Plug in your woodburning iron and allow it about four minutes to heat
up. Hold the wood burner like a pencil. Do not touch any of the metal
parts, as they are hot. Start by writing your name. Then practice pulling
the point toward you instead of pushing it away. You can vary the appear-
ance of the pattern by the amount of time you leave the tip on the surface
and by the pressure applied to the tip. The longer the tip stays on the
surface the deeper and darker the pattern will appear. The brown shading
is affected by the speed of the tip across the surface. The smoother the
surface of the material, the clearer and fi ner the design will appear.
After you have practiced a while, make a sample board as a reminder
of patterns you can create using different tips and techniques. This
will make it fun and easy to complete a new project with an interesting
display of “pyrography techniques”.
4.
Calligraphy tip—This tip mimics the shape of a calligraphy
pen. Do not allow the iron to rotate in your hand as you trace
calligraphy letters.
5.
Shading tip—This tip is tapered so that you can use it in several
positions to create light or dark shading.
6.
Branding tips—Apply these tips vertically on your project
surface. Remove them in a straight vertical motion to make a
distinct pattern.
7.
Stencil cutting tip—Use this tip to cut craft pattern stencils in
Mylar
®
or other stencil material.
8.
Pattern transfer tip—Follow these steps to transfer printed
patterns onto your project:
a) Make a copy of your pattern using a laser printer.
b) Place the copy face down on your project surface.
c) Fit the woodburning iron with the pattern transfer tip
and allow the tip to heat to working temperature (about
fi ve minutes).
d) Using the pattern transfer tip, slowly rub the back of the
pattern in a circular motion to transfer the printed pattern
to your project surface.
e) You can now burn your pattern into your project surface.
9.
Knife tip—To install the knife blade onto the iron, carefully
insert the blade into the chuck. Insert the threaded chuck onto
the soldering iron barrel and tighten. Use this specialty tip to
cut foam, rope, or other soft rigid materials.
Keep your tips clean for good performance and long life. Carbon may
build up on the tip surface as you work, especially if you’re working with
a sappy wood such as pine. Use a fi ne grit sandpaper or wire brush to
gently clean the tips while they are hot.
