How to choose a wood burner for gourd art faces many new artists. I review favorite models and tell you what to really look for!
How to Choose a Wood burner for Gourd Art
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I have been teaching pyrography on gourds to beginners for the past 8 years and of course, the most asked question is, Which burner is the best?”
That’s like asking a chef which knives you should buy. The answer is “It depends.” It is easier to start by saying what you don’t want to buy for burning on gourds. I refer to this as the “boy scout burner” which is where I first saw it as a child. Now I hear it called a burning tool. Many beginning burners on wood use this with great skill.
Beginners often show up with this burning tool because they are cheap. The problem is they have no way of regulating the heat. If you learn on this one, you will have to re-learn how to burn when you buy the right burner.
Choosing a wood burner by its type of Handles
This is the part that will direct your choice. Some are thin like a pencil. Others are thick like the boy scout type. I have found that petite people with small hands and a light touch do very well with thin ones.
They do get hot, so many have added sponge protectors.
Then there are people like me who have thick fingers and a heavy touch when we burn so I like the wider handle. If you can hold both kinds in your hand, that might help your decision.
Choosing a wood burner by its type of Tips
Fix Tips
The tip is permanently attached to the handle. If you break it, you must buy both handle and tip. Which usually is in the $20 price range.
These tips burn more consistently, and you can work with your fingers closer to the bottom of the handle giving you better control over fine work. Fixed-tip pens are your best choice for fine detail work. They recover their heat more quickly than heavy duty pens and tips and most people find them more comfortable to hold with less heat issues.
Replaceable Tips
These tips are removed from the handle by loosening the screw or using a clamp to pull the tip from the top of the handle. The cost of replacement is around $8. I recommend these for all beginners.
When you look at burners consider the tip design. Look at the thickness of the wire and how difficult it might be for you to take each type out of the handle.
Over time and with practice you can decided which tip is your favorite and what kind of handle is best for you.
Then purchase a fixed pen because it will work efficiently for a long time once you know what you are doing. I know I have saved time and money using these removable tips.
By the way, the most popular tip for gourders is the spear. My favorite is writing and ball tips.
How to Choose a Wood burner for Gourd Art
Now that you know what to consider, I will recommend some brands. Each brand has several models. I am going to show you the lowest one I would choose. You can go to a higher level of course. I added a video for each to give you a visual.
Choosing a wood burner by its brand name
Walnut Hollow 41992 Creative Wire Tip Wood Burning Tool
This is a really small unit. Most of the gourd artists I have seen with them at festivals say they are a great burner for your travel toolbox. A beginner could start here and then move up and still have a use for this one. The four included Points are Drawing Point, Universal Shading Point, Ball Point, and Rounded Shading Point Uses special tweezers to remove and replace the points to avoid damage to the tips or potential injury.
Choosing a wood burner by its brand name
SK Burner with BPH Pen, $170
Razertip SK, 10AMP burner with one BPH (interchangeable tip) pen and one 16 gauge heavy duty cord.
It’s small but packed with the same power and circuitry as the SS-D10, so it is great as a starter unit or as a second burner for the serious artist. So what is the difference from the SS-D10? The SK will accept only one handpiece at a time, making it necessary to unplug and plug in handpieces when changing over, and it doesn’t have the extra-low-end temperature adjustment. Other than that, it is essentially the same unit as the SS-D10.
The SK accepts all Razertip pens and accessories; with available adapter cords will accept most any make of pen, too.
SS-D10 Burner with BPH Pen $214.50
Razertip SS-D10, 10AMP burner with one BPH (interchangeable tip) pen and one 16-gauge heavy duty cord. Dual handpiece capability (additional cord & pen required). The SS-D10’s extra low-end temperature adjustment allows you to turn the heat down further if the “1” setting is still too hot.
Author’s Note:
This brand is very popular but I have some issues with it. My big hands get cramped after I hold the handle for any length of time and that handle does it hot. I have found that ladies with small hands and burn with a light touch love it. When I have taught classes outside with about 10 students these burners could not keep their heat consistent. Also, the handle connector is unique. If you want to use the handle on another burner you will need to buy an adaptor.
Choosing a wood burner by its brand name
The Burnmaster Hawk 1-Port wood burning power supply: $200
This burner accepts any pen (handpiece) regardless of manufacturer & has up to 130 watts of power. Unlike wood burning sets, it accepts all major pen connection systems. You can use virtually any pen without an adapter. The Burnmaster accepts wood burning pens by Leisure Time Prod. (Detail Master), Colwood (Detailer), SMC / PJL, (Optima), Nibs, Navesink, Razertip & others with similar connections.
Burnmaster controllers feature, pro quality components, 130-watts max. transformer, precise variable power supply (now with micro heat adjustment), custom designed circuitry, reset fuse protection, all metal housing (3.5″
- MicroMark has it $200
Choosing a wood burner by its brand name
Everglades Patriot 1000 $150
This is the burner Bonnie Gibson recommends for beginners. Temperature Dial for all burning styles. Unit consists of a heavy-duty burning pen cord, one heavy-duty spear tip burning pen, & a pen holder. Pen is fixed tip with comfortable foam grip. The control box has a port that is suitable for all Burnmaster and Detail Master pens.
The cord included with the unit accepts most other major brands of burning pens as well as the pen that is included with the package.
Choosing a wood burner by its brand name
Optima Single Port Woodburning Kit
Optima 1 Single Port Kit gives precision temperature control, with a very wide range of heat.
It is especially good at holding steady temperatures at the cooler settings which is great for detail work or shading. Easily reset the burn low-end adjustment. Includes a HEAVY DUTY pen cord 16 gauge, so comfortable you’ll hardly even know it is there!
Comes complete with the most popular tip pre-sharpened & polished (#12 small rounded skew), great for straight and curved lines, permanently mounted into Optima heavy duty style pen with foam comfort grip
Kit includes:
- Single Port Burner with 16 gauge HD pen cord
- #12 Rounded Skew Tip/Pen
My Choice?
The Burnmaster
I chose this one because I am a heavy burner and I found I broke the thin tips. These tips are thick and I don’t mine the screw attachment system. I also like the bigger handle. The set comes with all the tips, the balls which I often use and they are also the best one out there. The bag is nice and carries everything I need and more when I teach at festivals.
I would like to share a videos with a wood burner who teaches online. Valarie Connell is a master who has several burners. In this video she burns on a gourd for the first time and decides what she thinks. But if you are a beginner it is remarkably interesting how she burns. Besides, I understand she lives near me in Flagstaff.
Buying Second Hand
This is a good idea for beginners. Just a few words of advice.
The Detail Master, now out of business, was a favorite of gourd artists. But now they are stuck with broken tips. The transformer is fine. There is an option.
Rasortip re-tips any brand or make of hot-wire pyrography tool made. This includes Detail Master , Colwood, Nibs, Optima, and many others. Price ranges from $8 to $10 a tip. Plus shipping because they are coming from Canada. Check their site for more information.
The website has a page, Woodburning 101. Here I will share more information on what tips to buy for gourds and talk about the different techniques.
I hope you now have a better idea of what is out there. What burner do you use and tell us why? What is its best feature?
Share your thoughts here in the comment box or share them with all the gourd artists on our Facebook Group Page.
Return to the Blog page for other articles.
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I was able to find good info from your blog articles.
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