Chattfracts

What we do:  We use many different species of hard and soft woods and we burn them using electricity, known as Fractal Wood burning or Lichtenberg wood burning. This can be accomplished in a couple different ways - both methods are extremely dangerous (they have been, and can be, very deadly) and not recommended for anyone to attempt without first being very familiar with high-voltage electricity, how the electricity travels using electrolytes and the many safeguards needed to be in place before attempting fractal wood burning. These two methods are: 

1. Lichtenberg Wood Burning: this method takes a high-voltage electrical current to produce patterns on wood resembling lightning flashes (this is the somewhat safer method).
   • Lichtenberg wood burning machines range in price between $350 to over $1,000. With the Lichtenberg wood burning machines, you use high-voltage output to make lightning-like figures and patterns to burn into wood or other porous materials. Some of the components include, but are not limited to, a 1,000v - 1,000mA power supply with power switches, auxillary socket fans, heavy duty cords, a foot switch, probe bodies with adjustable legs and high-voltage connector leads. The burning power is determined by the amperes, not the voltage; however, to keep things simple, the Lichtenberg wood burning machines will put out 1,000 volts - 1,000 milliamps, half the power of the MOT method.
2. MOT - Microwave Oven Transformer: this method puts out approximately 2,200 volts - 1amp - 500mA - 2,200 watts. 

Both methods described will produce beautiful lightning-like figures; however, some will be lost to sanding, unfortunately. With the MOT method, you will get much deeper burns in a fraction of time than the Lichtenberg method, while the Lichtenberg machine will produce more shallow, but detailed, lightning-like figures due to the higher milliamps. 

Our fractal wood burning machines makes beautiful art, including lightning-like figures and burns deep, random estuary designs. We choose to use shallow pour and deep pour epoxy to fill our burnt patterns, and with the epoxy we add a color-pigment. There are countless amounts of different colors to choose from when coloring your epoxy.

Our Products:

At Chattfracts, we make an assortment of charcuterie boards, wall art, serving trays, etc. that have been fractal burnt, filled with a colored epoxy resin, cut to shape, sanded, then soaked in food-grade mineral oil. The charcuterie boards/serving trays are not to be used as a cutting board due to the use of epoxy. Our wall art can be hung as a single board or multiple boards together. The serving trays can be made with a range of handles or door/drawer pulls. We have also included products, such as: beer and shot glass flights.

All charcuterie boards, serving trays, and beer/shot glass flights include rubber legs which are screwed to the bottom of the boards. The serving trays have high-end handles or door/drawer pulls.

• Any species of wood can be fractal burnt and filled with epoxy, with the prices ranging from $75 to several hundred dollars and, in some cases, over a thousand dollars. Pricing is figured depending on the species of wood, size of the project or board, how much epoxy resin is needed, cost of hardware, and, of course, labor.  
• For charcuterie boards, soft woods can be used. Soft woods are beautiful and can reduce the price. By using soft wood, it is not recommended to use those boards as cutting boards. It is recommended to slice your food items BEFORE placing them on the charcuterie boards/serving trays.

Maintaining your product:

We recommend that after you purchase one of our beautiful boards and use it for your meats, cheeses, etc., you clean it using a damp rag with minimal dish-washing liquid, wupe it clean, then dry with a cotton towel. At no time should you soak the board in dish-washing liquid or place the board in the dishwasher, as these things may permanently damage your board.

After using the board on multiple occasions, the board may seem to dry out. We recommend you use some food-grade mineral oil, applied with a sponge, then wipe off any excess oil with a cotton towel. 

Safety:  At Chattfracts, we use the MOT for wood burning, largely due to the high cost of the Lichtenberg wood burning machine. By using the MOT method, we are still able to put in place most of the same safety measures. We use rubber gloves, rubber mats under the MOT, the wood being burnt, and one to stand on while burning, an on/off switch, and a foot switch that puts you at least six feet away from the burning. 

It cannot be stressed enough that both methods of fractal burning are extremely dangerous and can, or will, kill you if done improperly or without implementing multiple safeguards. 

Approximate Price List:

Note: the measurements are approximate due to the amount of sanding required, but are very close. Also, what is listed below are the boards we make most often, but not limited to these sizes. If interested, please use our contact form to customize based on the customers wishes.

• Smalls - 3/4 inch thick, 7 inches wide and 24 inches long. $75
  • We have shot flats/candle holders that are 3/4 inch thick, 4 1/2 inches wide and 32 inches long. They are $75. We have small rounds that are 15 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. They are also $75.
• Small/Medium - 3/4 inch thick, 7 inches wide and 36 inches long. $100
  • We have a small/medium round that is 18 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. These are also $100.
• Mediums - 3/4 inch thick, 9 inches wide, and 32 inches long. $125
• Medium/Large - 3/4 inch thick, 11 inches wide, and 24 inches long. $100
• Large - 3/4 inch thick, 11 inches wide and 36 inches long. $150

About Us:

We are Stan and Dana Hartline and we live in Chattanooga, TN. I proudly served in the United States Air Force, with Dana being the best at being a military soldiers spouse. We were stationed in Cheyenne, Wyoming from 1984-1988 where I worked with nuclear missiles. 

Following our service in the military we returned to Chattanooga where Dana became a Registered Nurse, which she continues to do, with almost 30 years and counting. I worked as a fire and ambulance dispatcher for a few years, then became a Deputy Sheriff of which I am now retired after 24 years of service. I was very honored to serve both, this great country and our wonderful community. Dana and I are very proud Americans and highly support and back our Military and First Responders. 

Over the past year or so, I started learning how to fractal burn wood and how to use epoxy resin. Believe me, there were plenty of costly mistakes. I then decided to try and make charcuterie boards with fractal and epoxy, mainly just as a hobby. We work alone, out of our small shop and carport, and sometimes, finishing the boards on our kitchen island and/or table (to Dana's disliking)! We just recently thought we may sell them. The boards we make take time to build, including lots and lots of sanding. 

We hope you have learned a little about fractal wood burning, its extreme dangers, its beautiful artwork, and hopefully, a little about Dana and I. Remember the small guys occasionally and support your small, local backyard woodworkers. Thank you for visiting our website and hopefully you will find something beautiful for your home or business. 

God bless you all and God bless this great country that we are so blessed to live in! 

**Some information was gained from the Lichtenberg website and other sites applicable for information.**