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A BEGINNER’SGUIDE TO

WOODBURNING

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INTRODUCTIONWell hello there! And thank you for purchasing a Chandler Tool Woodburning Kit! We’re so excited to share this book with you! Why? Because after selling tens of thousands of woodburners, we discovered the #1 challenge our customers have is learning the proper way to burn wood.

Without instruction, most of our customers struggle to get good results, and many even break their woodburners. But with just a little bit of professional guidance, we have customers creating amazing results on their very first day! Our goal is to give you the fast-track to woodburning success. And that’s what this book is all about!

Aney Carver is the founder of PyroCrafters.com, the leading online woodburning resource. She is also the author of Drawing With Fire: A Beginners’ Guide To Wood Burning and runs an amazing member site where she hosts regular live calls and helps her students with everything from basic to advanced techniques & even earning an income selling their artwork. Since the Chandler Tool wood-burner is Aney’s favorite, she decided to partner with us to create a free begin-ner’s guide designed to guarantee our customer’s success!

This Book shares everything you need to get started, but there’s more! We also created a detailed video tutorial series that follows the book so you can actually watch Aney demonstrate the techniques & create the sample projects outlined in the book. Combined, this book and the video tutorials will have you burning wood like a pro in no time!

So time to get started! The video tutorial is available here.

We hope you love the book. If you do, please let your fellow crafters know by sharing an online review. And if you decide to learn advanced wood burning techniques, we encourage you to check out Aney’s amazing community at www.PyroCrafters.com!

Copyright 2020 TVM Inc.All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, record-ing or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWF27QWIJAZkGM-1AzP9tSmdaKQoaQzal

CHAPTER 1 UNDERSTANDING THE CHANDLER TOOL WOODBURNING KITHere’s what’s in the kitBurner tips and how to use themSafetyHow to care for your woodburner

CHAPTER 2WOOD OPTIONSPineBirchBasswood BambooHardwood Gourd

CHAPTER 3 PYROGRAPHY ACCESSORIESSandpaperMasking tapeGraphite paperGray & White pencil eraserNon-fusible interfacingWood stains & wax-based oil pencilsMetal rulerTemplates and stencilsLaser printerWire tip pyrography pen

CONTENTS

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CONTENTS...............................15-18

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CHAPTER 4SETTING UP TEMPLATE AND ARTWORKBasic tracing techniqueFlexible tracingTracing tipImage transferring

CHAPTER 5 BASIC WOODBURNING TECHNIQUESPracticing your strokeStraight and curved linesDots and stipplesShading

CHAPTER 6ADDING COLOR TO PYROGRAPHY ARTWax-based oil pencils and crayonsGel paintsGet stains

CHAPTER 7 HOW TO FINISH YOUR PIECEBasic finishing techniquesAdding a hanger

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CHAPTER 1: UNDERSTANDING THE CHANDLER TOOL WOODBURNING KIT

HERE’S WHAT’S IN THE KIT

Chandler Tool Woodburning Kit comes with ergonomic insulated body, 8

premium solid brass tips, a steel soldering tip, and a stand. It also comes

with a lifetime warranty and UL certification.

BURNER TIPS AND HOW TO USE THEM

The woodburner — or pyrography pen — is an electronic, metal-tipped tool.

When turned on, the metal tip heats up, so when it’s used as a pen on a

piece of wood, it embeds the image you want to create.

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Similar to a ballpoint pen, this tip is very common and

easy to use for practicing strokes, making dot patterns,

and a variety of other patterns.

This is smaller and finer than the small rounded tip and

makes the smallest lines. It’s perfect for tiny details

and very small, intricate designs.

This is almost identical to the first one, but with a

larger point that makes thicker lines than the universal

point. It’s slightly easier to control and works well with

making big lines on tough surfaces.

This tip is shaped like a spade and is perfect for creat-

ing shadows by lightly burning thin layers of wood. This

tool is great for very intricate works that requires

shading and a lot of detail.

Typically, the tip of your pyrography pen comes with a universal tip that’s broad

and slanted. However, there are several other tips and nibs that can be used for

a variety of different designs. Here are some of them:

1. Mini Flow Tip

2. Flow Tip

3. Shading Tip

4. Tapered Tip

5. Calligraphy TipThis tip has a horizontal straight line edge and is great

for lettering and recreating a calligraphy style in your

woodburning.

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6. Universal Tip

7. Mini Universal Tip

8. Stamp Tip

9. Soldering Tip

The universal tip is one of the most versatile tips in the

kit. It allows you to burn crisp clean lines using the

skewed straight edge and perfect for outlining your

artwork. The fine point also gives you the ability to add

smaller fine details by simply turning the tip upside and

using the very tip.

