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The Hawk woodburner kit by Burnmaster is very beginner-friendly and comes loaded with all of the essential supplies for the new pyrography enthusiast. But just how easy is it to use? Does it have the type of high-powered performance that advanced woodworkers need? In this Burnmaster Hawk woodburner review, I’ll take a look at what this set includes, how the pen performs, and what you can expect in terms of ease of use, power, and overall quality.
Table of Contents
Overview
This model earned a reputation for both power and ease of use and is commonly known as a beginner friendly set. However, it also possesses the type of power and heat temperature controls that will allow the pros to work with a variety of wood types for projects large and small.
If you’re new to pyrography and you’re searching for a beginner-friendly set, one that comes with all the basic supplies you need, not to mention all the essential tips that you can use to get truly creative with your next project, then this set is a steal for the price. But how does it perform when put to the test? Let’s find out.
Package Details
This woodburning set includes a single-port 130-watt woodburner, complete with a patch cord, the burning pen, and a total of ten tips to choose from. The set features a precise variable power supply, with micro heat adjustable, reset fuse protection, custom designed circuitry, and a base that’s equipped with non-slip rubber feet.
Tips
This set comes with replaceable woodburning tips. Each of the tips are made out of advanced alloy tip wire and are equipped with copper contacts that are designed to provide superior electrical conductivity.
Design
The woodburner features a variable power supply, all-metal housing, and non-slip rubber feet that will prevent the unit from moving during use. The base is also equipped with a 130-watt transformer, for ultimate power.
Pen
The pen is one of the first models on the market to accept replaceable tips, thanks to the included adapters. The pen itself is comfortable to hold, featuring an ergonomic design that promotes long use and comfort. The pen is compatible with replaceable hot wire tips from some of the major brands including Razertip, Colwood, and Detail Master. This ergonomically designed pen is also self-aligning, so it will place the tips in the same position each time. The built-in screw posts will ensure positive electrical contact pressure. Keep in mind, the pen, while ergonomically designed, is somewhat bulky, so it can be difficult for people with smaller hands to hold and control. Additionally, when placed on the higher heat settings, the pen can become too warm, so it’s important that you switch off the machine and allow the pen to cool down before continuing your work.
Cord
For some, the cord will feel a little short, especially when it comes to working on larger projects. The cord measures in at just three feet. Fortunately, you can purchase a different cord to remedy this problem.
Heat Adjustment Settings
This model comes equipped with a traditional dial style heat adjustment feature that allows for precise temperature control. It also features micro heat adjustment. This feature will allow the user to change the range of heat that’s available to the heat adjuster dial from the standard factory setting. As an example, a user can use the micro heat adjuster to lower the temperature for the standard low heat factory setting, so the temperature on low will now be much lower than the factory setting. This is a great safety feature to have. But it also allows you to adjust the factory heat settings for higher temperatures, so both low and high heat settings can be precisely adjusted based on user preference, project type, and wood type.
Heat Up/Cooldown
This set is pretty impressive, especially when it comes to how quickly it can heat up and cool down. You can expect the pen to reach the selected heat setting in under thirty seconds. Additionally, the system can cooldown just as quickly. This fast heat up and cooldown capability is one of the set’s biggest selling features.
Performance
While the set is beginner friendly, adjusting the
heat settings and changing them from the factory settings can be tricky and should be done carefully. Always read the included user’s manual before use and prior to making any adjustments to the machine’s factory settings. Test out the changes you’ve made to these settings prior to starting a project.
Additionally, the set comes with a screwdriver that can be difficult to use when it comes time to change out the pen tips. Many users recommend using a much smaller screwdriver to get the job done faster. Overall, the power and heat setting options makes this model a great buy. While the pen can become too warm during use, this usually only occurs if the user has adjusted the factory settings and turned up the max heat setting. With the factory heat setting, the pen may become warm, but not warm enough to prevent the user from completing a project.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Pros
- Comes with ten tips
- Low price
- Intuitive design
- Easy to use
- Fast heat up and cooldown time
- Includes adapters for different pen tips
- Beginner friendly
Cons
- Cord is short
- Pen can become too hot when machine is turned on higher heat settings
Conclusion and Rating
Our Rating:
The Burnmaster Hawk is a single port woodburning machine that comes with a three-foot cord, ergonomic pen, ten tips, and adapters that can be used for tips made by other brands. The machine itself is pretty powerful, offering 130 watts. Additionally, the machine offers precise temperature control, a beginner friendly design, and will be a great choice for pyrography enthusiasts of all skill levels. Of course, it does have a few drawbacks, such as a wider pen design, a short cord, and the pen tends to run warm when you crank up the temperature, but overall, this set is still a great buy and easily outperforms other models in this price bracket. I gave this model a rating of four and a half out of five stars.