Wood burning process. All about wood burners

Pyrography is the process of burning wood and fixing the applied pattern using a special device. Recently, this well-already forgotten art is gaining popularity again. This is a good way for a modern person to relieve stress, take a break from the everyday hustle and bustle, while simultaneously creating decorative interior details and more with your own hands. Learning to woodburn for beginners is not as difficult as it seems at first glance.

The art of wood burning gained popularity in Russia at the end of the 19th century. It was mainly used to decorate nesting dolls. It is believed that the birthplace of decorative burning is Peru. However, in one form or another pyrography appeared in the culture of, perhaps, all nations.

The first wood burning apparatus was cumbersome and imperfect. It operated on gasoline, which guaranteed sufficient heating of the platinum needle. For uninterrupted operation, the master had to ensure a constant supply of fuel; I regulate it with a foot pedal. The process was quite labor intensive.

The moment came when the burning technique was replaced by decorative painting. However, many craftsmen continued to decorate household items (boxes, chests, jugs) using their favorite technique.

Features of modern devices

The main tool for work, the pyrograph (burning apparatus) is the most important part in the burning process. Modern equipment differs from models of previous years. Previously, the unit was a small box and a soldering iron with tips in the form of a paper clip. The modern device is more complex. Which burner to choose depends on the individual preferences of the master. Each of the devices has its own pros and cons.

Disadvantages of modern pyrographs:

long heating and cooling times;
risk of burnout during long-term use;
uncomfortable handles in some models.

Wire units have their own disadvantages:

high price;
expensive repairs;
needles require frequent replacement;
difficulties in finding spare parts.

Many craftsmen are trying to make tips for a burning soldering iron from wire at home. However, some experience is required to perform such procedures. Beginners are advised to limit themselves to factory copies.

The most primitive burning device consists of several required elements:

a step-down transformer;
lever;
various attachments (feathers, filaments).

In hobby and creative supply stores you can purchase a burning machine, the necessary materials and even ready-made pyrography kits. So, For decorative wood burning you will need:

Many novice craftsmen are interested in whether it is possible to burn wood with a soldering iron. Of course you can, this is the easiest way to make patterns at home. However, we must take into account that the work will require several soldering irons of different diameters.

For pyrography, boards made from deciduous trees (maple, linden, oak, alder) are best suited. Coniferous species are less suitable, as they are sometimes difficult to clear of resin. The board should not have noticeable flaws - knots, cracks, etc.

When preparing the working surface yourself, you need to sand the board with fine sandpaper and rub it with a mixture of water and chalk in a 1:1 ratio, then dry it thoroughly.

Wood burning for beginners is a simple and fun process. As in any business, there are some peculiarities and rules here that must be followed:

In order to master the art of pyrography to perfection and learn how to burn wood correctly, you should not stop at the initial stages of work discussed in the article. It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with educational video lessons on the topic, or you can attend special courses. It is important to remember that, like any applied activity, pyrography requires constant practice and honing of skills. The result will not be long in coming.

Wood burning is a separate area of applied art, through which real masterpieces are created. Various kinds of paintings, portraits and landscapes, despite the monochrome colors, amaze the eye with the beauty of their lines and variety of shades. Initial skills in processing a wooden surface are acquired quite easily, but the final result largely depends on the correctly selected material.

Ideally, solid wood should be used as the basis for the design, however, due to its high cost and rare pieces of the required thickness, this is not always possible. The most optimal solution for novice craftsmen is plywood products, the price of which is quite affordable, and the thickness has suitable standards.

Plywood is a multi-layer product based on natural wood, available in various modifications. The starting material for its production is natural veneer, which is formed by peeling pre-steamed logs. The finished veneer layers are dried and glued together by hot pressing.

Burning on plywood is an exciting activity

Depending on the type of wood and adhesive composition, the main quality characteristics of plywood products directly depend. Not every type of plywood is suitable for DIY burning - some analogues are completely unsuitable for this process, due to the natural or technical characteristics of the material.

Below are instructions on how to choose the right plywood for burning to help you make the right choice.