This tip is very similar to the universal tip, only smaller.

The smaller edge allows you to reach into smaller

spaces than the larger universal tip and it can still

create nice crisp lines for your burned artwork.

This tip has a fan-like pattern and allows you to stamp

the wood creating a burned fan-like shape. You can

use this tip to create patterns in your work.

The soldering tip is best used for soldering. You can use

it in your woodburning, however, it’s not meant for the

harsh pressure of being pushed into the wood. Lots of

force will cause this tip to break, so using it in wood-

burning calls for a delicate touch. The short fine tip

can be used for adding fine details into small spaces,

just remember to be gentle.

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SAFETY

Since you’re working with heat, wood-

burning kits can be a dangerous

hobby, if you’re not careful. Here are

some tips to avoid any accidents or

injuries while working with your wood-

burning kits.

Turn your woodburner off and unplug it when finished. Allow it to cool on its stand completely before

removing the tip and storing it. The tool

can be very hot, and it’s not safe to

store if it’s still warm.

Secure your wire stand. Wire stands are essential for temporarily holding

your woodburner when you’re not using

it. Make sure to get a stand that has a

secure base that doesn’t tilt or tip over,

so it stays in place, even if it’s acciden-

tally bumped.

Use a respirator mask with organic vapor filters. When using the wood-burner often, this will help prevent

smoke inhalation.

Use a fan to pull the smoke away from you. Place the fan on your desk

to help prevent smoke inhalation.

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Here’s a few tips to help keep your woodburner in top condition.

Use your hands instead of pliers when tightening the tips. When switching your pen tip in the middle of your project, make sure to let it cool off enough that the screw threads won’t bend or strip when changing the tips. It can damage the inside of the wand, making it difficult to add in another tip. When tightening the tips, don’t apply too much pressure because the tips are very delicate and can easily break. If you have trouble unscrewing a tip, it is likely screwed in too tight. They should be barely more than finger-tight; just enough so they don’t unscrew themselves.

Have patience and let the heat do the work. Pressing hard accomplishes nothing. Slow down and lighten up, especially with thin point tips. When using

these tips, the heat dissipates quickly, meaning you have to work slower.

Use masking tape to make a border while working. As previously noted, use artist tape as a margin to avoid any accidental slips while carving your design.

CARING FOR YOUR WOODBURNER

Always clean your pen tip after every project. Your woodburning tip can catch a lot of carbon residue from burning wood for a long period of time. If you don’t clean it, it will eventually make your pen tip dull and uneven. Use sand-paper or honing paper to clean the tip after the woodburner has cooled. In bigger projects, you may also need to clean it every now and then while working, since the project will take longer to complete.

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Cleaning Your Woodburning Tips

As previously noted, handling the tip of your woodburner can be dangerous, if you touch it while it’s still hot. This is most evident when trying to clean it. Here are some instructions to avoid burning your-self when cleaning your woodburner tip.

1. Turn off your woodburner and let it cool completely.

2. While the tip is still attached, use gloves when rubbing it with sandpaper. Rub gently, so as not to scratch or damage the tip. After a long time, your tip may change in color. This is normal, but make sure no residue is left behind.

3. After cleaning the tip with sandpaper, wipe it gently with a soft, damp piece of cloth.

4. Dry the tip completely before your next use. Do not heat up your woodburn-er to dry the tip, as it will cause a chemi-cal reaction that changes the way it burns.

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CHAPTER 2: WOOD OPTIONS

It should go without saying that an activity called “woodburning” requires wood. However, there are some very specific types of wood that experts use to yield the best results. Typically, you want a sturdy, hard piece of wood. Here are the types of wood best suited for this activity.

PINE

BIRCHBirch is not as cheap and is a bit harder than pine, which allows for more room for corrections. Consequently, this is a good choice for beginners. It also has a smooth surface and burns lighter than other preferred woods.

This type of wood comes in many forms. It’s easy to find birch canvases online in a variety of sizes. If you’d prefer, you can also buy birch plywood sheets and cut them down to a custom size to make your own canvases.

BASSWOODBasswood is one of the top choices for both beginners and experts. It’s light, even-colored, has grains and knots, and burns easily, making your job quicker and easier. You can find several basswood canvas options online or in your local craft store.

Pine is cheap and easy to find. It’s something that requires a lot of practice and expertise. The grains and knots of pine vary a lot, and it can prove to be a real challenge for anyone who is just starting out. It’s best to use a different type of wood if your design has uniform lines, as the grain can throw the pattern off.

