Lichtenberg Vase

[roger fischer]

Hi all


Today il try the first time to make Lichtenberg figures
after the first step sanding il start to burn with the electrode, then il blow the slag out and sand it again


for the finish il used woodturning oil


this video was for entertainment only, not as a how to (high risk)

Sice: 25cm High 20cm Diameter


https://youtu.be/OSC0Oa1NYP4


hope you enjoy it


Kind Greetings
Roger

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[Roger Chandler]

I don't know if you are aware of the number of deaths woodturners and wood workers have had using the Lichtenberg Fractal burning technique......i think it is up to 16 at last I read. The AAW has discouraged this practice with much vigor, and has a policy that none will be permitted at symposiums, or insurance covered club events.

Youtube videos can lead a person to try to do things they are neither qualified to do, nor competent in knowledge about. The minimal embellishment the technique produces is not worth the risk. One second of forgetting things like grounding, or any number of things can end one's life.......I hope you will be safe, but the safest thing is to void this highly dangerous proceedure. We do nt want to read or hear that you were the latest victim from a totally unnecessary death!

[John M. Smith]

100 percent agree with Roger

[Tim Passmore]

Very well said Roger. There are far too many other safe embellishment options available to be trying something that could have deadly consequences.

[Richard Coers]

Well said Roger. I consider doing a video on a Lichtenberg burn the equivalent of a teenager doing a video on attempting to hurdle a car speeding at them.

[roger fischer]

thank you all for your comment

il understood that is a high risk

and as i said its not a how to video, and for this reason i dount showed the amche what i bought

best regards

roger

[Frederick Skelly]

Well said Roger. I consider doing a video on a Lichtenberg burn the equivalent of a teenager doing a video on attempting to hurdle a car speeding at them.

+1. This is one more video that may encourage people to try it and I don't think that's such a great idea. In a way, it's an advertisement for doing this, even without the machine - "Oooh, look at this gorgeous thing Roger made. We should look into this." (Not sure why, but I keep thinking of old cigarette advertisements on TV.)

Recent thread on this topic. LINK (https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?278694-Fractal-wood-burning-Lichtenberg-figures&highlight=Lichtenberg)

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

A friend had an electrician help him build a unit that has safety switches incorporated on the door, special insulated electrodes, etc. The problem arises from wood workers using jury rigged rube goldberg apparatus. Some folks get all wonky over things they don't understand because they heard some fools died because they didn't take proper precautions. Shooting a target rifle can be dangerous if you look down the barrel. I have an old farmhouse here in the property. When I was remodeling it, I found live knob and tube wiring behind a wall. At one time electricity was considered too dangerous to have in a house. Then it was ok, with the most dangerous of stupid ideas, bare wires strung parallel through insulators. But we didn't say electricity is the devil and is too dangerous to have around a residence. We established safer methods to use it. Enacted safety codes etc. There are a great many examples of stupidity on you tube., (MY favorite is the nut case that ignites a small cannon and never covers his open powder container. A stray spark caused the powder can to explode. ) Yes we should warn people that jury rigged apparatus is most likely dangerous. But also recognize that some people go about it the proper way with more than adequate safe guards.

That said, I am not sure there is much art beyond the novelty of it, sort of like the spin painting that was the rage at carnivals 40 yrs ago..

[Glenn C Roberts]

Roger, I also did the lichtenberg method. I have worked around electricity - high and low voltage - most of my life, and felt confident about constructing a safe unit. After a few sessions, I realized that one mistake would cause my neighbor to make an urn. I made it to 70, and it wasn't because I'm stupid.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Personally, even if it could be made to be truly foolproof and safe beyond the ability of all efforts to injure anyone, I just don’t get the appeal. Wouldn’t it be a lot easier to just fire up a pyrography pen and burn in the design exactly where you want it? Or is it the feeling that pure chance is going to reward you with a masterpiece that’s the envy of all who gaze upon it?
They say that an unlimited number of monkeys supplied with typewriters is bound to, at some point duplicate the efforts of Shakespear...

[roger fischer]

as i said il understand it, but i like to do this, and il try my best to be save, il do as well the xxl woodturning with logs arround 200kg+ no onle say somthing that this is dangerous but is it

best regards

roger

[John K Jordan]

Personally, even if it could be made to be truly foolproof and safe beyond the ability of all efforts to injure anyone, I just don’t get the appeal. Wouldn’t it be a lot easier to just fire up a pyrography pen and burn in the design exactly where you want it? ...

From what I've read you can somewhat control the path of the electrons by where you apply/paint the electrolyte/conductive solution. From what I've seen up close it would be difficult but not impossible to duplicate the burned-by-electricity effect using pyrography. But it would be more difficult to use the electrical process to get a well-designed piece such as one created by hand by a creative person.

I was intrigued the first time I saw a Lichtenberg pattern on wood. The second time the novelty faded and after the third I was bored. I'd rather put my creative energies into the woodturning design and perhaps carving and decorating rather than the chance path of electrons. Maybe zapped pieces sell well for those interested in selling. For me, ooo-ing and awe-ing over dynamic lightning patterns are a bit like praising the beautiful color and figure of the wood while ignoring any deficiencies in design, turning expertise, smoothing, finishing, art, elegance, and function of a piece.

JKJ

PS: I have no comment about the specific pieces shown in this thread, or about the perceived or actual safety aspects nor the relative wisdom of using this process other than to copy what the AAW wrote: "As of December 2019, we know of twenty deaths caused using fractal, or Lichtenberg, burning. We only know of those deaths that are reported by the media and show up in internet searches; it is highly likely there are more." This was later updated to 21 deaths. This doesn't count the reports of heart stoppages and severe injuries reported including severe burns and finger amputations. The AAW site has a list of the reported deaths and injuries with locations and sometimes names of the people: https://www.woodturner.org/Woodturner/Resources/Safety-Materials/Safety-Fractal-Burning-Lichtenburg-Burning.aspx