Are you totally confused about what
woodburning tools to buy, you've come to the right place...the Woodburning
Specialists!
As a
professional pyrographic artist and instructor
over the last 10-12 years I have had the opportunity to use a wide variety
of woodburning tools manufactured in North America. Some I owned and
others were owned by students in my class which I was able to work with
during classes. It has given me an opportunity to see the
performance of each of them and as a dealer for over 10 years it has given
me the opportunity to work with the manufacturers and see how they handle
warranty issues and complaints. Let me say that it has been very
interesting to say the least.
WHY I DECIDED TO DO
THIS ONLINE REVIEW
This
chart was originally developed by me several years ago for my online Yahoo
Pyrography group, PyrographicArt as a means of helping our new members
just starting out review all the woodburning options available to them.
This combined with input from our members would help them start making
some decisions based on many factors, including budget, personal needs,
company and burner reputation as well as recommendations from actual
users.
Since
most people don't have access to local stores who sell all these burners
people have to rely whatever information they can get from dealer's
websites and perhaps from conversations with them. Obviously dealers
want to sell you a burner so they will talk you into what they sell and
that's exactly how I bought my first burner. I want people to have
as much information as possible before they even talk to a dealer.
Perhaps armed with information they can make some sound decisions before
making that first phone call. I know I wish I had this information
12 years ago when I bought my first variable temperature burner.
So, in
2009 I decided to add the original chart to my website and expand it to
include even more information. I researched all the woodburning tools on
the market in North America to update existing information and add new
burner information. I will try to maintain this information and
update it on a regular basis.
The
majority of the information was derived from directly from the
manufacturers or their websites. Comments were received from actual
users on various pyrography forums. Since I have used most of the
brands (except for the Everglades) and models (exceptions: Colwood Galaxy
and Olympiad; Detailmaster Dagger) of burners I have also added my own
comments and recommendations. I have tried to keep the information
impartial in spite of the fact that I sell woodburners and over the years
have sold several of the brands listed.
I hope
you find this information useful and should you have any specific
questions as you narrow down your search, don't hesitate to
contact me.
First
let me say that most woodburning tools will perform for years without any
problems but with any electronics there is always a chance of problems.
To me, the way a manufacturer deals with those problems is just as
important as the overall performance of the woodburning tools. What
I have found over the years is that there are some manufacturers that bend
over backwards to resolve problems quickly and provide great customer
service, there are those that give you the feeling like they are doing you
a favor talking to you and then there are those who are slow as molasses.
Over the last 10 years I do have so say that of every brand I have sold,
Razertip has consistently risen to the top in over all customer service,
quality and in getting burners back to the customers quickly. Being
in Canada however, it does slow things down for customers in the US.
Although I have not sold Nibsburner as long as Razertip I have to say that
Alice's customer service places her in #2. She has bought the
business from Mr. Nibs 4 years ago and is a one man operation and while
she has occasionally had some bumps in the road, she handles it with grace
and does her best to make her customers happy. For this, I give her
extra points because she will make sure her customer is happy and go the
extra mile to make things right.
Many
years ago I started an online Pyrography group on Yahoo and over the years
newcomers inevitably ask for information on the various woodburning tools.
As a result I started a database of each brand of burner including those
manufactured outside the USA. The information was gathered by myself
and with input from members of the group.
With
that being said, the information below is a comparison of prices, features
and warranty and it also contain comments from me and from other users on
my Yahoo pyrography group and from customers. It is based on first
hand experience, not just hearsay. My comments are based on my
personal experience as a user and one that most users don't have as a
dealer working with the manufacturers. It's my goal to provide you with
some basic information on each of the brands and models to help you make
an informed decision regarding the purchase of a woodburning tool.
First you will get some comparisons on craft
style burners vs. detail burners and then some general information
regarding woodburners, how they work, information about wattage and what
to look for when choosing a woodburning tool.
I hope
you find this information informative and helpful in your quest for
knowledge on woodburning tools.
Woodburning pen
information
The
information below for all detail burners (those with temperature controls)
includes fixed tip pen prices only. While some manufacturers do make
interchangeable/replaceable tips I have not included that
information....mostly because I do not recommend them for most
woodburners. While many wood carvers prefer the flexibility
and price of replaceable tips the average pyrographer (flat and gourd
burning) does not use more than 2-3 pens. Performance of fixed tip
pens is much better for this purpose.
The
information and pricing in this database was current as of 2008 and I will
be updating it as time permits.
If you
have information you would like to add, please
email me.
The Wattage Controversy
How Woodburning Units Work
Virtually all of the modern
woodburning units are constructed in the same manner. A transformer
provides the power and is controlled by a device not unlike a light dimmer
that passes the power to a handpiece cord where a burning pen and tip are
attached. The transformer's purpose is to step down the voltage to a
usable level that is regulated by the controller that passes the power
through the cord to the handpiece and tip.
There has been a lot of
misleading information concerning wattage on woodburning units. Many
manufacturers make high wattage claims that are false. We have tested many
of these units and have found that they all consume less than 45 watts of
power, including the units claiming to deliver 130 watts max.
