Have you seen tree-like shapes or thunderstorms burnt on wood? You are probably wondering what kind of artworks are those how they are done. The art is called fractal wood burning, and it is done by using electricity generated by a high voltage source to burn the shapes on the piece of wood.
The tool used for this art is called the Lichtenberg fractal wood burner, a device that uses high-voltage electricity to create the abstract figures. There’s also another more accurate, that uses pens as the point to burn wood and carve images. However, devices like this can be a little expensive, and some people opt to create there own makeshift devices.
How to burn wood with a battery charger? Burning wood with a battery charger is to convert it into a makeshift woodburning device for fractal wood burning art, which is very dangerous.
In creating this homemade device, you have to use a battery charger as a transformer to amplify the voltage. It will also require you to use a dimmer switch to adjust the output the charger will deliver.
To burn the wood, you will need to generate at least 2000 volts, and a battery charger can only deliver up to 12 volts. This is why a transformer is needed, and this also makes it very dangerous since that amount of voltage can deliver enough amount of electric current to kill a person.
Due to this, if you ever decide to convert a battery charger to a woodburning device, you have to keep in mind that you have to proceed with extreme caution.
If you are planning to build your makeshift device to create burning wood art using a battery charger, but you don’t have any idea how. You are in the right place, my friend because this is a guide that will provide you everything you need to build one.
However, I have to remind you that this is a dangerous project that can lead to a lot of bad things.
Proceed With Extreme Caution
ELECTROCUTION CAN LEAD TO SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH – This is a dangerous project that involves DIRECT and ALTERNATING CURRENT as well as electrical wiring. It requires a basic understanding of how electrical wiring works and knowledge on how to do it.
In case you don’t have the required knowledge or expertise, I encourage you not to proceed. The project is very high-risk and may hurt you or, worse, kill you.
Disclaimer
The information disclosed in this article or guide involves direct current and alternating current that may lead to severe issues.
The author and the site have provided the necessary warnings, and therefore if the reader chooses to proceed, it will be on his/her own will, and the reader understands the risks, and the site and author of this article will assume NO responsibility for the use of this information. The user of the disclosed information is SOLELY responsible for its use.
Convert a Battery Charger Into a Wood Burning Device
Before we proceed, I assume that you already read the warning and the disclaimer above, and you understand that you are using this guide on your own will. You also understand this project is perilous, and you are doing it at your own risk.
Fractal wood burning is a new art that uses electricity to burn abstract patterns into a piece of wood. The key in this art is to generate plenty of voltage that is converted to electricity used to burn the wood.
So, if you are to build a makeshift device for this kind of art, the first thing that you have to do is to procure all the materials that you need.
Materials Needed for the Project
As I mentioned earlier, a woodburning device has to generate at least 2000 volts of electricity to burn the wood. To do this, you will need a power source, which is your battery charger, and a variable switch that can increase or decrease the output.
Along with these core devices, you will have to procure other materials, and all of them are listed below:
● Battery charger
● Dimmer switch
● Wirecutter
● Soldering iron
● Shrinking tubes
● Electrical tape
● Pliers
● Heavy-duty wires
● Soldering rod
● Short screws
● Copper rods
Building the Makeshift Wood Burning Device
Once you procured everything that you need, you now carry on with the actual build. However, you have to make sure that the dimmer switch has the variable output function because it will be the key to increasing the voltage output of the charger.
Before we proceed, you have to make sure that you are wearing a pair of rubber gloves and goggles.
Now, to build your own makeshift woodburning device with your battery charger, here are the steps you need to follow:
1. Disassembling the Battery Charger to Expose Internal Components
The first thing you need to do is disassemble the battery charger you will convert into the woodburning device. Use the correct screwdrivers to unscrew all screws that hold the charger together.
This is to expose all the charger’s internal components, allowing you to remove the circuit boards and other elements not needed.
2. Wiring or Connecting the Dimmer Switch With the Charger
Once you gain access to the battery charger’s internal components, look for the input port of the charger and remove the circuit board where the input wire is connected and then connect the dimmer switch with the input wire.
The input wire is usually the black one. You may need to use an additional cable, so be sure to use it to take the amount of power that will flow through it. Use a shrinking tube to enclose the connection you made to eliminate the risk of shorting.
3. Connecting the Copper Rods With the Battery Clamps
After connecting the dimmer switch on the charger’s input port, you will have the means to increase the voltage output of the charger. The next thing you have to do is to make sure that the device has the points for the woodburning process.
To do this, look for the part of the charger that leads to the battery clamps and then remove the circuit boards connected to the wires. That will remove the controlled output. After that, use an additional wire to directly connect the clamps with the wire that passed through the dimmer switch.
Keep in mind that heavy-duty wires are needed, and they are thick enough to handle the current output. Look for the of the charger alligator clamps and then place copper rods on both clamps. Make sure to use thick copper rods and secure the connection with electrical tape.
4. Finalizing and Making Sure Safe and Secure Connections
Now you have a direct connection that passes through the entire charger. You have the dimmer switch that allows you to increase or decrease the output, and you also have the output ends that you can use as a pen for accurate carving or just burn the wood through a pattern.
All you have to do is to make sure the connections are safe and secured. Solder the connecting points if needed and use electrical tape or shrinking tubes for enclosing every exposed wire.
5. Reassembling the Charger and Making Space for the Dimmer Switch
Finally, you can carve out space on the charger’s enclosure case or leave it outside of the casing for access. And then reassemble the charger by using the screws and screwdriver.
That is how you can convert a battery charger into a makeshift wood-burning device. To use the device, plug it into an outlet, but make sure the dimmer switch is completely turned counterclockwise to be sure that there will be no current on the output rods.
To load current on the endpoints, turn the switch on the clockwise direction slowly to get the right amount of current you need.
