+- Woodnet Forums (https://www.forums.woodnet.net)
+-- Thread: Shop habit ---Do you boldly mark your pieces? (/showthread.php?tid=7361260)
Pages:
1
2
Shop habit ---Do you boldly mark your pieces? - Handplanesandmore - 02-28-2021
I recently came across a video in which the presenter recommended marking the parts with pronounced pencil lines or big characters, eg, for orientation or as placement marks etc. He went on to say that when the assembly was done, he'd sand everything clean (obviously, he's a sander lover).
Do you do that or try to keep markings to a minimum and small as part of your shop habit?
Simon
RE: Shop habit ---Do you boldly mark your pieces? - lift mechanic - 02-28-2021
When starting a project I will make a exact size cut list. I will rough cut to size +"s and write on the end of the board the size it is to be with a sharpie. Over at he jointer I will mark "X" the flat side and the edge of the squared edge with white chalk. After planed and drum sanded I will use very light lines with a fine pencil. Sometimes I will use painter masking tape to mark things on a finished project such as knobs and handles. I see others use a branding iron to mark the under side as to the maker, I do not.
RE: Shop habit ---Do you boldly mark your pieces? - MT Woodworker - 02-28-2021
I do mark pieces as to the orientation
Pencil marks so they can be removed with an eraser or sanding
RE: Shop habit ---Do you boldly mark your pieces? - Bill Holt - 02-28-2021
If the piece has several sizes/lengths, I use colored sidewalk chalk to mark the ends.
RE: Shop habit ---Do you boldly mark your pieces? - JohnnyEgo - 02-28-2021
Somebody on here pointed out that alcohol dissolves pencil markings, and now I use a giant 2mm soft lead pencil to mark the hell out of everything. While the alcohol takes the graphite right off, it doesn't remove any indentation, hence my use of softer lead for general marking.
RE: Shop habit ---Do you boldly mark your pieces? - lincmercguy - 02-28-2021
I usually mark pieces on the end grain since it is usually covered up in the end. If it isn't, I've found that it's better to erase the marks before sanding.
I've cobbled a system together over the years. I print up a cutlist with the plug-in for Sketchup. Each page gets a letter, so each piece has a letter-number part number. End grain is good here because it survives everything except cutting to length. I just mark it again if necessary.
When I'm working on joinery, each corner gets a number, so each piece will be marked with the number it goes to. I make an arrow that always points up for orientation. I make a pronounced dot that always points "out". Legs get a dot in the corner. Some of it is necessary for fit, some is just getting the better of the two sides facing out. I'll use U/L/M if there are multiple parts per side.
It works for me.....usually.
RE: Shop habit ---Do you boldly mark your pieces? - BrokenOlMarine - 02-28-2021
I use chalk
Triangles for alignment
Alpha characters for sides
Numbers for certain things like drawers
Long lines for dados or rabbits... Don't want to cut them on the wrong edge or wrong side of a piece and have to start over.
(Been there.)
Tape if there will be a lot of fitting or movement that could erase the chalk over and over
RE: Shop habit ---Do you boldly mark your pieces? - Bill Wilson - 03-01-2021
I'm not religious about it, but I tend to lightly mark parts with a pencil, both for identification and orientation, as needed. I generally remove the marks by erasing & sanding or I put them in areas that will be hidden during assembly.
RE: Shop habit ---Do you boldly mark your pieces? - John Mihich - 03-01-2021
I use blue painter's tape and write on it. This way I don't have to resand any place.
RE: Shop habit ---Do you boldly mark your pieces? - Cooler - 03-01-2021
If I am using dowels I definitely do. My dowel jigs bank off a leading edge so I have to keep that edge labeled. If I am using pre-finished materials I will use easily removed painters tape and write on that.