wood burner

[trg2577]

ok,so i just got a the woodburner tool, any tips on how to use it because i have no clue...i have been using fray check....lol...hate that stuff....
Tina

[Princess Babies Bowtique]

Carefully...

But seriously, get some old practice stash ribbon out and let the thing heat up once you're sure the kiddies are out of range. Swipe the tool along the edge of your ribbon...quickly! Less than a second. If it burns or scorches, just use your scissors to cut off the burnt part and start again. I keep on old damp cloth to wipe any burnt ick off. I also USED to keep a spray bottle there to keep the cloth damp. Until I burned a hole in the bottle, lol! You may have heard I keep the woodburner in a frying pan when in use now. The little stands that come with them just aren't enough for me! You'll get this down quickly.

[Tonya]

Here's another bit: For straight lines I always use a metal ruler with mine - makes a very clean, sharp line. Just put the ruler along where you want it cut and 'draw' a line along the ribbon with the ruler, just like you would a regular ruler and pencil.

I, too didn't like the little stand that came with my woodburner (hotfix tool too) until I glued it down to my cutting board with lots of hotglue - now it's much more stable! When the stand was too wimpy to stay in place, of course the burner wouldn't stay at all! I did the same thing for my hotfix tool stand and it's really nice to know they're not going anywhere I don't want them too.

[edenhopehairbows]

Jumping on the bandwagon....
I just got a wood burner too, the thing is that it came with 4 different points. Which one would be the best to use for ribbon? (the sharper pointy one?)

[Kimm57]

Ooh Ooh Ooh!!! I love my woodburner. I just got it a few weeks ago and what would I ever have done without it. I agree with the other ladies, the stand sucks. I like the idea of keeping it in a frying pan. I have already burnt a teeny hole in the carpet, a shirt of my hubbies and who knows what else. My biggest problem is that the cord is really short. By the time I plug it in to the wall behind my table, it barely reaches the table and I constantly tug it off. I know that an extension cord would solve that, I just haven't found one in our house yet!

I use a metal ruler for almost every cut that is straight. Sometimes I don't always put the 3/8in ribbon under the metal ruler to cut, but instead I measure along the ruler and just cut right on top of it. Mostly I can do this with the 3/8in because I can manage a straight line on such a small width.

I just use the tip that came already installed on my tool. I don't know if it's the best one, but it's the slanted one. I find to cut straight lines, I just use the whole slanted side, but to do more detailed stuff, I hold it upside down and just use the point of the slant.

Enjoy!!

[Princess Babies Bowtique]

Originally Posted by Kimm57

Ooh Ooh Ooh!!! I love my woodburner. I just got it a few weeks ago and what would I ever have done without it. I agree with the other ladies, the stand sucks. I like the idea of keeping it in a frying pan. I have already burnt a teeny hole in the carpet, a shirt of my hubbies and who knows what else. My biggest problem is that the cord is really short. By the time I plug it in to the wall behind my table, it barely reaches the table and I constantly tug it off. I know that an extension cord would solve that, I just haven't found one in our house yet!

I use a metal ruler for almost every cut that is straight. Sometimes I don't always put the 3/8in ribbon under the metal ruler to cut, but instead I measure along the ruler and just cut right on top of it. Mostly I can do this with the 3/8in because I can manage a straight line on such a small width.

I just use the tip that came already installed on my tool. I don't know if it's the best one, but it's the slanted one. I find to cut straight lines, I just use the whole slanted side, but to do more detailed stuff, I hold it upside down and just use the point of the slant.

Enjoy!!

I use an extension cord. Not sure why the cord on those is so short...my glue gun has a long cord. I have to be sure I keep the cords AWAY from the woodburner, lol! Burning a hole in the water spray bottle was bad enough! Because I can't work in the Basement Boutique (too cold) I'm working in the kitchen. I keep the cords behind my stand mixer to keep them out of the way. The stand mixer is big and heavy so it won't move when I'm using the woodburner.

[trg2577]

thanks, gonna give a try today....

[Wendy523]

ooo the frying pan is a great tip!!!

I burned a hole in the cord of my hot glue gun

question: Where do you all get your metal ruler? I grabbed one from my hubby's workshop, but it just doesn't seem like it works good, it is too thick.

[Kimm57]

Originally Posted by Punkynmunky

question: Where do you all get your metal ruler? I grabbed one from my hubby's workshop, but it just doesn't seem like it works good, it is too thick.

I got mine at Wal-Mart. It is the Mainstays brand and was about $3.00. I found it in the section with the staplers and other office supplies.

[Sarah Mock]

I use 2 techniques.
a glass cutting board and a metal ruller or metal spatula for longer cuts

and then for sealing edges of smaller ribbon I leave it hot on its little stand....all though is I were to have a permanent work station I would duct tape it to the table.....and then I just touch the ribbon to the hot part.