How to make a fractal wood burner.

how to build a fractal wood burner using salvaged parts from a microwave.

[djpartin]

As an electrician I cringe when watching videos and reading comments of people describing their interpretation of how electricity works and safe practices… problem is this isn’t art so it’s not open to anyone’s interpretation... if you know a little bit about electricity congrats, that means you know enough to be dangerous. Unless you have a real understanding of electricity and the electrical equipment used to manipulate it then you probably shouldn’t mess around with it… because you will find out

[RobRoss]

The fuze won’t save you. The 2000 Volts on the business end of this device isn’t directly wired into your mains power. It’s completely possible to get 2000 volts flowing through your body and that fuze will not blow. 😳 This is the most dangerous hobby I have ever seen. “This is very dangerous” is underselling it. “One tiny mistake and you will die” should be the warning label for this.

[EricTViking]

Don't try this at home. In fact don't try it anywhere, it's frikkin lethal.

[tonyonofrio]

This, as shown, is a death trap.
You have exposed wires and terminals on both sides. There are no safety features that make it safe. The fuse will only blow if the high voltage side is shorted out.
If you come into contact with the high voltage side, you will look like another piece of wet wood, the fuse won't blow, and it'll do to you what it does to the wood. You will be burned on the outside and on the inside and you will probably die in seconds. If you do survive be prepared to have debilitating injuries.
If you risk building this, you need it to be inside a sealed high voltage proof case, proper high voltage wiring, multiple safety and dead man switches, and indicator lights to show it is on. Even then it is only a little bit safer.
After that it should only be operated when you are well clear of the whole thing. Set your probes, clips in position, step back and then activate it using the dead man switches, stop deactivate and repeat as needed.. Never ever manipulate the probes while it is on.
People have died from using these DIY fractal wood burners, others have had life altering injures.

[jasona]

That thing looks scarily lethal, I strongly suggest no-one messes with these microwave transformers. Such voltages and currents can so easily do you serious damage.

[Itory]

How to build a funny machine to teleport you to heaven with no margin for errors. Next time: how to cool your home with dry ice and closed windows… only on YT.

[First._.Last.]

Fractal burning poses a significant hidden risk of electrocution. The American Association of Woodturners Safety Committee and Board of Directors strongly recommend woodturners avoid the risk altogether, by refraining from the use of Lichtenberg burning techniques.
This type of art has become increasingly popular and deadly due to exponential popularity in the use of Youtube type video teaching. THIS CAN BE DEADLY!!!

[just.someguy]

A microwave transormer has the same voltage as a low overhead primary distribution cable DONT MESS WITH THEM

[robarksey]

Thank you, very good tutorial, and very direct to the point. After minor trial and error I was able to successfully build this, some other videos recommend a foot kill switch which made me feel a little more comfortable.
Thanks again for sharing your knowledge, the world would be so much better if more people shared what they have learned like yourself. I wish you the best.

[Commut]

Another dangerous know-nothing project showing every bad way to do it and which is promptly defended by those knowing even less. Prior avionics tech here. Even phools have next of kin who might miss them. Decide how desperately important making marks in wood REALLY is.

[TonyStark-pmck]

I highly recommend you to disconnect the body of the transformer from the ground wire. This way you wont get electrocuted if you touch it one handed. In your configuration, you are also part of the ground and you can close the circuit very easily if you touch it by mistake.

[benwilsonMMA]

Only way you should EVER do this is with a dead mans switch which has built in redundancy. Even then i would never wanna mess with this

[clarencegreen]

What a lot of folks do not realize about high voltage electricity (say 2, 000 V or so) is that it can go where you might least expect it. Like flow along the surface of a table top or a PVC pipe. It will go through the insulation of a set of jumper cables with ease, and through electrical tape as if it's not even there. The wire used in residential housing is only rated to 600 V in most cases, so the insulation on that wire will not protect you. It might as well be a bare wire.
As of January 2024 there have been at least 33 documented cases of people getting killed doing this woodburning trick. And every last one of them thought they knew what they were doing. -Old dude, not a safety nazi and not a pussy either.

[MrLefsemannen]

That fuse is false safety. That fuse only protects the small red wire and the primary side of the transformer. That transformer has galvanic isolation.

[JohnCena-wc]

Hey man. Im a physics doctor and I appreciate this video. People giving you shit just dont understand that free information is paramount, and that science is not some "scary science" that must be secretly kept.

So many people here talking about how you are being dangerous by posting this video, literally none of them talking about how you were saving lives of people who are going to do this project anyway by posting this video. Science cannot operate off of being afraid of people having knowledge, completly stupid. 1:23

[TheGreenHeartofItaly-flwv]

There are thousands of ways very slight variations in what was done here can get someone killed.

[EchoA]

I'm pretty sure this is the same way Doc manipulated spacetime and got Marty back to the future.

[Daeburlison]

FINALLY A GUY THAT SHOWS THE SIMPLEST BUILD! Yes you get a like and follow!

[ml.]

This hobby is lethal. If you want to persue it seek more information than this video.
1. You should have a foot operated momentary on-off switch located far enough away that you can't reach the wood. Meat grinder foot pedal switches work well for this.
2. You must stand on an electrical insulator wearing rubber soled shoes.
3. Wear electrically insulated gloves, preferably high voltage rated.
4. Never hold an electrode.
5. Never spray salt solution while the transformer is energized.
6. Make sure you have lots of space in all directions including up with no tripping hazards.
7. Place the work on a non conducting table.
8. Ensure nobody can enter the area unaware of what you are doing.
9. Have an Estop or unplug before aproaching the work.
10. The ground must remain dry. Do not spill salt water.
11. Be in fear of your life the entire time.

[glenswebber]

This video will kill someone. It needs to be removed.