My congratulations on an excellent video! My neighbor and I have been thinking about doing this and yours is by far the best example of what I had in mind for design & safety characteristics. Well done! As a retired high-energy technician, I can appreciate your approach! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for sharing your video. I also have built several machines used for Fractal Burning projects. I use a lot of pine wood. One tip I learned is you should not over saturate the wood and only brush on and wet it with you solution before using the machines. This in my case has produced much more beautiful and expansive burns especially when you manually adjust the variac as needed while the burn progresses. Great fun for sure.

I have wanted to try this for a few years ( my neighbor used to do this) .He was always going to show me how but life seems to get in the way of the fun stuff. I have moved away and I do not know what equipment he used. I have been researching this more and more lately and this is the best setup I've seen so far. I'm no safety nazi by any stretch of the imagination but I have been working with electricity sense 1977 and I know the shit will kill you so quick it's not funny. I have crawled inside 3000 amp switch gear ,and this makes me nervous. ALL the redundant features you have are. Greatly needed. I like the momentary button. At the Risk of sounding like someone's overbearing mommy. There is NO overkill when making or using this. It looks cool but don't be known for being the dumb ass that fryed himself because your too cool not to take it seriously. Thanks for making this for all uf us that are interested in this really cool art. There is so many way it can be used.

I love pyrography and your wife’s Japanese sunrise painting is stunning

I’m too chicken to get into this hobby but I just have to say, wow lol amazing setup and considerations. Your thorough explanation of everything is something you don’t see too often 👍

This is incredible. I also came here after watching Ann Reardon's video, which made it sound terrifying and impossible to do safely. But the difference between the "hack" setups and your professional set up is night and day. Of course it's dangerous; plenty of magnificent things in this world ARE. That's why they should be undertaken by professionals with proper equipment and precautions. Imagine telling people never to dive in the ocean because so many others have died there before. Your set up is brilliant and your art is beautiful. And lot of people could learn from this video. Bad ass 🤘

You have went much farther towards safety than most. Some suggestions. Did not know by your video the voltage wire class of the high voltage wire going from transformer to probe. Is wire rated for 2500 volts? Also the electrical gloves needs to be at least a class 1 rating for that voltage level. But Deadman switch, like you built-in, is a must that most do not have and I see some not using any electrical gloves which is foolish in my opinion. Good video.

Most people should stay away from this art as they don't understand the dangers truly. The high voltage from the transformer can be up to 3,000 Volts and your high voltage wires seem to be improper insulated for such high voltage. Also, I would recommend two push buttons such that no hand will ever be free to mess around with the setup while the voltage is on. Of course it's obvious to never have anyone else near the setup while it's being operated. I like the special power connector that avoids stupid accidents by anyone messing with the cabling.

It probably doesn't make sense to clean the electrodes, but it wouldn't hurt to put a fan to cool the high -voltage transformer and a thermorel on its body. It is desirable to install an indicator lamp that indicates that the primary winding of a high-voltage transformer is energized .I liked the pictures!

From what I've gathered from my limited internet exposure to this idea, this is at least a way to do this technique without unnecessary risks. Don't "hack" electricity. Take the time to do it right.

Supper good video,I will make use of your safety info

Thats a damn good rig you got there :D Looks like youve got your safety and procedure down pat 🙌

stop showing this technique, it killed my brother. there are many people who died by this experiment

Your attention to safety is impressive. What could be a potentially dangerous project is not so scary watching you. Kudos. I'm not sure what voltage you are dealing with but when I worked for the power company we had 5KV and 30KV gloves. You might want to try to source these to add a layer of safety. Also nomex clothing would be good. Also keep your feet together .Again, well done!

Hi, what a great system !! Would you give me a little more info on your components? Such as model and ser. # 's for: Variac, Momentary switch, Contactor, & the Microwave transformer? I would very much appreciate it. Thanks, Richard

There’s a little mad scientist in all of us, but remember folks, its clear that a lot of thought is put into being safe. :)

Best safety video and set up seen so far. What model of Variac transformer are you using? Amps? Thanks.

Hi, this is Richard again. I was wondering if you got my comment of asking for the info (part #'s) on the variac, momentary switch, contactor, & microwave transformer? I would like to build this system and want to do it correctly like you did. Are you still out their doing this?

