Burning wires?

[Paul Lajoie]

Can anyone tell me for sure if these are for burning lines in your turnings? Also if they are have you made “handles” for them? The loop end I can figure out, the other end no idea. They seem a little short for burning wires

Paul

 

[John Suhreptz]

Looks very similar to the hanging cables that came with my four foot LED shop lights. Metal piece slips into a slot in the top surface of the fixture

 

[Phil Hamel]

Those look a bit to thick for burning grooves. I use 3/16th picture hanging wire available at numerous stores. I just made quick wooden handles.

 

[Wally Crawford]

DO NOT loop those things around your fingers. You can get a snag or "catch" with the wire which will effectively amputate your finger. I made wooden handles for the guitar strings I use.

 

[Dean Center]

IME, solid wire is preferable, even though the braided stuff is more flexible. Piano wire, used guitar strings (the higher notes), etc.

 

[Brian Gustin]

Agree with the others - your wires are too thick (MUCH) for burning wires, unless you plan on burning some pretty wide grooves Mine are just tag wires - similar to guitar strings unbraided) solid wires, but they're only about 10 inches long or so - I form a loop and put a piece of scrap wood through it and then twist the loop snug to the scrap wood. They'll break likely frequently depending on how often you use them, (and actually that is kind of ideal) , I'd never use cables like your light hangers though. - if a cable were to snag even if you made handles, it likely could wrap itself around the spinning piece and take your hand (and arm) along with it faster than you could let go, so it'd be better to have wires that CAN break or snap (and breakable handles such a small scraps of wood like 1/4 x 1/4 pine or a 3/16 dowel) so if something were to hang up or wrap around the spinning piece, the wire and/or handles would likely snap before they pulled your hand into the lathe.

 

[Richard Coers]

Looks like they are vinyl coated cable. Melting vinyl would not be good on wood.

 

[Paul Lajoie]

Thanks for all the comments. I don’t think these are the wires I thought they were. I’ll do some more searching.

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

I use solid wire. You can buy different sizes in the picture hanging department fairly cheap. I found guitar strings don’t last very long.

 

[Richard Coers]

I use Formica laminate samples from the box store. Takes less time and if you need a narrow line, I sharpen the laminate on a sander.

 

[John K Jordan]

Those look a bit to thick for burning grooves. I use 3/16th picture hanging wire available at numerous stores. I just made quick wooden handles.

Too thick for my use as well. Yesterday I used calipers and measured the wires I use (mostly for small turnings). They are close to 1/64” diameter.

Phil: did you type the right diameter in your message? 3/16" is almost 1/4"! Yikes, never tried that. Big turnings?

JKJ

 

[Curt Fuller]

Guitar strings, the unwound B and E, make excellent burning wires. You can cut them in half or thirds and twist them around a short piece of dowel for handles. They burn a nice fine line and seem to last forever.

 

[Phil Hamel]

Too thick for my use as well. Yesterday I used calipers and measured the wires I use (mostly for small turnings). They are close to 1/64” diameter.

Phil: did you type the right diameter in your message? 3/16" is almost 1/4"! Yikes, never tried that. Big turnings?

JKJ

No. 1/16 is what I meant. not sure why I hit the 3. Doing to much at once I guess.

 

[Aaron Harris]

Ditto on the guitar strings. I have an endless supply, as somehow three of my former Eagle scouts are all guitarists in prominent local bands that record and perform frequently.

 

[William Rogers]

The least expensive I use is stainless steel fishing leader wire. About 0.015” in diameter and last a long time.
Still have plenty from a package I bought 5+ years ago. It was $4.95 then, don’t know what it cost today.

 

[Steiph Zargon]

NO! I would never use braided wire for burning wood on my lat. If those braids start breaking up, they could fly all over the place, for instance in your eyes… Or in your hands or arms, might be worse than porcupines in my opinion.

Yes, guitar strings that are not wound on the outside of the center strand make good wires for burning. Personally, I use stainless steel wire that I get from McMaster Carr.

I tried using those for Formica chips… But they are messy hard to hold and make too big of a burn on the wood for me. I feel much safer using a stainless wire with wooden handles that I make for that purpose.



Personally, I would try to stay away from, soft iron wires, and use only stainless or guitar strings or if you have access to piano strings that do not have a wind on them that would be good as well. Good luck and have fun and stay safe!

 

[John K Jordan]

I tried using those for Formica chips… But they are messy hard to hold and make too big of a burn on the wood for me. I feel much safer using a stainless wire with wooden handles that I make for that purpose.

I can't remember if I posted this earlier, but years ago I was kind of mocked on another forum about burning fine lines on a slope with wires. (on the tops) I caught some grief from people indicating I was doing it the wrong way, just use sharpened formica instead. I described how the wires made a much finer and cleaner line, beautifully black and burnished from the smooth wire so the bottom of the burn mark was actually radiused and smoothly rounded. One gentleman guaranteed he could duplicate that by holding formica to the wood so I sent to him a finished top with lines friction burned by the wire, and a partially finished top of the same material he could mount on his lathe, finish turning and burn the lines. After a long time he wrote back saying he couldn't do it. That, plus my own experiments, tells me that although it is possible to use formica, it's not easy, and if successful, the quality of the line is not even close. But to each his own - formica or other burned lines might make some perfectly happy and that's great.

But the fine wire stepped method is right for me, even if it takes longer. I'm in no hurry! I shoud get the award for being the slowest turner in the south east. I chuckle at the top turning contests have, counting the time in just a few minutes. But take a detailed look at the results. I may take 30 minutes on one but this is a hobby, therepudic, rewarding, and can make a lot of people happy.

Another comment, I see this style of top everywhere now, on web sites, youtube, etc. But when I started making these over 20 years ago, I searched the web and my books and found none similar, most were quickly turned, chatter textured, colored with markers. no sanding, no finish. One guy even told me a top won't spin nicely unless it has a heavy mass at the rim. He was misinformed. A few years after I started posting pictures of some of mine on a couple of forums I started seeing others making similar ones. Of course I can't claim I started something since turning has been around for 3000 years, but maybe a few people were influenced, don't know.

Some from 2003.



However, I do occasionally make some with thicker rims, like this "tire tread" top, the tread made with a texturing tool. It spins fine. I should make some more like this - people keep wanting them but don't want to give away the only one like it yet!

 

[Ed Davidson]

Fine stainless steel wire is the way I roll...uh, burn.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I use Guitar string and find either braided or plain works. On my tops I burn 3 lines to match my shop name. I like to decorate mine and I do several types. Snap tops, character tops, segmented tops, finger tops, dancing lady tops, executive tops., I use Swarovski crystals to add bling.