layout lines on walnut

to the rescue!

Bill Tindal, E.TN

>Black gel ink show up exceptionally well. There must be something reflective in this ink because you will be amazed how well the line stands out. The trick is to get a brand of pen where the ink does not wick. Pilot P-500 work perfect but I can't find them any more. Fortunately I have most of a box still.

So truck on down to Office Depot with a piece of walnut and try every pen they have and pick one that doesn't wick.

some magazine gave me $50 the first time I posted this idea.

PS blue shows up as well as black. I use the exta fine point.

Doesn't wick?

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>

Re: layout lines on walnut

Steve Hamlin

>Angle poise lamp directed low across the work usually gives me enough contrast.

For drill bits I'll rub chalk or white pencil over the punched numbers to make it clearer.

For inlay it is normal to paint a contrasting wash over the piece before scribing - can literally see the marking out in black and white - though might be a problem cleaning out the pores.

Cheers

Steve

Re: layout lines on walnut

Paul Kierstead

>I chalk using white the area before knifing/marking. You can see as clear as a bell after that.

When you run out of Pilot, try Uniball in white

David Barnett - SW Florida

>Uniball Signo Broad UM 153 Gel Pen in white, actually. Also, Pilot Super Color White Marker SCWEF. Both are great on E.I. rosewood, walnut, ebonies and other dark woods. Absolutely superb on dark Canson Mi-Tientes (tobacco) and black album pages. Nothing better'n white gouache for calligraphic white but a bit inconvenient for marking wood.

Re: Doesn't wick? Nope

Bill Tindal, E.TN

>Some do and some don't. That is why the trip to the store with board is required.

Re: to the rescue!

les winter

>Thanks all.

Staples has the P-500. I'll pick up a few later.

regards

Les

Re: layout lines on walnut

Stephen Shepherd in the State of Deseret

>After you have used the knife to mark the lines (also works on marking and mortice gauge score lines) use chalk to make the lines stand out.

This will not interfere with any staining or gluing as the ink might.

Low angle raking light makes the lines easier to see.

The advantage of score or knifed lines besides removing the vagaries of a pencil line is that the line is a physical boundry that is excellent for positioning tools. Sometimes it is easier to feel a chisel going into a score line rather that using your eyes to see it. I find this is more handy the older I get.

Stephen

Re: to the rescue!

les winter

>I am rescued. The Pilot 500 works as advertised. No wicking, no problems, no nothing. Available at Staples.

Thanks for the advice.

Les

chalk

dave brown

>rub some chalk on the lines