Lightning (Lichtenburg) Pyrography

[Tom Brouillette]

339844339845I got my lightning pyrography rig working this weekend without burning the house down or making my bride a widow. It was funny, I had all the pieces, parts and plans a month ago, and my wife kept asking me when I was going to get it going (she knows that I am like most of you, when you get a new toy it's out of the box and on the lathe before the UPS driver turns the corner). I stressed to her the importance of getting this right the first time, and that not planning it out thoroughly could have catastrophic results. So, a month later, and hours of research, this was my first attempt. A simple ash vessel I turned a few months back. It's not much to look at, but I am pretty excited about the possibilities. I have to do a lot of trail and error on wood species, dry vs. green, and baking soda concentrations in the water mixture.

I'm about $50 into the rig. Got a used micromave transformer off eBay for $23 w/shipping, spark plug wires for the high voltage ends for $15, and a foot-operated power switch for the primary power at HF for $12. I have the electrodes on the ends of 1" PVC pipe, about 14" long, and have a heavy foam pad under the work while I am doing it. I also mounted the transformer on a piece of MDF, and have it in a heavy wooden box. The foot switch gives me great control over everything (I don't want to call it a dead man switch, for obvious reasons). 2,000 volts deserves every bit of respect I've given it.

I'd be happy to share pictures and plans to anyone who wants them.

[John K Jordan]

I'd be happy to share pictures and plans to anyone who wants them.

Nice job. Don't forget the safety glasses!

I would love to see your plans and I suspect others would too. Do you have them on a web site or a PDF for something?

If you put pictures and plans in a message here it would]be nice in a new thread with a title something like "Building a ..." so it would be easy to find and refer others to.

JKJ

[Wayne Jolly]

That's KOOL.

Wayne

[Edward Weingarden]

I'd also be interested in seeing how you put together your setup. I like your trial piece.

[Matt Schrum]

Have you finished (clear coated) any pieces yet? I have some slight white spots on mine, nothing anyone but me will probably ever notice-- but I'm thinking it may be dried baking soda. I'm wondering if there are any other solutions that may work and finish better, although I haven't taken time to experiment yet.

Also, a few things I've noticed work for me so far-- and I'd love to hear what others have done:
1) I wired in a motor speed controller (link here (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GMBYFRK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)) to the 120VAC going into the transformer. This lets me fine tune the input voltage (and thus the output voltage) of the transformer. I found this is great at helping prevent flare ups-- you don't have to be running at full throttle all the time.
2) I use an extra olive oil sprayer (link here (https://www.amazon.com/Misto-Brushed-Aluminum-Olive-Sprayer/dp/B00004SPZV/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1467049019&sr=8-4&keywords=oil+mister)) the missus had lying around the house. I am sure most any spray bottle will work-- however, what I like about this one is that it puts out a very fine, continuous spray. If you pump it up prior to starting work, you can use it one handed without a problem.
3) You know those PVC practice tees place kickers in football use to practice with? I basically made that and it holds my high voltage probe (which is at the end of a length of PVC) in place. I then have a second length of PVC and move the ground as needed.

Finally, I figured I should at least include a picture of the first non-scrap bowl I've done this on. I scattered a few lightning bolts on the outside and inside of the piece. It's a sycamore bowl about 9" D x 4"T if I recall correctly.

I've still got a lot of learning to do, but it is certainly an interesting weapon to have in your arsenal.

339874

[kip allen]

I would be very interested in seeing both pictures and plans. Looks like you got a handle on this.

[Roger Chandler]

This is fantastic! Personally, for pyrography, I think I will stick with standard pens and a burning unit. That 2000 volts is a bit more than I want to delve into for wood working purposes. I guess I lack the edge of the cliff adventure adrenalin flowing through my safety oriented brain. I think those who have the environment, the knowledge and the safety skills to pull it off safely and with good effect deserve kudos!

I recently read a discussion on another forum, where this technique was submitted to the AAW Journal, and was turned down for publication because editors thought it would be too risky for most turners.

Tom........congrats on your achievement! Please be safe!

[Tom Brouillette]

Have you finished (clear coated) any pieces yet? I have some slight white spots on mine, nothing anyone but me will probably ever notice-- but I'm thinking it may be dried baking soda. I'm wondering if there are any other solutions that may work and finish better, although I haven't taken time to experiment yet.

Also, a few things I've noticed work for me so far-- and I'd love to hear what others have done:
1) I wired in a motor speed controller (link here (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GMBYFRK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)) to the 120VAC going into the transformer. This lets me fine tune the input voltage (and thus the output voltage) of the transformer. I found this is great at helping prevent flare ups-- you don't have to be running at full throttle all the time.
2) I use an extra olive oil sprayer (link here (https://www.amazon.com/Misto-Brushed-Aluminum-Olive-Sprayer/dp/B00004SPZV/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1467049019&sr=8-4&keywords=oil+mister)) the missus had lying around the house. I am sure most any spray bottle will work-- however, what I like about this one is that it puts out a very fine, continuous spray. If you pump it up prior to starting work, you can use it one handed without a problem.
3) You know those PVC practice tees place kickers in football use to practice with? I basically made that and it holds my high voltage probe (which is at the end of a length of PVC) in place. I then have a second length of PVC and move the ground as needed.

