How to burn rings in tool handles

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

I made a couple of new handles for my lathe tools & would like to burn a few fine thin rings around them to accent them.
What do you guys use to burn with? is it wire if so what kind? or do you use somthing else?
Thanks.

[Jim Underwood]

Pretty much any wire will do the trick if you have the RPM turned up high enough. Take the ends of a 8 inch or so length of wire and lay it across the turning spindle and press it down till it starts smoking.

Just don't make loops on the end of the wire and stick your fingers through them.:eek:

I've used some beading wire, and guitar strings, and both seem to work well.

[Cyril Griesbach]

Jim said it all.:)

[Glenn Hodges]

Amen to what Jim said. I twist the ends of guitar strings around dowels for handles.

[Steve Campbell]

Joe the others pretty well covered it. I use one of my skews first to just form a little groove. That way the wire has somewhere to start. Otherwise I have had the wire go sliding along the surface.

Steve

[Gordon Seto]

Cut a shallow V groove first, then use a piece of Formica sample and pressed the edge on the V groove with pressure at high speed. It is basically the same method as using the wire; but safer and free.

[Darryl Hansen]

go to one of the box stores and get their samples of "formica" like for counter tops. works great and much safer than wire...

[Steve Mawson]

From what I have done SPEED is the most important item.

[Allen Neighbors]

I use both, formica, and a bicycle brake cable. Speed is our friend.

[Cary Swoveland]

I've heard piano wire (aka piano strings) recommended for it's durability.

Rather than winding each end of the wire around a stick, how about attaching it to something resembling a slingshot (i.e., across the top of the "Y")?

Cary

[Jim Underwood]

Hey Cary,
That is an excellent idea!:)

I may have to give that a shot. The idea of that wire getting hung up somehow has always bothered me...

(And dittos on the v-groove to get the wire started. It's aggravating to have a piece all sanded down and forget the v-groove, only to have the wire skitter across a nicely sanded surface.:mad:)

[Scott Lux]

I use a steel leader from my fishing gear. It already has loops at the ends. I took two chunks of scrap and put a screw in the end of each. Put the loop over the screw and voila. The screws are not sunk in the wood, and the leader will pop off occasionally. But better that than the handle shotting out of my hand.

Lux

[Al Wasser]

I like the formica samples the best. You can also use a wedge shaped piece of hardwood. Be careful, I suppose if you hold the whatever you use to the wood long enough you could start a fire in the dust.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I cut a small groove with my skew so the wire doesn't jump around and use steel fishing leader.

[terry richards]

The "E" string from a violin makes a very fine burn line. They are smaller in diameter than a guitar or piano string. Call an orchestra teacher at the local school or a violin repair shop. They toss out a lot of these. The "E" string is the one most often replaced.

[neil mackay]

wire does me fine.

[Larry Gottlieb]

I use fishing leader mounted in a coping saw frame with some slack.
This is safe and allows good control.
I score the wood with a pair of dividers (sharpened) and this allows evenly spaced lines.

Larry