“Foul play has been ruled out and the deaths were found to be accidental in nature and are believed to be caused by electrocution from fractal wood burning — a technique in which high-voltage electricity is used to burn lightning or tree-like patterns into wood that has been soaked in a chemical solution,” the department said in the statement.
“Through the investigation, it was determined that the fire started in the garage before spreading to the home,” the department continued. “We believe that the fractal wood burning equipment that caused the electrocutions likely caused the fire.”
The technique — which involves using a high-voltage transformer, often repurposed from a microwave — is employed by woodworkers to decorate various wooden items, including decor items and wooden cutting boards.
Was down in Hot Springs AK last week looking for warmer golf weather and saw a bunch of wood art/furnishings with this fractal burning in one of the shops along the main drag. First time ever seeing it. While it was intriguing, it quickly becomes overbearing.
That is, a single wood panel with one fractal “tree” might make a nice wall hanging but a bunch of it all around a mirror frame or the edges of a side table becomes just too much (unless you are really into the burnt wood look). To me, it looks like mold growth.
An old electrician’s saying is, “Volts tingle, Amps kill”. It actually a combination of both. Those microwave transformers are in 1000s+ volt range.
Darwin Award nominees.