Writing on oak

[Clay Parrish]

I have a little 1"x2"x6.5' red oak board that I am using for a measuring stick to record my kids' heights every 6 months. I make a notch for their height with a chisel, but I would like to write their age next to the notch. I am using a pencil now, but I would rather have a permanent ink. Is there a better option than a sharpie? I don't want it to smear or fade over the next 20 years or so.

[Larry Frank]

I did the same thing but opted for pine. Not as pretty but much easier to record height.

[Trevor Goodwin]

Why not burn it in!

[Thomas Schneider]

You can chip carve it then fill it in with some stain.

[Paul Sidener]

Take a piece of scrap and test a few pens. Watch to see if any bleed into the wood. I would think a gel rollerball would be the best to use, but I would test it first.

[Matt Knights]

Why not write it in pencil then seal over the text with shellac sealer, once you have made the last measurement then shellac the whole thing to preserve it.

Matt

[george wilson]

shellac over the wood a few times to prevent bleeding. Then,sign with INDIA INK. Let the ink dry WELL and shellac over it. If the ink is not good and dry,it can smear when you do the shellacking over it.

In my movie about making the spinet,I signed the name board(which is over the keyboard) in this way,the way they did it in the 18th. C.. Somehow it smeared the first time i tried it. On the second time it was o.k.. I ket the ink dry longer.

Or,you could use spray cans of lacquer. Spraying the wood,signing AFTER it is good and dry. Then,spraying over the name after the ink is very dry. Spraying would be safer than brushing.

[Larry Frank]

This all sounds good about sealing or finishing. But, you are going to make marks over a lot of years and with a couple of kids.

[Tim Bridge]

I like the idea of burning it in. Mark it in pencil and then go over it with a wood burning tool. That will never fade.

[mark kosse]

Like George said, India ink. I mark my bamboo fly rods that way and there is no run or creep when dry. You can buy one at the crafts stores.

[Luke Dupont]

Why not write it in pencil then seal over the text with shellac sealer, once you have made the last measurement then shellac the whole thing to preserve it.

Matt


Doesn't shellac remove pencil marks?

[Matt Knights]

Doesn't shellac remove pencil marks?

Not in my experiance, it can remove some. TBH I like George's Idea better.

Matt

[Clay Parrish]

This all sounds good about sealing or finishing. But, you are going to make marks over a lot of years and with a couple of kids.

I like the India ink idea, but as larry said, I am going to be adding to this thing four times a year for two decades. I may have to carve the ages - maybe chisel them in as roman numerals.