Metal marking

[Mick Annick]

A bit basic, but what do you use to mark out metal for cutting, etc?

I’m using French chalk sticks but am fed up with constantly having to sharpen them, and it’s difficult to get an edge fine enough to mark accurately. I sometimes use a Sharpie but only have black, which on steel is worse than useless.

any thoughts or recommendations please?

 

[AndersK]

Sharpie, scribes, white Milwaukee Inkzall

Wide tip black or blue sharpie then scribe works well on steel

 

[zx9]

I sometimes use a Sharpie but only have black, which on steel is worse than useless

The black sharpie pens are good on cold rolled but not so good on hot rolled, you can get silver or gold sharpies. I have a yellow paint marker the sort that breakers tend to use to mark up parts, it has been in my tool case for years and has not dried up despite getting crushed more than once.

 

[Windy Miller]

The black sharpie pens are good on cold rolled but not so good on hot rolled, you can get silver or gold sharpies. I have a yellow paint marker the sort that breakers tend to use to mark up parts, it has been in my tool case for years and has not dried up despite getting crushed more than once.View attachment 216402

Don’t use one of those paint pens if your stuff needs to be galvanised afterwards.

Guess how I found that out?

 

[Matchless]

sharpie, my wife had a drawer full of them

 

[zx9]

Don’t use one of those paint pens if your stuff needs to be galvanised afterwards.

Guess how I found that out?

That I did not know, I guess you found out the hard way.

 

[Mick Annick]

Don’t use one of those paint pens if your stuff needs to be galvanised afterwards.

Guess how I found that out?

Windy

None of my stuff gets galvanised, just painted. I’ve spent two days stripping mill scale off of a load of railing uprights and ran out of discs, did a quick search here to find the consensus is I’m wasting my time

 

[Windy Miller]

Windy

None of my stuff gets galvanised, just painted. I’ve spent two days stripping mill scale off of a load of railing uprights and ran out of discs, did a quick search here to find the consensus is I’m wasting my time

Don’t you just HATE it when that happens?

 

[sg66]

Black milwaukee

 

[Dieselman 63]

Don’t use one of those paint pens if your stuff needs to be galvanised afterwards.

Guess how I found that out?

Red Sharpie can bleed through paint finishes, even if you use a heavy primer. Yes, the same method of discovery.

I use a tipex pen, really handy for working on cars as it blobs out a mark on any surface, doesn’t mind about oil etc.

 

[Agrismith]

Engineers blue and a scribe is as accurate as you will get
When I was in college they had paint pens filled with it but never been able to find one just normal paint pens

 

[Mick Annick]

Engineers blue and a scribe is as accurate as you will get
When I was in college they had paint pens filled with it but never been able to find one just normal paint pens

I’ve got blue and plenty of nails, but it’s bit of a faff when you just want to get something out of your pocket and make a mark

 

[kcchan]

I’ve heard lots of good things about these but not used them myself.

https://engweld.co.uk/product/k821196-markal-silver-streak-welders-pencil

 

[Ruffian]

Milwaukee white, yellow or black.
Got a orange wood marker.
White engineers chalk
Scribe.

Depends on what's quickest to hand.

 

[Agrismith]

I’ve got blue and plenty of nails, but it’s bit of a faff when you just want to get something out of your pocket and make a mark

That's why I tried looking for the pen but can't find one tbh I Mark most things with a Stanley knife

 

[Brad93]

I’ve used loads over the years.

Chalk Pens - Cheap and high visibility but dry out.

Sharpies - Great on aluminium but hot rolled steel eats the fibre nib up.

Paint Pens - Not accurate enough for marking out - not all paint pens are created equal. Markal sell pens designed for oily steel.

I use a tungsten scribe, not a lot to go wrong with that.

Silver Streak is great but I carry a sharpener around with me and if you drop the pencil once, the lead breaks inside. Also they turn to mush if they get damp. Expensive.

Im now looking at these super fine paint pens that were put up on here a few days ago.

french chalk is about the cheapest you can get

 

[Dieselman 63]

I’ve used loads over the years.

Chalk Pens - Cheap and high visibility but dry out.

Sharpies - Great on aluminium but hot rolled steel eats the fibre nib up.

Paint Pens - Not accurate enough for marking out - not all paint pens are created equal. Markal sell pens designed for oily steel.

I use a tungsten scribe, not a lot to go wrong with that.

Silver Streak is great but I carry a sharpener around with me and if you drop the pencil once, the lead breaks inside. Also they turn to mush if they get damp. Expensive.

Im now looking at these super fine paint pens that were put up on here a few days ago.

Krink paint pens have a steel roller ball in them. Mainly used for graffiti, but the paint is best quality stuff and is durable!

 

[Onoff]

When I was in college they had paint pens filled with it but never been able to find

Dalo pen?

 

[Agrismith]

Dalo pen?

View attachment 216413

No it was about 40mm in diameter with a 15x 10mm square nib so you could cover large areas
It was a paint pen like used for writing on windscreens just filled with engineers blue

 

[Yorkshirelad]

Ive started using a scribe most of the time ,
Pro's :it gives an accurate line
Cons: sick of getting stabbed with it when I put it in my overall pocket then kneel down.