Types of plywood

Raw material

The type of wood from which the plywood will be made has a great influence on the technical characteristics. Two types of industrial wood are used as the starting material for the production of veneer - deciduous and coniferous. Deciduous analogues are most often made from birch, and coniferous ones from spruce and larch.

Note!
In rare cases, plywood is also made from valuable wood species - mahogany, oak, wenge, etc.
However, products of this type have a high cost and are quite rare.
In this regard, its properties will not be discussed in this article.

Hardwood plywood is used for burning, as their structure is most suitable for this process. Due to its wide distribution, low cost and soft structure, it is undesirable to use it as a material for burning. This is explained by the high content of natural resins in coniferous wood - under the influence of high temperature it begins to precipitate on the surface of the workpiece.

Birch plywood does not have the above disadvantages and can be used as a blank. However, its wood has a fairly high strength, which in this case is not a significant obstacle, but still causes some inconvenience. The ideal option is plywood sheets made from linden wood - soft and pliable.

Adhesive composition

The composition of the glue determines the quality characteristics of the final product, which are not initially characteristic of natural wood - moisture resistance and strength. However, the composition of the glue in most cases has a chemical structure, which to one degree or another negatively affects the environmental friendliness of plywood. GOST controls the permissible content of toxic substances, but its standards are not designed for increased heating.

Formaldehyde, phenol and other toxic substances are used to varying degrees as an ingredient for the adhesive composition. Under normal operating conditions, the release of toxic fumes of the above substances is minimal, but when burned, it heats up significantly, the structure of the glue is disrupted and a powerful release of toxic fumes occurs.

The most common types of plywood products are:

FBA - albumin-casein glue is used as an adhesive in this type of plywood. It has a natural base and water-emulsion structure, and therefore has strong moisture absorption and low strength, but at the same time it is an environmentally friendly material. This is the most suitable material for burning;

FC - veneer is glued using urea glue based on melamine-formaldehyde resins. This is a more durable and moisture-resistant analogue, but it is less environmentally friendly. When working with it, it is undesirable to inhale the released vapors;
FSF – products based on synthetic phenol-formaldehyde glue. This is the most common product on the market. Possessing high resistance to moisture and strength, plywood of this type has high toxicity, which is especially pronounced when heated. The use of this type of product is not recommended;

FB – plywood made with bakelite varnish or glue. The most durable and moisture-proof products are absolutely unsuitable for manual burning due to their strength and increased level of toxicity;

Note!
When working with plywood, inhaling fumes is not recommended, regardless of its type, since the adhesive composition is made with the presence of foreign additives.
The room should be well ventilated and should not be closed.

Plywood grade

Plywood products are divided into grades, through which the finished product is classified. The distribution is carried out based on visual data - the presence of external and structural defects. Depending on the variety, the sheets will have certain characteristics and external data - accordingly, not everyone is suitable for the burning procedure.

Grade E

The most elite grade of plywood - there are practically no natural or acquired defects on the surface of the sheet. Only minor changes in the structure of the wood are allowed, which are random and do not affect the general characteristics of the sheet. This is the most optimal variety for burning out designs.

Grade 1

A small number of cracks and warped areas are acceptable, but their length should not exceed 20 mm. The main surface area of the leaf is intact, without any external or structural defects. This variety is also suitable for use as blanks for burning.

It is undesirable to use all other varieties, since the presence of wormholes, knots, inserts and other natural or acquired defects will negatively affect the burning process. When using low-grade analogues, you will have to choose undamaged areas, which is not always possible.

Transferring the design to the workpiece

Dog - burning drawings on plywood

Of no small importance in the burning process is the transfer of the sketch to the workpiece - in most cases, the drawing is located on paper and before starting to form the outline, it is necessary to copy it onto the surface of the future product. The most common way to transfer designs for burning onto plywood is using carbon paper.

The easiest and most affordable way to transfer a design to the surface of plywood is copy paper, which can be purchased at any office supply store.

This is a cheap and at the same time quite effective solution - the process of copying a picture is carried out in the same way as when transferring an image onto a piece of paper.

