end grain wood burning?

[David E Keller]

I'm thinking about turning some lidded boxes and would like to incorporate burned details onto the top of the lid and/or bottom of the base. I've done embellishments like this on the outer walls of boxes, pens, etc, with wire, but I'm interested to see how you go about doing it on the end grain surface of a box. Just to clarify, I'm not talking about pyrography but rather the friction burning action on the lathe. I remember a recent pic posted that someone had used another piece of wood to make a burned band, but I want to make thin lines(circles) if possible.

I look forward to hearing about your tools and techniques.

david

[Dick Strauss]

David,
Here is what I do:

Turn a groove as normal...take a scrap piece of formica cut into a point... use the formica point in friction mode against the wood to get a burned line.

[Jeff Nicol]

Doctor Keller, Just wanted to use your professional creds! So hear is another way, you can cut small strips of hardwood and just push them into a small groove to create friction and burn in the line. It works well and it is readily available.

Jeff

[ROY DICK]

I do as Jeff does.

Roy

[Chris Stolicky]

I haven't tried it on end grain, but I have used an old flat head screw driver many times to make burn lines. Just be careful it doesn't slide sideways when you first touch the wood with it.

[Al Wasser]

If you don't have any scrap formica laying around go to your favorite hardware and get a few of those fromica samples they have. Color makes no diff. For some apps the formica may burn a little wider line than what you want, if so use a pointed scrap of hard hardwood as pointed out.

[David E Keller]

Thanks for the advice... I'll be looking for formica scraps in the near future. I tried the hardwood trick today, but I think it may require the scrap wood to be harder than the wood being burned. I trying to use a scrap of marblewood to burn some sindora burl, and the marblewood was the only thing that burned(the burl is really hard). I've got some desert ironwood scrap someplace, and I'll try that next time.

Thanks again.

[Wally Dickerman]

I start by cutting a small groove with a spear point tool. Ramp up the RPM's to create heat (smoke). I use a small, thin, narrow screwdriver, which I sharpen and slightly round the corners for every use. Shove it in hard. Works well for me, I suggest a practice run first.

Wally