marking metal

[Badger1bear]

Hi guys, appart from French chalk and the sharpie marker pen, what do you use to draw/mark on metal with ?

Simon

 

[markcantweld]

I use a marker pen or scribe. Or random pointy bit of metal!

 

[shenion]

Paint pen, chalk or scribe.

 

[gordon stephenson]

French chalk is the commonly used traditional method of steel marking, A full square stick cut in half length ways and rubbed to a chisel point at one end on a file.
Edit, Forgot to add for fabrication marking out, As rtbcomp says for accurate engineering work use marking blue and scriber etc.

 

[rtbcomp]

Scribe & marking blue for accurate marking out.

 

[chunkolini]

Sharpie marker in three colours to really confuse the idiot in charge, engineers chalk for rough marking out, a fine point permanent marker 0.5mm for accurate work or a scriber for accurate work on large stuff where scratches dont matter.

 

[Paul99]

TCT scribe for me. But I got away with a sharpened masonry nail for years - doubles up as a reasonable centre punch if you get a good one (not all in the same box are the same) too

 

[overload]

Posca marker or Snap-on metal scribe for me.

 

[Shox Dr]

As Mr C

 

[Tiggy_dorset]

A sharpened tig tungsten has got me out of trouble a few times when I have lost my sharpend piece of bandsaw blade

 

[Hitch]

I use a tipped scriber for most things that need to be accurate on steel. For random marking, like circling scribes marks for drilling I will use engineers chalk.

For sheet metalwork, I use a scriber then a marker pen for highlighting or info like hole sizes.

Eclipse tipped scribers are readilly available, and generally cost
under £10.

 

[Welderpaul]

Scriber for accurate stuff, sharpened chalk for every day stuff, sharpies for stainless and ally, paint markers for marking part numbers/lengths/ID numbers and the like.

 

[super noob]

blue and a scribe if not a sharpie is a better plan for quick stuff

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

Mines a Carbide finisher insert brazed to a bit of 1/2" EN1A and ground up =)

cost me nowt!

 

[justmental]

sharpy and a well sharpened tungsten in a pin vice

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

Chalk then if cutting or welding I centre punch right along the line I find I make less cock ups this way

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I cover the rough area with a wide indelible ink felt marker, which drys fast, and then use a scriber. If I can't find my proper / decent scribe then a large masonry nail does the same job !
Chinagraph pencils are also useful.

Paul H

 

[naughtyboy]

sharpened hacksaw blade, same as my dad used, and my boy uses.

 

[awemawson]

I've a pozidrive screwdriver that's tip broke as it was too brittle. I've sharpened it to a fine point. Has the advantage of a comfortable handle if you have a lot to do, or need extra pressure to go through mill scale.

 

[DuffyBB]

Freaky, i stood on my last piece of jumbo kids chalk yesterday(which was worse than useless anyway) while tidying up the garage. Was intending to search for a thread i saw on the same subject a while back. Looking for a non-gouging way to mark, french/engineers chalk it is...might get a few markers but they've usually dried out by the time i need them.