What do you use to mark dark woods

[John2189 454]

I bought a crayon pencil set for the white one, but it dulls very fast.  
what do you use?

[stevasaurus 22,764]

This thread may be better served in a different venue...let's see where it goes.  

[John2189 454]

Sorry, I thought this was for  Tools and Equipment.  A pencil is a tool. 

[formariz 11,987]

50 minutes ago, John2189 said:

Sorry, I thought this was for  Tools and Equipment.  A pencil is a tool. 

A pencil is indeed a tool and an important one. Yes white pencils are soft , actually softer than other colors, and are basically useless for marking dark woods. What to use depends on what kind of marking one wants to do. If it is just to put down a point at a certain dimension one could just use the white pencil right after sharpening. If precision is desired then other methods will have to be used. Precision requires an extremely fine line or point. One way to achieve that is to actually scratch (or cut) the wood with a marking knife, awl, or marking gauge. In those instances one has to be sure that incised mark is going to disappear by cutting on it or similar action. If the scratch is not desired such as when dealing with fished materials, then one uses masking tape on the area to be marked, making then the desired line or point on the tape. That method also helps in reducing tear out if one uses a cutting device that will tear on the upstroke such as a jigsaw or circular saw.

I personally use a knife most of the times. It will give the finest line that can also be used to start a chisel for example by placing the cutting edge exactly on the cut.That is the method I use to inlay things such as hardware.

If marking across the grain use the actual cutting edge of the knife. However if marking along the grain, reverse the knife and use the back of the edge which will produce more of a scratch , but it will not follow the grain creating an incorrect line. across the grain knife will follow what ever guide you use. X-Acto knifes are what I use mostly for marking.

If they are to be long lines such as along a long bard for example, I use a chalk line. I use chalk lines with very light gauge "squid" fishing line on them. Such line is extremely strong ,being able to be stretched a lot, absorb chalk or ink well,and put down a line thinner than most pencils. That is how Japanese woodworkers make their marks. They however use mainly ink.

Edited November 19, 2021 by formariz

[John2189 454]

Well I trace patterns then cut with my bandsaw.  I don’t think I could see a scratch as well as a normal pencil. Didn’t think about using masking tape. 

[953 nut 55,310]

I have used 1 1/2" masking tape and marked the pattern on the tape with a normal panicle.

[John2189 454]

15 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

I have used 1 1/2" masking tape and marked the pattern on the tape with a normal panicle.

I’ll probably do that 

[roadapples 6,983]

use masking tape on metal too..

[formariz 11,987]

5 hours ago, John2189 said:

Well I trace patterns then cut with my bandsaw.  I don’t think I could see a scratch as well as a normal pencil. Didn’t think about using masking tape. 

Now that is a more specific question that requires a different answer. When I do that I use a hard chalk/wax that I have in different colors. It can be sharpened like a carpenters pencil to a thin edge. It is hard and will not rub off wood.  It is also durable . In this case I usually don’t mind a thicker line since most times I will be perfecting the cut after band sawing it and depending how much of that I want to do I can either follow the outside , inside, or split the line.

 If it would have to be an absolute precise cut to the template  I would then first mark and cut it in the manner described with bandsaw then attach template to piece and route it using a bearing guided flush cutter. 

 

Edited November 20, 2021 by formariz

[John2189 454]

That would work too 

[JoeM 7,874]

Welder's soapstone?

[John2189 454]

I have some, but never tried it.  

[formariz 11,987]

I learned this method from a very talented person. My mother. She was an extremely skilled dress maker . Having to mark patterns in all kinds of textures and colors in fabrics this is what she used. Available in fabric or  tailor supply places. Will not fade or smudge with handling. I use it also marking rough or wet lumber.

[R Scheer 502]

Depending on the size of the pattern, I'll simply photopy it, spray on some temporary adhesive and put that on what I'm cutting.

 

Just another way.

[Handy Don 12,235]

22 hours ago, formariz said:

That is how Japanese woodworkers make their marks. They however use mainly ink.

Any many Japanese carpenters use a knife with either a right-hand- or left-hand-only bevel in the way carpenters in the US use pencils. I've started using one gifted to me. Far more precise.

Mine looks like this, with it's sheath to the right (yeah, I have an apron pocket where I put the sheath--the behind the ear trick seemed a bit risky):

[John2189 454]

22 hours ago, JoeM said:

Welder's soapstone?

Ok I tried a piece of the flat soap stone. It works very well. It’s hard enough that when you sharpen it to a point, it stays sharp, but i did put a piece of sand paper near by to touch up the point.  I will try to find a piece of round soap stone to see if it can be sharpened with a pencil sharpener. 
 

thanks for all your ideas.  John