Before copying the sketch, the surface of the plywood is completely cleaned of dust and grains of wood that could interfere with the process.
The workpiece is degreased with white alcohol and dried.
Then tracing paper (copy paper) is applied to the surface of the workpiece and evenly fixed with tape - the slightest shift while transferring the design will lead to distortion of the design.

Then paper with a pattern is placed on the tracing paper, and all existing contours are traced with a pen - the pattern will be completely transferred to the surface of the workpiece.

Note!
Unfortunately, copying with tracing paper is only suitable if the designs for burning on plywood initially have the required size - this method is not suitable for enlarging or reducing the scale.

Bottom line

Properly selected material will make burning on plywood as effective as possible. This is especially true at the initial stage of acquiring the necessary skills, when any side factor can have a direct impact on the final result. In the video presented in this article you will find additional information on this topic.

Similar materials

First steps

The most important thing is to learn how to control the pen and feel the features of the wood surface. It is much more useful to understand how precise straight lines are drawn than to constantly try to correct errors made during work. Of course, skill comes only with experience, so it requires constant and long-term exercise.

It is better to start with small items and gradually move on to larger ones. This will help you get more comfortable with your equipment and learn how to use it correctly. Take wooden spoons or spatulas, burning simple linear patterns on them that do not require chiaroscuro, trying to give your design texture and volume through varied shading. You can also start with key chains, egg cups, or other small items. Even if you ruin the item, throwing a plywood butterfly into the trash is not as bad as, for example, a watch in a wooden case. Additionally, working on small objects will teach you how to handle different sized feathers.

Start working from the top of the intended drawing, making short, light strokes. Movements should be smooth. Work slowly: wood takes time to darken when exposed to temperature. At first you will end up with blots and uneven lines, so you'll have to practice.

The hardest thing for beginners is to learn how to burn evenly. Often their pictures look uneven and dirty. If you are facing this problem, take heart. It's not just you who's having a hard time at first, and there are a few things that can help you overcome these difficulties.

First of all, we must remember that upon first contact with the surface the pen will be hotter than during the subsequent burning of the stroke. This happens because some of the heat is absorbed by the material you are burning into. This fact determines the most common problem for all pyrographers: how to prevent blots from appearing from the moment you first touch the surface with the pen until it cools enough to create a straight line.

This problem has two solutions. The first is movement and speed. The movement keeps the hot pen from staying in one place and burning a hole before you can get your hand to move. Imagine that your pen is a plane landing on the runway. During the first second after touching the surface, you will need to move the pen a little faster before all the heat is absorbed by the material. Then you need to slow down the movement of the pen to a speed that will make it possible to burn evenly across this material. When the time comes to complete the stroke, you just need to continue moving, while simultaneously lifting the pen from the surface so that it does not remain in one place for even a split second and does not burn holes at the end of the line. And again imagine the feather as an airplane, which was still running along the runway and takes off at the end of the line you need (Fig. 8).

Rice. 8. Pen in motion.

The second method of preventing blots is to gently blow on the pen before touching the surface. This will cool the pen, and when it is on the surface and in motion, the heating temperature will return.

Perhaps, when reading the introductory material, some actions seem too difficult, but pyrography, like any craft, requires skill. So it will take practice before the art of wielding a red-hot pen becomes second nature. Take scraps of some material and practice making strokes, straight and curved lines, choosing different feathers. Soon, blots will be a thing of the past. By the way, when working with a pyrograph with a solid nozzle, problems with blots are usually less common.

When performing the first simple exercise, you need to follow two rules:

1. Don’t write with a pyrograph, even if you really want to. Perhaps the very shape of its handle provokes this: it seems that you are holding an ordinary pencil in your hand. But at least to begin with, don’t write.

2. Don't draw or try to depict anything.

In other words, at first you only need to make a few strokes. Without changing the temperature of the working tip, draw several lines and place several dots. There are many ways to do this. For example, if you lightly touch the wood with a hot tip, without pressing, drag it across the surface, you will get a thin, fairly light line. If you apply light pressure and drag it more slowly, you will get a darker, wider line.

