On 8/13/2016 at 5:14 PM, Ron Altier said:

Like all of you, I do a lot things in my shop that requires precise measuring and marking. It seems I can't get quality pencils anymore. Most are NOT made of wood (or strong wood) and they break extra easy. Then there is the lead, It is weak and brakes inside the wood. Next the lead wears down after a couple of long marks. Then the erasers die, get hard and unusable.  I do have metal scribes, but don't like to use them because they are hard for me to see. My vision up close isn't the best, due to many eye problems.

 

What do you use? Do you have suggestions?

 

Thanks

Pentel P20 series for me w/ added slide on grips and polymer leads...

Marking knife and use chalk to highlight the the mark..

colored leads to contrast w/ the color of the wood...

artist erasers... Faber-Castell Triangle Grip Erasers

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Stick486 said:

Pentel P20 series for me w/ added slide on grips and polymer leads

Those are great pencils Stick, solid and workhorses, we use them exclusively at work. If there is one thing we Land Surveyors know about, it's writing instruments, the Pentels are solid and they last along time.

I use mainly these three ...

Just a common No.2 pencil.   The marking knife is by Dave Bardin.   I also use one of these..

Hmmm, about time for a new blade...

When it comes to precision, you can't beat a marking knife. For general use, it's #2 Ticonderoga's...got a drawer full. The cheaper (off-shore) ones are garbage. My general go to's  are 0.5mm mechanical pencils. I buy them by the pack at Wally World. I use an adhesive backed rubber cord holder and stick one on every stationary piece of equipment...DP, TS, RT, etc. and one the workbench. If I don't have one in my pocket then chances are there is one at the machine I'm working at. I just have to remember to put them back as I use them.

For dark woods I, too, use a white artists pencil. You can buy them at any artist's supply or craft stores (Michael's, Hobby Lobby) for a couple of bucks.

For those of you who are really challenged (I guess that's just about all of us) you can get a clip-on with a retractable cord (like the old key chains) and clip a pencil to you.

My go-to is a .5 mm mechanical pencil.  Whether I'm using a mechanical pencil or a wood pencil I use an old drafting tip: rotate the pencil while you draw your line.  You will always have a crisp line and a point on the lead.  For the use of an eraser is another old drafting tip:  you need 2 erasers (especially if you are erasing lead from paper.  Use a soft eraser and in those areas the lead is still visible use a harder eraser.    Danl

2 hours ago, Danl said:

 For the use of an eraser is another old drafting tip:  you need 2 erasers (especially if you are erasing lead from paper.  Use a soft eraser and in those areas the lead is still visible use a harder eraser.

Nice! And noted!

I have found alcohol on a rag works well for removing pencil marks from wood.

Dan

Edited August 22, 20169 yr by HandyDan

1 hour ago, HandyDan said:

I have found alcohol on a rag works well for removing pencil marks from wood.

Dan

I hope you do not mean the drinking kind, that would just be a waste

On ‎8‎/‎21‎/‎2016 at 11:24 PM, HandyDan said:

I have found alcohol on a rag works well for removing pencil marks from wood.

Dan

 

Heavy fine for "alcohol abuse"...

1 minute ago, Nickp said:

 

Heavy fine for "alcohol abuse"...

I never abuse it.  I just keep drinking it to make room on the shelf for more.

Dan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 minutes ago, HandyDan said:

I never abuse it.  I just keep drinking it to make room on the shelf for more.

Dan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excellent philosophy...improper inventory turn can ruin a good business...

 

Not to mention...forgetting about the good stuff that got shoved to the back and forgotten about! Proper rotation of inventories is essential.

I figured it out..

pencils come w/ invisibility devices/cloaks..

1 minute ago, Stick486 said:

I figured it out..

pencils come w/ invisibility devices/cloaks..

that's it Stick! I know mine do, my floor must be half foot deep in invisible pencils too, I keep tripping all over the place!

This is kind of a cool idea from Woodpeckers.  http://www.woodpeck.com/accutraxpencilblade.html

Be careful though, when they say the "blade" is brittle, they mean it.  Lateral pressure will snap it easily.

 

I keep hoping they or the original manufacturer will come out with a white blade, but no joy so far.  

 

Lew, that pencil looks interesting, and I see they have a refill pack of white lead.  Have you tried that, and if so, how did it work?  I too share the frustration of white pencils having such soft lead.

Here is one I saw. Have not used but got good reviews.

 

 

Called Pica Pencil and Lee Valley carried it

if you'd like to use a marking knife look to using a blade like this...

cheap and tends not to follow grain because of the shape...

 

 

I also like the Pentels but always have a supply of Dixon Ticonderoga #3. I have an old schoolhouse crank sharpener to keep them sharp. I don't think their quality has changed over the years.

Where can the Pentel pencils be purchased ? Thanks.

1 minute ago, It Was Al B said:

Where can the Pentel pencils be purchased ? Thanks.

I get mine at either Office Depot or Staples. Probably can get them just about anywhere school supplies are sold. Walmart is probably another, although I have not looked there.