The Burning Post - August 2024
Hello Pyrographers!
Included in this month’s Burning Post issue:
- Burning tips (getting rid of bumpy lines)
- A new product for pyrographers (CANDI Rings)
- Big news on an upcoming competition (a first for pyrography competition shows)
- Upcoming Classes
- SEPA Facebook Group
- June Pryrography Demo
- A free pattern for burning
Enjoy your Summer and when its too hot outside, get inside and burn!
Michele Parsons
Education
Hot Point # 3: Burn with a Light Touch
Burning images on wood requires a light touch—applying very little pressure with the pen while burning. Beautiful texture can be created when you push the tip of a hot, burning pen into soft wood. The type of texture created will be determined by the shape of the pen tip. However, when you are not trying to create texture, pressing your pen tip onto the wood can result in poorly executed pyrography. Pen tips in the Writer category* can create bumpy lines if pressed while drawing over wood grain. This problem is more prominent when burning on soft wood or end grain. When pressing on the pen, the tip is pushed into the soft grain and, once you start to move the pen, the tip gets snagged on the hard grain, resulting in a slight hesitation which burns a darker blob before the pen finally moves over the hard grain only to catch in the next channel of soft grain.
With additional pressure, the edges of pen tips in the Shader category* can create indentations and snag wood grain when tilted and pressed, especially on soft wood.
The solution to these issues is to learn how to burn with a light touch. A hot pen tip will burn the wood without any additional pressure, supporting the old adage, “Let the tool do the work.” If you learn to burn without applying additional pressure, the pen tip will glide over a smooth wood surface without bumping, snagging, and causing indentations. You want the pen tip in good contact with the wood, just don’t add extra pressure unless you are deliberately making texture marks.
*See the CANDI Ring Chart below for pen categories.
Too much pressure
Light pressure
Product Highlight
What are CANDI Rings and Why Do You Want Them?
CANDI Rings are color-coded silicon rings that are placed on your pyrography pens to identify their tip usage category. Klingspor’s Woodworking Shop introduces the CANDI (Category and Identification) System™. Using CANDI Rings, you can readily see your pyrography pen’s category, allowing you to quickly know the usage of your pen (see the chart below).
Simply slide the appropriate color CANDI Ring over the cable end of your Razertip or Colwood fixed-tip pen. For Razertip’s Heavy-Duty pens, carefully slide the foam grip off the tip end (wear gloves if your tip is sharp), slide the CANDI Ring on the tip end, and then replace the foam grip back on the pen. These rings will also work on other brand pens that are a similar size, such as Optima pens.
CANDI Rings are color-coded silicon rings that are placed on your pens to identify their tip usage category.
These rings are perfect for marking your cords on dual and triple burners.
Starting September 2024, Klingspor’s Woodworking Shop will include the appropriate color-coded CANDI Ring with each pen sold. You can also purchase color-coded CANDI Rings separately to place on your previously purchased pens. Check Klingspor’s online catalog to determine which CANDI Ring color matches your previously purchased pens. Contact Klingspor’s if you need additional help identifying the category.
Klingspor’s Woodworking Shop is also planning to release color-coded storage boxes for your replaceable tips in the near future.
Note: These rings are perfect for marking your cords on dual and triple burners. Place the same color ring on both ends of a cord so that when you pick up the pen, you can easily validate that the pen in your hand is the one you turned on. We recommend that you use different colored rings (available in Assorted pack # RZ90200) rather than the colors used for the CANDI System™. I use orange, white, and green rings on the cords of my Razertip SL3 Triple Burner.
CANDI System™ Chart
News
A First for Pyrography Shows!
This October 26th the first competition show that allows pyrography on different mediums (to our knowledge and research) will be held in Hickory, NC!
SHOW US YOUR WORK
Join Us in the historic First Competition to
Include Pyrography on Different Mediums
The Southeastern Pyrography Association (SEPA) is partnering with
the Catawba Valley Wood Carvers’ annual competition at the
Klingspor’s Woodworking Shop Extravaganza this October 26, 2024.