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BAMBOOUntil recently, Bamboo wasn’t typically used for woodburning. It has a smoot sur-face and it’s quite cheap. Bamboo can be used for practicing designs and is readily available in many craft stores and supermarkets.

HARDWOODHardwood contains tough bark, such as oak and elm. As the name suggests, it’s a lot harder than your typical wood and can be very expensive. However, the smooth surface and tough exterior make for some astonishing finishes. Using hardwood requires advanced skills, so it’s not suitable for beginners.

GOURDWhile not really an actual type of wood, a piece of dry gourd has an excellent texture that lends itself well to woodburning. Much like bamboo, it’s cheap and can be used for practicing your strokes. However, if you want to use the gourd for an actual finished product, it might require a lot of practice to get a polished piece.

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We hope you love the book. If you do, please let your fellow crafters know by sharing an online review. And if you decide to learn advanced wood burning techniques, we encourage you to check out Aney’s amazing community at www.PyroCrafters.com!

Copyright 2020 TVM Inc.All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, record-ing or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher.

CHAPTER 3: PYROGRAPHY ACCESSORIES

Here are some accessories you’ll need to complete your woodburning projects.

SANDPAPER OR HONING PAPER Sandpaper — i.e. honing paper — is primarily used to clean the tip of your wood-

burning pen. Be gentle, as you want to clean the tip without altering it or dam-

aging the metal.

MASKING TAPE This can be used for several purposes, including holding light woods to your work

surface to prevent them from moving around while you’re carving. It can also

serve as a temporary margin if you’re doing free-hand design. It also does not

damage your wood at all, because the adhesive is designed to break away with-

out much resistance.

GRAPHITE PAPER Graphite paper can be used to transfer your designs to your wood of choice.

While carbon paper can be used for the same purpose, graphite is lighter and if

needed, corrections can easily be made using a typical gray and white pencil

eraser. Conversely, carbon paper lines might need to be sanded.

GRAY AND WHITE PENCIL ERASER This comes in handy when cleaning up templates you’ve traced onto wood. The

gray part is for graphite and the white part can be used for touching up and

lightly erasing any errant marks.

NON-FUSIBLE INTERFACING This is useful for working on curved surfaces, such as pots and vases. It holds your

graphite paper in place while you trace your pattern.

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WOOD STAINS AND WAX-BASED OIL PENCILS Wood stains, such as gel-and oil-based stains, are great for providing a unique

and polished finish to your work. The pencils can also help add a pop of color to

your finished product, if you so desire.

METAL RULERAnother dual-purpose item, you can use the metal ruler to trace lines into your

wood. It can also be used to heat the wood up to easily create thin, straight lines

while carving. Just be careful if you want to do this!

TEMPLATES AND STENCILSIf you want to start with simpler designs or incorporate simple shapes and let-

ters, keep a stock of stencils and templates on hand for easy carving.

WIRE-TIP PYROGRAPHY PENA wire-tip pen is another option for woodburning. The tip is made from a flexible

wire capable of a wider array of strokes. It’s popular with both novice and ad-

vanced woodburners, because of its versatility, giving you the chance to prac-

tice even more woodburning techniques. To really get the most out of this pen,

you’ll need to practice with it, to better hone your skills.

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CHAPTER 4: SETTING UP TEMPLATES AND ARTWORK

If you are confident enough in your abilities, you can carve your design directly

onto the wood without using a template. However, if you’re a beginner, it’s best

to trace the design onto the wood, until you’ve gained a bit more experience

with the tool.

There are two ways to trace your design onto the wood. You can manually trace

it using graphite or carbon paper or use a specialized tracing or transferring

tool. Here’s how to do both.

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BASIC TRACING TECHNIQUE

Here’s how to trace your design onto wood using graphite paper. Carbon paper

can also be used, but graphite paper is highly recommended.

1. Draw or print your design onto a regular white sheet of paper. Make a dupli-

cate of your design, so you can easily use another one if you make a mistake

while tracing it onto the wood.

2. Place a piece of graphite paper underneath the paper that has your design

on it. Make sure the graphite side is the one touching the wood. Use masking

tape, so the papers stay in place while you’re tracing them.

3. Using a pen or pencil, trace through your design by pressing it firmly, so the

design transfers onto the wood via the graphite underneath. When finished,

remove the graphite and white paper.

4. Using your woodburner, trace the design to carve the design permanently

onto the wood. Be careful with this step, as there’s little room for error once you

start burning the wood.