It naturally follows that the thickness of the line depends on the speed with which you move the pyrograph tip over the wood and the pressure you apply to its surface. Try to burn as many lines of varying thickness and brightness as possible.

If you press the pen too hard on the wood while working, the heating element will most likely bend. Don't be intimidated by this, give it its original shape by pressing it onto a scrap piece of wood. Nichrome wire is very flexible and you are unlikely to break it.

Having mastered simple strokes, free of blots, try to burn out as many lines of varying thickness and brightness as possible, gradually weaving the lines into complex curved patterns (Fig. 9).

The speed at which you move the pen will determine how dark or light the line will be. Naturally, the faster you move the pen across the surface, the less time it is in contact with the material and the lighter it burns. The slower you move, the darker the burn will be.

Rice. 9. Simple exercises for beginner pyromasters.

If you have a constant temperature appliance, you will not be able to increase or decrease the temperature. Pen speed will be the only available way to make the burn darker or lighter.

If you have a device with a temperature controller, you can make the pen hotter or colder, but there is a certain danger in this. You will be tempted to move it a little bit each time, by tiny divisions, when you want to burn a little darker or lighter. There's really no need for this. It's best to use a dial to set the average temperature needed to burn a given material or perform a specific technique. When the pen temperature is in this range, then you can use the speed of the tool to make the burn mark darker or lighter.

You need to adjust the temperature for each pen you use separately. Different feathers are made of different amounts of metal, so they need to be heated differently. If you did not change the power of the source when changing the pen, it may turn out to be too large or, conversely, too small to burn the same surface.

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Everyone remembers one of the pastimes of childhood - burning pictures or portraits on wood. And the smell of burning wood remained in my memory forever. Everything returns to normal. Today it is called pyrography, and is becoming fashionable again. Computers are computers, and many children want to show their individuality in a different way. And not only for children, to say the least. Let's remember how this is done and what is needed for this. Below is all the information for beginners and more.

Everyone remembers one of the childhood pastimes - wood burning.

The burning apparatus (pyrograph) is the main equipment. Previously, it was a plastic box (usually yellow) with a small soldering iron inside, the tip of which was similar to a paper clip in appearance and thickness. Today, when this art is making a comeback, the burning machine is a more serious device. There are also old-type devices, but it is still better to purchase a burner with hard feathers. It will last for a long time, since it is highly durable, and it has many different attachments.

There are also disadvantages:

long heating - long cooling;
sometimes - uncomfortable (heating) handles;
Possibility of burnout during long-term operation.

Wire burners have more serious disadvantages:

high cost;
expensive repairs;
frequent replacement of thin needles;
difficulty in finding spare parts.

The choice of a burner is a purely individual decision. But most choose the first option. I can recommend the Stayer pyrograph. An excellent burner suitable for all materials.

How to use the device? This burning device is conveniently located in a plastic box, making it convenient for transportation. The kit includes a stand for the soldering iron (which is very important), a set of tips of 20 pieces (always necessary and shaped). In general, a great gift for both a beginner and a professional pyrographer. Next you will need a wood burning kit. It will be cheaper and easier than searching for the necessary means at hand on your own. There is enough material there for the first time. The sets look something like this:

A good set contains several boards, some with ready-made sketches. We also need drawings, which are not a problem to find. For starters, they are again included in the burning kit.

Gallery: wood burning (crafts - 25 photos)

Burning lesson and technique - master class for beginners (video)

Preparation and burning wood with a soldering iron: beauty technology

Having prepared the necessary equipment, decide on the material. It is better to stick to soft woods.

Good fit:

pine;
Linden;
birch;
ash;
maple.

Having prepared the necessary equipment, decide on the material

You need to let the device warm up on the stand. Then take the properly sanded material. Remember:

It is necessary to grind along the grain - this will remove all the unevenness and roughness.
After sanding, be sure to walk over the material with a damp cloth. Be sure to let the material dry.
Next, you need to carefully apply the sketch to the surface of the prepared material with a pencil, using light strokes.