Simply put, wattage is
power; and generally speaking, more is better than less. The logical
question to ask is how much wattage does one need. To answer this, we
conducted an experiment in our shop using a wattmeter, a Detailer with 18
gauge cord, and a "K" tip (small point). Several feather barbs were burned
on a piece of basswood with the Detailer's control knob set to 3. We were
able to burn a nice, crisp "toast" colored barb. The wattmeter registered
10 watts! Next, we set the Detailer to full power. The "K" tip glowed a
bright orange, the basswood burned a burnt black, and the feather barbs
looked horrible. The wattmeter registered 27 watts. With respect to
woodburning, we feel that wattage rating is severely overrated. You should
chose a woodburner that has the features that you require, and a price tag
that fits your budget....Colwood Electronics Inc.
Why do different manufacturers boast about their watts and amps?
“Watts are not amps. Some manufacturers state that their tools vary between 20
and 130 watts. It has been proven beyond any doubt that there are no burners
that exceed 45 watts. Some brands claims of 130 watts of
output are false; they are under 40 watts. Also, the statement that "the
higher the watts, the quicker you can draw" is not completely accurate. As a
general statement, with all things being equal, it is true. However, you need to
take into account the ability to supply current (amps) to the tip. High current
flow is critical to tip heat recovery. Our Razertip 2 volt transformers are
rated at 10 amps. It is the amperage, not the voltage that gives fast tip
recovery. Detail Master and Nibs operate at around 3 volts (compared to our
Razertip’s 2 volts). In theory, the extra voltage helps with faster tip heat
recovery, and it gives them a 50% increase in wattage over us, but it has the
unfortunate by-product of heating up the cord and the handpiece body faster as
well. Then there is the tip wire itself. Our Razertip pens use an alloy that
doesn't require nearly as much power to heat it as the Detail Master wire does
(Razertip’s more energy efficient), so our Razertip standard tips running on 2
volts will recover their heat as quickly as the heavier Detail Master and Nibs
tips operating at 3 volts. As a thumbnail guide, watts can be roughly calculated as amps x volts. Using
this quick method of estimating watts, our Razertip burner comes in at 20 watts
(2 volts x 10 amps). The Detail Master/Nibs burners would come in at 30 watts
(10 amps x 3 volts - assuming a 10 amp transformer rating; I don't believe their
transformers are actually rated this high). Razertip could achieve 20 watts by
using 120 volts and 1/6 amps, or 20 volts at 1 amp, but our Razertip burner
wouldn't work well because everything would get hot. The lower the voltage, the
better - but if the voltage gets too low, contact becomes an issue. It's easier
to keep consistent contact at higher voltages. We could also easily change to a
3 volt transformer (like Detail Master and Nibs), but our pen bodies and cords
would heat up too quickly, and I doubt that CSA would pass a 3 volt burner
because of a risk to the operator burning himself on a hot pen body. I believe
that we have a better product because of the lower voltage and overall design.”
.....Cam Merkel, President Razertip Industries
I'm
not an electronics expert, electrician or engineer, but here's my own input on
this issue. If you have ever tried a craft burner most of them are between
25 and 30 watts and range from 750 watts to 1060o watts. More
information regarding performance and comparisons between craft burners and
detail burners is below.
Single Temperature Craft Burners vs. Detail Burners
I
have used every brand burner listed below and while some manufacturers of detail
burners claim to reach over 1000o watts you would have to use the
tips poker hot which will shorten the life of the tip.
Craft style burners:
The
difference is that the single temperature craft style burners have a thicker
copper tip that can withstand the constant higher temperatures. One BIG
difference in the craft burners is the ones made in China (all but Dremel and
Wall Lenk) have thinner tips that usually break and bend faster.
Craft style burners can take up to 5-8 minutes to heat and cool.
Tips
need to be screwed into the handpiece very carefully ONLY when the tip is
cool
Craft style burners are good for simple crafts such as signs and burnings that
do not require any detail work but do not do well on fine detail work.
Craft style burners, especially the Wall Lenk, Dremel and Colwood are still made in the
USA by Wall Lenk. The tips are still thicker and solid as opposed to the
ones now made in China that tend to be thin and bend or break easily. The
30 watt burners come with a dual heat shield and do a great job of keeping the
hand cool. They also do a great job of burning large dark areas faster
than detail burners.
Detail burners:
These burners have electronic or digital temperature control and heat up and
cool down in seconds.
Pen
tips are made from nichrome alloy wire so you get a finer tip allowing you to do
fine detail work.
Many
manufacturers offer fixed tip or interchangeable tips although fixed tip
handpieces outperform and give you more even heat flow. Interchangeable
tips can be a nuisance to change and with some brands it puts your hand farther
back from the tip taking away some fine control over the burning.
While you can heat the pen tips poker hot, it is not recommended
Burners are available in a wide variety of prices and from single output to dual
output.
Detail burners will not burn as fast as the craft burners but they will do an
outstanding job of detail work that you can't get with craft burners.
It
is best to burn in layers, building up the depth of tonal values rather than
cranking up the heat and scorching the wood. It will give you a better
quality in your burning and it will not fade as fast.
