woodburning uke design to combine hobbies

SpaceForRent

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I'm starting to plan my uke build while I finish school. (It's good that other obligations are slowing me down so I don't take this too fast and screw something up.)

Right now my plan is to do some pyrography (wood burning) then finish with Tru-oil. The kit is unfinished wood, so shouldn't be a problem there. One of my other hobbies is mountain biking, so I'm going with that theme. Instead of a rosette, I'm going to wood burn a chain ring. The head will get a back diamond (same meaning as in skiing) and a mountain range. See below for mock-ups I threw together in software.

I think I want something on the back as well, since it's such a large blank canvas. But I'm stuck for ideas. Anyone feeling creative that wants to suggest some ideas? Maybe something clean and simple like a bike chain running right down the center of the back?

uke design front.jpguke head design.jpg
 
I like using pyrography to decorate ukes. Some years back I made a ukulele-type instrument based on the Kabosy of Madagascar. I burned an image of a Lemur on the back.

Kabosy-uke 011 (resized).jpg
 
I did some research to see whether it was a good idea or not to wood burn instruments and came across that lemur uke. Great job! It's part of what convinced me to give this a try.
 
I burned a feather on the top of my first uke build. It tuned out nice, though the Mahogany darkened more than I expected with the finish. As a casual biker myself, I like your mtb theme. My current uke project has a Redwood top, and I haven't decided on a pyrography theme yet.
 
I like using pyrography to decorate ukes. Some years back I made a ukulele-type instrument based on the Kabosy of Madagascar. I burned an image of a Lemur on the back.

View attachment 114550

I meant to ask you... did you freehand that, or transfer the image onto the wood and then burn along the outline? If the latter, how did you transfer the image?
 
Hi S for R,

I scaled up the drawing from a small photo, using the squared paper method. Then I transferred the image onto the bare wood using carbon paper (remember that stuff?). Dark pencil lead scribbled onto the back of the drawing also works. You need only a very faint image - the more faint, the better, really. You don't want to press it into the surface of the wood.

My pyrography pen resembles a narrow soldering iron - just a cheap thing I bought on line. Any remaining traces of the carbon paper are removed by light sanding.

It's very satisfying for someone like me, with no artistic background at all.

John Colter.
 
I found a technique for transferring a laser printed image using acetone. I might try that on some scrap wood, but anybody should feel free to slap that out of my hands with a firm "No!" if it's a bad idea.
 
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