[Mottles]

Hi Hollis, nice woodburning of Willie I think he would enjoy seeing it.
Kathy

[Lindy]

Hollis - you use a single temperature burner and you achieve that kind of tone???? WoW! I've tried single temperature burners and I burn myself as much as the wood and I don't have anywhere near the control that would enable me to burn even the simplest thing. Now I'm even more impressed! Keep up the great work - and by the way - thank you for compliments.

Lindy

[Hollis Mckinley]

Lindy - I make my own tips and use several different Wal-Mart specials for burning. No two of the things heat to the same temperature. I went to the hardware store along with one of the little brass tips that come with the things,to make sure I had the right thread size. After trial and error and a lot of fileing, I settled on stainless steel. One tip used in an iron that has a hot temperature will burn black as ink, and using it with one that dosen't heat as well, with pressure on the wood it only gets a nice light brown. Hold it there and it will get darker untill the right shade is achieved. I know nothing about all the equipment that everyone talks about. It may seem weird to you Lindy and I don't think anyone believes me, but I start at any place on a picture downsizing or enlarging in my mind and freehand the burn or carving without marking on it. Since this is a private message and I hope you don't repeat it to anyone, I think plent of people would be amazed at the commission I make just hand picking my customers, myself. About the stainless, it disapates heat so fast you wouldn't believe it. Set goals high,achieve the standards of the goals and when it's good enough for the standards set, then it will suit all that is interested in the acomplishments. It's interesting to find someone that is really interested--SEMPER FI HMckinley

[Hollis Mckinley]

Thanks, glad that ya got back out of Iraq making two good footprints in the good ole US of A ! Thanks for your service and a personal Semper Fi to ya! HMckinley

[BobD]

Wow...Hollis...I was floored by your work BEFORE I knew it was with a single-temp burner. Incredible! Stunning!!!

Have you ever considered making a rheostat (i'm envisioning a shop made one using a dimmer switch) to control the temperature of your burners instead of relying on different burners for different temperatures? I'm just brainstorming, and in no way trying to say what you are doing is wrong! It's just amazing!!!

Bob

[Hollis Mckinley]

Originally Posted by BobD

Wow...Hollis...I was floored by your work BEFORE I knew it was with a single-temp burner. Incredible! Stunning!!!

Have you ever considered making a rheostat (i'm envisioning a shop made one using a dimmer switch) to control the temperature of your burners instead of relying on different burners for different temperatures? I'm just brainstorming, and in no way trying to say what you are doing is wrong! It's just amazing!!!

Bob

Well thanks BobD, I have often thought of the same thing. Old as I'm getting, better take and do things like I'm use to doing. I've thought about doing it with one of those switches that is used in say a lamp. If I did, I'd just have to make different tips. Thanks for the notice and comments. Semper Fi to ya and the great site!!>

[Woodartist]

I wrote a short piece on making a temperature regulator: Wood walking sticks and canes

[Hollis Mckinley]

Thank you kindly sir, just on the line of what I was thinking. Hope BobD gets a whif of the post for he was aiming to do the same. Anyway, you have made it quiet simple and I do have all the parts laying around including the switch.

[Woodartist]

Glad it was helpful and if Bob wants to link to it, that is fine.....
LAter, Bill

[Hollis Mckinley]

All that looked at The Highwayman before, I took that burn off and replaced it with the one I worked on untill it was good enough for me. My first portrait finished. Just had to quit when my wife Debbie said"replace the ole pasty looking pic with this one". I'll put his last name on this one "Willie Nelson"