#1 resource for Cigar Box Guitars, Free Plans, How-To, Parts & More!

question about Variac use

Just got one for use with a fret burner. Since it is a power supply usable several ways, is it a viable idea to put a dimmer switch between the Variac and whatever is being powered? That way you could set the voltage on the Variac, but do the controlling with the dimmer, the dimmer maxing out at the set voltage. With proper operation, you'd never blow anything up, the power can never go overlooad.

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on November 24, 2019 at 10:48pm

Not sure why you would need one. Wood burners don't use that much energy. 40 to 60 watts. Around the same power usage as a 60 watt light bulb. A dimmer switch at a medium setting would make your wood burner useless. Think of it as temp is equal to energy used. The lower the energy the cooler the tool will be.

Guessing a fret burner is what's used to burn fret lines in with.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James Pobog on November 25, 2019 at 4:19am

I should have been clearer. I'm gonna build one of these...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_8RURFh_kc

My point is that as I described, I think that if the wire needed X, and the variac is set to X, the dimmer might become sort of a safety, the final output never exceeding X no matter what the variac is set to...

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on November 25, 2019 at 6:07am

A variac is a big dimmer itself, why would you need another?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James Pobog on November 25, 2019 at 2:06pm

To set a limit.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on November 25, 2019 at 6:50am

Not to ruffle any feather here but what I saw in at video was someone doing something incredibly dangerous and stupid. It's one of those things that just because it can be done doesn't mean it should. There are far better, safer and cheaper was to get the same thing done.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James Pobog on November 25, 2019 at 2:06pm

Please explain...

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on November 26, 2019 at 6:48am

First. There is no protection between him and that wire. No protection if that wire should explode. I've seen what happens when a small piece of heated material enters the body. It causes a very wide and deep burn. That's a sorry way to lose a hand. Even if he accidentally touches that wire he could lose the use of a finger.

Second. He has open current within reach. Ever hear of a taser? They are DC current too. People can die from a taser strike. What he has in front of him has way more current flowing through it. He is risking his life.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on November 26, 2019 at 6:55am

Bump...

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James Pobog on November 26, 2019 at 7:21am

Is there a safe way in your opinion to create such a device?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on November 26, 2019 at 7:13pm

Completely incase both the electrical hazard and the heat hazard so there's no way to come in contact. This would also insure no moisture would touch the heating element. You would have to come up with a way to line the fretboard up without ever directly looking at the element. Possibly a templet and peg system for each scale length needed.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James Pobog on November 26, 2019 at 7:44pm

Isn't nichrome wire made to be filament? Labeling says it's good to 2550F...not that I'd ever be up there...

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on November 26, 2019 at 10:44pm

Touching the business end of a soldering iron will burn you. Touching anything red hot will damage you. Having something like that out in the open is asking for trouble.

Do what you want, Just saying that setup is insanely dangerous.