Woodworking Mechanical Pencils

[ChrisA Edwards]

I have a few marking tools from Incra and Woodpeckers that have precision holes for use when marking with their mechanical pencils.

I have both the woodpecker and Incra mechanical pencils, but the lead in these seems so fragile.

If I get enough lead exposed that it will contact the wood, through the square or ruler, the lead is so fragile it just breaks.

If I just support the pencil, with no downward pressure, as I try to mark, I either break the lead or it doesn't leave a pencil mark.

What am I doing wrong or if there a better lead or pencil.

[Jeff Bartley]

Try a 0.7 or 0.9 lead, and if you can find it buy the Gorilla lead: it's harder. I'll snap a pic of it in the morning.

[Jim Dwight]

The picture looked goofy when I pulled this up but this is the mechanical pencil I use:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MSNINFQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's 0.5mm lead. My Incra T-rule requires 0.5mm. It is fragile. But this pencil retracts the lead when you push on the pocket clasp. So it is easy to retract it before putting it back in my apron. I bought it after seeing it in a Stumpy Nubs youtube and later saw the wood whisperer using one. I keep a carpenters pencil in my apron too for cruder marking.

Another thing I used to do is get an actual drafting pencil with thick replaceable lead and keep a sharpener handy. Sharpen it to a fine point when you need it. But I stopped doing that largely because of the Incra rule. I found with my track saw putting a mark where I wanted to cut was a limiting factor in my accuracy. The Incra rule helped a lot with that but you need the 0.5mm lead to use through the holes.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I use a Pentel 9mm pencil "Twist-Eze" which has a cushioned grip. I have 4 of them 1 in the shop, 1 at the computer, one in my gym log and 1 in the island in our kitchen.

[Ben Rivel]

If youre breaking the lead, its probably the level of hardness of lead youre using. Try different values. FWIW I use 0.5mm and sometimes 0.7mm and never have issues with breaking either. Check out these links for more info: LINK (https://www.jetpens.com/blog/the-best-lead-grade-for-every-application/pt/475) and LINK (https://www.jetpens.com/blog/the-best-mechanical-pencil-leads/pt/887)

[George Liverman]

If I remember correctly, the Incra rules require a .5mm lead, anything larger won't work.

[Edwin Santos]

Yes there is/are better pencils.

Look into either the Kuru Toga pencil by Uni-Ball, or the Orenz by Pentel. Both are available on Amazon and each uses it's own unique design to reduce/prevent the lead from breaking. Or the Zebra DelGuard the design of which is claimed to make the lead impossible to break. All three are prime examples of Japanese technology.

[Mike Kreinhop]

I have some of the Incra and Woodpeckers marking tools, and the 0.5mm lead that comes with the pencils is too soft for serious woodworking. Try some 4H or 5H lead in the pencil bodies.

Just about any office supply store will sell different grades of 0.5mm refill packs. This harder lead makes a lighter mark, but it won’t break as easy as the lead included with the pencils.

[Tom M King]

Buy some of the really old Mikado, or early Mirado leads off of ebay. They had super fine graphite mixed with wax. You don't have to bear down at all to leave a mark. I use their old wooden pencils, as I can leave a finer line with them than any mechanical pencil. You'll be lucky if you can find them for less than real money though.

[Lee Schierer]

I use the pentel .5mm with HB Super Hi-polymer lead. You don't have to press very hard to get a visible mark on wood. I have at least half a dozen of these pencils in my shop and the elves love to hide them.

[Phil Mueller]

I can relate to Lee’s comment. When you find something that works for you, get multiples. I believe I have 5, but have only seen two at any one given time 🙄

[Dick Mahany]

I use the Graph Gear pencils typically 0.5mm and 0.7mm with HB lead. Very little problems with lead breakage although I haven't tried other leads. I really like the way the lead and guide retract with a push on the top of the clip.

416924

[Scott Brader]

The picture looked goofy when I pulled this up but this is the mechanical pencil I use:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MSNINFQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


I use the same one and it is great! This is a better picture...

416925

[Mark e Kessler]

These are the best mechanical pencils for woodworking on the planet, I have multiples of the 0.5,0.7,0.9 and find I use the 0.7 the most. The 0.9 is used mostly for rough lumber work, 0.5 for drawings and when I need a finer layout line.

I also use 2B lead which is a bit softer I find it breaks less but some of that is due to the guidance on this particular mech pencil, and I have a real heavy hand...


I use the same one and it is great! This is a better picture...

416925

[ChrisA Edwards]

Thanks again for the recommendations, I ordered some UnaNanodia Lead and Zebra pencils, so we'll see if that helps.

[Bill Carey]

I use the Pentel Side FX because the lead advance is right at the barrel, not the top, and I can advance the lead without changing grip and moving the pencil from whatever I'm laying out. When the lead breaks, and it will because I use QSWO almost all the time, a simple click and back in biz.
416929

[Mark e Kessler]

Those were my go to before the switch to the pentel 1k, I liked them for the long erasure but found I never make mistakes :) so I switched...


I use a Pentel 9mm pencil "Twist-Eze" which has a cushioned grip. I have 4 of them 1 in the shop, 1 at the computer, one in my gym log and 1 in the island in our kitchen.

