Pyrography 101 Tutorial Material Safety

What can you woodburn?

Woodburning Pyrography is done on a variety of surfaces in addition to wood, but the material you choose is very important. Some surfaces can be toxic when burned and can cause serious harm. One of the best woods to burn is basswood. It is soft and has very little grain. Italian poplar is another nice wood and wonderful for framing your work when it’s complete. Birch plywood is also another good wood, but it is more difficult due to its having a coarse grain and occasional flaws to deal with. But when burning on plywood caution must be taken. There are many other woods that are good, but be sure that you determine which ones are safe and which are not.

Burning on some woods can be potentially dangerous to your health....maybe not today, it might take years for you or those around you to develop serious health problems as a result of working on dangerous materials.

When burning on wood, I primarily use lighter woods such as basswood, maple, birch and Italian poplar because I like the wonderful contrast between the light wood and the burned design. Some people use darker woods, but to me the burning seems to fade into the wood with darker or stained woods. Again, this is personal preference and it does not mean that my way is the only or best way.

Safe woods to burn

Basswood is one of the most popular woods used by woodburners. It is a great choice for woodburning because it's easy to burn, has very little grain and it burns beautifully. You get such a rich, crisp contrast between the wood and the deep color of the burning. It is available in all shapes and sizes. The slabs and rounds with bark around the edges are great for "western" themes, wildlife and rustic designs.

Italian poplar plywood is also very light in color and has very even, smooth grain. It's easy to woodburn on and like the basswood creates a pleasing light background against the deep rich color of the burning. It creates a nicely finished piece that is suitable for framing. Be cautious when burning on plywood not to burn deep into the glue which can cause health problems.

Birch plywood is another wood that is commonly used for woodburning but it has an uneven grain and is harder to burn on than the Italian poplar or basswood. It is more challenging to use because of the grain and since it is a darker wood there is not as much contrast. Burning on birch will require a higher temp on the burner than burning on italian poplar and basswood. Be cautious when burning on plywood not to burn deep into the glue which can cause health problems.

Maple is bit darker and a hard wood but it produces wonderful results when burning. Burning on maple will also require a higher temp on the woodburner.

Other woods that are safe include tupelo and holly. There are probably many others but these are woods that are generally safe to work with.

A note of precaution when burning on plywood....do not burn deep into the glue layer as it can be toxic. If you are new burner and unsure of your ability to control the burner start out on a piece of basswood until you gain some control.

Everything you wanted to know about American Basswood

American Basswood is found throughout central US and East to Main. The largest concentrations grow in the Lake states. Northern (northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and upper Michigan) basswood grows slower and provides a finer-textured wood that is sought after for carving and burning.

The best quality basswood for carving and burning is harvested during the dormant season (November through March in the lake states). During this period the sap is not flowing and wood that is harvested during this time will be very light colored, fine grained and bark that does not readily fall off. Summer cut basswood often produces a pale yellow color in the lumber. Sugar in the basswood logs reacts with heat and in most cases causes the wood to turn pale yellow if not sawn within two weeks of being harvested.

Most of the craft quality wood is the wood that is spring or summer cut. If you compare a piece of winter cut wood versus spring or summer cut the difference is very noticeable. A good example of summer cut basswood is the planks and rounds found in most craft stores sold under the name of Walnut Hollow. The wood is darker and yellow versus the winter cut wood which is almost white or cream color.

Another difference you will find when you buy better quality winter cut basswood is that it is cut thicker than the craft quality and there will be far less (if any) flaws and black marks through out the wood.

More about basswood boards and rounds with bark on the edges

Woodburners and relief carvers often like using bark boards with bark on the edges or rounds with the bark all around. In order for the bark to adhere to these products, the logs MUST be harvested and sawn during the dormant season. Sawing them during the spring and summer when the sap is moving up and down the tree will cause the bark to slip, resulting in the bark falling off.

The ovals and rounds must be dried slowly, preferably in a cool area, to prevent cracking or splitting. They also must be spaced appropriately where air can move around them to prevent staining.

So for woodburning getting winter cut is much preferred over summer cut basswood. You will end up getting much clearer wood and it won't cost much more for a better quality wood.

