Meeting
Aug 19, 2023
Guardians of the Riner domain
Bacon and Day Banjo
Jack's notes on the banjo
Frank's V-braced guitar
Tom plays Frank's recently completed guitar
Dr. Who Phone Box in the stairwell to the basement in Frank's house
Meeting at Frank Riner's shop in Arrington, VA
Franks Laser cutter demo
Frank demonstrated laser etching a design on a guitar top using an AEON CO2 Laser cutting and engraving machine, a big one. Frank had to take it apart to get it in his basement. He's been experimenting, etching all sorts of materials, including wood, glass, stone, tile, mirrors, even a pair of jeans.
With appropriate software, you can convert images into vector formats or simply download vector images from the web. After positioning the piece to be cut or engraved (in the images below it's a guitar body), and setting a few more parameters, you start up the machine and it does the rest for you.
The Aeon Laser cutter
Setup, positioning the guitar
The image to be burned (etched), etching completed
The Aeon laser cutter in action
Fractal Burning Demonstration
Frank also demonstrated fractal burning on wood as a method of adding decoration to a guitar body.
Fractal burning is dangerous due to high voltages so Frank took care to insulate the wood and electrodes from the ground by using glass jars to support the wood. Also, all setup was done before the transformer (from a defunct microwave oven) was plugged in. If you attempt to do this, please research it carefully to understand the dangers involved and how to do it safely.
Derived from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Fractal burning refers to a technique where a fractal pattern is burnt into wood using high voltage electricity. It has gained notoriety due to numerous incidents of death or severe injuries when people have attempted it at home.
Process:
By applying a coat of electrolytic solution to the surface of the wood, the resistance of the surface drops. Two electrodes are then placed on the wood and a high voltage is passed across them. Current from the electrodes will cause the surface of the wood to heat up until the electrolyte boils and the wooden surface burns. in a pattern outwards from the electrodes.
Coating the surface(plywood)
Fractal burning on plywood
Fractal burning in action
Fractal burning on a 1" thick board
Travel Guitar problem
Larry's travel guitar had a problem with stress on the top on the bass side of the bridge. After discussing it at the meeting, he fashioned a transverse brace to support the top.