Once you start work, forget about haste: no one sets the task of completing it quickly. This is not a quick process. Like any art, it requires care and gives great pleasure from the work done.

Sketch, if you are not good at drawing yourself, apply it to the surface using carbon paper.
You need to apply the design onto the prepared surface with a soldering iron with the same force - this way there will be no gaps on it.
Do not keep the hot needle in one place - the wood will darken more than in other places. This may ruin the final look.
Keep the material with the fibers facing down - this will make it easier for the needle to move along it without encountering obstacles or resistance.

Always be careful and remember: you are working with a hot tool. Always keep it on a stand: it’s better to blow on the water one more time, but not get burned.

How to burn on boards correctly: the birth of the first masterpieces

As mentioned, this requires the following tool:

sketch (it can be whatever you like best);
planks (pine, linden, birch, ash, maple);
fireproof stand for the pyrograph (required!);
pyrograph

Depending on the need and features of the pattern, change the attachments, which you always keep at hand.

Prepare a board. Clean it with fine sandpaper. Rub with a chalk-water solution. Allow the board to dry (you can only burn it when the material is dry).
Transfer the selected sketch to the board.
Turn on the pyrograph. Wait until the pen heats up and turns red.
Then, with equal pressure, move the pen along the contour and all elements of the sketch so that a clear dark brown stripe appears (or black, if you want).
Burning is completed when all parts of the sketch are drawn and it turns into a full-fledged drawing.

Depending on the need and features of the pattern, change the attachments, which you always keep at hand. This technology for beginners allows you to quickly learn the art of pyrography.

Burning on plywood: the easiest way

The process of burning on plywood is not much different from pyrography on a thick board. It is easy to purchase plywood sheets at any construction market. You can ask and they will cut it into pieces of the desired size. Plywood weighs less and costs less than other materials. It contains no harmful resins. You need to choose plywood from birch, pine, beech, no more than 2 centimeters thick.

After choosing plywood, the process follows the scheme already given.

The plywood needs to be cleaned. Wet with a solution of chalk and water. Let the plywood dry.
During the drying time, you need to select a sketch, a pencil, and carbon paper.
As soon as the plywood is dry, start transferring the sketch onto the plywood.
Turn on the pyrograph - it must be on a stand.
After the pyrograph is hot and the sketch is transferred to plywood, begin work.

The process of burning on plywood is not much different from pyrography on a thick board

By following this simple technology, you can burn out anything you want: from a simple inscription to a real painting. This is easier to do than it seems.

Which attachments are best to buy?

All you need to do is purchase a set of attachments to get started. This is what an excellent set, tested experimentally, looks like:

All attachments are unlikely to be used. The main ones, most often used, are usually nozzles for burning lines (varying their thickness). Wedge-shaped, conical, thin needle-shaped - a must. The brass signets included in the set can be used to create ornaments - an interesting result is guaranteed.

The difference in cost between a good (high-quality) and a bad pyrograph is different, but not enough to save money. Quality here equals safety.
If you buy a burner for a child, first try it out yourself, and only then start instructing the young wood artist.
Don't buy a lot of material and additional materials at once - all this can be bought gradually without causing a big blow to the budget.

First burning lesson for beginners: shark (video)

Pyrography is an art accessible to everyone. By purchasing a burner, you introduce your child to beauty and become familiar with it yourself. Is it a bad day to spend with your child creating a beautiful picture that can be hung in the most prominent place in the house? Guests of the house will be surprised by the new paintings. And you can be sure that more than once they will ask where you can buy one? Such minutes are worth a lot.

Other types of needlework

Nikolay Gladenko

Wood burning is an art that first appeared at the end of the last century in the Russian capital. At first, this technique was used to make nesting dolls. Subsequently, this method was called pyrography.

A little history

The first devices that were designed for burning turned out to be imperfect. They ran on gasoline, which heated a platinum needle. In order to maintain a constant temperature, the person doing the burning had to constantly pump gasoline using a foot pedal. Although the process turned out to be labor-intensive, pyrography became more and more popular every day.

