Shopsmith Forums

Take a look at these fractal burning images.

It's dangerous though, some people have started fires and electrocuted themselves with this technique.

See this thread from a few years back:

viewtopic.php?t=18845

Yes I'm one of those crazy people who has done this.......... and lived to tell about it.

Ed

If I were to do this (and I am not) I would build up the high voltage component and plug the system in to a PSI Long Ranger remote and control the on/off function using the remote control to turn the high voltage function on and off. This way the operator is not in contact with any part of the system. STILL DANGEROUS THOUGH.
Bill V
PS The American Association of Woodturners will not even let fractal burning be mentioned in their publications

reible wrote: Sat Apr 23, 2022 3:19 pm See this thread from a few years back:

viewtopic.php?t=18845

Yes I'm one of those crazy people who has done this.......... and lived to tell about it.

Ed

Even cooler. I'm tempted to try this somehow. Have to read through all that thread more closely now. In reality trying this is at the end of a growing list of things I'll likely never catch up to. If I tried I'd be using the suggestion from wa2crk to control everything remotely.

wa2crk wrote: Mon Apr 25, 2022 2:19 pm If I were to do this (and I am not) I would build up the high voltage component and plug the system in to a PSI Long Ranger remote and control the on/off function using the remote control to turn the high voltage function on and off. This way the operator is not in contact with any part of the system. STILL DANGEROUS THOUGH.
Bill V
PS The American Association of Woodturners will not even let fractal burning be mentioned in their publications

Bill,

I am not sure that an RF type remote is a good option for this. I have a fair bit of experience working with high voltage and RF systems in my career. Typically these cheap RF remotes like the PSI Long Ranger remote can sometimes have false triggering. It depends on the type of modulation scheme used for the RF transceiver. Not all of them are impervious to spurious and noise in the RF channel which can cause false triggers. It might be a low risk, but still a possibility that the PSI Long Ranger might accidentally turn on at an inopportune time. I haven't done any Lichtenberg wood burning, but have watched a few tutorials on them in the past. Usually they recommend a foot pedal switch for turning it on and off. Not saying this is the only safe way to do this, but just be careful of RF remotes because they sometimes false trigger. A false trigger on a dust collector is no big deal, but a false trigger on a Lichtenberg unit could prove fatal.

I'm sure a remote mechanical device like a foot pedal can be properly isolated. I don't wany to be holding any electrodes either, not sure how they are used but I'm not keen on the idea of just holding those things even with gloves on.

ETA: Took a look at the video in Ed's other thread. He's got the wires going to metal fasteners in the wood. I'm not sure how people are killing themselves but is seems there are steps to eliminate any danger.

I would not use any remote for this. If it were to come on when you are say attaching the leads this would not be good. I use the tried and true unplugging the cord from an extension. There is not a more safe way to work then having the AC cord unplugged.

I may upgrade my system with a voltage control to see if that can control the burning that sometime happens. That is about a $90 upgrade so that is way it hasn't happened yet.

Ed

Been a while since I researched this, but below is the link to the Lichtenberg wood burner that was recommended by a few people on YT in the past. The link below has a unit for sale and some good tutorial videos from Carl Jacobson on it. This Lichtenberg wood burner has the foot pedal safety switch that I spoke of...

https://www.conestogaworks.com/product/ ... burner-ii/

i think I'd be looking at an air-actuated switch...

I like the push/pull the plug approach!