Lichtenberg figures

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xtian
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Lichtenberg figures

Post by xtian »

Tell me this wouldn't make an AWESOME cabinet valence. I saw the video and had to try. Lichtenberg figures, made in walnut with high voltage microwave oven transformer.




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JazzGuitarGimp
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Re: Lichtenberg figures

Post by JazzGuitarGimp »

It would have been nice if the video were narrated, so we know how this works. Is the wood coated with some sort of slightly conductive material, or is the voltage so high that the wood itself becomes a conductor? The result is very stunning.
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xtian
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Re: Lichtenberg figures

Post by xtian »

Lou, there are lots of tutorials on youtube, just search "Lichtenberg figures". But the TLDR is, fill a glass with water and two tablespoons of baking soda, and paint it onto the wood. There are lots of different techniques for applying the high voltage--moving the probes around as you work, for example, but I prefer to keep my hands away from the work surface entirely. You can see that the voltage easily travels through two FEET of walnut! Also, the "old pros" create these rigs with 12-guage copper leads, but as you can see, I'm using 22-guage aligator clips, and they showed no sign of overheating.
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MakerDP
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Re: Lichtenberg figures

Post by MakerDP »

I've been wanting to try this myself for a long time now. I was thinking it would make a great guitar body too! Could get real creative with it... leave it "au natural" or do a colored epoxy fill in the burns and a contrasting color for the rest of the body... something like a white body with blue epoxy fill would look stunning.

Are those pictures of burns that you did yourself?

Hey I notice you are from Chico... are you going to Maker Faire Bay Area next weekend?
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xtian
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Re: Lichtenberg figures

Post by xtian »

MakerDP wrote: Sat May 13, 2017 5:28 pmI've been wanting to try this myself for a long time now. I was thinking it would make a great guitar body too! Could get real creative with it... leave it "au natural" or do a colored epoxy fill in the burns and a contrasting color for the rest of the body... something like a white body with blue epoxy fill would look stunning.
You'll find, on youtube, one guy who mixes glow in the dark paint to fill the burns. Very cool.
MakerDP wrote: Sat May 13, 2017 5:28 pmAre those pictures of burns that you did yourself?
Yes.
MakerDP wrote: Sat May 13, 2017 5:28 pmHey I notice you are from Chico... are you going to Maker Faire Bay Area next weekend
Didn't know about it until now! Very cool. Not going, but please report!
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JazzGuitarGimp
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Re: Lichtenberg figures

Post by JazzGuitarGimp »

xtian wrote: Sat May 13, 2017 4:41 pm Lou, there are lots of tutorials on youtube, just search "Lichtenberg figures". But the TLDR is, fill a glass with water and two tablespoons of baking soda, and paint it onto the wood. There are lots of different techniques for applying the high voltage--moving the probes around as you work, for example, but I prefer to keep my hands away from the work surface entirely. You can see that the voltage easily travels through two FEET of walnut! Also, the "old pros" create these rigs with 12-guage copper leads, but as you can see, I'm using 22-guage aligator clips, and they showed no sign of overheating.
Ah, so the video is of your setup... I assumed it was a video you found and shared. I don't know how much voltage we're talking about (microwave oven transformer), but I imagine the current is limited by the transformer's capabilities - either that, or the baking soda solution has a very low conductivity. Does the transformer get warm or hot?
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Re: Lichtenberg figures

Post by JazzGuitarGimp »

I showed the video to my wife, which elicited lots of ooos ahs and wows. Then she said "don't go taking the microwave apart, okay?" :-)
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Re: Lichtenberg figures

Post by MakerDP »

xtian wrote: Sat May 13, 2017 6:37 pm
MakerDP wrote: Sat May 13, 2017 5:28 pmHey I notice you are from Chico... are you going to Maker Faire Bay Area next weekend
Didn't know about it until now! Very cool. Not going, but please report!
Alas I am not going this year. I have a daughter graduating from high school and a son graduating from college this month sooo... money is going elsewhere.

Check it out sometime though! It's pretty impressive. I've been wanting to do a booth there with other NorCal amp builders showing off our work. I think it would attract a lot of positive attention. I bet we could even get AES to sponsor the cost of the space if we showed-off their MOD DIY kits for them as an optional entry-point into the hobby.

Music and the DIY/Maker mindset is a natural mix! The robotic Tesla coil rock band is usually there every year putting on quite a show.
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Re: Lichtenberg figures

Post by MakerDP »

JazzGuitarGimp wrote: Sat May 13, 2017 9:20 pm I showed the video to my wife, which elicited lots of ooos ahs and wows. Then she said "don't go taking the microwave apart, okay?" :-)
Estate sales and flea markets are a great place to find them on the cheap.
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M Fowler
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Re: Lichtenberg figures

Post by M Fowler »

My city turns in electronic throw away items every Tuesday.

They have a building full of electronic stuff for recycling.

I did keep my power transformer from my old microwave just incase I needed 1kv on the plates of a very large amp.
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xtian
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Re: Lichtenberg figures

Post by xtian »

I think the transformer has about 2kv secondary but of course I didn't test. Gets slightly warmer than ambient. Heard one guy saying in the range of 20-30mA.

When it finally completes a solid carbon track across the wood, the sound (hum) gets louder, probably close to a dead short.

Good, dangerous, destructive fun.
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strelok
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Re: Lichtenberg figures

Post by strelok »

Those are really cool. I've seen them before but I never thought to use them on an amp cabinet. Would be a really neat and unique look. I wonder what it would take to come up with some sort of adjustable current limiting for it. Might be a good way to control the depth and temperature so it doesn't burn through all the finer details created earlier in the process. Just a thought.
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Re: Lichtenberg figures

Post by dcribbs1412 »

Wow!
Very cool....wait
Crap I might have to try this.
Dang it xtian :twisted:

D
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Re: Lichtenberg figures

Post by TUBEDUDE »

It looks like moving the electrodes further along the track may keep the earlier arcs from conducting further, saving detail. Stopping when flames crop up seems prudent also.
Or just moving the electrodes to an area of virgin wood. Wetting selective area of wood with the soda water may help control the dispersion of arcs also.
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