there are woodburning there will be that many opinions of what is comfortable and what their preference in styles of burning, burners and pens will be.

Best bet is to go to a woodcarving show. Most shows have a variety of vendors and a variety of burners so you can try different brands all under the same room. I remember the shows in WA state. Seems like each vendor carried a different brand so none of us stepped on each other's toes. It gave burners an opportunity to try them all and it was much better than going into a store that only carries one brand.

So....check out all the carving shows and stop in!!!

Nedra

[Irish]

Every acorn is different and unique. Since some of them are down right rugged they are perfect for a WIP project like this as it is really hard to do them 'wrong'

Nedra, I am sorry to hear about your Mother's desk. Any good furniture maker could have told her that she needed to use spacers if she wanted to add a glass top. Furniture makers, if they plan on a glass top, will add a fine beading edge to support glass which allows for air flow.

Leather spacers can be used when glass is added to an already existing or finished piece of furniture. Those spacers are simply small circles of 1/8" or 1/4" thick leather that raise the glass off the wood surface.

Fine artists also know that anything under glass requires an air space. When framing a work, whether paper or wood, that spacer is often a complimentary matte which adds accent color to the work. You can also hide a thin strip of matte board under the frame edge to separate the two pieces - art and glass.

I often frame under glass without any final finish as my work is photographed so often for books or magazine articles that the shine of the finish gets in the way. By framing with matting under glass my works stay clean and are easy to photograph.

The Pixie Queen is framed using two 1/8" acid free matte boards for air space as well as accent color and then placed under a matte acrylic 'glass'.

While I do agree that some decisions about the features of any wood burning system need to be considered only through personal preference I do not agree that all are. This Colwood impressed me from the start as being a more powerful and sturdy system then any other I have used. The heat transfer was superior to anything I have burned with before this project. These are features that are shown throughout this WIP.

Where I do agree that some decisiosns about the features are made only by the technique and style of burning that you do some are actual physical differences. As example the strength of the wire tips that did not bend or warp or the ease and reliability of the interchangeable pen/tip system. These features have also been highlighted.

And though I do believe that any of the major wood burning system will perform very well for a pyrographers I am sure that you will be seeing me use my Colwood here on the message board ...

Susan

[Pyrographer]

you are absolutely right. We were in a state park last year in WA state and the acorns and pine cones were abundant. I was picking them up and collecting them for future reference and it was amazing to see the differences in just the handful I had at one time.

Susan, the desk my mom had was bought eons ago (an antique now) and when she got it I'm not sure she had glass in mind for the top. That happened some time later and I honestly don't think she had any idea it needed air space and I am sure she did not consult with anyone. You, as an artist would have that type of knowledge but the average person doesn't think of things like that.

It sounds like you have decided to retire your Razertip that you started with and loved and are now a Colwood convert. Just the opposite of what I did except that I didn't love the burner I started with but like you I've had absolutely no regrets with the decision to switch burners.

Nedra

[WOODIE13]

Nicely done.

[Pippin]

Originally Posted by Irish

Where I do agree that some decisiosns about the features are made only by the technique and style of burning that you do some are actual physical differences. As example the strength of the wire tips that did not bend or warp or the ease and reliability of the interchangeable pen/tip system. These features have also been highlighted.

I'm grinning because I decided to go with the Razertip, based on a few physical differences that came up on this thread and some other threads (particularly a message from Cam Merkle that described how Razertip tips are laser welded). Not having and not expecting a wood carving show anywhere within walking distance in the near future, I did my best with online research, and I'll see what I think when the tips hit the wood later.

PJ Peery and Brian Nish at Treeline put up with a barrage of questions from me with very good cheer, so that was where I purchased.

I'm going with fixed tip pens for closeness to the work and a connection to the pen that won't be subjected to any wear. I turn over all responsibility for that connection to the Razertip makers, and they can fix or replace tips as needed--for just a few dollars.

I'm going with cords that 'plug and play'. I don't want to mess with 3 screws on the Colwood to change between cords.

Foam or cork? Personal preference. I see Colwood now offers foam grips as well, so maybe that will start a trend and other pen makers will offer both. I use foam sleeves on crochet hooks that are easy to roll, so I'll be surprised if the foam on the Razertip pens is different. Nibsburner handpieces also have cork grips, if that wasn't mentioned.

I didn't fully understand the wattage/power topic that arose, but it looks to me that all of the major burners will make the pen tips hotter than anyone needs to have them for all purposes, short of starting a fire or burning a canyon into the surface. The differences at the low heat end could be significant for some pyros, and Razertip's dual burner's extra low-end temperature adjustment allows you to turn the heat down further below its lowest standard setting. As the Colwood website says, "The logical question to ask is how much wattage does one need." For detail work on wood, not much. If the temperature graduation is steady around the dial, the rest is learning by experience with the burner and tips and quirks of the woods (leathers, gourds, et al.) of choice.

I also liked Razertip's Canadian Standards Association certification, allowing it to be sold legally in all of North America. Safety first. I couldn't find any safety certification information at the Colwood website.

Razertip has a 3-year warranty on burners and a 1-year unconditional warranty on handpieces, including fixed tip pens. If Razertip replaces a tip on a fixed-tip handpiece, the new replacement tip is covered by a full, unconditional 6-month warranty. http://www.razertip.com/warranty.htm

The Colwood Detailer has a 2-year warranty, with a 90-day warranty on handpieces. http://www.woodburning.com/warranty.asp

This is all just my opinion as an experienced shopper and a nearly virgin pyro. Your mileage will vary.

[teeburn]

Hi Susan,

I would again just like to say thank you for this marvelous tutorial. It has been very interesting and informative, as well as, a lot of fun!!! Although I love my Optima I can see what a fantastic machine the Colwood is and I will highly recommend that people research it in the future before they make their decision on a burner.

I have already been recommending this tutorial to all my pyro friends novice to professional because of all the great info and pics. I think learning art or a treasured skill of any kind is a never ending process. We are always looking for ways to hone, improve upon that skill. That is part of the fun of it and life.

I know how valuable the time you took to spend with us is. I really appreciate it. Unfortunately not all people are that caring and generous so when you find someone that is you should tell them. Thank you!

Although I didn't get the opportunity to do this along with you, I hope you don't mind if I do it when I find the time to. I know a friend that it would make a perfect Christmas gift.

I hope that you do get to do this with us again after the new year. I will have more time too and hopefully I will be able to follow along next time, that would be much more fun even though I enjoyed this immensely.

Till next time as Danni would say Keep burning and learning!!!

Blessings,
Tina aka Teeburn

[Pyrographer]

Very good choice. I've used the same Razertip pen (an HD) for 6 years and never had any problems with it bending and I do at times really get into it. Of course the HD pens are a bit stronger than the standard.

Yes, the Razertip warranty (unconditional) is one of the best and I do like the foam grips better than cork but that's my personal preference.

Who knows maybe Colwood will change their warranty as well since they are now offering foam grips and polished tips just like Razertip and Optima. Seems like they have seen how popular the other pens are amongst flat burners and how many people actually prefer foam over cork and polished vs unpolished tips and trying more to compete with that market.

Guess I'll have to update the information in the database in the other forum (not trying to promote another forum here) to include their options

Just my humble opinion.

You made a good choice and I know you'll be very happy with the burner.

Nedra

[Pippin]

For those of you just joining us, this thread used to be the end of another thread called Acorn WIP before it was chopped off and moved to this separate thread. See Debate Threads: A new label for the Admin's explanation for the chop.