Shopsmith Forums

No I don't want to cover one, I WANT TO MAKE SOME:D

So I'm building a bar and want it to look like a REAL bar, I can get the bottle rings and dents and wear OK....BUT I've looked and looked I can't find a way to duplicate those long old burns. I know they used to put something in cigaretts to make them burn down (or maybe now they put something in them so they don't burn?) Since I don't smoke this is a little harder than I thought.
I've tried a pice of steel rod, heated red hot and dropping it on wood, but it don't seem right. I know I'm a little strange but I really don't want a "new" bar.

Maybe anyone got a good book recomendation on distressing furniture?

THANKS

What about going and buying a pack and hold one in your hand and lite it. Lay it down and lightly blow on it to keep it glowing. Get the cheapest one.

Try heating up a 1/4 or 3/8ths inch piece of rod, (as long as you think you want) and letting it sit on the bar.

Grab the rod with a pair of pliers, heat it with a propane torch, and let it go. Oh, I just re-read your post. Don't heat it up to glowing hot.)

You also may want to do this on the edge of the bar. (Customer puts a cig on the bar, with the lit end hanging off so it won't burn the bar, and forgets about it.)

Start with a longer piece of rod, and burn a couple marks, using different times and temps, and cut the rod shorter and shorter. You don't want the burns to all look the same.

No, I don't smoke, but I was a bartender, once.

steve

this is Crook county, I'm a mile outside Chicago, pack of chokes is like $12...I never thought of just blowing on it to keep it lit, if I have to I'll try it.

Never thought of adjusting the temp of the rod too much, but I just started this process, I never smoked (first hand) but plenty of time in bars and mom and dad was at three packs a day each, so I guess I was a pretty heavy second hand smoker.

rjn2649 wrote:this is Crook county, I'm a mile outside Chicago, pack of chokes is like $12...I never thought of just blowing on it to keep it lit, if I have to I'll try it.

Never thought of adjusting the temp of the rod too much, but I just started this process, I never smoked (first hand) but plenty of time in bars and mom and dad was at three packs a day each, so I guess I was a pretty heavy second hand smoker.

What will you do about second hand smoke?

Sounds like you are building memorial to smokers.

Personally I would forget about the burn marks and show the bar was only used by a more intelligent group.

Just buy a pack of the Indian smokes that are tax exempt. A few puffs without inhaling to get it lit won't hurt you, its no worse than standing over your grill. Then leave the lit cig on the already varnished surface to get the burns...that's the cool looking part is where the varnish discolors and fans out. If you want hotter/darker burn run a small fan on medium. It should stay lit as long as you don't have it pointing up.

rjn2649 wrote:(or maybe now they put something in them so they don't burn?)

You should notice "FSC" above the barcode on almost all newer cigarettes..."Fire Safety Cigarettes". They apply 2 or more bands of fire retardant (great for your health ) to make them burn out when they reach that band unless actively smoked. By inhaling, you jump the gap and ignite below the band. This was in response to all the fires caused by people leaving cigarettes unattended or falling asleep while smoking.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_safe_cigarette

You may be able to find cigarettes without the FSC label (as frank suggested above), or you may have to roll your own (finding papers that aren't FSC)

You don't know any smokers that can assist on this? Not even a co-worker?

How about this, build up your top, find a bar with a smoking section (they do exist usually private clubs or outside patio areas) Talk to the owner and put it in use. It will be trashed in no time.

So thanks for all the replys
I've come up with two ways to try first as I said befor, I'm going to play more with the hot steel rod.
Second there are places that let you "roll your own" in their machines, Next weekend if Im not happy with the steel rod I know an ex co worker that goes to one I'll have him pick me up a pack.
As far as smoking goes, I always thought it was dumb, never smoked cigaretts, but grew up in bars, yes grew up dad was a bartender I would stop in the bar by grammer school get a pack of pork rinds and a coke and a "don't tell your mother". In the 40's through the 60's EVERYONE smoked and every bar I sat at had burns. Maybe thats why the burns are an important part of the look to me.
ANYWAY In a couple of weeks when I'm happy I'll post my results