Red neck layout bluing?

Batmanacw said:
I honestly have never needed bluing to last a long time
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The Sharpies are ok for quick layout & a quick cut but I also find they don't last long. If you ever need to make a part that requires quite a bit of layout & handling then proper layout fluid is so much better. Even layout can wear off eventually depending on how much the workpiece is handled.

Sharpie for layout can also be harder to see depending on lighting. Layout fluid yields much better crisp & noticeable lines IMO. At work there are many times I can barely see a scribed line with Sharpie. We don't really necessarily need layout fluid at work (automotive related) and I'm not gonna bring my own so I deal with it.

But layout fluid whether in a bottle with brush, spray can, or dauber bottle can be cumbersome & messy. I see why so many people like to use a Sharpie.
 
I don't use a lot of layout "fluid" - A used can of dykem came with my lathe 8-10 years ago. I've had mixed results with it, I think it's thickened up and doesn't go on evenly. (duh - it's ancient prob 40 years old and I should just get a new can if I'm going to use it).

So I mostly use the big fat sharpie. I will agree with others - the sharpie comes off quite easily both cutting oil and waxes and also cool-mist etc. Anything other than dry and it tends to just wipe off. So I consider it a use for one op kind of thing.
 
dbb-the-bruce said:
I don't use a lot of layout "fluid" - A used can of dykem came with my lathe 8-10 years ago. I've had mixed results with it, I think it's thickened up and doesn't go on evenly. (duh - it's ancient prob 40 years old and I should just get a new can if I'm going to use it).

So I mostly use the big fat sharpie. I will agree with others - the sharpie comes off quite easily both cutting oil and waxes and also cool-mist etc. Anything other than dry and it tends to just wipe off. So I consider it a use for one op kind of thing.
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When I lay out a series of hole locations or layout lines I usually permanently mark the spots once laid out. I don't generally expect Sharpie to be there long. I haven't used dykem in a decade or longer. It's just not the kind of work I do.

If I'm scribing a line for a shoulder on a lathe I will mark it with a caliper and then use a tool to create a permanent mark so I don't have to worry about the oil or chips erasing my line.
 
Batmanacw said:
If I'm scribing a line for a shoulder on a lathe I will mark it with a caliper and then use a tool to create a permanent mark so I don't have to worry about the oil or chips erasing my line.
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Yeah, pretty much the same here. Don't count on the marker.
 
ChazzC said:
Whiteboard markers are OK for making notes on your vise, but wipe off too easily for layout work.

The Staples Tru Red brand work better for me:

View attachment 488946
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We misinterpreted each other.

This is the same indelible sharpie mentioned that was used for making indelible boxes for listing on the white board.

Sorry for the cornfusion.
 
darkzero said:
The Sharpies are ok for quick layout & a quick cut but I also find they don't last long. If you ever need to make a part that requires quite a bit of layout & handling then proper layout fluid is so much better. Even layout can wear off eventually depending on how much the workpiece is handled.

Sharpie for layout can also be harder to see depending on lighting. Layout fluid yields much better crisp & noticeable lines IMO. At work there are many times I can barely see a scribed line with Sharpie. We don't really necessarily need layout fluid at work (automotive related) and I'm not gonna bring my own so I deal with it.

But layout fluid whether in a bottle with brush, spray can, or dauber bottle can be cumbersome & messy. I see why so many people like to use a Sharpie.
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Pro tip!

With either one you need to sometimes "Scrub in" the bluing.

What I mean is that you don't just brush it on or make a pass with the marker. That works OK for short term, but if you scrub it in with the lil brush or go over the spot with the marker, back-n-forth like before the ink dries, it cuts down through any finger oils or dirt and makes a more permanent mark.

I learned this one day while struggling with the above mentioned galvanized sheet steel.
 
darkzero said:
Holy crap 24 packs? Do these things dry out quick? I haven't owned or used a Magnum 44 Sharpie in probably 2 decades, I lost it before it dried out. I buy regular Sharpies by the 12 pack & one pack will last me years.

You guys must be marking up everything! Even the small bottle of Dykem lasts me years. :D
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Two words:

Break room tattoos!
 
Thank you, looks like it was a one time sale, item sold when I checked.
 
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