Finally, I figured I should at least include a picture of the first non-scrap bowl I've done this on. I scattered a few lightning bolts on the outside and inside of the piece. It's a sycamore bowl about 9" D x 4"T if I recall correctly.

I've still got a lot of learning to do, but it is certainly an interesting weapon to have in your arsenal.

339874

Great ideas! I've already ordered the controller and spray bottle. I really like the fine detail in your burning. How concentrated is your baking soda mixture?

[Wade Holloway]

Tom and Matt great work. I love the idea. Please share as you get the procedures all worked out. I might want to give this a try. Looks really cool on a vessel.

[Matt Schrum]

I would be very interested in seeing both pictures and plans. Looks like you got a handle on this.

A quick disclaimer-- this puts out a a pretty high voltage, and it's not like an electric fence, it actually has some amperage. I have plenty of electrical experience, but this piece of equipment still scares me, and it should scare you too. That being said, as long as you're cautious and think before you act, you should be fine.

I am sure there are quite a few ways to go about this, so don't take my setup as the only path forward. Also, my build is not the prettiest-- when I built this, I assumed only the wife (or maybe a crime scene investigator) would ever see it.

Taking apart the microwave:
Go to the Goodwill or a garage sale and pick one up for cheap. Most any one should do. I had a coworker willing to donate his to science (me), so that was handy. Taking it apart, you want the big, metal, ugly transformer. If you can trace the wiring going in, label the inputs appropriately so you know where to connect stuff later. If you take apart the magetron (which you do NOT need to do for this project, but there are some decent sized magnets inside), be careful of any pink insulators. If it's pink, it's probably made with beryillium oxide, which is hazardous and a carcinogen.

For wiring:
I ran the 120VAC from the outlet and put a light switch on the hot side (a foot pedal would probably be better if you have one stashed away). I also took a marker and colored the "On" side of the light switch red. I have seen some people install lights, etc.-- either way, you need an indication it is on. Sometimes you can hear a humming, but often it is silent. The ground from the wall should be attached to the metal frame of the transformer.

The hot exiting the light switch and the neutral from the wall go to the motor speed controller (see link above-- if you buy one, do so after you have your transformer and make sure it is rated for the proper number of amps. I have also seen people use proper variacs, but these are slightly more expensive). The hot and neutral from the motor controller go to their respective connections on the microwave transformer. Some sites will point out ways to figure out which is which, my donor microwave was sufficiently old that it was easy to trace the wiring before removing the transformer. The high voltage exiting the transformer (this should have been a connection with some hefty insulation before you removed it from the microwave) will go to your high voltage probe. The second probe will be your ground probe and connected to the case of the transformer. Make sure and scrape away any protective coating on the metal where you are going to attach the ground probe-- you want a good connection.

Probe construction:
Look at the pictures below for this one. I was able to source some well insulated wire from my work to use. I have both wires clamped with a block of wood just after the transformer connection-- this is to relieve any stress on the actual connections. At the probe tips, I looped the wire and soldered it into a circle just big enough for my sheet metal screw. I then ran the screw through the PVC and the wire to force the wire loop against the screw-- this seems to give a good enough connection. On the high voltage probe, I made so crude stand to hold it in place. On the ground probe, I made the PVC longer as this is the probe I will handle and move around. Both probes have the wire enter in from the side, before they go down the inside of the PVC to meet the sheet metal screws. Taping them where the enter the PVC means that if you tug on the probe, you won't rip the wire loose from the tip. Clearly label your probes.

Actual Use:
The surface of the wood needs to be wet (and conductive) for this to work. I mix warm water and baking soda, then put this in a hand sprayer (check out the kitchen section of most department stores). After spraying down the surface, I place the high voltage probe where I want it and make sure it's not going to go flopping around on me. I then put the ground probe about where I want it and flip the switch on. I use the knob on the motor controller to adjust the strength (well, voltage) until the electricity starts flowing. Sometimes I mist a bit more liquid onto the surface to help things along during the process-- as when the electricity starts flowing, things heat up and sometimes parts of your piece will go dry. Keep an eye on the fingers on your piece creeping towards each other-- if there is too much electricity flow, you'll start small fires, which will scorch the surface of your wood and look bad. If the fingers get too close, electricity will jump the gap, resulting in a bright flash, then a small fire. It's best to stop before you get to this point-- however keep in mind you can adjust the speed of the process using the control knob.

Feel free to move the ground probe around as you want while it is going. However, my rule is that I don't even think about touching the high voltage probe without turning off the switch, then checking again to make sure I turned off the switch.


I think that's about it. Below are a number of pictures of my contraption. There are a few connections and points where, if you're determined, you can get shocked. Build yours to a level in which you're comfortable we won't be reading about you in the newspaper. If you have any questions, I'll answer them as best as I can.