Most
every variable temperature woodburner listed below has very quick heat recovery.
Everyone heats within seconds.
Variable temperature woodburning pen handpieces and tips vs. craft burners
handpieces and tips
Craft burners
Craft burners all come with large diameter handles that can become quite
uncomfortable to use over longer periods, especially for children and women with
small hands.
The
tips are soft brass MUST be cooled before removing from the handpiece or you can
and will strip the threads. It also requires a tool (not provided) to
tighten them securely into the handpiece and to remove them. Since it can
take up to 5 minutes to cool and heat, this can be an inconvenience.
The
tips are thicker so it's not as easy to get fine detail.
Tips
can be cleaned with a brass brush ONLY when the tips are cool to avoid damaging
the soft brass tip.
Variable temperature detail burners
Most
brands have thin, comfortable pens similar to using a thick pen. Many
people find that those with foam grips are more comfortable but most find either
cork or foam work fine. The Detailmaster pens are unlike most brands and
their pens have no comfort grip and because the handpiece is metal it tends to
get hotter than most every other brand of woodburning pen.
Most
brands come with polished tips which make woodburning easier so that the tip can
glide over the wood without catching or dragging plus it makes it easier to
clean. Colwood offers this as an option.
Variable temperature woodburning pens heat and cool in a matter of seconds and
it's easier to change them. If you opt for the fixed-tip handpiece most
just pop on and off in seconds and can be placed in the handpiece clip that
comes with all burners. If you opt for interchangeable tips you might have
to screw and unscrew them from the handpiece (Razertip) or use a tool to insert
or remove and then find a place to put them once you take them hot since they
will be hot.
Interchangeable tips are cheaper but not necessarily a convenience when it comes
time to change the tips.
The
tips are much thinner than craft burners making detail work much easier.
Razertip has the thinnest tips which make the finest detail work easier than
most but may not hold up if you are heavy handed or tend to break tips
frequently.
Polished tips are the easiest to clean...scrape gently with a straight-edged
razor and then polish with a strop, piece of leather and aluminum
oxide....NOTHING any harsher.
It
is not necessary, nor recommended to anneal most brands of polished pens, but if
your burner comes with instructions it's best to follow them or you could negate
any warranty on the pens if there is one.
Pens loosing heat
All
pens loose heat as they move across the wood so don't think there is something
wrong with your burner if this happens, it just goes with the territory. Simply lift the tip briefly
allowing the heat to build up again and gently put the pen down on the wood in a
flowing movement behind where you left off.
The bottom line!
So
what you really need to think about and ask yourself:
1. Do
I want to do detail work or just simply do some "crafty" things such as signs
(that will help you decide between craft style or detail burner).
2.
What my budget.
3.
Can I afford to buy the best tool now so I won't have to upgrade later?
4.
What is the reputation of the manufacturer
5.
What is the warranty of the burner
If opting for a detail burner:
6.
Do I need a single output or dual output
7.
What do I intend to do with it (to help you decide which pens & burner to get)
8.
Which woodburning pens do I need
Things to help in your decision-making process:
The
company's reputation, customer service and warranty: Talk to dealers as well as
users. Find out how the manufacturer handles problems. Speed of
service, quality control, quality of the tools.
Features of the woodburning systems, your needs and budget: Do you need a
single or dual output. In most cases you can do just fine with a single
output burner. Digital temperature control is a nice feature but not
necessarily better. Keep in mind that MOST burners will perform in the
same way and do the job for all of your needs. You don't need the biggest
and the best to do a masterpiece. If you are going to burn on hard woods
(oak, maple, etc) be sure you find a burner that will do the job. It does
take more heat to burn on hard woods.
Do
they offer the pen styles you need: Every manufacturer of detail burners
makes a variety of pens. Most will offer the pens you will need for every
day burning and almost every one makes specialty pens. If you are doing
basic pyrography you usually can get away with 3 pens: a shader, a round
heeled knife and a writer of some kind. Each brand makes them in a variety
of shapes and sizes.
Make
your choice based on all of those items and most important....what you can
afford. Do not make your decision based on WATTAGE!!! Just because your
friend has a particular brand doesn't make it the best for your needs or the
best burner. It's just based on their personal experience. Just because the dealer at the woodcarving show or gourd show
sells a particular brand, doesn't make it the best. Talk to a variety of
people BEFORE making a decision. Talk to people who have used a variety of
burners so they tell you the differences between them, not just based on use of
one particular brand.
Dealers sell you burners but it's the manufacturer who will take care of the
burner if you have a problem. You need to know that the manufacturer will stand
behind the tools they make and will provide you with good customer service and
most important fast service. If you have to wait weeks or months to get
your burner back from the factory, that's not good service.
Feedback from users
If
you have one of these burners and have additional information regarding your
experiences that would be helpful to others,
please email me.
Thanks for stopping by
Happy Burning©,
Nedra Denison
Updated 7/1/10
All information on this page has been
researched and compiled by Nedra Denison. Everything on this page, as well
as on this web site are copyright protected under the law. It may NOT be
copied, reproduced, altered or distributed in any way without written permission
from the owner,
NEDRA DENISON.
