Has anyone considered a pyrography tip for the X Carve? A laser costs a couple hundred, but a simple soldering iron could alternatively deliver that heat with a sharp point bit, although it’d be a project to set up the G Code. It’d mostly be a matter of using a slow feedrate and raising to a clearance height between dark areas. I mean, it would definitely take forever. But for significantly less than a laser… it might be worth thinking about.
I have thought the same thing; from what I’ve seen the issue comes with stability of the bit. The usefulness of this intricate of a design also comes from the hand that can sense the proper pressure and if the wood reacts appropriately. Whereas with a laser and multiple passes or power application it can create a repeatable design.
I remember seeing a sharpie or pen holder a while back that had a spring to control the pressure. This is a brilliant idea, one I may try to work on for the dominoes I want to make.
It you used a chisel tip it could act like a caligraphy pen making wider lines in one direction over another.
Should be pretty easy to try, mount to spindle mount do some basic vector flourishes. Set your DOC to 0.1mm and material thickness to 0.1mm so you get one pass. Could do this from Easel and treat like an engraving.
Let us know if you try it.
Like drag knifes, pens etc. getting the pressure correct will be key.
Cheers
Ian
SAFETY ALERT
Being it’s a direct heat source, I certainly would not use the “set it and forget it” method of operation.
----- unless you are looking to reconstruct your shop/ garage / house after the fire is put out.
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Here is a YouTube video of someone who did it way back in 2011
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This can be done using our PicEngrave Pro 5 & PicLaser Image to gcode programs with a hot wire.
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On one hand, u sing a flexible wire is a clever idea to solving the variable workpiece hieght problem. On the other hand… those eyes… 