[Bill Carey]

And over 20 years estimating I have tried a few. These are the ones I didn't just toss.
416930

[Don Jarvie]

I’ve tried all kinds of pencils but the best one is still the Papermate mechanical yellow pencil.

[Lisa Starr]

I use the El Cheapo Bic Xtra Precision pencils with .5 mm lead. Like others have mentioned, the elves love them, so I usually purchase 2 dozen at a time. They work well with my Woodpecker items and I like a really a very fine point, even when just scribbling a note for myself.

[mreza Salav]

Change the lead; different brands have different quality. I have a couple dozen mechanical, mostly 0.5mm and some 0.7mm. For incra you need 0.5mm

[Jacob Reverb]

I use 2mm mechanical drafting pencils with hard lead. (Yeah, I still design on paper.) They stay sharp a nice long time. The Alvin Tech-Matic is a good serviceable unit.

Get yourself a drafting pencil sharpener, while you're at it.

https://sep.yimg.com/ay/yhst-57587333958251/alvin-mf6-tech-matic-deluxe-2mm-lead-holder-pencil-6.gif

[Ole Anderson]

Surprised how many respondents must not have read the OP. Those that answered with 0.5 mm lead did. That is what is needed to fit in the tiny holes in the Incra instruments. Pentel seems to be the most commonly available lead.

[Jacob Reverb]

Surprised how many respondents must not have read the OP. Those that answered with 0.5 mm lead did. That is what is needed to fit in the tiny holes in the Incra instruments. Pentel seems to be the most commonly available lead.

Will the point of a combo square scribe fit through the holes in an Incra? (I don't know since I don't have an Incra.)

If so, then the point of a similarly-sharpened drafting pencil also should fit.

[Jim Dwight]

My Incra t rule is a precision device including the holes for the lead. It might be possible to sharpen a thicker lead to a fine enough tip but it is made for 0.5mm lead and I think it would be frustrating to use anything else. If they made the holes large, then the mark would not be at the indicated dimension.

[Ole Anderson]

Will the point of a combo square scribe fit through the holes in an Incra? (I don't know since I don't have an Incra.)

If so, then the point of a similarly-sharpened drafting pencil also should fit.

Yes, I am sure it would. However I would think you would be reaching for the sharpener every other scribe. Nearly 40 years since I used a mechanical pencil for drafting. Even then most of my work was with ink. Nearly 100% of to-scale drafting these days is with CAD.

[ChrisA Edwards]

Received the UnaNanodia 0.5mm H lead, loaded up my Incra and Pentel mechanical pencils, boy what a difference, I tried marking with all the pencils and didn't break one piece of lead.

The Woodpeckers pencil needs 0.9mm, so I'm going to order some of that size as well.

Thanks for the recommendation.

[glenn bradley]

Another GraphGear guy here; .5 for Incra rules and .9 for general shop use.

[Derek Meyer]

417100

This is the one I use daily. It's made by Berol. I bought several of them when I was in college 30 years ago, and still have all of them. This one is a .7mm; I have .5 and .9 as well as one .3. I use Foray HD lead in them. I bought a box of 100 packs at a close-out at the University book store one year. I think it will last me forever.

[ChrisA Edwards]

I received a pair of Zebra De;Guard pencils today. These are designed to make breaking the lead almost impossible. I tried them with my marking squares and just by themselves, they pretty much works advertised, I was unable to break the lead.

I've gone from being a frustrated OP to a happy camper.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61ge0yO%2B4JL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

[Edwin Santos]

Maybe more information than you want... but the Zebra DelGuard you bought is a miniature feat of engineering. The DelGuard, the Uni Ball (Mitsubishi) Kuru Toga and the Pentel Orenz are all Japanese mechanical pencils and they have fought a fierce battle to outdo each other.

The Kuru Toga has a feature that automatically rotates the lead as you use it so it will always stay sharp with a centered tip and not wear into a chisel tip. The DelGuard's answer was their anti-breaking system. The Orenz has a retracting sleeve that protects the lead from breaking and the way it works is that the lead is basically hidden at all times which takes some getting used to but it's kind of magical how it writes when there is no visible lead yet the tip never scrapes the paper.

There is an Amazon documentary called Prime Japan. Episode 5 is called Made in Japan and among other products, it chronicles the battle between these three pencils to be the best. Very interesting if you're into such things. There is a very cool store in Tokyo called Tokyu Hands where all these implements are on display, in fact the whole stationary section at that store is epic. Makes you appreciate the Japanese obsession with perfection and the engineering that you are holding in your hand for well under $10.

[Jacob Reverb]

Thanks for the tips on those new pencils, Chris and Edwin. I've been a huge fan of good 0.5mm mechanical pencils for years, and hadn't heard about those new innovations. I discovered the Pilot "Vanishing Point" model about 25 years ago, and fortunately bought a dozen of them about 15 years ago (they have one Achilles Heel: they crack where the ferrules screw together if you tighten them too much, or if you have one in your pants pocket and lean against something, bending the pencil.) They're no longer made and the last time I checked ebay they were offered at hundreds of dollars apiece (when they were still made, they sold for maybe $15...) just goes to show that when you find something that works, it's sometimes worth it to buy 'em cheap and stack 'em deep...