Pyrography categories will include the following
(in 3 Divisions—Novice, Intermediate, Open):
- Wood (painted and unpainted)
- Leather
- Paper
- Gourds
- Miscellaneous (canvas, cork, bone, tagua nuts, artists conk mushrooms, hats, etc.)
SEPA is contributing ribbons for the categories, plus the following cash awards:
- Best of Pyrography Open: $150
- Best of Pyrography Intermediate: $100
- Best of Pyrography Novice: $50
Entrants will also be eligible to win the following show cash awards:
- Best of Show: $500
- Best of Novice: 1st $75, 2nd $50, 3rd $25
- Best of Intermediate: 1st $125, 2nd $100, 3rd $75
- Best of Open: 1st $350, 2nd $250, 3rd $150
Entrants will also be eligible to enter Wood Pyrography in the Show Theme: Sea Life competition for the following awards:
- Best of Open: $75
- Best of Intermediate: $50
- Best of Novice: $25
See attached Show Brochure for details.
Any questions, contact SEPA.Pyrography@gmail.com
OR
contact Steve Robertson, Show Chairman, at 828-612-4716 (mobile)
or steve_robertson30@yahoo.com
Too Far from Hickory?
You Can Still Join the Fastest Growing Club at Klingspor’s.
The Southeastern Pyrography Association (SEPA) has been busy creating a private Facebook site where we are posting club meetings and programs. We’re making it so members do not have to attend the meetings in Hickory each month if they are remote (although we love to meet in person).
Presently, meetings and programs are being recorded and then posted. We are looking forward to the day when we can have offsite members view the meetings and programs Live. If you want to visit us in Hickory, we welcome guests at our meetings and will be happy to have you attend.
Our goal is to have a short program at our monthly meetings, followed by burning the rest of the time. We also aim to have professional guest presenters demonstrate for us each quarter. Dues are $20/year and joining gives you access to our Facebook group and a 10% discount on most items at Klingspor’s Woodworking Shop (in-store and online).
If you have any questions, contact us at: SEPA.pyrography@gmail.com
The June Pyrography Demo:
Doug Stainbrook
Doug Stainbrook, an award-winning professional pyrographer, presented a demo on Adding Color to Pyrography at the Southeastern Pyrography Association’s June meeting at Klingspor’s Woodworking Shop in Hickory, NC. SEPA members can view his demonstration in our private Facebook group.
Doug very generously donated the completed artwork from his demo to SEPA to be placed in the club’s Silent Auction at the Klingspor’s Woodworking Shop Extravaganza this October 26, 2024
Upcoming Classes
Build Your Skills Faster by Taking an In-Person Class
Michele Parsons will be teaching the following classes local classes:
Intro To Burning…
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Klingspor’s Woodworking Shop (Hickory, NC)
This class is designed for students that have never
touched a woodburner, as well as students that have
experience and wish to improve their skills.
Burn and Sew a Leather Journal
Sunday-Saturday, November 3-9, 2024
John C Campbell Folk School (Brasstown, NC)
Register at www.folkschool.org
This weeklong class is a combination class of pyrography
and leathercrafting. Learn at one of the oldest and best
loved Folk School venues in the US. The Folk School
will be celebrating their 125th anniversary in 2025!
Instructor: Michele Parsons is a professional pyrography artist and author for Fox Chapel Publishing's Pyrography magazine, Leather Pyrography book (also translated into German), Quick-Start Woodburning Guide, and a contributor to the Big Book of Pyrography Projects.
She has been teaching pyrography for over 18 years, including venues such as the International Wood-carving Congress, John C. Campbell Folk School, Southeastern Woodcarving School, American Woodcarving School, and various regional clubs
Free Pattern
Enjoy this FREE pattern of August mushrooms to burn:
You have permission from Michele Parsons to use her pattern, in part or in full, to burn and use royalty free.
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