

Though many people don’t understand the dangers of the process, using high voltages is no joke. These tend to be unsafe, as they are not rated to do jobs like fractal burning.
FRACTAL WOOD BURNING VIDEO HOW TO
While professionals can utilize these, the average citizen does not know how to insulate such power sources. Some Lichtenberg devices use a stripped-out microwave oven or a car battery as a power source. The problem starts when people try to build the device for themselves. While Lichtenberg devices utilize safety features, they are also expensive. One of the critical issues with the TikTok challenge is people jerry-rigging their own Lichtenberg devices. The answer is in how people rig their devices. To do that, let’s ask the important question, “How did it come to a point where it killed two people in a house fire?” Now that you know how fractal burning works, let’s analyze why this trend so dangerous. Once the wood burning process is finished, you will have a beautifully burnt plank of wood that you can wash, treat, and put on display. Once the process starts, it could take seconds to several minutes to complete. The electrolyte solution will allow the electricity to move through the wood and eventually meet with each other. High voltages will travel through the wood grain, looking for the path of least resistance. This also reduces the risk of electrocution as you need to put your foot on the pedal itself.Īs you stick in the probes and initiate the burning process, electricity will start to flow through the wood. For example, a Lichtenberg device will have a safety pedal to give you maximum control. There are dedicated Lichtenberg figure wood burning devices that offer several safety precautions. You can use probes to start the etching process as you wash the wood with the solution. You start by choosing a piece of unblemished wood, then treat it with an electrolyte solution, many of which use baking soda and water. The entire process is sounds relatively simple. While this wood-burning technique is relatively new and offers phenomenal results, its dangers far outweigh its use. These patterns, called Lichtenberg figures, look similar to lightning, burning the surface of the wood. Videos of the process have gone viral on social media platforms including TikTok, with #woodturning and #woodburning garnering hundreds of millions of views on the popular video app.Fractal burning is the process of etching a piece of wood to create fractal patterns on the surface. The technique - which involves using a high-voltage transformer, often repurposed from a microwave - is employed by woodworkers to decorate various wooden items, including decor items and wooden cutting boards.


"We believe that the fractal wood burning equipment that caused the electrocutions likely caused the fire." "Through the investigation, it was determined that the fire started in the garage before spreading to the home," the department continued. "Foul play has been ruled out and the deaths were found to be accidental in nature and are believed to be caused by electrocution from fractal wood burning - a technique in which high-voltage electricity is used to burn lightning or tree-like patterns into wood that has been soaked in a chemical solution," the department said in the statement. In a statement last Thursday, the Marathon County Sheriff's Office said the couple died prior to the fire in their home while doing a crafting technique called "fractal" or "lichtenburg" wood burning. The bodies of Tanya Rodriguez, 44, and James Carolfi, 52, were discovered earlier this month in their garage after officers responded to a fire at their house in Marathon County, Wisconsin. Thirty-three people have died from fractal wood burning since 2017.Ī Wisconsin couple died from electrocution after attempting a viral art technique in their garage, officials said last week. The process uses high-voltage transformers to run electrical currents through chemical-soaked wood. Susan Vineyard/iStock/Getty ImagesĪ Wisconsin couple died after attempting a viral crafting technique called fractal wood burning. Wood planks have unusual fractal lightning patterns via high voltage wood lichtenburg burning.
