I made this ring to be used as a frame. I'm wondering about burning a trim mark or two around the circumference, similar to using a wire to burn a mark on a spindle. Is it even possible? My plan would be to leave it in the cole jaws and use a nail or something rested on the tool rest, holding it against the ring as it turns. Since this is in those jaws I may not be able to run it fast enough to burn, and my plan of using a nail with the end ground round might not work....or would it? At this point I'm still experimenting/learning what's possible.

A piece of Formica can be used to create a burn mark or a piece of hardwood like Purple heart.  You would have to make a slight groove for it to ride in.  Tip of skew maybe.  You may want to practice however you decide to do it.

I've read of using a playing card from a deck of cards. No experience with it. I have tried a piece of antler with limited success.

Wouldn't a nail work similar to a dull cutting tool trying to severe/ cut the fibers rather than burnishing or burning? Maybe if it was heated first like burning tool? IDK? Just tossing out random thoughts with no experience especially when it comes to turning, but would the rounded corner of an old credit card work? Perhaps the tip of a plastic spoon? I'll find my own way out now.

I would round the head of the nail over, but that still might not work. I think Dan' suggestions might be a lot netter, I'll try a few things and see what happens.

You could make a burn wire or use string. Just be sure to use handles and do not wrap it around your fingers.

 

By the way turn lathe up tp full speed.

Edited April 21, 20251 yr by Gerald

Dan is right, formica works pretty well. You can get a piece free from the big box stores as a color sample for counter top. I would recommend doing some test pieces first though.

I wasn't very clear about where I would like to place the burn mark. I said circumference but what i really want is to put one/two on the face of the ring. I've used a wire to burn on spindles, but this one will be a little different.  I have some laminate in the shop, I might give that a try...I am a little nervous about running it at a high speed in the cole jaws.

Just bring up the tail stock. You can make a soft touch or remove point in revolving center and put some rubber between it and plate to hold things together.

Well, I tried it using a piece of laminate and it worked, sort of. The burning was real consistent around the ring and I wasn't happy with the results. I do like the idea and may tru to refine it maybe on the next piece. But for this one, I took a detail tool and cut the burn off, leaving just some grooves in the face. In thinking about it, I probably could use some kind of marker and color the grooves...maybe some other time.

Burning lines on the face isn't an easily accomplished deed.  It's been tried many ways and discussed many times and no one has come up with a tried and true process that I'm aware of.  I remember John Lucas saying it just can't be done when we were on Wood's forum.  I once cut a coil from a spring and held it in a pin vise and had only limited success with it too.    

Here's an alternate method.

 

I made some cake serving platters from maple and walnut. To spice up the top, I used the EWT detailer and a Sorby Texture tool. The applied acrylic paint to the line/textures. Once dried, sanded the paint from the areas I didn't want it. To protect the paint, I finished the items with wipe on poly.

 

 

 

Thanks, Lew. Those platters are beautiful! That would be a good method for me to use.  BTW, I should mention that those big cole jaws whirling around at a higher speed (~950RPM) are almost as frightening as using a molding head cutter on a TS. The fan noise is really alarming.

Edited April 22, 20251 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

those big cole jaws whirling around at a higher speed (~950RPM)

IIRC a set of cole jaws has a suggested rpm depending on the size of the jaws.

My 10" set has a suggested speed of only 600 rpm.

 

YMMV.

1 minute ago, smitty10101 said:

 

 

 

 

IIRC a set of cole jaws has a suggested rpm depending on the size of the jaws.

My 10" set has a suggested speed of only 600 rpm.

 

YMMV.

You are correct I think. This set I have (12", maybe) says 1000 RPM on it.

5 hours ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

BTW, I should mention that those big cole jaws whirling around at a higher speed (~950RPM) are almost as frightening as using a molding head cutter on a TS. The fan noise is really alarming.

 

That table saw molding head scares the bejeezus out of me, too!