Remember when you were a kid and your mom said not to play with fire? Well, now that you're an adult, here is a fun new hobby that involves playing with fire!
Well, sorta. There is woodsmoke involved! ;)
What is pyrography?
Pyrography, or wood burning, involves heating up different shaped metal tips to burn designs onto materials like:
- Wood
- Leather
- Canvas
- Cotton, thick paper
- Bone and antler
Colwood Wood Burners - turn playing with fire into an artistic experience!
Colwood SuperPro Wood Burner in Action!
Starter Kits: Everything you need to burn!
Get yourself a Colwood Detailer or Colwood SuperPro Starter Kit from Bear Woods. We have several starter kit options, but the basic ones include:
- SuperPro or Detailer wood burning unit
- 1 or 2 handles with comfortable cork grip (1 for the Detailer, 2x for the SuperPro)
- 5 or 9 interchangeable tips (regular & deluxe)
- EZ Tip Puller (to change hot tips without burning your fingers)
- Cleaning Cloth & Honing Paper (with Burn Savvy kits, piece of denim instead of honing paper)
Colwood Detailer vs Colwood SuperPro Units
Colwood Detailer
With consistent, reliable heat and the ability to burn soft and hard woods, this burner is a versatile choice that fits in the budget.
The Detailer comes with a handpiece cord that is perfect for helping you get dark burns and fine details. The terminal where the cord connects to the Detailer makes for a solid heat connection and easy cord changes.
Colwood SuperPro
This popular pyrography tool has a more powerful heat capacity than the Detailer model. This makes it a highly sought-after choice with people looking for a greater versatility in their burns. With a professional wood burning machine like this, you will be amazed at what you can create!
The Super Pro II comes with dual ports. This makes it easy to switch from regular heat for delicate shading and fine details to heavy-duty heat that will help you get those deliciously dark burns. Dual Ports also make it easy to have 2 different wood burning tip styles ready and waiting for you.
Below is an example of the Delux SuperPro starter kit!
Check out all our pyrography kits!
Here are 3 Beginner Tips to Get Started
1. Work your way up with heat / vary your heat based on material
- Really low heats = lighter burning
- Higher heats = darker burning
- Softer woods / materials require lower heats
- Harder woods / materials require higher heat
You can always turn up the heat! Do little test pieces, start a bit lower, adjust the heat as needed. You might burn most of the time between 4-6, but a lighter material, a harder material, might need different heat. Start slow and get a feel for how your heat affects each material and how each tip responds.
2. Make use of different tips for different burns!
One of the best parts about the Colwood burners is their interchangeable tips! There are lots of options for every shape, texture, and shade you need to burn. Below are just a few examples. Use an EZ Tip Puller to pull them in and out of the handle, even when they are hot!
3. Don't forget to clean your tips!
It is normal for tips to develop residue / charcoal over time as you burn. Keeping your tips clean helps with even heat distribution and precise burning. All cleaning pieces from honing paper, cleaning cloths, leather strops, aluminum oxide powder, and pieces of denim available from Bear Woods!
Wood Burning Cleaning Supplies
