Wood burning pen. These basically come in two varieties: the ’every-man’s’ soldering iron style machine with one heat setting as well as interchangeable brass tips, and the higher-end wire pen with two styluses and different heat settings. You can get a decent soldering iron style pen for $20+, while the more versatile wire pens sell for hundreds of dollars. Assorted wood burning tips. These will allow you greater leeway to produce lighter/heavier marks, as well as different patterns. Strop and aluminum oxide to periodically clean off the brass tips of the wood burning pen. Pliers. Clay pot or pen holder (for safety when element is still hot).
Pine Basswood Birch Ash Maple
When sanding, sand with the grain. The grain is the direction of the wood fibers. Sanding with the grain will minimize any tiny burrs or scratch marks that result from sanding against the grain. When you’re done sanding, wipe the surface with a damp towel. This will remove any sawdust and make the outline transfer easier.
Steady pressure is best. For most beginner designs, you’ll want the indents etched by the pen to be even all around. The longer you hold your pen in one area, the darker and deeper it will get.