339875339876339877339878

[Matt Schrum]

Great ideas! I've already ordered the controller and spray bottle. I really like the fine detail in your burning. How concentrated is your baking soda mixture?

Tom,
I use warm water so it dissolves well, but I don't really measure it out. That's probably part of the issue I had with a couple of small, light patches on the finished bowl. I'm guessing I need to either lower the concentration a bit or try something else. I'll let you know if I end up finding a concentration that works well or another mixture. If you find one you like, definitely let me know and I'll give it a shot.

[Tom Brouillette]

Matt, I need to ask you a question about the grounding. This really had me stumped (I am not an engineer, I just have a great deal of respect for electricity). I automatically attached the incoming ground to the transformer case. I figured that was pretty standard. Once I realized that one of the electrodes is also attached to the transformer case, I pulled the incoming ground back off. My non-engineer brain tells me that there is high voltage AC between the electrode and the case. It is more like a hot and neutral than a hot and ground, isn't it? Is there any chance at all of back-feeding high voltage into the house ground circuit?

Sorry if this is a stupid question. It may make you wonder how smart it was for me to build my system :)

[Matt Schrum]

Honestly, I hadn't thought about it backfeeding-- I was more worried about a floating ground if the case was not grounded.

I'm not sure on this one. I know I haven't had any issues with my rig, but my shop is on a separate circuit from the house, so I may not notice a thing even if it was backfeeding.

[Glenn C Roberts]

Tom, I wouldn't pull the earth ground from the transformer. If you do, the dangerous path is possibly from you to earth ground if you are grounded, where as the path of least resistance would be a direct connection on the transformer to earth ground. You don't want to be in series with the ground. There may be some more electrically smart people here that could chime in.

[Tom Brouillette]

I am going to do more research on the grounding situation before I use the rig again next weekend. Here are some pics of mine. It will change after I install the voltage controller. Also, I put the transformer into a lidded box with only the power cord and electrode leads exposed. The large black box on the left side of the 1st picture is the HF foot pedal. Note that the ground wire is not hooked up in the pictures, but likely will be before it's used again. I keep the wires and electrodes as far from my hands as possible. I'll figure a better way to hang the wires from the ends.339902339903339904339905339906

[Cliff Hill]

Interesting topic -- I found a good video that describes the process and the variability of results between a microwave transformer and a neon transformer. He also stresses the safety issues.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Lightning+(Lichtenburg)+Pyrography&view=detail&mid=2CAC8D8A2C1302B25D7D2CAC8D8A2C1302B25D7D&FORM=VIRE

There are a lot of really bad videos out there -- One guy was handling 2 hot probes with bare hands! Good recipe for electrocution.

Cliff

[Michael Mills]

I have a problem with mine and I think it is the connections (I used spring clamps). Sometimes it works well and sometimes not so much. Thanks for the info, I will try the probe approach instead. Where did you find the rubber mat for a base?
If a person is interested, a neon transformer also works and most will have a on/off switch and pre wired with the leads and plug.
Mine is a 12,000V and was <$50 new on the bay. Lower voltage are lower $$$, this is similar to what I have but a bit higher in price (shop around).
The bay list 150+ items in the $25-$65 price range.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/12kV-12-000-volts-8kV-RMS-NEON-SIGN-TRANSFORMER-POWER-SUPPLY-/351769388639?hash=item51e716e65f:m:mFYlBzJzzc95uP7 VBGvFf0A

[Allan Ferguson]

Pretty cool, but I will pass on trying this.

[Doug Rasmussen]

Tom, does your unit maintain a relatively constant tip temperature after the burning tip hits the work?

This is a big problem with the commercially made pyrography units. While they get very hot I haven't seen any with controls to maintain that temperature. For my purposes I've found the digit soldering stations like Weller's are a better tool. Their max temps are only around 900 F, but they maintain it within a few degrees.

My pyrography is done with a CNC using either a Weller pen (or a diode laser) mounted on the machine's head. When you're doing it automatically you can't easily slow done to compensate for the cooling of the tips.


The image shown is quite small. Colored with fine tip acrylic paint pens. I need a magnifying lamp to apply the paint. It's not as hard as it might seem since the paint doesn't bleed over the burned traces.

[Tom Brouillette]

Lightning pyrography doesn't rely on tip temperature to burn the wood. It is done by current travelling through the wood/baking soda-water medium. I have access to an infrared imager, so I might be able to measure the tip temperature in the future.

[Chris Fairbanks]

Saw your guys thread over the summer and thought you guys were insane to be messing with that high of voltage :). Then I saw this tonight and now I want to do it. https://www.instagram.com/p/BN9pBQJg_l7/?taken-by=baileigh_industrial

[Matt Schrum]

Yup, that's pretty much what it looks like in person. If you install a dial to control the voltage you can avoid the fire and flare ups seen in the video (so you have better definition of the pattern and less "blurry" scorch marks). The set up is pretty much a one trick pony, but it's a heck of a trick.