Wood Toxicity

This is a subject that I could devote an entire book to, but will just cover nominally here and give you some resources to do more research.

The main hazard to be wary of is the extremely fine wood dust when sanding the wood or in some cases the pitch/sap or resin that emits harmful fumes when burning. Some research indicates that long-term exposure to the dust and fumes from these woods can cause asthma or increase the risk of more serious illnesses, such as nasal cancer. Molds can also trigger allergic reactions, and you should take extra precautions when using spalted materials.

Some woods that are listed as toxic, such as ash, beech, birch and spalted maple are due to fungal contamination rather than the wood chemistry itself. Woods such as cedar or pine contain resins or oils that emit toxic odors when burned and may cause serious respiratory problems when inhaled. If you must use some of these woods, be sure to take precautions, such as wearing a good dust mask and/or gloves when sanding to prevent a rash between your fingers.

IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT TOXICITY:

People constantly tell me they have been burning in this and that for a long time with no problems. I say, that's great but do you know that most of the effects of toxicity may not show up for 20 years. It's true and I'm constantly reminded of this. I worked for the VA as a Social Worker for 10 years. Young men exposed to toxic chemicals developing lung cancer, brain damage and other serious illnesses years (sometimes 30+ years) after exposure.

For every call I receive saying it's not dangerous to burn on this and that I receive another call from someone thanking me for trying to educate the public about material safety.

The bottom line is when it comes to woodburning/pyrography or any craft: If it's man-made don't do it. If it's a wood with known toxicities don't do it. Burning on and/or through such as: paper (most are treated with something), ink from toners or printers, plastic (press n seal, acrylic, lucite, etc), masking tape (glue). If you are in doubt contact the manufacturer. Get an MSDS sheet. But most of all don't rely on a pyrography instructor or a gourd instructor to be an expert in material safety. We are NOT. Get the facts on material safety from an expert!

Several years ago I received a call from a customer in Nebraska. He asked me about good woods to burn on and he told me he bought a large quantity of cedar to burn on. I warned him of the risks and I offered some suggestions on precautions he could take and he agreed to try my suggestions. The following week he called back and told me that he had followed my instructions completely and vented the fumes out a window but he told me that the fumes still lingered. The following weekend his young son came to visit and the boy had difficulty breathing within minutes of entering his apartment. He was very upset, not to mention sick about the impact on his son and agreed that it just wasn't worth the risk.

Just today (7/25/09) I received a call from a man thanking me for taking such a serious stance on safety. This man lost his life long career due to toxicity. Exposed to toxins at the age of 17 (now 58) while in the service he thought he was fine until recently developed brain damage. After spending a lot of money on tests it was discovered the damage was caused by toxins he was exposed to. Irreversible he is now paying the price of being exposed to things that he was told were safe.

So, I am stressing to you the importance of safety when burning. Don't take the word of anyone that burning on some of these materials is safe. My theory is, unless it's "natural" and untreated DO NOT BURN ON IT! You may not have problems now but 5, 10 or even 20 years down the road you might regret your past actions. Taking the easy way out of transferring a pattern isn't worth risking your life and it could mean risking your life!

Remember, that the effects of burning on some of these materials doesn't just affect you, it could effect everyobne around you so please be safe!

For addition information on toxicity, please do some research on your own. There are lots of resources on the subject. The chart listed below has been passed around through the woodcarving community for many years and can also provide some valuable information. Some woods that were not on this original list but that have been known to cause problems, especially to woodburners have been added.

