First woodburned call (nothing fancy though)

[Daniel Putnam @ Bayou Built Calls]

Old friend sent me this picture, and wanted me to put it on a call. He told me to pick the wood so I made this call out of olivewood and chechen with the La. Du symbol woodburned on it. Hope he likes it. Thanks for looking!

[David @ Mad Duck Game Calls]

That's a very pretty call!

[Daniel Putnam @ Bayou Built Calls]

Thank you David, I need to work on my wood burning some, but I really enjoyed it.  It really gets your nerves going.

[COsby]

That's pretty awesome if it's your first! Mine would look like a thrid grader did it!

[Daniel Putnam @ Bayou Built Calls]

 

[wingshooter]

Pretty sharp looking good job

[Daniel Putnam @ Bayou Built Calls]

Thank you Sir.

[R.FINCHUM]

One thing I found out, make sure you let people know its hand done if it looks too good. Your call looks really good. My wife and I made some calls and plaques for the D.U. banquet here in Anna Texas. My facebook page, ray finchum facebook, has the pics of them. They were made for the sponsors tables with a matching cedar call with a burned mallard head on it and ca glue finish. I heard some of the guys talking about them and wondering what kind of branding iron we used. 20 sets were made and one was auctioned off. It brought around 150.00. but at a DU auction it should have been more, I thought. But I started getting calls for just the plaque with a call peg. One guy said he thought we had used a branding iron, but when he found out they were hand burned he wanted one. He said if they had known they were hand made they would have bid on the call set. Maybe they need to have a small flaw just to let guys know.lol. My wife is really good.

[m rogers]

Looks good man

[Daniel Putnam @ Bayou Built Calls]

Thanks for the advice! I like woodburning and want to try something a little more detailed, but I think I need to upgrade my tool. The last time I was practicing the tip I was using pretty much melted. It's just a $10 tool from hoppy lobby that came with 3 tips. I haven't picked it up since the incident. If you don't mind me asking what is a good entry level tool that won't break the bank? Thanks M Rogers, I appreciate it!

[dogcatcher]

I have the Walnut Hollow Versa Tool, cheap but a I think it is a good learning tool.    You can also find them at Hobby Lobby, with 40% off coupon you will get a deal. 

I also have the Colwood Cub, and older version of this one.  http://www.woodburning.com/toolshop/detail.asp?iPro=82&iType=24  At a $153 plus shipping it is not cheap, it is a lot better tool then the Walnut Hollow is, but at $30 the Walnut Hollow isn't a $153. 

I use both, mostly the Walnut Hollow, because I don't do a lot of the fine art work the Cub is capable of doing.  If you want fine art, save your money and go with the big boys toys, if you want to play and learn, then consider the Walnut Hollow.

Lora Irish did a review of the Walnut Hollow tool on Woodcarving Illustrated  http://woodcarvingillustrated.com/forum/showthread.php?39038-Walnut-Hollow-Versa-Tool
She is a professional, here is her website, I recommend reading it and paying attention to her opinions.  I figure she has forgotten more than most of us will ever learn.  http://www.lsirish.com/tutorials/pyrography-tutorials/

Her opinion.

My conclusions and impressions of the Versa-Tool.

 1. Since this tool is the same classic design with the same traditional pen tips that I have been using for nearly thirty years it took no time to get adjusted to the tool in my hand. A Walnut Hollow pen is thicker and heavier than my variable temperature burning unit pens, but that has been true since I began wood burning. The differences in the tool's size and shape than other units is neither bad nor good ... it just simple is ...

 2. The thermostat seemed heavy on the cord compared to my variable units but after about five minutes I had adjusted to that weight and did not notice it again during the entire work of the project. I think you may notice it at first if you have been used to a variable unit but if you are just starting your pyro hobby it will be a non-issue!

 3. The thermostat has a wide range of temp settings, more than I need for most pyro projects. I changed my temp setting in one half changes. So I worked from the start line of pale yellow to the center point of the pale yellow to the start line of the medium yellow to the mid-point of the medium yellow and so forth throughout the practice board and the project. There are lots of potential temperature setting that I never even used. So I believe that there is as much potential for tonal value work with the Versa-Tool as there is with my Colwood and my RazorTip.

 4. I was happily surprised that the thermostat, because of its location, did not get changed by accident as I worked. The thermostat has a definite "click" to turn it to the on position. The zone wheel, which changes the temp through the color guide, moves easily. But not once did I find that this setting had changed because of my hand movements or my working position.

 5. Since Walnut Hollow has stayed with their traditional tool tips I was very comfortable to their use, I've used the universal, flow, and shading tip for years. Just these three tips will do everything that I could want for any pyro project.

 6. Would I like to see them come out with a set of more standard variable temp tips - a standard writing loop style, a small ball point shader, a spoon type shader ... well, yes  But do I "need" them ... well, no!

 7. If you are ready to start tonal value pyrography but not ready to invest the heavy financial cost into a thermostat unit with interchangeable pens the Versa-Tool will be a perfect tool for you. It has everything you need, and will do everything that the other variable temp units will do - a good variety of pen tips and a very wide range of tonal values.

I won't list the reviews on the Colwood, there reputation is known by the company they keep, some of the best pyrography people in the world use their equipment.  But then so do some of us learning the art.

Marvin

[Daniel Putnam @ Bayou Built Calls]

Mr. Marvin, thanks for taking the time to do all that! Very helpful information. The generosity of the people like you on this site is second to none! Gonna pick me up a walnut hollow tomorrow as I'm am not ready to drop the colwood cash yet. After I get more comfortable with woodburning and feel I want to upgrade to the colwood, my dad would love to have the walnut hollow. Thanks again.

[R.FINCHUM]

I bought my wife a detail master by excalibre. Its a two tool unit with good controls. I dont remember what it costs but its pretty good except the two controls dont work at the same time. You have to turn off one side to use the other, but they heat up fast and you can use two sizes quills and have one ready all the time.