convert woodburning tool to hot foil tool

[mimoose]

hello, i have small crafts business. i would like to add the effect of hot foil stamping to my skill set to improve the look of my products.

http://goo.gl/riFI1

this is done with hot foil stamping machine that cost 300 hundred dollars and up. and the machines print in mass on small cards, i am the opposite, very large sheets one of kind custom.
there is a hot foil tool that cost 200 bucks or so, but at the moment that is still too much for me. what i would like to do is take a 20 dollar woodburning tool, http://goo.gl/ePZ1h
and tone down the temperature for hot foiling. i am not sure what the right temp. for hot foiling is, i will have to experiment.
i decided on woodburner tool instead of a solder iron because there are more tip selections.
question: how to i change the temperature on this thing? i acknowledge its a stupid question. but there you go, i must know, so i ask, please help.
i think it must be something very simple like changing the resister or something, but i am not sure. i am about to order the tool, once i get an idea of how to convert it. thanks!

[k-ww]

I remember seeing this done by printing the design on paper with a laser printer, then running the sheet thru the printer again, printing a blank page, with a special foil sheet on top of the paper - the foil adheared to the toner as the toner on the paper was re-heated by the fuser roller in the printer.

[semicolo]

At 20$ the wood burning tool has probably no heat regulation, so you could use a Rheostat to adjust the temperature.
If you've got a bench supply with enough power, you can use it to power the tool, it may not have a voltage high enough to reach the needed temperature though, but since the thing is just a big resistor it should work, it doesn't care if voltage is dc or ac.

[mimoose]

thanks for responding!
i know about those, but my work is much larger than than the regular printer, banner size, and i would have to make a template for banner which is unnecessary since they are one of a kind. i will need to get that machine when i expand into card size products, but for now i need just a tool .

I remember seeing this done by printing the design on paper with a laser printer, then running the sheet thru the printer again, printing a blank page, with a special foil sheet on top of the paper - the foil adheared to the toner as the toner on the paper was re-heated by the fuser roller in the printer.

[Osgeld]

http://www.amazon.com/5010-01-Soldering ... B000MW7FTU

or in a pinch a light dimmer that is rated to handle your tool's wattage

http://1000bulbs.com/product/64247/LUT-TT300NLHWH.html?utm_source=SmartFeedGoogleBase&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_term=LUT-TT300NLHWH&utm_content=Plug-In+Lamp+Dimmers&utm_campaign=SmartFeedGoogleBaseShopping&gclid=CMyKx_qKwK8CFY1R7AodtiTYxQ

the problem with both of these is they just cut back wattage, where as a proper temperature set usually involves some feed back so when you hit the desired temperature they just kind of pulse to maintain. These things just slow down how fast the tool gains heat, so you will have to fiddle with them more

[mimoose]

thanks! i thought it was that, i will be using your suggestions!

At 20$ the wood burning tool has probably no heat regulation, so you could use a Rheostat to adjust the temperature.
If you've got a bench supply with enough power, you can use it to power the tool, it may not have a voltage high enough to reach the needed temperature though, but since the thing is just a big resistor it should work, it doesn't care if voltage is dc or ac.

thank you osgeld! i was thinking about a soldiering station, i think i might try it after all. of course i need a soldiering station for my electronics too, and for my woodburning.. and my foam sculpting.....lol i might wind of wind up with i dont know how many similar tools or maybe just the change the tips. it depends on the heat requirements, i guess.

Osgeld
Posted: April 19th, 2012, 12:33 am
Re: convert woodburning tool to hot foil tool
http://www.amazon.com/5010-01-Soldering ... B000MW7FTU

or in a pinch a light dimmer that is rated to handle your tool's wattage

http://1000bulbs.com/product/64247/LUT- ... 7AodtiTYxQ

the problem with both of these is they just cut back wattage, where as a proper temperature set usually involves some feed back so when you hit the desired temperature they just kind of pulse to maintain. These things just slow down how fast the tool gains heat, so you will have to fiddle with them more

[k-ww]

One other method would be to emulate the old Weller irons - they had a thermotstatic switch in the handle - a magnetic switch [wiki 'curie point']
that lost its magnetism when the tip was at the correct temperature, and opened the heating element circuit.

You could emulate this by finding a "klixon thermostat" [google it], and mounting one on the heating element/barrel of your iron [bolt it or use the screw type strap clamps that are used for radiator hoses.

First, find the temp that works best for your wood burning/foil transfer, and find a klixon thermostat that switches [open] at/above to that temperature.

[Adrien8100]

Looks simply amazing!
I love it....

[Diusterios]

Oh, that's Great Sir !!