Wood	Reaction	Site	Potency	Source	Incidence
Bald Cypress	sensitizer	respiratory	+	dust	Rare
Balsam Fir	sensitizer	eyes, skin	+	leaves, bark	Common
Beech	sensitizer, nasopharyngeal cancer	eyes, skin, respiratory	++	leaves, bark, dust	Common
Birch	sensitizer	respiratory	++	wood, dust	Common
Black Locust	irritant, nausea	eyes, skin	+++	leaves, bark	Common
Blackwood	sensitizer	eyes, skin	++	wood, dust	Common
Boxwood	sensitizer	eyes, skin	++	wood, dust	Common
Camphor (laurel)	sensitizer	respiratory	+++	resin	Common
Cashew	sensitizer	eyes, skin	+	wood, dust	Rare
Cedar, west red	irritant, sensitizer	skin, respiratory	+++	dust, leaves, bark, resin	Common
Cocobolo	irritant, sensitizer	eyes, skin, respiratory	+++	wood, dust	Common
Dahoma	irritant	eyes, skin	++	wood, dust	Common
Ebony	irritant, sensitizer	eyes, skin	++	wood, dust	Common
Elm	irritant	eyes, skin	+	dust	Rare
Goncalo Alves	sensitizer	eyes, skin	++	wood, dust	Rare
Greenheart	sensitizer	eyes, skin	+++	wood, dust	Common
Hemlock	nasopharyngeal cancer	respiratory	?	dust	Uncommon
Iroko	irritant, sensitizer, pneumonitis	eyes, skin, respiratory	+++	wood, dust	Common
Mahogany	sensitizer	skin, respiratory	+	dist	Uncommon
Mansonia	Irritant, sensitizer, nausea	eyes, skin	+++ +	wood, dust	Common
Maple (Spalted)	sensitizer, pneumonitis	respiratory	+++	dust	Common
Mimosa	nausea	gastrointestinal	?	leaves, bark	Uncommon
Myrtle	sensitizer	respiratory	++	leaves, bark, dust	Common
Oak	sensitizer nasopharyngeal cancer	eyes, skin	++ ?	leaves, bark, dust	Rare
Obeche	irritant, sensitizer	eyes, skin, respiratory	+++	wood, dust	Common
Oleander	direct toxin	cardiac	++++	dust, leaves, bark, wood	Common
Olivewood	irritant, sensitizer	eyes, skin, respiratory	+++	wood, dust	Common
Opepe	sensitizer	respiratory	+	dust	Rare
Padauk	sensitizer	eyes, skin, respiratory	+	wood, dust	Rare
Pau Ferro	sensitizer	eyes, skin	+	wood, dust	Rare
Peroba Rosa	Irritant, nausea	respiratory	++	wood, dust	Uncommon
Pine	sensitizer, pneumonitis, nasopharyngeal cancer, asthma	respiratory, eyes	++	sap/pitch	Common
Purpleheart	nausea		++	wood, dust	Common
Quebracho	irritant, nasopharyngeal cancer, nausea	respiratory	++ ?	leaves, bark, dust	Common
Redwood	sensitizer, pneumonitis, nasopharyngeal cancer	eyes, skin, respiratory	++ ?	dust	Rare
Rosewoods	irritant, sensitizer	eyes, skin, respiratory	++++	wood, dust	Uncommon
Satinwood	irritant	eyes, skin, respiratory	+++	wood, dust	Common
Sassafras	sensitizer, direct toxin, nausea, nasopharyngeal cancer	respiratory	+ + ?	dust, leaves, bark, wood	Rare
Sequoia	irritant	respiratory	+	dust	Rare
Snakewood	irritant	respiratory	++	wood, dust	Rare
Spruce	sensitizer	respiratory	+	wood, dust	Rare
Walnut, Black	sensitizer	eyes, skin	++	wood, dust	Common
Wenge	sensitizer	eyes, skin, respiratory	+	wood, dust	Common
Willow	sensitizer, nausea	respiratory	+	dust, leaves, bark, wood	Uncommon
Western Red Cedar	sensitizer	respiratory	+++	dust, leaves, bark	Common
Teak	sensitizer, pneumonitis	eyes, skin, respiratory	++	dust	Common
Yew	irritant, direct toxin, nasopharyngeal cancer, nausea	eyes, skin	++ ++++	wood, dust	Common
Zebrawood	sensitizer	eyes, skin	++	wood, dust	Rare

The above chart appeared in American Woodturner Magazine, June 1990, it was reprinted from Art Hazards News Vol. 13

No.5, compiled by Robert Woodcock, RN, BSN, CEN.  I have added a several wood's to this list and will continue to do so

as we learn about other woods that may pose health risks.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this chart is furnished free of charge and is based on public domain information that is

believed to be reliable.  Nedra Denison and Sawdust Connection makes no warranty as to the completeness or accuracy

thereof.  The information is to be used at an individual's own risk.