The technique was mainly used for making nesting dolls; it was only many years later that designs for wood burning became more varied and beautiful. As nesting dolls became more and more popular, labor-intensive pyrography had to be abandoned, and painting took its place. But they didn’t forget about burning, and now this technique was used to decorate boxes, caskets and other wooden objects.

Modern device

Wood burning for beginners became a very simple and accessible technique after the electric device was invented. Now it could be used to decorate items made of leather, bones, paper and other materials.

The simplest electric burner includes: a step-down transformer, a rheostat, handles and replaceable filaments, which are also called pins. Professionals recommend replacing the rheostat with a laboratory transformer, which makes it possible to obtain high-quality burning of different tones.

Wood burning at home involves the use of a factory-made school device. This electric burner is mainly used for contour and tonal drawings.

Wood burning for beginners

In order not to be disappointed in your skills and pyrography in general the first time, you need to know all the intricacies of this type of needlework. For the picture you need to take soft hardwood, for example, aspen, linden, poplar, etc. It is also worth considering the fact that some types of wood can ignite at a temperature of about 150 degrees, while others can withstand about 250 degrees. Therefore, it is better to choose a soft material, so the firing process will be easier and faster.

If you want to make a more complex design, then you should use it. In addition, you need to take into account that in order to keep the surface of the wood clean and neat, you can use the method used by real masters. To begin with, pictures for wood burning are transferred to Then, using glue made from starch or flour, glue it onto the wood itself. The burning process itself must be carried out on tissue paper. When the painting is finished, the paper is carefully removed.

You need to start mastering the pyrography technique with some kind of easy and simple design that does not require complex pins. This concept refers to brackets of different sizes, made from which can have a diameter from 0.3 to 1.5 mm. To make a pin, you need to cut the wire and use pliers or round nose pliers to give it the desired shape. To make it more rigid, the wire must first be hammered. Although you can keep things simple and buy a set of different pins in a specialized store.

Important aspects

Wood burning should begin after the pin is hot and a small tongue of flame is visible from it, which should not be accompanied by smoke. In this case, you can conclude that the gasoline is of high quality, the device works perfectly and the temperature for burning is optimal.
If the flame goes out and you smell something burning, the vent is most likely clogged.
When the tip of the pin heats up unevenly, this indicates that the gasoline you are using is of poor quality or the spirit lamp is not heated enough.
If you had to take a long break during operation and the tip has cooled down, you should not heat it up again by blowing in air saturated with gasoline vapor, as this may lead to clogging.
It is very important to clean the pin from slag during the burning period, as it will work poorly, cool down, and the design will ultimately turn out bad and sloppy. You cannot clean it with a knife or other metal object, as this can damage and ruin the pin.

Burning techniques

You must understand that you cannot erase the burner lines like a pencil, so there should be no errors or blots in your work. To avoid such problems, it is recommended to attach the wood at an angle. The hand in which you will hold the burner must have good support. In this case, you will be able to draw straight lines and they will not go to the side. In addition, it is recommended to complete the entire drawing in one sitting. If you don’t have that much time, then at least make a background first and then after a certain period of time.

Wood burning: important rules

To get a beautiful and vibrant drawing, it is recommended to use lines of different thicknesses and shades. The first aspect depends on the speed of movement of the hot pin, that is, the faster you move the device, the thinner the line will be, and vice versa. To regulate the shade, it is necessary to control the supplied air and the temperature of the tip: the larger it is, the darker the line. To quickly cool the pin, you need to touch it to a cold stone surface, for example, it could be marble, brick or granite. The wood burning device should be used like a pencil, that is, it should move easily, without any pushing or braking.

You need to be especially careful at the beginning and end of the line, as you can ruin the drawing. At an angle, strokes should be started from the top and should not be burned to the full depth at once. To begin with, it is recommended to work with a chisel and only then finish everything with a pin. To make strokes, the device must be placed flat. In order to decorate the background, you can use pins with curly tips.