5. When finished, use a gray eraser to

remove any errant graphite on the

wood. Leave your project as is, or color

it and finish it with a varnish or stain.

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FLEXIBLE TRACING

Tracing your design onto a curved sur-face, such as a wooden pot or vase, can be difficult to do with just a pen and paper. For this, you’ll need non-fus-ible interfacing. Here’s how to use it to transfer your patterns onto curved sur-faces.

1. Print your design onto a piece of paper first, then trace it onto the inter-facing with a pen or pencil. When you’re happy with the design, you’ll be ready to use the interfacing.

2. Place a piece of graphite paper un-derneath the interfacing and hold it in place with masking tape. Make sure the graphite part is touching the wood.

3. Trace the design using a pen or pencil. You may need to press extra hard, because the interfacing is thicker than regular paper.

4. When you’re done tracing the design, slowly peel off the interfacing and graphite paper. You can then start using your woodburning pen and fol-lowing the traced template.

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TRACING TIPSome woodburning kits may come with a tracing tip. If yours does not, you can buy one in woodburning stores. A large, flat, rounded tip that's heavier than you’re used to, this can be used for tracing along a laser printer, as it acts as an iron. If you use it while heated, it can also make large, dark dots.

IMAGE TRANSFERRINGThe other method of transferring your design onto wood is by image transfer-ring. To do this, you’ll need a laser printer and a tracing tip. Here’s how to do image transferring.

1. Print your design on a piece of paper using a laser printer. Ink-jet printers do not work as intended and are not recommended for this method.

2. Place the piece of paper on top of the wood, with the printed side facing the wood’s surface. Use masking tape to make sure it stays in place.

3. Using the hot tracing tip, iron the back of the paper in constant circular mo-tions. Do this twice, making sure to iron the entire paper, so the design transfers properly. Do not use the tip beyond the paper, as it will cause burn marks on the wood.

4. Peel away the paper and darken any lines that may be too light. Then trace your design with your woodburner as usual.

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CHAPTER 5: BASIC WOODBURNING TECHNIQUES

Woodburning is very similar to drawing and painting, but with heat and wood as your medium and canvas. As you keep practicing your craft, you’ll become more comfortable with the tools and surfaces, as well as techniques such as shading, lining, and dotting. After mastering these basic techniques, you can move on to more advanced designs and practices.

PRACTICING YOUR STROKE

Woodburning isn’t just drawing lines. When creating designs, there are dif-ferent ways to do different types of strokes. Use a scrap piece of wood to practice trying out different styles and strokes.

STRAIGHT & CURVED LINES

Any design, be it basic or incredibly intricate, contains straight and/or curved lines of some sort. Straight lines are simple enough, but curved lines may take some practice. Here are some ways to get these lines looking just the way you want them.

1. Choose the right pen tip. Typically, a small rounded point is a good start. If you think a different tip could work better, experiment to see what works best for you.

2. Hold your woodburner as you would a pencil or a pen. Start practicing your stroke by lightly moving your hand in the direction you want to go, to get a feel of how you want to make your lines.

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3. Gently apply pressure to the wood and start moving it in the desired direction. Try to maintain constant pressure, so your lines are a uniform color. Use a metal ruler if needed.

4. Once you’re done with a line, immediately lift the pen off of the wood. If you keep it in place for longer than a few seconds, it will start making deeper, thicker lines.

5. When making curved lines, you can either trace directly from your graphite paper, or you can divide the curves into segments using light dots, which can later be connected into one cohesive line. The shader tip and the big rounded tip are perfect for burning curved lines.

DOTS & STIPPLES

Dots are simple and easy to make, but knowing different ways to do them can make for some interesting effects. Hold your woodburner as you would any pen and start touching the wood with the pen tip. A rounded tip works best here.

Instead of pressing down on the wood, allow the heat of the pen to slowly increase the size of your dots as you hold it in place. Practice making different sizes of dots and put them together to create a pseudo-gradient effect, or just to make dotty art.

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SHADING

Shading is essential for adding even more detail and dimension to your work, without having to use any paint or finish. It also maintains the color palette of the wood. A woodburning kit should come with a spade-shaped shading tip used specifically for this purpose. Here’s how to use it.

1. Insert the shading tip and place your hand into position on top of the wood. Place it at an angle so that the entire flat part of the tip is touching the wood’s surface.

2. Move your shader in a circular motion to achieve a gradient effect. The longer you hold the tip in place, the darker the shade will be. Practice different levels of darkness with the tip. When figuring out how to shade your work, you can also apply a light base shade and go over it later with a darker shade.

