Best woods for wood burning (guitar bodies)

[vikingred]

I would like suggestions on which woods are best for custom wood burning projects on guitar bodies.  I did one in Alder, and it turned out ok.  I'm sure Great Ape is the most qualified to weigh in.

I'm also interested in which woods you would NOT want to use.  I'm looking at this for future projects to finish in clear satin, gloss, or poly. 

Looking at basswood, it's nice and cheap but W warns about "green streaks".  It's white though, and seems like a good wood.

Lastly, which inks/pens/dye are best to use?

Thanks.

 

[stratamania]

Can't answer on the wood burning but it's Poplar that tends to have "green streaks" usually rather than basswood.

 

[vikingred]

Can't answer on the wood burning but it's Poplar that tends to have "green streaks" usually rather than basswood.

Yah, I had seen that on poplar, but here is the quote from Warmoth regarding basswood, "...often has nasty green mineral streaks in it":

Nasty green!

 

[Cagey]

Hmm. I knew the stuff was soft, but not about the mineral streaks. Learn a new thing every day.

 

[Great Ape]

I've never seen no nasty green in no basswood o' mine! No, really, never...Honest! And, basswood's
great for wood-burning since it's rather soft, and usually has little visible grain, so you've got a nice
clean, blank 'canvas' to work with. Honest!

 

[vikingred]

I've never seen no nasty green in no basswood o' mine! No, really, never...Honest! And, basswood's
great for wood-burning since it's rather soft, and usually has little visible grain, so you've got a nice
clean, blank 'canvas' to work with. Honest!

What about inks for coloring?  I saw some of the color stains that were like $25/bottle, I'm not that far in yet.  But what would be a nice set of pens to use in coloring the woodburned design?

 

[vikingred]

Read through some of Great Ape's threads, and discovered that if you're going to get any kind of serious about woodburning, you need a "real" woodburner.  I was just using the $25 hobby variety.  I checked out razertip.com and got myself the "Cadillac" which is the SS-D10, and some tips to get started.  This ain't yer daddy's woodburner:

Now to go find a basswood body and such.  Still wondering about the ink/colors/dyes....

 

[dmraco]

ask GreatApe

 

[Cagey]

Good luck with all that. Nice tools!

If it were me, I'd be out looking for a supply of basswood, not bodies. Make some napkin holders, picture frames, key fobs, etc. Christmas is coming, and I'd guess you're gonna need some experience before you start letting the smoke out of Warmoth bodies  :icon_biggrin:

 

[vikingred]

Good luck with all that. Nice tools!

If it were me, I'd be out looking for a supply of basswood, not bodies. Make some napkin holders, picture frames, key fobs, etc. Christmas is coming, and I'd guess you're gonna need some experience before you start letting the smoke out of Warmoth bodies  :icon_biggrin:

Prolly right!  When I first got into electronics, I let the smoke out of a few capacitors and you know...once you let the smoke out, you just CANT get it back in!  I have some symbols and designs that I can transfer onto a basswood body, so I may still try to go with that.  But I do need to practice.  I'll never be as good as Great Ape, his talent is stellar and way beyond what I could ever do, but I'll have fun doing some of my own lil stuff.  Going to have to get into some better finishing techniques.  Make me a homemade paint booth and invest in a spray gun.

 

[Cagey]

If you shoot lacquer, you can pretty much get away without a spray booth. Stuff practically dries coming out of the gun, at least setting up on your target fairly quickly, so you don't need the pristine atmosphere you do with other finishes. There just isn't time for things to settle on it at a point where it would do any permanent damage. Then, you've got to sand the stuff anyway, so... small risk.

 

[vikingred]

 

[pabloman]

I would advise against Deft. At least in my experience the stuff takes ages to set up if ever. I've had hardware sink after being assembled well over a year after being sprayed. It sure buffs nice and comes out pretty though.

 

[vikingred]

I would advise against Deft. At least in my experience the stuff takes ages to set up if ever. I've had hardware sink after being assembled well over a year after being sprayed. It sure buffs nice and comes out pretty though.

Gotta warm the can up in a sink of hot water first.  Solved the issue for me.  Or seemed to at least, for headstock decal work.

 

[vikingred]

How about this stuff (for a body):

 

[pabloman]

I still have few cans of Deft. I'll have to try the hot water :icon_thumright:
That Mohawk stuff is supposed to be the business though.

 

[stratamania]

Ah I thought you were referring to the characteristic colour of the wood. I stand corrected on the wording of that part of the Warmoth site. I do wonder how "often" those nasty green streaks are there ? Or is it a little caveat emptor ?

It seems from what Great Ape says that he has had good luck and not seen this green.

Anyway here's an idea now for a theme guitar,  "The Nasty Green Elven Forest"  that way any nasty green streak could be incorporated as a feature...

For Lacquer I've found Behlen Lacquers to work well.

 

[Great Ape]

Right from the start I've used Trans-Tint dyes; they may be expensive, put they're highly concentrated, really go a l-o-o-o-ng way(in three years, I've yet to need a second bottle of any color).
As for paint, I've been using Decocolor paint pens-they come in 3 point sizes. And for markers, it's
Prismacolor 'premier' markers...endless color selection, fine and broad tips on each marker. Hope that helps.

 

[vikingred]

Right from the start I've used Trans-Tint dyes; they may be expensive, put they're highly concentrated, really go a l-o-o-o-ng way(in three years, I've yet to need a second bottle of any color).
As for paint, I've been using Decocolor paint pens-they come in 3 point sizes. And for markers, it's
Prismacolor 'premier' markers...endless color selection, fine and broad tips on each marker. Hope that helps.

Grabbed a pack of those Prismacolor markers, and a nice basswood body.  This is going to be fun!

 

[Great Ape]

Be forewarned that those markers are prone to bleeding on unsealed/unfinished wood--I utilize the deeper 'line' that the woodburning tip creates to prevent bleeding. Also know that sealer, shellac, oil, or almost any finishing agent will run those markers and dyes-I've learned the hard way, and use only spray shellac or sealer before applying wipe on poly--BEWARE!! You DO NOT want your colored artwork to go sliding around on your guitar body just when you were admiring how cool it looked!!
Have fun!!