"Tom Dougall" wrote in message
...
Hi Group,

I would like to try some wire burning on some napkin rings I have turned.
I have a few questions which I hope you will answer for me.

1. Which is the best type of wire to use?

2. Should the wire be held taught or loose on the wood?

3. Should the the lathe be at high or low speed?


I don't use copper or brass. Conducts heat better than steel, and you don't
want to conduct heat away. Annealed steel picture wire, or home annealed -
heat and allow to air cool - wire of larger diameter work ok. Pressure is
more important than speed, since friction is a function of pressure and the
coefficient of friction. Problem arises when you try to press on a sloped
surface, and the wire slides.

Answer is to make a groove in advance to guide the wire. Tip of the skew is
the normal recommendation, but I prefer to lay my parting tool on its side
and scrape a spot. Much more secure, and you're going to burnish the rough
scrapes away anyway. Don't wrap more than halfway, as you can then get
caught up. I don't use handles, but I'm using less conductive material, and
not wrapping around my fingers, so it matters little. Couple of dowels will
suffice. Groove and wrap the wire around them.

You can do the burn with other things too. I use Formica samples, corner
and edge to do the job, but they're stinky. They will allow you to make
burned rings on flat surfaces, however. Or you may simply do the Boy Scout
trick and rub wood against wood. Leaves a possible ember on the rub stick,
so I consider it a bit risky around shavings and dust.