Calling all wood burners need some advice on pens

So I am looking at getting into wood burning which is also apparently called pyrography. I currently have an old cheap wood burning pen that I received in high school, but I would like to get a set of pens that allows me to branch out. Any suggestions on brands or kits I should look into?

I guess there just aren't that many folks on here doing woodburning! I hate to see a thread go without any responses, so for what it's worth, I'll offer my 2 cents. I was doing some Arrow of Light awards for our Cub Scout pack a couple years ago and I was customizing each wooden arrow plaque with the scout's name, the pack number, and the date. The set I bought came from Lowe's, if I'm not mistaken. "15-pc. Woodburning and hobby kit" or something like that from Weller. Nothing fancy. Comes with the iron and several different tips that screw onto the iron. Not expensive. Works like you'd expect it to. Iron gets pretty darn hot after it's been plugged in a while, so I would use work gloves. I see Amazon sells a Weller kit for under 15 bucks that is the #1 best seller.

Edit: I see amazon also offers this, which may be more like an artist's tool than the Weller stuff, but I have no firsthand knowledge of it:

https://www.amazon.com/Colwood-Super-Pro-Woodburning-KIt/dp/B003J881DI/ref=zg_bs_262717011_9

Yeah I have looked into a couple of sets but I wasn't sure what to look at because some of the reviews aren't useful.

Have you considered skipping the electricity entirely and trying Solar Pyrography?

In reply to EvanR:

I didn't see anything about that while I was researching. I might have to expiriment with that for a project or two. The only problem that I might have with using that method could be creating the fine details and different shades that I want for some of the projects. Though since I have never used that method I might be able to some how.

EvanR wrote: Have you considered skipping the electricity entirely and trying Solar Pyrography?

Shoot, that's hardly new. I used to do that when I was 7 years old. I didn't use a large piece of wood, though. Most of my work was done on ants.

toymans_daughter wrote: In reply to EvanR: I didn't see anything about that while I was researching. I might have to expiriment with that for a project or two. The only problem that I might have with using that method could be creating the fine details and different shades that I want for some of the projects. Though since I have never used that method I might be able to some how.

I have a friend who is an artist in that medium. Assuming you have Facebook, look up "DurfSun" (or perhaps it's "Durf Sun"). You'd be amazed at the level of detail that can be achieved.

He's also a genuinely nice fellow. If you decide to pursue it and need advice, PM him on FB and feel free to drop my name.

My wife is really good at it. She got a starter kit at Michaels with the pen and then letters etc. She has built the tools up from there and gotten a few little add ons from amazon.

I bought a weller kit from Amazon. I trust Weller as I have used their soldering irons before.

I am not good at it. I tried to burn on the handle of This project and it didn't work out.

The wood you use is almost or more important than the tools.

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: The wood you use is almost or more important than the tools.

True statement!

The wood I have found it is pretty important as well. With my current pen I have to make sure that the surface I am working on is pretty smooth. Even if it is just slightly rough I have trouble getting an even burn.