Official Luthiers Forum! :: View topic

Quote:

Not a pencil as such, but I wouldn't be without them - my eyesight is bad enough as it is.

Pete-
I've thought about using a gel pen on rosewoods and other dark woods...any issues with excessive penetration or cleaning the ink off when going to finishing?

Related: What are your folks favorite white pencils (that are available in the USA) for marking on rosewood and such...

Thanks, Peter Z

In 30 + years, without question, the best I have found is an old fashioned drafting "lead holder". You can get leads in pretty much any hardness (I use HB) and many colors. I use white and yellow for dark woods.
In my other hand is a "pointer" (sharpener) that fits in the pocket of my apron. I also have a pointer that clamps to my bench top. It will take it to needle sharp.

-C

I knocked out the first 30 pages of, "The Pencil", last night. It looks like it is going to be a good read.

Filippo

Mike O'Melia wrote:

Filippo Morelli wrote:

I knocked out the first 30 pages of, "The Pencil", last night. It looks like it is going to be a good read.

Filippo

...And I thought your link was circular.

Hi Mike. Circular? How so? Not sure I understood.

Filippo

Not everyone has your "artistic flair", Billy! bliss

Author:	dunwell [ Thu Feb 10, 2011 4:20 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
Well, you forgot the most important one. One or more of those "mark sense" pencils, you know those throw-away-no-eraser-3-inch jobs. You take them and sand them down into a half-round shape for marking the fret curvature on the nut, or marking the bridge height on the saddle or in your cheapie compass or close marking string locations, etc. Alan D

Author:	murrmac [ Thu Feb 10, 2011 4:30 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
Nothing harder than an H , Todd ? 2H a necessity, IMO. Having said that, people always steal my pencils anyway. (At least I assume that's what happens ...)

Author:	meddlingfool [ Thu Feb 10, 2011 5:20 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
Piles and piles of disposable automatic .07's, found in their staging place on the end of my workbench in the morning, and found in remarkably curious places by days end...

Author:	Chas Freeborn [ Thu Feb 10, 2011 6:45 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
In 30 + years, without question, the best I have found is an old fashioned drafting "lead holder". You can get leads in pretty much any hardness (I use HB) and many colors. I use white and yellow for dark woods. In my other hand is a "pointer" (sharpener) that fits in the pocket of my apron. I also have a pointer that clamps to my bench top. It will take it to needle sharp. -C

Author:	Andy Birko [ Thu Feb 10, 2011 7:09 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
I have a .07 HB with the super long eraser in the back - my most used pencil. When I misplace that, I have a .05 that I really don't like but, I misplaced the .07. Finally, I have a couple regular old pencils pinched from my kids that I do that half round sanding thing for tracing. Oh...almost forgot: A couple white pencils for marking dark woods. The don't work very well. A long time ago I bought like 15 of those flat pencils they sell at home despot and about 5 box cutters and distributed them randomly around the shop. The mice & roaches dragged them all off within a few days.

Official Luthiers Forum! http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/

Shop Pencils http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=31064	Page 1 of 2

Author:	Edward Taylor [ Thu Feb 10, 2011 7:53 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
I cant keep a pencil for all of 5 minutes...

Author:	timoM [ Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:08 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
It's not the violin, it's the bow. T

Author:	DennisK [ Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:13 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
Filippo, can I have that piece of wood you're using as a table? I just use a plain #2 pencil for most things, generic mechanical for drawing lines since it can get right up to the straight edge better than the usually-dull #2, and a second #2 that I sliced in half for marking the fret height on nut blanks. I really need a white pencil for dark woods. I'm always shimmying around to get it in the light right to reflect off the regular pencil lines Oh, and I use Gum erasers. By far the best I've ever found. Also good for French polishing, according to Michael Thames http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsGTJlLACYg Haven't tried it myself, but I will here in a few weeks.

Author:	Chris aka Sniggly [ Thu Feb 10, 2011 10:15 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
What is it with men, cameras, and long round objects anyway?.... BLAM! I just walked off the stage with ALL the awards. Never mind the fact that I had to photograph my pencil something like 50 TIMES!. I've got other colored leads for this pencil but I use it mainly to mark lumber for processing. All my other marking efforts in the shop usually involve a Pfeil double sided marking knife. If it must be a pencil to mark cut lines and such, I just use the standard yellow ones my wife brings home for my son.

