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What is Lichtenberg Wood burning?
It is the process of conducting high voltage electricity through wood to create fractal-like burns/designs!
What makes ups the Lichtenberg process?
1. High Voltage Electricity
2. Electrolytic Solution
3. Materials (aka wood type)
4. Electrodes (aka metal type)
Introduction
Together we will be studying these 4 underlying steps that make up the entire wood burning rig and how changing different aspects may help, hinder, or have no effect upon the burn itself. This instructable is to help document different experiments to help create a baseline of what to expect in a burn. This instructable is by no means completed, but a living document to continue experimentation and evaluate best practices and techniques to employ to achieve the desired effect. So let's see what we have learned and discovered!
AT YOUR OWN RISK
By no means do I recommend you build, construct, make, or play with high voltage electricity, but if you're going to do so anyways be safe and follow all safety precautions and never underestimate the forces at hand. Please use this guide as an informational guide and at the very least use the recommended personal protection equipment outlined in the materials section. This guide will not teach you how to make the Lichtenberg wood burner, but if enough comments and viewers reach out I will write an instructable on how to do so.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
1. Journeyman's Insulated Gloves
2. Safety Glasses
3. Battle Buddy
Tools
1. Hammer
2. Brush (some type of applicator for the Electrolytic solution)
3. Bowl
4. Measuring cup
5. Tablespoon
Devices
1. Built Lichtenberg Device (I'm using 3 MOT's with mine)
2. Surge Protector
3. Box Fan
4. Extension Cord (as needed)
Electrolytic Solutions
1. Baking Soda and Water
2. Diet Dr. Pepper
3. Powerade
4. Pedialyte
5. Coke
Materials
1. 3/4" plywood cut into 1' by 1' sections
Electrodes (bare with me since these are nails I found lying around and don't have proper names for them)
1. 1/4" head | 1/8" thick | 3-1/4" long
2. 1/4" head | just over 1/16" thick | 2-5/8" long
3. 1/8" head | 1/16" thick | 2-1/2" long
4. 1/4" head | 1/8" thick | 1-1/2" long
5. 1/4" head | just over 1/16" thick | 1-5/8" long
6. 5/16" head | just over 1/16" thick | 1-1/4" long
7. 3/16" head | just over 1/16" thick | 1-14" long
Introduction to Test
For the nail thickness test, I will be using 7 different pairs of nails varying in type, length, width, diameter, and probably metal (though they all look about the same). At a later time I will reconduct this test with better-specified nails, but for now, I must use what I got!
Note: after First application of electrolytic solution a 2-minute wait is undergone.
Testing
1. 1/4" head | 1/8" thick | 3-1/4" long
Took 4 coats of electrolytic solution to complete burning, didn't use air (once burning commenced air seemed to put it out rather than help it along).
2. 1/4" head | just over 1/16" thick | 2-5/8" long
Took 5 coats of electrolytic solution to complete burning, didn't use air.
3. 1/8" head | 1/16" thick | 2-1/2" long
Took 4 coats of electrolytic solution to complete burning, didn't use air.
4. 1/4" head | 1/8" thick | 1-1/2" long
First to burn on the first coat, but overall took 4 coats to arc. Also, first board to have standing water on its surface after the 2-minute wait.
5. 1/4" head | just over 1/16" thick | 1-5/8" long
Took 4 coats.
6. 5/16" head | just over 1/16" thick | 1-1/4" long
Took 4 coats.
7. 3/16" head | just over 1/16" thick | 1-14" long
Took 1 coat.
Summary: It doesn't seem like the nail thickness, length, or type affects the burn. It does seem that wood saturation has a large impact on the burn and that the nail itself may help increase or decrease burn time.
Introduction
Node Theory is going to be placing several unconnected nails in a board to try and coax the electricity to follow and branch from a path.
Based on the nail thickness test and what I have on hand will determine which nails are used (nail #5 was used). I believe testing 3 node paths with 3, 4, and 6 nodes will be a sufficient start to testing.
Testing
1. Three Nail Node Path: Total 4 nails, indented negative side to extremely over saturate and hinder flow. Applied first coat then waited 2-minutes, applied standing coat after 2-minute wait time and prior to first power on. Burned immediately and only took 2 coats to fully arc. Doesn't seem to follow the path at this point.
