Nichrome wire - woodburning

Re: Nichrome wire - woodburning

john Lucas

It's possibly not the wire, you are probably burning too hot. Turn the power down a lot and try again. I use a very small tip tool to write with. I always had trouble until I saw Cynthia Gibson burn. I turned the power way down on my Optima burner and had much more control of the thickness of the lines. Your home made burner may simply be too hot.

Re: Nichrome wire - woodburning

Larry Copas

Yes, I have been running it hot...some have called it a wood vaporizer. I'll turn it down some and see if results improve.

Re: Nichrome wire - woodburning

Doug Wolf

Larry, I also have a home made burner and I use heavy nichrome wire but first I put it on an anvil and hit it with a ball peen hammer to flatten it. Then I hammer the edge thinner and file a point on the flattened area. The point is about the size of a sewing needle and just as sharp. The area of the flattened wire behind the point acts like a heat sink to hold the heat and it doesn't take much current of the burner to write my name. Most people ask me if I used a "laser" to write my name on the bottom.

Also if you're not using a magnifier to write your name I would suggest getting a magnifying headgear to wear. You can write really small and when people look at it with their naked eyes they are amazed at the detail you've achieved.

Re: Nichrome wire - woodburning

Larry Copas

I tried hammering the wire than sharpening to a point. Two didn't work well, in fact I burnt one up with too much current. Two were a huge improvement over what I have been doing. Like going from a crayon to a fine point pen. I think knowing how thin to hammer and how to shape the point are skills that I can improve on.

As John suggested, I turned down the power which made a little improvement. I also practiced my writing, since I now have a pen that is capable of getting the job done.

Thanks guys for the needed help.

Re: Nichrome wire - woodburning

Doug Wolf

Larry, Here is an approximate drawing of my point. When you flatten the wire you have to leave most of the material or mass of the original wire. Otherwise it will not carry the current and act like a fuse and melt. Leave the area circled in red about the same size as the cross section of the original wire diameter only flat. This will hold the heat and transfer enough to the point to create a burn.

Re: Nichrome wire - woodburning

Larry Copas

I see said the blind man. I was flattening the wire, only in the wrong direction.

I tried making one exactly as your picture. It worked great and I'm now printing in the micro range. My thanks for your help.