Author:	douglas ingram [ Thu Feb 10, 2011 10:29 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
I've been looking for the new Blackwings but can't find them locally. I guess that I'll have to break down and get some online, someday. My shop pencils are the basic yellow Papermates, etc., The key is to have lots of them prepared so that, no matter where you put it down, there is always on within reach. And a good pencil sharpener!

Author:	Pete Brown [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 6:23 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
Attachment: Uniball_1.jpg Not a pencil as such, but I wouldn't be without them - my eyesight is bad enough as it is.

Author:	My Dog Bob [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 10:04 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
Related: What are your folks favorite white pencils (that are available in the USA) for marking on rosewood and such... Thanks, Peter Z

Author:	James Orr [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 12:19 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
I never thought I'd be thinking about pencils, but I decided to order a dozen Palomino's just to see. If anyone's interested in quick sharpeners, these are the best I've come across. Two or three turns and you have a chiseled point. They're incredible. http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/5 ... Sharpener/

Author:	Billy T [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 1:09 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils

Author:	Mike OMelia [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:08 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
18 (make that 19) posts and 480 views on a guitar forum dedicated to pencils. Who'd a thunk it. Mike

Author:	Markus Schmid [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:56 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
Pencils? Oh well, yes. These are the ones I use: B - HB - 4H and a 0.5mm HB (I don't like 0.7mm ) on the right some ballpoint pen guts with my gramil attached to it (for dirty scribing of any parallel-to-the-edge line). On the top a cheap but well working sharpener, on the lower right a small piece of 320 grit sandpaper for sharpening the 0.5mm HB pencil: Attachment: Pencils_2011_A80_8889.jpg This one didn't make it to the family photo. It's a HB for copying the outlines of guitars and guitar-like instruments to a sheet of paper: Attachment: Pencils_2011_A80_8892.jpg

Page 1 of 2	All times are UTC - 5 hours
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group http://www.phpbb.com/

Author:	WaddyThomson [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 1:46 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
Not everyone has your "artistic flair", Billy!

Author:	Pete Brown [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 7:19 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
Todd Stock wrote: Quote: Not a pencil as such, but I wouldn't be without them - my eyesight is bad enough as it is. Pete- I've thought about using a gel pen on rosewoods and other dark woods...any issues with excessive penetration or cleaning the ink off when going to finishing? Given that I use them on denser, less porous woods like rosewood and ebony, I've had no problems cleaning the ink off - by the time I've finish-sanded, the ink is generally gone. Any residue can be removed with a damp cloth, but I've rarely had to resort to that.

Author:	Colin S [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 4:12 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
pzwinakis wrote: Related: What are your folks favorite white pencils (that are available in the USA) for marking on rosewood and such... Thanks, Peter Z Yes, that's what I always use, Axminster over here in the UK sells them just for this purpose. Colin

Author:	Arnt Rian [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 4:32 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
Chas Freeborn wrote: In 30 + years, without question, the best I have found is an old fashioned drafting "lead holder". You can get leads in pretty much any hardness (I use HB) and many colors. I use white and yellow for dark woods. In my other hand is a "pointer" (sharpener) that fits in the pocket of my apron. I also have a pointer that clamps to my bench top. It will take it to needle sharp. -C Yup, I use those too, both as an architect and in the shop. If you keep that sharpener in your apron, make sure the lid doesn't fall off: the lead dust will make a royal mess!

Author:	Tim L [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 12:27 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
These are the ones I grab for to mark wood. Some are hacked down to get in to those tiny rabbit holes. Attachment: p1.jpg

Author:	Mike OMelia [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 1:12 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
Filippo Morelli wrote: I knocked out the first 30 pages of, "The Pencil", last night. It looks like it is going to be a good read. Filippo ...And I thought your link was circular.

Author:	Mike OMelia [ Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:25 am ]
Post subject:	Shop Pencils
Filippo Morelli wrote: Mike O'Melia wrote: Filippo Morelli wrote: I knocked out the first 30 pages of, "The Pencil", last night. It looks like it is going to be a good read. Filippo ...And I thought your link was circular. Hi Mike. Circular? How so? Not sure I understood. Filippo My rye sense of humor showing. Circular as in referring (back) to this thread.

Author:	Billy T [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 12:48 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
WaddyThomson wrote: Not everyone has your "artistic flair", Billy! Artistic!! I like that word for it!

Author:	WudWerkr [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 5:32 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Shop Pencils
Any pencil I can find at the very moment I need is my favorite one , usally i have to threaten the wife , kids and cats to even get one !