3. You can use the spade-shaped tip to create a spade-shaped design if you want to. All you have to do is press the whole tip onto the wood.

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CHAPTER 6: ADDING COLOR TO PYROGRAPHY ART

Coloring in your design can add a lot more depth and life to it, but using regular wood paint can be very tricky when you’re just starting out. Wax-based oil pen-cils or crayons, gel stains or gel paints can be a good alternative.

OIL PENCILS/CRAYONSWax-based materials are great for making the color stick to your finished prod-

uct. They’re also easy to use, since they’re similar to coloring on paper. You can

also sand away any mistakes or use your gray and white eraser. You can even

blend the colors using your fingers or a cotton swab.

GEL PAINTSGel paint can be a little bit trickier than wax pencils, as there’s a higher risk of

accidentally smudging them when they’re not yet dry. At the same time, these

properties also make them perfect for painting on wood, if you know how to do

it properly. However, if you make a mistake, simply wipe off the paint immedi-

ately. You can also experiment with various brush strokes to get different

effects with your design.

GEL STAINSGel stains are very light and unlike liquid stains, they’re slightly thicker and less

runny. It’s light enough that the grains of the wood are still visible, even after the

finish has been applied. This makes it a great choice for when you want to pre-

serve a good grain pattern and give your project a more authentic wooden aes-

thetic.

You can get gel stains in a variety of different colors. They can also be blended

to produce different effects.

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CHAPTER 7: HOW TO FINISH YOUR PIECE

BASIC FINISHING TECHNIQUES

There are four ways to do the most basic of finishes to your project. You might need a combination of two or more to get the final product you want. Master-ing the basics will be useful when you do different projects.

1. Wiping - This is something you almost always have to do after finishing a project. Giving your work a wipe down will get rid of any loose dirt and residue, and erase some errant marks from your tracing that weren’t caught by your woodburner.

2. Sanding - Burning your wood can leave some small, rough patches here and there, and make your wood look uneven. You can fix this by using a small piece of sandpaper to carefully smooth out any portions you want to touch up.

3. Applying oil - Oil is great for giving your work a shiny finish without messing up the colors of your design. Mineral or olive oil is commonly used for this. Oil also strengthens the surface of your wood and keeps the design and color of it intact for a very long time.

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4. Applying lacquers and shellac - Much like oil, applying layers of lacquers and shellac gives you a very smooth and shiny finished product. It also strengthens your wood to make the design really last. However, it may lighten the burns on the wood, so darken your lines if you plan on using these materials. It’s also important to spray them on, instead of using a brush, to avoid smearing colors.

ADDING A HANGER

There are two ways to add a hanger to wall art pieces. A sawtooth hanger or a wire hanger with d-rings.

1. Sawtooth hangers. These are great for smaller pieces of art. They’re easy to install and are inexpensive. You can find sawtooth hangers in bulk packs online or in arts and craft stores. The pack will contain a sawtooth hanger with two screws. To set up, measure a center point on the back of the wood piece and mark it with a pencil. Place the sawtooth hanger in the desired spot and use a screwdriver to put the screws in place.

2. Wire with D-Rings. Most art galleries prefer this method of hanging artwork, and it holds more weight than the sawtooth setup. It works well with larger pieces. You can also find D-Rings with screws and wire on a spool online or in craft stores. To set up, measure placement on each side of the back of your wood piece and mark it with a pencil. Screw the D-Rings in place. Then take your wire hanger and tie each end to the D-ring, securing it in place.

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Copyright 2020 TVM Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any

form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, record-

ing or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written

permission of the publisher.

Leave a review

25

If you like receiving free stencils, templates & woodburning projects, check your

email inbox as we share free craft articles with our customers every single

month! And don’t forget to check out www.PyroCrafters.com! Aney shares all

sorts of tips & tricks & free resources, plus she runs an interactive member site

where she conducts regular live online trainings.

Want to give back? If you’ve enjoyed your experience with Chandler Tool, please

leave us a review! Reviews are the lifeblood of our business. Reviews are what

customers rely on to make sure they’re buying a quality product rather than some

cheap junk. The internet is full of low-quality woodburners from overseas sellers,

none of which support their customers in any way, and none of which offer a

warranty, let alone a lifetime warranty like we do! And with your help - with your

review - we hope to become the #1 selling woodburner in the world!

THE END

So….. How’d you like the book?! If you haven’t done so already, please go check

out our video tutorial series here. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video

is worth a million!

EMAIL:support@chandlertool.com

WEBSITEwww.chandlertool.com

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@chandlertool@chandlertool