Domino scratches on the base

[jbarr]

My Domino is only a week old and I've done about 20 joints or about 60 mortises as practice but I've been amazed at how easily the base is scratched. I have definitely handled it gently and simply placed it on my bench after a cut and not thrown it down. These scratches make it slightly harder to see the reference marks on the base. So 2 questions ...
Can these scratches be removed and can the reference marks be colored/highlighted or equivalent to make them more visible. Anyone done that?
The Domiplate, which I've ordered does help in this regard as it covers most of those misleading scratches.

 

[Mr.Scrappy]

Might be a dumb question, but did you remove the protective film on the plate?

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[ChuckM]

8 years old; never have the scratches on the baseplate affected the use or precision of the machine in any way.

I haven't tried this, and am not sure if it'd work (start from 053):
=emb_logo

 

[jbarr]

Might be a dumb question, but did you remove the protective film on the plate?

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Yes!

Interesting video Chuck. Not sure I'm game to try this but I just read that someone went over the reference lines with a "sharpie".
What's a "sharpie"? Pencil?

 

[ChuckM]

Sharpie...a brand name of markers.

Bic markers are equally good, if not better.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Didn’t watch the video but since the Domino base is stainless steel, whatever is done to the steel rule in the video might not be applicable.

 

[P2P]

I've never worried about the small scratches on mine.  It is a tool, not an exhibit at a museum.

 

[jbarr]

I've never worried about the small scratches on mine.  It is a tool, not an exhibit at a museum.

Not a helpful comment and that's not what I'm concerned about. Read my OP. All my tools have scratches on them but in this case reflections off those scratches at certain angles make the reference lines harder to see and I already found them hard to see straight out of the box. My eyesight isn't what it used to be. That's why  asked about highlighting them in some way

 

[Birdhunter]

I’ve tried using machinists’ blueing to highlight marks on a ruler. I applied the blueing and wiped very lightly with alcohol across the marks. It worked very well.

The alcohol will remove all the blueing if you don’t like the results. Not sure about using magic markers.

 

[jbarr]

I'll try it both ways and see which works the best but I think an ultra fine marker might be the better option.

 

[Birdhunter]

Please let us know how you solved the problem.

 

[Cheese]

I've used a Sharpie on mine. Let it dry thoroughly and even give it a 2nd coat. Then, with a BARELY damp cloth, wipe lightly at a 90º angle to the scored line. By wiping across the line there's a BETTER chance of not removing the Sharpie ink from the scored line.

If you wipe the same direction as the line, you run a greater risk of a moist fiber or two getting caught in the scored line and removing the ink/color.

 

[tsmi243]

Not a helpful comment

You get used to it after a while.  Some of these guys need something to tut about when the grandkids aren't around  [big grin]

 

[Michael Kellough]

I've used a Sharpie on mine. Let it dry thoroughly and even give it a 2nd coat. Then, with a BARELY damp cloth, wipe lightly at a 90º angle to the scored line. By wiping across the line there's a BETTER chance of not removing the Sharpie ink from the scored line.

If you wipe the same direction as the line, you run a greater risk of a moist fiber or two getting caught in the scored line and removing the ink/color.

Second the second coat of Sharpie but since the OP is not bugged by the presence of scratches but is bugged by the visual distraction of nearby extraneous scratches, I suggest following the second stroke of Sharpie with 1200 grit silicon carbide across the curser line. Maybe even 600 grit.

 

[jbarr]

Please let us know how you solved the problem.

I used a Pica fine permanent (similar to a Sharpie) marker which I already had lying around and followed Cheese's instructions and it worked well. Lines are a lot clearer. Thanks to all (nearly all) for your suggestions. I didn't use any sandpaper as Michael suggested but I have used 800 grit sandpaper on my table saw and that did remove some scratches but that's cast iron not stainless steel so I'm not sure how that would work but I don't feel that's necessary now given the clarity of the lines.

 

[jbarr]

Just a follow on to show the highlighted line. Works well