# Fractual wood burning, Napkin Holders and Tissue Boxes



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Here are the pictures of the final product of my latest attempt and probably last Fractual wood burning.

I thought that some of the patterns turned out quite interesting, and by wrapping them around the corners gave a nice continuation effect.
The finish is just spray shellac from rattle cans, approximately 6 coats.
These re the ones that I rinsed the oak and aromatic cedar in a dilute vinegar solution to rid the off color caused by the electrolyte. the maple ,poplar, Spanish cedar I just sprayed with shellac.
Herb


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

More


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

More


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Very nice Herb


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

beautiful...


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## 197761 (May 2, 2017)

Wow, that's interesting. I have never seen that before today!


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Cool

Why the last??


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

honesttjohn said:


> Cool
> 
> Why the last??



John, there is no margin of error and 12,000v. is lethal. 

Local man electrocuted using dangerous wood art process | Local | union-bulletin.com 

At my age I am clumsy, forgetful, uncoordinated, always dropping, forgetting, and banging into things, so after reading the above article I figured I better play it safe.

This is the only fatality I have confirmed, there were 2 others mentioned, but I have yet to confirm them.

I used all the recommended safety precautions,and felt confident doing this, but you don't get a chance for even one mistake.
The person in the article was not exactly new at this, he had done it before with success.
So I am sending the unit back to the manufacturer, I can say I did that, and on to the next thing.
Herb


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

DerSchuhmacher said:


> Wow, that's interesting. I have never seen that before today!


This thread is a continuation of the one I did showing the process.

http://www.routerforums.com/pyrography-carving/113146-did-some-wood-burning-today.html

Herb


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## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

Very pretty. Nice work.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Wow you've been busy Herb! Beautiful outcome as always , and very unique look  
I'd love to make a coffee table someday and use that technique


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Wow you've been busy Herb! Beautiful outcome as always , and very unique look
> I'd love to make a coffee table someday and use that technique


I agree, I was beginning to like the designs.
Herb


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Beautiful work Herb. A skill set I need ot try out one of these days.


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## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

Outstanding work Herb.


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## hilldh (Mar 7, 2009)

Beautiful work Herb!!!


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

One of a kind, Herb!!!


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## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

Nice work, Herb. I especially like the cedar ones. It's a shame you're going to stop making them but no project is worth risking your life over. I always used one (right) hand when dealing with high voltages. It's more dangerous to get a shock from one hand through to the other because the path goes closer to your heart. Even the left is worse than the right, when using one hand. I got a shock in college where the TV flyback transformer arced to my finger, the instructor came around sniffing and asked if anyone could smell anything.  Smelled like burning hair. I had a hole in my finger about a 1/16th wide by an 1/8th deep, fully cauterized and hard. I hadn't touched a wire or connection, just came too close and it arced. Because an adult male has dry calloused skin, the resistance is quite high but a high enough voltage can overcome that. When you're working with liquids that makes it all the more dangerous by lowering your resistance. It only takes a few milliamps through your heart and it can be fatal.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

TenGees said:


> Nice work, Herb. I especially like the cedar ones. It's a shame you're going to stop making them but no project is worth risking your life over. I always used one (right) hand when dealing with high voltages. It's more dangerous to get a shock from one hand through to the other because the path goes closer to your heart. Even the left is worse than the right, when using one hand. I got a shock in college where the TV flyback transformer arced to my finger, the instructor came around sniffing and asked if anyone could smell anything.  Smelled like burning hair. I had a hole in my finger about a 1/16th wide by an 1/8th deep, fully cauterized and hard. I hadn't touched a wire or connection, just came too close and it arced. Because an adult male has dry calloused skin, the resistance is quite high but a high enough voltage can overcome that. When you're working with liquids that makes it all the more dangerous by lowering your resistance. It only takes a few milliamps through your heart and it can be fatal.


Paul, there are videos of guys setting up jigs with clamps to attach to the wood and jigs to hold the probes,and nails driven at strategic locations with the electrodes attached with alligator clips. They have a wall switch across the room that they flip to actuate the transformer. 
These methods are good,but you don't have the control of the pattern that standing alongside and stopping the burn,moving one probe to a different position etc., But the trade off is that it is a lot safer.

Herb


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## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

Herb, if I had heard of this technique decades ago, I would have tried it with a neon transformer. I was cautiously comfortable working with those. The biggest ones were 15,000 volts 60 milliamp although the 30 milliamp ones were more common. They could arc through air about an inch and a half. I made a Jacob's Ladder with one once.


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## 197761 (May 2, 2017)

Thanks, Herb! That is SO cool how that works!


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

DerSchuhmacher said:


> Thanks, Herb! That is SO cool how that works!


Be careful if you try it.

I found the information on one of the other victims last night on the internet. 
Jarrett R. Hutton, 32 y.o. artist 7/02/2016, lived in Cortland OHIO. Apparently was doing some art work when the incident happened, he was a father and and a very well thought of individual,and artist in his town. RIP.

Herb


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