Burning lines in end grain.

[Graham]

What are you all using ? My bit of 'Formica' doesn't do a lot.

[GBF]

Is the wood spinning fast enough to create the necessary heat.

Regards George

[Dave Brookes]

Graham,
I have some guitar strings you can have, will bring them when we meet up next week.  They work great with a dowel fitted at each end.

Dave

[Tom Sherman]

Graham, I don't know how it would work never tried it but my thought would be a bit of solid copper wire bent over a stick of wood and presented to the end grain.

[Les Symonds]

Graham, I don't know how it would work never tried it but my thought would be a bit of solid copper wire bent over a stick of wood and presented to the end grain.

I've a feeling, Tom, that the 'stick' would act as a heat-sink, draining heat from the wire.

Graham,
I have some guitar strings you can have, will bring them when we meet up next week.  They work great with a dowel fitted at each end.

Dave

The guitar strings wouldn't work in this context, Dave, although they are good between centres and come in a handy range of sizes.

The formica needs to be a good, solid piece, trimmed to a near-point, with plenty of speed on to  build up the friction. The very thin formica that is often used on post-formed worktops is too thin, it just wears away as soon as it heats up.

I've also read that it can be done with offcuts of oil-tempered hardboard, but not tried that yet.

Les

[Graham]

Thanks for that everyone.

Dave - You have already given me some guitar strings and they work well, but as Les says, not on endgrain.

Les - I think you probably have it. It is modern cheap 'formica' I have. I guess I will have to look for a bit of antique stuff.

I am surprised there is no alternative in regular use.

[Paul Hannaby]

Why don't you try another piece of wood? Cut a piece to a wedge shape and press the narrow end where you want to burn the line.

[bodrighywood]

Old credit cards or debit cards work.

Pete

[Les Symonds]

Old credit cards or debit cards work.

Pete

One's partner's!

[Graham]

Who would have thought this would be so difficult.
Paul...Do you use wood ? I have tried several hardwoods in my offcut pile but not with any effect. It just wears down without any smoke. I have some African blackwood I will be working on later this week, that may work.

Pete. I never thought of that. I just assumed plastic would produce a guey mess. I have just received a new debit card so will try the old one.

[edbanger]

Graham I use Pink Ivory that works it was a tip given to me by a friend.

[Graham]

Hi Ed, I am pretty sure I have some of that  somewhere left over from a pen I made. I will give it a try.

[Les Symonds]

Graham I use Pink Ivory....

Wow, Ed....I recently had an email offering pink ivory for sale, and it worked out at over £500 per cubic foot.....and Ed's got it to burn 
Les

[duncanh]

Blank fibre glass printed circuit board works well. Remove the copper with either pcb fluid or by just grinding it off and then apply the board to a grinder to shape to a narrow edge.