References:

1. Woods Toxic to Man, author unknown

2. "Toxic Woods". ,Woods, B., Calnan, C.D., Br. Journal of Dermatology, 1976

3. ILO Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety, 1983

4. AMA Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants, Lame, K., McAnn, M., AMA, 1985

5. Poisondex, Micromedix Inc., 1990

Useful resources regarding wood toxicity

some of this information might be repetitive but I think the more informed you are, the safer you will be when you begin burning. The first link was written by a pulmonary doctor. I think this is one of the most valuable links here.

http://www.riparia.org/toxic_woods.htm

http://www.woodturner.org/resources/toxicity.cfm

http://www.thewoodbox.com/data/wood/toxicityinfo.htm

http://www.awwg.org/awg_woodtoxicity.htm

http://www.womeninwoodworking.com/startingarchive/startingpoints8.cfm

Some materials that are not safe to burn on or through

DO NOT burn on pressure-treated wood. It is treated with chemicals that, although safely bound in the wood fibers for construction purposes, are inherently dangerous to woodworkers and woodburners.

DO NOT burn on medium density fiber board (MDF). MDF is loaded with chemicals and formaldehyde that are unsafe and should not be used for pyrography.

DO NOT burn on any type of treated wood: stained, painted, sealed with a finish. If you must use this type of wood be sure that you have thoroughly sanded it to remove all traces and are burning on BARE wood.

DO NOT BURN ON PLASTIC of any kind. I have spoken with manufacturers of plastics (includes plexiglass, lucite, press 'n seal and acrylics) and they stress the fact that plastic is composed of chemical and is toxic when burned. I don't care what they call it, it's plastic, it's chemicals and it's TOXIC!!!! So I urge people to find safer methods of transferring patterns and safer things to burn. Plastic in any form was not invented for people to burn so please be safe! This includes things such as: plastic stencils, acrylic mirrors, press n Seal (taught by some instructors to transfer patterns on gourds).

IT IS NOT SAFE TO BURN ON THINGS SUCH AS: glue (masking & adhesive tape), ink from printers and copiers; paper that has been processed and many more things. I've contacted manufacturers who say it's not recommended for use in pyrography or any other burning which can release the chemicals in the glue.

Spalted wood contains mold and may cause health risks so if burning on this take precautions.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the toxic fumes emitted when burning on some of these materials lingers long after you have stopped burning. So, for the safety of yourself and others who might come into the room where you have burned on these materials please use good judgment.

If you're not sure, don't do it. CHECK IT OUT BEFORE using it!

Other materials that are fun and safe to burn on or through

Burning on many plywood, such as birch and Italian poplar are safe but precautions must be taken to avoid burning through the wood into the glue layer which can be toxic and the fumes can be harmful.

Gourds are nice to work on, but a nominal challenge, because of the curvature and slick surface. You can sometimes find gourds that are craft-ready, so you don’t have as much preparation to do. Burning on gourds does require a hotter temperature than burning on wood and you will need to ensure that you keep your tip clean at all times because you will accumulate more carbon and material from the gourd than from wood. Also keep in mind that burning or carving gourds can also cause respiratory problems so use a mask when working with gourds and work in a well-ventilated area. The biggest problem comes when you cut them open and carve or sand inside or burn deep past the "skin". Be careful to wear an appropriate mask when working with gourds and do it away outside the house.

Leather is another nice material, but you must ensure that you are only using leather that is oil/vegetable-tanned. You can usually find this at Tandy Leather and many other suppliers. Chrome or metal tanned leather can produce dangerous fumes. Burning on leather requires a slightly cooler pen than burning on wood but, and again you must ensure that you keep your tip clean. Please check out the tutorial "Woodburning from A-Z" for more information on leather burning.

Tagua nuts, also known as “nature’s ivory”, are fun and interesting to use. Burning on these little nuts requires very fine-tipped pens, which are available from Razertip and some other companies.

Canvas is my new best friend. It's fun to burn but please make sure the canvas is untreated. Also use a lower temperature and be sure to put it on top of a solid surface and iron the canvas before you start burning.

You can burn on any surface that is created from natural fibers such as paper, velum, bamboo, canvas, cloth...as long as they are not treated with anything.

