Problems with Tandy pyrography sets

[Edgydave]

Hello Everyone,

recently I purchased a pyrography set from Tandy for leather burning. The first set I got developed problems as soon as I used it. The bits didn’t seem to fit quite right anymore. After I used it for a while one day on the hot setting, I could not extract the bit. After some twisting, it sheared off but there was enough sticking out that I was able to extract it, but it took a while using penetrating oil. I figured the set was defective, you could clearly see that the bit was cracked already where it sheared off. So I exchanged it for a new set, went home and tried it out. I’m new at this so I’m working on a practice board. Once again, after using the hot setting for an extended period, I could not extract the bit. This time I left it to cool to room temperature, put some oil on it, and extracted it a mil at a time. It was quite difficult and time consuming to get the bit out and when I did it looked like the bit had fused itself to the handle portion. In any case, it was ruined, totally stripped. When I took it back to complain, the manager told me that “Tandy has sold hundreds of thousands with no complaints.” Have any of you used this product? Has it worked for you? I feel that this is an inferior product but Tandy is standing by it 100%.

 

Thanks, Dave

[NVLeatherWorx]

2 hours ago, Edgydave said:

Hello Everyone,

recently I purchased a pyrography set from Tandy for leather burning. The first set I got developed problems as soon as I used it. The bits didn’t seem to fit quite right anymore. After I used it for a while one day on the hot setting, I could not extract the bit. After some twisting, it sheared off but there was enough sticking out that I was able to extract it, but it took a while using penetrating oil. I figured the set was defective, you could clearly see that the bit was cracked already where it sheared off. So I exchanged it for a new set, went home and tried it out. I’m new at this so I’m working on a practice board. Once again, after using the hot setting for an extended period, I could not extract the bit. This time I left it to cool to room temperature, put some oil on it, and extracted it a mil at a time. It was quite difficult and time consuming to get the bit out and when I did it looked like the bit had fused itself to the handle portion. In any case, it was ruined, totally stripped. When I took it back to complain, the manager told me that “Tandy has sold hundreds of thousands with no complaints.” Have any of you used this product? Has it worked for you? I feel that this is an inferior product but Tandy is standing by it 100%.

 

Thanks, Dave

The Tandy version is the same as the rest of the "run of the mill" burning sets that you can buy everywhere else and they are ALL garbage.  If you are looking to get into the Pyrography on a serious note then you will want to start checking Amazon and sites like that for the professional grade kits.  They have a cost to them but they are heads and tails above any of those simple kits/sets that you get from Tandy and the like.  Tandy stands by everything 100% but all you have to do is watch their Clearance specials to see what is really a dead item for them, whether defective or just not popular, and watch how fast they dump stuff.

[bikermutt07]

I have seen some regad style units in woodcraft's catalog for 150.00. I haven't tried them, but they look like quality units.

I have also seen the gravity fed glue pots for really cheap from them and rockler (compared to leather suppliers).

 

[Edgydave]

I purchased another unit made by Weller which seemed to be better but after about an hour of work the same problem developed. I was unable to remove the tip. I looked up reviews for a bunch of different manufacturers and they all seem to have the identical problem: after working on high for a while, the unit and the tip fuse together. So another one is going back and there doesn’t seem to be a quality alternative, at last that I can find. I was planning on buying a Razor system, but it’s out of my price range at the moment. Sigh... I was enjoying it so much.

 

Dave

[ComputerDoctor]

I have never had a problem whatsoever with my Tandy pyrography kit:)

Question: Why in the world would you even want to turn the unit to HIGH?????

I think that's the problem! 

Sam:)

[battlemunky]

Well, if turning something to "high" is the problem then they shouldn't have "high" as a setting  

I agree with @NVLeatherWorx, those entry level units are pretty crappy.

[ScoobyNewbie]

So, the advice here is keep it off high and only use it a half hour at a time, then let it cool? If you’ve already got one, that is. Which I do.