Any guess what process created this ?

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Xxray
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Any guess what process created this ?

Post by Xxray »

Off topic sorry, really no proper place here for non vectric stuff but we have quite a few craftsman here who are into every manner of creation and am looking to pick a few brains.
Not CNC I will tell you that.

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Doug

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adze_cnc
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Re: Any guess what process created this ?

Post by adze_cnc »

Big Clive shows how to etch these Lichtenberg-style etchings safely: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E12nnpWc5c

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Re: Any guess what process created this ?

Post by JimmyD »

It is a process called Lichtenberg Fractal Wood Burning. Uses very high voltages and salt water sprayed onto the wood for better conduction. Lots of youtube videos and such about it.

I have the setup, it produces as much or as little of that pattern as you want to do.

Be careful, the voltages used can easily kill you.

Jim

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Xxray
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Re: Any guess what process created this ?

Post by Xxray »

Yep I know, just being coy - Have a burner on the way and yes, can be lethal.

I think most guys who get zapped use hobbled together microwave setups
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Re: Any guess what process created this ?

Post by mtylerfl »

I’m a member of a FB Group called, Lichtenburg: the deadly art of wood burning

Lots of creative and interesting projects there!
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Re: Any guess what process created this ?

Post by Xxray »

I ordered one of the few [it seems] "commercially" available units which is professionally constructed and has safety features built it, I plan on being safe to the point of ludicrousity, but obviously can't be 100% safe with much of anything but the current needed to create this effect is brute force and no joke.
Won't be posting the coming projects as they are not vectric related and also don't want to encourage anyone into this on a whim, might post 1 that I have planned that will embellish a religious 3D project already made.
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Re: Any guess what process created this ?

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Not a planned project, crucifix in the live edge slab I made probably 4 or 5 years ago. I decided to frack the edges and it turned out pretty nice. Cannot really control the process but it can be guided to a degree, you can see at top I burned the wood pretty bad but it doesn't look too terrible.

Decided to do an epoxy fill of the burns, I don't remember if I used sanding sealer on these but if I didn't I should have, here the epoxy has tinted the wood and no good way to undo it, but once again the effect isn't unpleasing to the eye. I used a hot scraping blade to scarf out most of the dried epoxy on the surface then did a light sanding with 220 grit orbital sander ,, As you might imagine, can't go too far sanding before you start sanding out the details, so I'm happy with what I got and chalk it up to experience.
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IMG_6760.jpg
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Re: Any guess what process created this ?

Post by jarm2 »

I like what you achieved. Very unique effect. Hard to duplicate, probably. Looks great.
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Re: Any guess what process created this ?

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Impossible to replicate as electricity will always take unpredictable paths, but I am learning you can control or at least guide some things to a degree. Going to try to stay away from edges, seems that juice likes these and will quickly creep along one when found, usually resulting in unattractive straight, deep burns. Going to do one with a nice knot tonight, no way to predict but it stands to reason it will have some effect on the flow.
Sometimes the electricity balks at a particular path and will try others [many others, and this is what creates the finely detailed fingers and sub stems coming out from the main stems] ,,, But it will come back to an abandoned, or dormant, path and continue on if it can't find a better one, and it will probably do this when it encounters the knot.

Also, you can apply some fresh electrolyte to encourage it along a path, but results as always are unpredictable.
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Re: Any guess what process created this ?

Post by scottp55 »

Really Like the effect on that one Doug!! :)
Too bad about the epoxy color leaching, but really had to zoom in before it detracted from the look!
Really like how in places it looks like exposed roots. :)
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Re: Any guess what process created this ?

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Yeah, bolts of lightning and roots come to mind viewing these meandering yet purposeful electric patterns.

Am improving, did this one in iridescent blue and there was far less leeching, did a double coat of sealer on it and was largely successful.

I got 1 more idea I'm going to try, I bought a vibrating shaker table and with that, I am going to put some chalk line powder on one of these and put it on a slight tilt, and hopefully it will leave all the cracks filled and dump the rest, then I'll seal it in with some type of clear coat.
[Alot cheaper than using pigment powder which is pretty expensive, and the chalk line powder is very vibrant, cheap and comes in multiple colors] In fact I wonder if that would mix well with epoxy hmmm?
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Re: Any guess what process created this ?

Post by scottp55 »

Reminds me of streams and tributaries(maybe false color sat photos looking for water) Doug!! :)

Fun experimenting!
All I can think of with blue chalk, was when I was refilling my Stanley 100' and sweaty...
and a "friend" standing nearby shot me with compressed air!
Can you say "Blue Man"? :)

Have fun!
(I saved that pic in "Inspiration" folder:)
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Re: Any guess what process created this ?

Post by GEdward »

All I can think of with blue chalk, was when I was refilling my Stanley 100' and sweaty...
and a "friend" standing nearby shot me with compressed air!
Can you say "Blue Man"? :)
I'm not trying to one up you Scott but your story reminded me of one that is just too funny to pass up. A number of years ago I worked at a small industrial manufacturing plant as a maintenance tech. My supervisor was one of those guys that had very little patience and a propensity for showing upper level management types how he could make a four hour by the book procedure into a 10 minute cake walk. More often than not, it would blow up in his face and turn the 4 hour procedure into a full day long rescue mission. One day, in an effort to diagnose a possible leak in a heat treat furnace, rather than letting the furnace cool down first, ( a twelve hour process) he decided to pitch a blue smoke bomb into a 1750℉ oven. About the time the door got 3/4 closed the smoke bomb detonated. Papa Smurf couldn't get out of the building fast enough to avoid being seen by a group of "suits" touring the building at the time. :oops:
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Re: Any guess what process created this ?

Post by adze_cnc »

JimmyD wrote:
Sun Jun 06, 2021 5:31 am
Be careful, the voltages used can easily kill you.
A recent BigClive video on "The most deadly project on the internet"

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Re: Any guess what process created this ?

Post by Xxray »

Those microwave transformers are deadly, would not even think of using one of those.
Very sloppy, they put out over 250 ma and your first mistake will most likely be your last. Mine is professionally made, has safety features built in and puts out less than 30 ma, which granted still is dangerous and potentially deadly, read FAQ here for more info to anyone thinking of getting into this https://www.conestogaworks.com/product/ ... burner-ii/

Just by chance I saw this the other day, would not recommend to anyone to try to cobble together your own burner, even if you are very experienced with electricity.


Middle aged Wisconsin couple are electrocuted to death while trying to follow dangerous TikTok trend that uses high voltage to burn designs on wood

Officials originally viewed the fire that killed Tanya Rodriguez and James Carolfi as suspicious
It turned out the pair were experimenting with fractal wood burning, a social media trend
Rodriguez and Carolfi were dead before the fire started, according to officials

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... death.html
Doug

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