Press and Seal

Recently I started hearing people recommend using press and seal (a plastic wrap) to transfer patterns. I thought this was an interesting idea and helpful because it adheres to the round surface but when I heard that people are actually burning through it I almost fell off my chair. Let me mention again that Press and Seal is PLASTIC. Plastic by any name is made from chemicals and is NOT intended for burning and it is NOT safe.

Many years ago when a well known pyrography instructor started teaching her students to burn on acrylic (PLASTIC) mirrors and told people it was safe and continues to do so. I contacted a manufacturer to discuss the safety of burning on plastics. His first response was "what are you crazy". Of course I knew the answer before he said it but I needed to hear it from the experts. Those words still ring in my ear. I have reported all of his remarks regarding this issue on many forums over the years and to this day this lady is still teaching her students to burn on acrylic (now she refers to them as Lucite and safe even though Lucite is PLASTIC) mirrors. What that man said was that if plastic in any shape, form or name is burned it will emit toxic fumes. So my question to you is this...is the ease of transferring a pattern that important that you risk killing yourself? Clearly the answer is NO!

Masking tape

The other aid to transferring patterns I have heard about is masking tape. Well I have been using masking tape for years to attach my pattern but never considered burning through it. When I heard that people again were doing it I had to check this out too from the experts. Sure enough when I called 3M they basically gave me the same response and said that it is safe when used as suggested by the manufacturer only as a means of adhesive and they were horrified to think people were using it to burn on. So, again I ask people why would you want to burn through tape which has adhesive on it and can cause health problems? Again the answer is you don't want to!!!!

Pyrography Paper

Since I (and nobody else) knows what's in this my question to you is do you want to burn through anything unknown. Here is something I found on the internet:

What are main ingredients of paper?

Answer: Main ingredient of all paper is plant material. Loading or filling material such as clay, CaCO₃, Talc, TiO₂ etc. are used for higher brightness and better printability. Rosin, alum or combination of other chemicals is used to make paper water resistant.

Some special purpose paper such as coffee filter paper contain wet strength polymer so to withstand hot water soaking.

Colored paper may contain dye or pigment.

IIn addition to the paper itself possibly posing some risks there is also the risk of burning through the ink contained in the laser or ink jet ink. These inks DO contain chemicals and they were not intended to be burned.

You might not develop health problems now but you may down the road...is it worth the risk to take shortcuts!

Don't take shortcuts...be safe!

Other important safety precautions

The burning tips on the pens are hot and care should be taken when using them to avoid injury!

Always turn off your burner when you stop burning. NEVER walk away from your burner when it is turned on. That’s an accident waiting to happen.

Do not leave children unsupervised near the pyrography tools.

To avoid accidents (and yes, they do happen!) keep your work area clean
Be sure you work in a well ventilated room.

You can use an inexpensive computer fan to move the smoke away from your project without interfering with the temperature of the burning pen.

If unsure about the safety of burning on any particular material, please check the MSDS sheets before burning.

I learned the hard way about the safety of burning on synthetic materials, so my final word here is to use extreme caution and do not burn on synthetic materials such as acrylic, which contain chemicals that are toxic when burned and can cause serious harm. If you are unsure of the safety, do your own research before burning anything you are unsure of.

Do not rely on information from other people without verifying the safety factors yourself from an expert in the field. Just because someone else has done it, doesn’t make it safe. While it may be fun working on some materials, many are not safe when subjected to the intense heat of a burner. It may seem safe, but it also sometimes takes years for symptoms to show up and then it's too late. An example is people who have been exposed to asbestos...it took years before they developed serious complications and by then it was too late to reverse the damage that had been done. So, please be safe!

Bottom line is...do not burn on any man-made compounds....plastics, composite boards, glues, acrylics, anything of unknown origin, etc. If you are unsure if it has already been treated or a finish has already been applied DON'T BURN IT!

Gourd artist's please be sure to read the Gourd Pyrography & Safety Tutorial for more specifics regarding safety and burning on gourds.

Pyrography is fun, as long as you take proper precautions. Be Safe!

If you are aware of any other materials or woods that should be added to this list please let me know

Nedra

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Updated 11/23/09

BURNING MATERIALS & SAFETY PRECAUTIONS