What Do You Use To Mark Your Wood?

[Derek Arita]

For the finish measurements, of course I use a fine pencil, however for breaking down sheets and boards, I've been using white chalk, just for gross markings. Problem is, especially on the ply, the chalk is super tuff to get out with sandpaper. When you think you've sanded it out, you really haven't and sometimes it shows up during finishing.
So, what can I use for marking while I'm just breaking down?

[Wayne Lomman]

Use pencil all the time. If it's rough timber, use a carpenters pencil, otherwise just use a 2H all the time. It's worked for me for over 40 years. Cheers

[Mark Bolton]

Just dont mark up on your work that isnt going to go through surfacing. When I break down on the saw I never mark anything, I just set the fence and go. For hardwoods I use chalk but not on finish surfaced material, only rough or material that is going to go through the planer or sander.

Eliminating marking anywhere possible is a major production increase. The less time you have to pull your pencil out of your ear, your hat, your pouch, pocket, mouth, whatever, the faster you will be. Same for pulling your tape out of your pouch.

Dont wonder about what to mark with... wonder about how not to have to mark in the first place.

When I am cutting finish material like prefinished moldings or parts that are finish ready I use a utility knife that lives in the leg pocket of my pants. No pencil to sharpen, no issues as it dulls and the line gets thicker, and so on. Its a dead sharp line, doesnt need to be a flat sided marking knife, utility knife rolled over at a slight angle is just as accurate. and you cut right on the knife mark and there is no evidence of the mark and no cleanup.

[Derek Arita]

Thanks. Recently, I made a large box out of thin ply. I used the chalk to mark the parts, before box jointing all the edges, so I wouldn't get confused as to their orientation.

[Mark Bolton]

Thanks. Recently, I made a large box out of thin ply. I used the chalk to mark the parts, before box jointing all the edges, so I wouldn't get confused as to their orientation.

In an instance like that if you will really face an issue getting rid of the mark/chalk perhaps just a piece of blue tape and mark on that.

As with so much in this world a lot of it depends on your work flow. We work with a lot of rough material and fence/stop cut material so there isnt a tremendous need for marking and when there is it can be done on a surface that is going to be completely removed in another operation.

If I had to mark a surface that wasnt going to tolerate a lot of cleanup/sanding Id probably go the tape route.

[Jim Becker]

I use chalk on rough lumber and pencil on sheet goods; sometimes red pencil and sometimes regular pencil.

[Ben Rivel]

rOtring 600 0.5mm to mark anything/everything wood (LINK (https://www.amazon.com/rOtring-Barrel-Mechanical-Pencil-1904443/dp/B00AZWYUA4))

Or 0.7mm if I need a thicker line, which I rarely do (LINK (https://www.amazon.com/rOtring-1904444-Mechanical-Pencil-Silver/dp/B00AZX1P9C)) or (LINK (https://www.amazon.com/Zebra-Stainless-Mechanical-Standard-1-Count/dp/B003G4SSLK/))

[David Eisenhauer]

As Mark said, Blue Tape if a pencil mark is not working for you. Blue Tape is slower to use, but does the job well. I've always been able to erase a light pencil mark off of smooth material without any impact to the final finishing. I have a couple of white and pink bigger erasers laying around the shop.

[Dave Cav]

White and pink chalk for rough work (the pink shows up better on light wood). Lumber crayon for really rough work/framing. Occasionally I'll use chalk on a semi-finished piece and a wet rag seems to take it all off.

[glenn bradley]

Chalk here as well. Rough material will get it milled off, smooth stuff like sheet goods, it wipes off with a damp paper towel.

[Derek Arita]

Thanks. I'll try the wet towel on the chalk.

[Ralph Okonieski]

A few comments:

chalk can can be mostly be removed with denatured alcohol (less water in it) and dries quickly.Then a light sanding if still needed.

use different colored painters tape for different components or different groups of components. I have at least 4 different colors, marking on them with a black marker or red pens or other depending on what is being marked. I may use blue for left side components and yellow for right, maybe blue for front and yellow for back, etc.

