A couple of Lichtenburg projects, segmented platters with some pizazz added.
C&C welcomed, the only way to get improvements is to have views from others eyes, diversity of opinion helps. Thanks in advance for responses.

I made my own system, after doing my own research and incorporating safety features, control and power monitoring  options that are not in the commercially available unit.
Any tool has inherent risks. In my opinion handling energized high voltage is not safe in the long run. Recognize the hazards and stay safe.

Glenn Roberts wrote on Feb 21^st, 2017 at 7:54am:


Yes Glen, I use a Variac. When I started down this vortex I was frustrated with the flash overs and heavy burns as well as the times that there was nothing happening. I have an electrical background and felt that doing this electrical activity blind and with no control was unacceptable. Hence the power meter and Variac, Mother Nature still has the final influence on burn pattern but at least I have gained some insight on some of the difference combinations of woods and various electrolytes and the effects they produce.
Like any tool it takes practice practice practice, but practice with no feedback or control is hard to qualify work practices.
That's just how my brain space echoes, 

Very very nicely done

Good to hear Glen, one needs to be so careful with electricity.
You may still find that the MWT will blow the fuse in your Variac if you let the burn tracks connect, which electrically is a dead short.
Neon sign transformers on the other hand are designed to be  current limiting so even when tracks connect there is no flash over. This is a a great feature when doing porous wood that actually burns under the surface and pops up in unexpected places. I watch the power meter set to measure "watts" to gain information on the characteristics of wood species and solutions. It is especially useful when doing new woods or very thin projects. I have done as thin as 2 mm with only 5 watts of energy. My very first thin projects without the meter blasted right through. For me the meter is important in combination with the Variac to record the energy info. Watts in = Watts out, therefore some simple math can help determine what's going on. Volts times amps equals watts therefore watts divided by volts equals amps, so it is easy learn how many milliamperes is being applied to the wood to create the burn. 
Stay safe and have fun.

Bert Delisle wrote on Feb 21^st, 2017 at 9:33am:


Well said

Found it! What do you use as a catalyst?????  So the power goes through the variac, then through your safety switch from one button to the other, then to the neon transformer, to the leads???? Sorry for the questions....have all the parts just doing tons of research first...

I tested a large number of different electrolyte solutions, baking soda, KCl, MgCl, Alum, Borax, CaCl, NaCl. I found Baking soda works but stains the wood, some woods more than others. I have used Borax to get a specific burn pattern, heavy trunk with less detail, and now mostly use MgCl,( ice melter) as it does not appear to react with wood, less if any staining. Washes off easily as well. If you don't wash the burnt piece the salts will react with your finish, ugh, DAMHIKT.
There is a commercial unit available but in addition to the price it has, in my option a fatal flaw. It uses hand held probes on the HV side. I would never consider handling any HV components when energized, my probe holders work on every shape and size piece I have done. Some times an elastic band helps.
Safety first. We do not want to hear about any electrocution incidents.