1) You need to use high voltage insulated wires on the HV side of the transformer. 2) A “system hot” light or buzzer is a good reminder 3) Info that the transformer should not be grounded on the supply side would be good. 3) Better HV probe insulation would be good, it will jump through that thin plastic pipe. 4) Your unrated thin rubber gloves are better than nothing, but could be a false sense security.

What happens if the two tips made contact or their streams made contact with the power on?

Nice box, not good enough. I appreciate you are away from the burn. But your 8 gauge wire is not high voltage rated, (probably only 240VAC), and I really would rather you have a double pushbutton system so both of your hands are tied up in pushing two buttons, and preset the Variac before you turn anything on. Lastly, those gloves, are they rated for 12KV? If not, get some. And poly pipe has no rating, save it will keep water in. I am a military trained electrician, (21 years, retired), and spent 30 years in factories, as a electrical maintenance manager and an industrial engineer. I got into this hobby about five years ago, and had a similar setup, save I elevated my platform off the bench with two glued on 2X4's. After time, you get a bit lazy...then maybe cut a few corners. We all say we won't, BUT WE ALL DO. I recently got into fractal burning guitars, and one late afternoon, a bit tired, didn't realize it was still on and touched one probe. The other one literally jumped into my other hand, as the hand was touching the edge of the guitar body. I "Rode the Lightning" for about two seconds until I fell on my right side, heavily bruising my shoulder and hitting my head on the floor. When I hit, I woke up, got up and went into the house and had my wife call 911. Heartrate was 160, and I ended up in a burn center for three days as they monitored my heart, and treated the burns on my hands, which were not that bad. Huge hematoma on my forehead, and a scalp cut on my head where I scraped on a bench nearby. NOT FUN, NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES.... Changes I will make: 1. Add two momentary on switches to the incoming 120VAC in a plastic housing. Both have to be pressed to engage the unit. No 120VAC, no burn. Two switches, two hands. 2. My potentiometer, which I use to adjust the voltage, will be next, in a straight line away from me. Adjust before I can press both buttons, which are UL approved to be Open when released. 3. The actual unit on its platform, further away down the line. 4. The probes, with 10K insulated wire, extending to a separate wooden table. 5. Finally, 12K gloves, 1.8MM thick, in case the switches, and the potentiometer all fail and it stays lit. 6. I am standing on 3/4" insulated rubber flooring, the final table will not be on the same rubber. Sound like a lot? 6000VAC is a lot! I am lucky to be writing this, but this is what I should have done in the first place. Lichtenberg is like nothing else in beauty, and it is highly, highly dangerous. I see people using regular wire, no gloves, machine very near to the work, and I think, there is number 34, waiting to die.... Stay safe.

A t precisely 7:15 there is an aberrant behavior which indicates you very likely have a leakage current. It may be possible the path merely surfaces at that point. Still, on the transformer, is the secondary in any way at all connected to earth ground, OR, is one secondary lead connected to the transformer frame? Otherwise though, this is one of only three videos on KZfaq which has a degree of merit. I must say though, we have a way to go to make the lichtenburg technique as safe as a table saw. 😉

hai sir

There really is no safe way to do this. Make one mistake, you die. Don't bother.

One question. Why do you need a 20 amp plug instead of a regular plug? Couldnt you use the cord from the microwave? Just curious.

Can you apply the bake soda liquid while the burner is on and operating.

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you know most people who watch this video won’t understand what the point or all the safety measures, skip it. Like next you should do a diy convert a lawnmower into a small helicopter.

a lot of effort but I think you have a false sense of security in this set up. The problem I see is that the burning voltage typically 2-4000 volts is NOT going to be reliably contained by the insulating materials and switch components you have there. The extreme high tension is looking for ground and the slightest path to ground will be found, this includes the leads from you high power transformer and the wiring connecting the variable transformer and control switch, table tops and work surfaces that have conductive capability. Bottom line is that I do not think this setup is fail safe to prevent high voltage migration back to the low voltage components and ultimately the operator. The very best operational model would be a remote, non conductive switch actuator...no manual. A total power down is essential for any and all component adjustments including the variable transformer...set it on a dead system then power up when the operator is removed from the device a good distance.

Needs some more switches in that setup. 😂

I came here after watching Ann Reardon’s video on the “how to cook that” channel on how this is killing people and the horrific injuries resulting from this…… don’t do it.