[lowell holmes]

I normally mark with a pencil, sometimes I will mark with a razor knife. That allows taking a one sided relief on the mark and provides
a shoulder to cut against.

[Lee Schierer]

I use yellow or white chalk. I've never had a problem with it showing up in finishing. As others have said wipe it off with a damp towel or use blue tape.

[Andrew Hughes]

I don’t use chalk anymore. Showed up in the finish because it was stuck in the pores of walnut. Not sure how i missed it it been a while but I remember it was a L or R that I mark.
I use a pencil for everything or a piece of blue tape.

[Prashun Patel]

I like a sharpie. I don’t recommend it in lighter woods once milled, but on rough it’s great.

Chalk is messy and dull.

Sharpies are the right combination of sharp and soft to make them appropriate for the topography of a rough board.

[Martin Wasner]

Pencil if I want it to go away.
Sharpie if I don't.
Blood if I'm stupid

[Rhys Hurcombe]

Bitta blue tape on the sheet then you can write on that with a pencil or similar. Anything thats not been surface planed yet, not so much of a big deal what's used.

[Mark Bolton]

I like a sharpie. I don’t recommend it in lighter woods once milled, but on rough it’s great.

Chalk is messy and dull.

Sharpies are the right combination of sharp and soft to make them appropriate for the topography of a rough board.

The problem we always have with sharpies is on rough stock very quickly you will have worn the tip off the sharpie and you are left with a sharpie that costs 2 bucks and you have 1.80 worth of ink left in the marker that you cant use because the tip is gone.

[John K Jordan]

This, for fine lines on dark wood:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M5BGD4

JKJ

[Darcy Warner]

Pencil if I want it to go away.
Sharpie if I don't.
Blood if I'm stupid

Those were my 3 too.

[Prashun Patel]

The sharpies lose ink before they get too dull to work. Works well for me.

Honestly even on milled, light woods it’s easy enough to plane off. I don’t use it for marking once joints are cut.

[Michael Costa]

I actually use Chinese markers. The ones with the string. Once I realized that I can use the large side of a pencil sharpener for these things instead of trying to unpeel them they work great. A little acetone on a rag takes it right off.

[Matt Day]

For planing and jointing I use lumber crayons (Harbor Freight) and for all other marking I use mechanical pencil (0.5mm I think). If it’s a rough measurement I make a V shape tik mark, precise I make a small straight/perpendicular to cut line. Just the method that works for me.

[Mike Cutler]

Pencil if I want it to go away.
Sharpie if I don't.
Blood if I'm stupid

Yeah, I've used number three a few times also.

Usually I mark with a variety of soft lead pencils no matter what it is. I don't think I own a piece of chalk.
I also use a razor knife, but sometimes it's responsible for me using number 3 above.:eek:

[Curt Harms]

This, for fine lines on dark wood:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M5BGD4

JKJ

Now THAT looks interesting. I use a white artist's pencil on dark woods but those require lots of sharpening to maintain a reasonably thin line.

[Peter Quinn]

I use a sharpie on board ends after rough cutting to length at RAS, and on plywood edges as I process on the panel saw. We buy these in bulk! I have some different colored lumber crayons for marking up rough lumber that will be surfaced, blue shows up well on light woods, orange on darker stuff, yellow on mahogany. At a certain point in the process I switch to tape, either blue or white masking, for surfaces that have been sanded which I don't want to have to detail further. The lumber crayons don't wipe off easily or smudge like chalk and they don't spread, can be cleaned with acetone but I usually use those early in the process where they will be physically removed during surfacing. I've switched to .7mm mechanical pencil for precise layout and story poles, beats repeated trips to the sharpener.

[Martin Wasner]

I've switched to .7mm mechanical pencil for precise layout and story poles, beats repeated trips to the sharpener.

Bic sells .9mm as well.

[Ron Citerone]

Marker for marking rough cut boards to lengths. Sharpie on the end to identify what furniture parts come out of each piece. Pencil for everything else.