TerryMcK Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 I was interested to read the article by Chris Schwarz in this months (Dec 2014) Pop Wood with reference to woodworking marking systems. I use the pigtail face mark and the caret edge mark having being taught that at 8 years old by my grandfather. I also use cabinet makers triangle but I mark the square end of a board with a right angle mark (an inverted L) on the face of the components. What woodworking marks have you devised or do you use the same as me and Chris? Just to explain what I mean. The pigtail mark on the face, the carat on the edge and the inverted L denoting the square end on the end of the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted November 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 Yes I know it looks as though the end has been chewed off by a bear but you get what I mean 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Eric. Posted November 14, 2014 Popular Post Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 I tend to end up with novels written on my parts. I do use the pigtails and triangles...but they tend to be insufficient when you're dealing with a malfunctioning brain like mine. The more info the better, I've found...so that's what I do. "FACE FRONT BOTTOM UP RIGHT---> DON'T CUT HERE, THIS ONE NO DADO, DO THIS BEFORE THAT, STUPID!" 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 I mark on all sides sometimes , back and bottom the most frequently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vyrolan Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 What do you guys mark with? I use just pencils so it's easy to erase/sand/whatever later, but I've never liked that solution as I feel they're not very visible/readable. If you're prefinishing, do you put some/all marks back on after finishing to keep things straight for assembly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 I use the triangle a lot and use the "novel" approach as Eric mentioned. But, I could use yellow crime scene tape sometimes and it wouldn't help.I am building the guild project now and in constructing the legs, I had yellow sticky notes, chalk notes/marks and pencil marks and I still ended up with 1 extra mortise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 I just use random tick marks and lines not much in the way of marking. I usually just use everyday chalk board chalk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 I tend to mark most of my sides. When it comes to putting tables together using the domino, I break out the blue tape and label each domino location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ResidentEvil Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 I generally use pencil. Haven't had too much trouble erasing/sanding it off afterwards. I always always mark my joints with numbers or letters. i.e. when I get apron to leg fitted, I mark on both of them to make sure that when I glue up I get the right two pieces together in the proper orientation. My problem is that I try to sand after dry fitting everything and forget about the marks and sand them off... When milling, I mark the milled faces with a simple X. Use the triangle when gluing up panels. I'm pretty random about where/how I mark other things. I'm self/internet taught, so I don't have a lot of guidance on the little things like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 ....the inverted L denoting the square end on the end of the board. Aww. I honestly thought I made up the " L " (square) in the corner to make a note that it's square. Especially with sheet goods. I put one on every board I work with, even the scraps immediately after a cut. Well, at least great minds think alike. I also use "NS" in the corners to mark 'not square' Triangles always to mark boards being cut that need to be realigned later. If 2 triangles are necessary, one is shaded in. Huge on cutting boards and outdoor seat slats coming from one board. I used to pencil in hash marks to note the waste ends of large cuts, but then if I use that cutoff for something else in the future, I really get confused! Last time I used chalk on walnut, I couldn't get it out of the pores! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 My problem is that I try to sand after dry fitting everything and forget about the marks and sand them off... Yep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 Pencil or knife for cut lines. Tried chalk for other marks, but found it hard to get out of open grain. Blue tape and a sharpie work pretty well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 I usually mark with blue tape and sharpie, makes a bold statement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 Super dark wood gets the China marker. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 Compressed air works pretty good on chalk . I use a pencil type full flow air blower and 100 psi - not one of those safety regulated push button things. China marker on dark woods is good too! Mahogany and walnut are where I use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 I often use chalk and pencil. Mostly I use chalk for rough cut breakdown early on, but I sometimes use it for general marking. Otherwise, a pencil is my go to. I use the triangle infrequently. I tend to use matching letters a lot for joinery. For indicating square edges and faces, I normally use simple X. I also use a mark for the reference edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefmagnus@grics.net Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 I used to use a pencil but can't see it anymore so I now use blue tape. I have even become OCD about it. I refused to let myself make a cut on Thursday because it didn't have tape and mark on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Jimerfield Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 Pencil for labels and roughing lines...carpenter's pencil for roughing, and a .5mm for other stuff. Knife for final cut lines I like to use arrows and abbreviations Also matching letters for joinery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick A McQuay Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 Pencil or knife depending on accuracy required. X's on true faces. Upside down V (arrow or whatever) on adjoining faces. Lines on mating parts. - sent via Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 What's a 'true face'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 One that has been trued. Flat in general. This might also constitute your reference face. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 C is correct.. It's the face that you reference everything else off of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan S Posted November 16, 2014 Report Share Posted November 16, 2014 Carpenters pencil for rough work, 0.5mm pencil for layout and a yellow or White artists pencil for dark woods. A marking knife, or gauge for hand tool layout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick A McQuay Posted November 16, 2014 Report Share Posted November 16, 2014 What's a 'true face'? I meant a face and edge that have been trued, or made square (90 degrees). According to Roy Underhill, it is a face that has been tried (as in try square) and found true (flat); hence the phrase tried and true. But I have an issue with that since flat is checked with winding sticks, a try square implies checking for square. So a true edge would be square to the face. Strictly speaking, a true face doesn't make sense to me, perhaps that is what you are questioning. But I'm sloppy with my woodworking terminology and sometimes refer to a groove as a dado. On a related note, recently I read in a book that what I've been calling a groove is called a plow (as in plow plane), a groove being on edge and a plow is on the face. I've never heard that before and am not sure if it's correct or just that author's conceit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted November 16, 2014 Report Share Posted November 16, 2014 You are dealing with some cultural context issues here. Tried and true can be wittily applied to a tri-square but is in much broader use before tri-squares were in broad use. We have to get to Britain's industrial revolution before tri-squares (three uses) were more than a high priced novelty and yet we can find evidence of things being tried (trial) and found true in legal and religious writing hundreds of years earlier. Roy is great with the witticism though. We tend as humans to learn by association and he has forever linked a comment in peoples' minds by use of clever word play. I also remember a comment on rebates (rabbets) grooves (dados?) and the like having particular meanings with regard to how they run with or across the grain. I think this was an East side of the Atlantic thing and not pure snobbery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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