The Burning Post #4

Hot Point #5: Find your Direction

Often, the direction in which you burn your lines or shading makes a difference. Why? This is because the pen metal is hotter while in the air but once it is in contact with the cooler surface, the pen temperature drops. You need to use this knowledge to your advantage.

When you start a line using a Writer or Skew category* pen, the start of the line is darker and sometimes wider than the end of the line. Therefore, when you are creating hair, fur, and whiskers, it makes sense to start the line on the body and pull the line off the body so that the line is thinner the further away from its root on the body. Make sure to turn your artwork so that the stroke is natural for your hand. When creating a graduating tone that fades while using a pen in the Shader category*, start the tone where it is darker and pull the pen towards the lighter tone.

Direction also makes a difference when using Shader pens to burn tones inside a shape. My recommendation is to turn your artwork to position your Shader inside the shape and place the toe/tip of the Shader up to the line, if you are starting the tone at the line.

This allows you to see precisely where you are burning in relation to the line. If instead, you burn from the outside of the shape, over the line to the inside of the shape, the pen tip will block your view of the line, as well as allow the heat from the close proximity beneath the tip to overburn onto the wood.

Note: Wood is used as the example here, but this applies to any pyrography medium.

*See the CANDI System Chart for pen categories    

Parsons Razertip SL1 Single Burner Kit

Attention Woodburners…
This Burner has Smokin’ Hot Heat for high temperature burning and an incredible heat recovery response time!

Klingspor’s Wood Woodworking Shop created a new kit that brings you the SL1 burner plus everything you need to get started. The Razertip SL1 burner from Razertip has 99 unique digital settings ensure precise output even at higher settings. Its heat recovery response time is very quick, which helps combat the typical drop in temperature causing wire-tipped pens to lose their heat while touching the wood. It is a delight to burn with an SL burner!

Details about the Razertip SL1 Burner:

• Bright LED Digital display
• Accepts all Razertip pens and accessories, and with available adapter cords, it will also accept most any make of pen
• Dial heat control with 99 settings
• Tip Temperature 77ºF (25ºC) to 1650ºF (900ºC) approx.
  Caution: Because of the high output of the SL Burner, using Standard Pens at heat settings greater than 60 is not recommended as pen damage may occur. For settings over 60 only use HEAVY DUTY PENS or BPH PENS. If damage does occur Razertip’s unconditional warranty still applies.
• Retains setting when powered off
• Exceptional heat recovery
• Expanded heat range
• Safety Certified with automatic Shut-off (after 60 minutes)
• Indexed handpiece indicator lights can help confirm proper pen and cord operation
• Internal thermal overload protection
• 120 Volts AC, 60Hz. Safety certified for Canada and the United States
• Unconditional warranty covers everything (and Razertip means everything!) for 3 years on the power supply and one year on all handpieces including fixed tips. Even if you drop your pen and break the tip - it’s covered!
  

The Razertip SL Series includes the SL1 burner with 1 cord port and the SL3 burner with 3 cord ports, both available from Klingspor’s Woodworking Shop as individual burners or in kits.