Pencil for compass

[kevin nee]

Any suggestions for a good pencil for use on a compass. Not for fine work but for marking bowl blanks.
I make circles on chain saw cut bowl blanks and constantly break the lead off.
If that is my biggest problem, I guess I am pretty lucky. Thanks in advance, Kevin

[Dwight Rutherford]

For marking bowl blanks, I use a different approach. I cut free cardboard to make templates. Draw circles 6",7",8" up to 16"(max capacity for my lathe). Use a screw in the center to fix to the rough blank. Bandsaw around the template. When the template gets ragged, make a new one.

[Bob Bergstrom]

When I don't use 1/4" circle templates, I use dividers to scratch a line in the wood or bark. I retrace the line with chalk or a red or yellow marking craoyla. Template is best for most chainsaw cutting.

[Bruce Schoenleber]

Dividers, electrical tape and a carpenters (flat) pencil, or a lumber crayon.

[Steve Schlumpf]

I just eye it when cutting with a chainsaw. Leave enough extra that you can turn it off on the lathe.

[Reed Gray]

I cut parallel lines on a slab, take it to a work bench and put the slab on a lazy susan, then use a divider/compass and just scratch a line. I do use a detail light to be able to see the circle line. Then round it out on the bandsaw. You can use a sharpie type pen to high light the line if you need it.

robo hippy

[John Keeton]

Like Dwight, I have a set of circles (1/8" hardboard) that I have had for years. I take half a log section, minus the pith, and on the bark side I screw the appropriate size template. Lay it on the bandsaw flat side down and saw 1/2" or so outside the template. Flip it over, and use the same template to mark the approx center for a worm screw hole. Or, if you are doing a natural edge, you already have the center marked.

[robert baccus]

Like John I nail on a template but on the bark side--turn the flat side down and cut around the template. It moves a bit but is no problem.

[John K Jordan]

Any suggestions for a good pencil for use on a compass. Not for fine work but for marking bowl blanks.
I make circles on chain saw cut bowl blanks and constantly break the lead off.
If that is my biggest problem, I guess I am pretty lucky. Thanks in advance, Kevin

Blanks with moderately flat tops and bottoms (not bark?)

I use heavy compass made to hold a standard #2 pencil. A thumb screw in the side digs into the pencil wood and holds it. The lead wears quickly but never breaks. I think I bought it at Woodcraft or Highland Hardware 15 years ago. It would be easy enough to make one from a couple of sticks of wood, tighten the joint with a wingnut. I've thought about making one to hold a sharpie for rough work. If moderately flat on the top and bottom and the lathe is big enough you can put the blank between centers and draw a circle with a sharpie while rotating the lathe by hand.

I save the draftsman's compass with fine lead to mark smooth boards/slabs/planks.

For moderately smooth wood I also use a template but prefer one made from clear plastic. This lets me see the figure and defects through the plastic and position the circle perfectly. I have one with concentric circles up to about 10" I think. After positioning, I use an awl to hold it in place through a hole in the center then use a standard pencil in one of the radius holes to draw the circle. If the face of the blank is rough I still might use this with a pencil but it will only hit the high spots - then sketch in the circle with a sharpie before bandsawing round.

For very rough wood and bark I prefer a solid template and mark with a sharpie, usually red, then cut with the bandsaw.

JKJ

[Michael Mills]

If your compass with accept the larger size try a Ticonderoga. These are the fat pencils which kids learn to write with, about the same size lead as a lumber pencil.
Or a grease pencil/china marker.. will write on most anything.

[Michael Mills]

I went out to the shop to check and the Grizzly trammel points will accept a lumber pencil.
Grizzly H5876
The steel point can be removed from the one to hold the pencil. You can make any diameter you desire.

[Harold Walsh]

I have put a ball point pen in a compass that I use for marking blanks. Works for me.

[Roger Chandler]

I just purchased one from Amazon.com last week for marking bowl blanks, even though I do use some circle templates as well. Just search "large pencil compass". In the Amazon.com search bar. I like the one I got...all metal and locks in place securely. I tried to copy a pic with my ipad, but it would not work, so do the search.

[Bob Bergstrom]

If your compass with accept the larger size try a Ticonderoga. These are the fat pencils which kids learn to write with, about the same size lead as a lumber pencil.
Or a grease pencil/china marker.. will write on most anything.
Great pencils for marking dips, ridges and flat areas when finish cutting or sanding out irregularities on or inside of bowls. Wow that's quite a sentence. LOL

[Michael Mills]

I just purchased one from Amazon.com last week for marking bowl blanks, even though I do use some circle templates as well. Just search "large pencil compass". In the Amazon.com search bar. I like the one I got...all metal and locks in place securely. I tried to copy a pic with my ipad, but it would not work, so do the search.

Roger, I tried to look one up.
I did find a "large pencil compass" meaning a large diameter compass but only takes a standard pencil
I think he needs a "large pencil" compass meaning one that accepts a large pencil with tougher/thicker lead.
Maybe I missed it in my search.

[Roger Chandler]

Roger, I tried to look one up.
I did find a "large pencil compass" meaning a large diameter compass but only takes a standard pencil
I think he needs a "large pencil" compass meaning one that accepts a large pencil with tougher/thicker lead.
Maybe I missed it in my search.

Thanks Micheal :D I think the one I got will do just fine for bowl blanks on logs.......what I would do is just make sure that I have very little of the pencil lead showing and a shallow bevel of wood for support. Won't get that with a regular pencil sharpener, but with a pen knife, put your own shallow bevel with a very small amount of lead showing, put it in the compass, the off to the races. I don't think one has to bear down, just make a light mark. Of course if one is trying to mark the bark side, then just put a crayon in the compass.........not too difficult! ;) I'm glad I got the one I did, as it is certainly well made, and sturdy.