[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

that woodburning brings back memories! My Dad let me sit on his lap and drive an old 1939 Buick that looked a lot like that car....couldn't touch the petals but I could steer! lol....people would have a fit now days at that! As for the razortip, I have one also and its a good machine, had a problem with a tip but they fixed it no problem....

[squbrigg]

Wow, that's amaizing Susan. Stunning what you can do with a hot wire!!! Thank you for sharing that with us, I hope you pass that picture on to that student doing the project on wood burning and drawing skills! Keep up the fantastic work. It inspires us to greater effort. And also make us wonder why I can't get results like that from my Razortip!

Bob

[Irish]

Hi Ho, you and I must be contemporaries ... my Dad let me do the very same thing!

That particular design reminded me of Mike's and my first car, and International Scout that we bought used. Now. what it Scout really was a miniature bright red tank and a monster to drive. Anyway after many years of very hard work it finally died, the floor boards rusted out but the engine was still good. So her, my beloved hubby, parks it with the full intention of restoring the beast one day. There the poor thing sat for years until I finally insisted that we give it a proper burial.

I can still remember seeing the golden rods growing up through the floor boards, decorating the floor and seat areas of the car. Now ... there's a pattern ... all I need is a small bird nesting in the golden rod sticks ... off to do some more drawings.

Susan

[Irish]

Hey Squbrigg,

I did send it on to Tara.

I wonder if you aren't getting the results because of the wood burning tools or because of the wood surface. This one was done on a very nice piece of birch plywood. The harder surface of the birch compared to basswood or pine really makes a dramatic different in the tonal values you can create.

That hardness means that my pale tones, at a low setting of 4-5 out of a range of 10, can just barely be seen on the birch. Plus the lines that are burned are much thinner, so again adding to the pale tone possiblities.

For me, so far, I have found that the dark tones and blacks are not a problem. It's getting enough very pale tones and middle tones to create a good impression.

Susan

[squbrigg]

My dear Susan, the difficulty is not the wood or the Razortip....it's the operator! While I enjoy all kinds of carving, burning, ship modelling, and even tried a little painting, the limits are in natural talent! You are an artist! I am a slightly battered hobbiest. There is a world of a difference to me.

Bob

[Kenny_S]

I have used a Dail-A-Temp for several years and even tho is does the job on what I do, I find that the wire tipped burners are a lot different to operate. I agree with BobS as My problem is the operatoe and not the equipment. I burned a Fireman for my son and it came out OK, but regulating the temp on a solid tip is different than a wire tipped burner. I have to cool the tip and go back to a lower timp or wait on the tip to cool down, If that makes sense.

I bought several pieces of birch plywood from Nedra Dennison when in Texas last week and tried to look up Randy in Sherman Tx, but did not accomplish that. Anyway, I am going to try my hand at burning on the birch as the basswood sheets burned darker than I liked.
Ah, Grandfather had a '32 Chevy that looked a lot like Irish picture and rode a many of miles in it. Wanted it as my Grandfather had it for a long time. But when I became a teenager, My father knew I was goting to make a rod out of it and sold it to a collector who restored cars.
yes HiHO, good memoeries with those older vehicle.
Irish, thanks for sharing and that is a fantastic piece.

[Irish]

Hi Kenny,

I have used both a solid tip - one temperature tool and the wire tip - variable temperature tool. Both have their places in our craft! For the wire tip - variable temperature I burn at a low a temperature as possible. Then add layers of burning, one over another, to reach the depth of color that I want. So the first burned layer is very pale, a second layer makes it a little darker, the third is starting toward a medium tone, and so on.

Personally, I have not had a lot of success trying to achieve the 'perfect color tone' with one burning. I think there are too many variables considering the wood grain, the pattern area, and the length of time I have been working.

Here's a quick idea of the difference between birch and basswood. I think maybe you and Bob might see that it may be more the wood than the wood burner

Susan

[Callynne]

Susan, that is a beautiful picture! Hubby had a '49 Chevy when we were dating...loved that car! I sure wish we still had it!

I'm anxious to see the other picture you posted, it's not coming in...bummer! I do have a question though, since I only wood burn to add detail to my carvings, I'm wondering if the smoke bothers you doing something as extensive as you do.

Do you wear a mask, run an filtration system? I've notice both myself and my husband, if he's home, get a headache when I wood burn. Of course, I'm burning at a higher temperature, which I'm sure produces more smoke. Anyhow, I was just wondering about how people do it for long periods of time. Thanks! Callynne

[Irish]

Hey Callynne,

It's not the wood burning that really causes the smoke and smell to this craft - it's the sap in the wood that creates the problems! Heavily sapped wood as any type of pine does tend to smoke and smell.

When I am burning I do have the hall fan running which pulls the smell away from me. I expect that you already know, NEVER burn any wood that has been pretreated or pre-painted. That's where you really get into the toxic stuff! Plus, I never burn a wood that I a can not identify the species. Gifted woods and 'found' woods have never been on my burning list because I don't know if they have been treated or not.

If the smell is bothering you then, in my opinion, you need to turn down the temperature of your burning tool. Or, if it's a temperture tool (on or off) then take more breaks during your burning sessions. Several times during a one hour session with a one-temp tool I will unplug the tool and let it cool down some. This gives me more variaety in the tonal values and avoids over heated burns.

I'll go rattle our Fearless Leader Bob as bit and see if I can get my attachment approved.

Susan

[squbrigg]

Geeez......wow dude! That's an awesome design Susan. Love it!!! Carving (and burning) just keeps on getting better and better! Thanks for sharing that with us.

Bob