2. Four Nail Node Path: Followed steps as in Three Nail Node Path. Aside from the test above I wet the entire board instead of just a cross-section. This allowed more freedom for the electricity to flow and would allow for a better visual to see if Nodes were being followed. Electricity seems to follow a medium to high saturation path. Doesn't seem to follow the path at this point.
3. Six Nail Node Path: Followed steps as in Four Nail Node Path. Aside from the test above I did my best to not saturate the perimeter of the board, it ends up connecting on the sides rather than on the surface causing an unwanted arc and little design to the top of the board. I also added divits to each nail placement. After making corrections to water saturation and possibly adding divits Node path was followed (relatively). It was also found that the patio I'm working on has a slight slant causing the positive side to gather a majority of the water.
Conclusion: All in all results point to the possibility of a Node Path being able to influence the current, but ultimately the overall results are inconclusive.
Note: I apologize for not taking pictures of my actual node paths, I thought that I had but alas couldn't find any images containing them.
Introduction
We could use our brains to know this isn't going to work, but I will give it a shot anyways to rule it out!
If I don't hook up the grounded jumper to the board will the electricity still burn the wood?
Answer: NO.
Introduction
I will be testing different electrolyte solutions to see which solution conducts electricity through the wood the best.
Note: I will be using the serving size for each ingredient/item to be able to set up a control. I will also give a total time of 15 Minutes per solution re-applying ever 3-5 minutes depending on how much standing solution there is.
Testing
1. Water and Baking Soda
1/8 Teaspoon in 1.5 Cups of water, made of Sodium Bicarbonate. This small amount of Baking Soda per volume of water made it very slow to use.
2. Powerade
1.5 Cups is the serving size which contains 150mg sodium, 35mg potassium, 21g carbs, 21g sugar, includes 15% niacin & B6. No conductivity achieved.
3. Pedialyte
1.5 Cups is the serving size which contains 370mg Sodium, 9g carbs, 9g sugar, 280mg potassium, 2.8mg zinc, 440mg chloride. This one dried up, fizzed, and smoked. Very little conductivity.
4. Diet Dr. Pepper
1 Can (or 1.5 Cups) is the serving size which contains 55mg sodium. No conductivity.
5. Coke
1 Can (or 1.5 Cups) is the serving size which contains 65mg sodium, 55g carbs, 55g sugar. No conductivity.
Conclusion: There may be better conductive solutions out there, but the easiest and cheapest one found so far is Baking Soda.
Introduction
Due to the prior test has determined how extensively I will test the Mix Ratio of baking soda and water. The base solution that I have been using for all prior testing has been 1 Tablespoon per 1 Cup of water.
Prior Testing
Test #4 has shown that 1 Teaspoon of baking soda per 1.5 cups of water resulted in a very very slow burn. We can expect to see slower burning for any amount lower than 1 TBS of baking soda per 1C of water.
Testing
A mix ratio of 2 TBS per 1C is so strong the voltage was able to conduct and arc across the water alone. This resulted in almost no burn and very bad designs if any designs resulted during the burn. Once this solution completely dried it still had enough conductivity to arc. Since the burning was very sporadic and violent it is deemed to be way too much for the wood we are currently using. This should be tested again on harder wood that has more trouble in conducting the voltage across the wood.
1.5 TBS per 1C allowed for faster burns, but occasionally became sporadic resulting in unwanted connections and bad burns.
In conclusion: 1TBS per 1C is a very manageable and conductive solution. It is so far the best mix ratio as well as the best solution to use for burning.
All testing was based on prior tests conducted
After the Nail Thickness trials I noticed the more standing water there was on the wood the faster, better, and fewer coatings were needed to completely burn through the wood (arc).
It seems like the electricity travels best from areas of medium standing water to high standing water.
The harder the wood the more saturated it has to be to burn.
In conclusion: Wood Saturation matter significantly and is another way we can control the burn to create patterns or paths for us to follow.
Best of Luck
I hope all this information is very informational and helps others to build upon and learn to control their own burns. I hope to continue testing and adding to this instructable as well as create amazing products! Please let me know if you would like me to create videos for these test and what other questions and test you would like me to run!
Bonus
Here are some pictures of some of the burn I used to practice filling with resin before doing my guitar, they turned out phenomenal!
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