Mechanical pencils
- Thread starter l0pht
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Superfine lines: Zebra Delguard 0.3mm in the shop - unbreakable, Google for the video - or Pantel 120 A3DX 0.3mm in the office; (H and HB)
Fine lines (e.g. for domino placement lines): Graphgear 1000 Pantel 0.5mm; HB
General marking: Lee Valley 0.7mmhttps://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/sho...204-one-dozen-mechanical-pencils?item=88N1402 ; HB
Dark wood: Pic-Dry, white https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/sho...ring/pencils/71121-pica-dry-mechanical-pencil
For precision lines (e.g. hinge layout): Marking knives (4 different kinds in the shop).
Fine lines (e.g. for domino placement lines): Graphgear 1000 Pantel 0.5mm; HB
General marking: Lee Valley 0.7mmhttps://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/sho...204-one-dozen-mechanical-pencils?item=88N1402 ; HB
Dark wood: Pic-Dry, white https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/sho...ring/pencils/71121-pica-dry-mechanical-pencil
For precision lines (e.g. hinge layout): Marking knives (4 different kinds in the shop).
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Pentel Graphgear 500 ( or 1000) in .9mm is perfect for Woodpeckers T-Squares, saddle squares, and the like. Perfect fit in the holes. Since it fills the 1mm holes almost completely (and is not tapered) there is no wiggle room to introduce +/- to the mark or line. 2B lead marks easily with out pressing down much at all. The heavier metal end makes it easy to "stand" the pencil vertically in the hole.
Same in .5mm for Incra rule holes.
Staedtler 780 2mm with HB lead for making 'V' marks or drawing along a straight edge. You'll need a pointer.
Alvin Techmatic that I leave blunt for writing on wood.
[attachimg=1] [attachimg=2] [attachimg=3] [attachimg=4] [attachimg=5]
Seth
Same in .5mm for Incra rule holes.
Staedtler 780 2mm with HB lead for making 'V' marks or drawing along a straight edge. You'll need a pointer.
Alvin Techmatic that I leave blunt for writing on wood.
[attachimg=1] [attachimg=2] [attachimg=3] [attachimg=4] [attachimg=5]
Seth
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I use Bic Criterium mechanical pencils and recently bought a pack of 12 as I seem to leave them everywhere including inside some finished pieces !
I mention them at about the 2 minute 45 second point in this video:
For finer work I use the brilliant Incra Precision T Rule with a 0.5 mm pencil.
Peter
I mention them at about the 2 minute 45 second point in this video:
For finer work I use the brilliant Incra Precision T Rule with a 0.5 mm pencil.
Peter
Unless it's defective, it's very very hard (pun not intended) to break the 0.3mm lead, but you must keep the lead under 0.5mm long, which means just one push of the cap whenever you need a fresh lead. The lead easily breaks when you push two or three times. Image shows more or less the max. length I keep the lead in the pencil; when I can't write anymore, I push the cap once.rmhinden said:
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I favour a Rotring Rapid Pro 0.5mm pencil which has a sleeve around the lead so that it supports the lead as well as retracting as the lead wears:https://www.rotring.com/uk/mechanical-pencils/265-rapid-pro-mechanical-pencil-3501170949351.html
filled with 4B Pentel Ain Stein leads:https://www.cultpens.com/i/q/PN21990/pentel-ain-stein-lead-05mm
These fit perfectly in the Incra rulers.
Andrew
filled with 4B Pentel Ain Stein leads:https://www.cultpens.com/i/q/PN21990/pentel-ain-stein-lead-05mm
These fit perfectly in the Incra rulers.
Andrew
Sparktrician
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SRSemenza said:
I also use the 0.9mm Pentel pencils (P209) with Woodpeckers devices, not to mention for every-day marking. Everything else breaks too quickly.
There are some fancy pencils shown above. I can't say much as I have a gold plated pen I bought for signing sales contracts.
Oddly enough I have found I like a cheap pencil, as I like the side advance button for the lead on Pental Quicker Clickers. Started using one in high school and never felt the need to look at others. The back push button just doesn't do it for me, and that is where the eraser belongs. That and I drop them often enough I don't want to spend $$. For rough construction my go to is a 0.9mm lead, and I typically use a 0.5mm for finer work, and a knife blade sometimes for a razor sharp line.
Oddly enough I have found I like a cheap pencil, as I like the side advance button for the lead on Pental Quicker Clickers. Started using one in high school and never felt the need to look at others. The back push button just doesn't do it for me, and that is where the eraser belongs. That and I drop them often enough I don't want to spend $$. For rough construction my go to is a 0.9mm lead, and I typically use a 0.5mm for finer work, and a knife blade sometimes for a razor sharp line.
I use a Pentel mechanical pencil .7mm lead. They are $6 on Amazon and a pack of 12 for $33. If in doubt try a few different lead sizes .9mm is fine also so when I’m rough cutting prior to chasing a dimension I’ll use a .9mm. I would think that a .5mm is a good lead size. It also depends on the ferrule and how well is supports the lead. So I guess your post is really a 2 question post. What lead size and who make a good pencil that will last. I can tell you first hand if you stick your pencil in your pocket facing up, you’ll eventually grab it and stab yourself in the hand. I also have the woodpecker.9mm pencil. I think I paid $16 for it and I see it’s $9 now. Made in the 
with red plastic! I would also look into ACCUTRAX PENCIL BLADE woodpecker sells it .62mm and goes into a utility knife. Interesting concept. I agree with the other posters, get a scribing knife. I use a Pfeil and there are others like Hocktools and look at leevalley, woodcraft and rockier. Also depending on if your using a measuring gauge, infra, woodpecker etc different tools require different lead thicknesses.
with red plastic! I would also look into ACCUTRAX PENCIL BLADE woodpecker sells it .62mm and goes into a utility knife. Interesting concept. I agree with the other posters, get a scribing knife. I use a Pfeil and there are others like Hocktools and look at leevalley, woodcraft and rockier. Also depending on if your using a measuring gauge, infra, woodpecker etc different tools require different lead thicknesses.Scoring with a needle point along, or a single bevel knife across the grain works best for me. I've already "started" the cut this way, which helps minimise feathered edges.
I sometimes visually enhance a cut or score mark with a 0.7mm pencil lead should vision be an issue, but the primary mark is physical rather than an ephemeral pencil line.
I sometimes visually enhance a cut or score mark with a 0.7mm pencil lead should vision be an issue, but the primary mark is physical rather than an ephemeral pencil line.
Thanks Chuck. I already took them apart and 2 of the 3 seem fine. I didn't have a cleaning pin but just ordered one so hopefully it will work.
Cleaning pin came today (about $2 with free delivery from Staples) and 2 of the three are back to working well. One went through washer several times and was beyond repair. I have trouble seeing the cleaning pin but that is my old eyes.
Cleaning pin came today (about $2 with free delivery from Staples) and 2 of the three are back to working well. One went through washer several times and was beyond repair. I have trouble seeing the cleaning pin but that is my old eyes.
threesixright
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+1 for the pica. Mine fell plenty of times and it stays in one piece.
Also for fine work you can sharpen the point.
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Also for fine work you can sharpen the point.
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Cheese
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Here's a previous post on mechanical pencils.
https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/other-tools-accessories/mechanical-pencils/msg487908/#msg487908
https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/other-tools-accessories/mechanical-pencils/msg487908/#msg487908
P2P
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I've long had an affection for really fine writing instruments. My wife would call it an obsession, but... [embarassed]
I use pencils almost exclusively for my writing chores, and the collection came along from about 25 years of my having to do technical drawings and schematics for my real job. These two photos show the majority of my collection. A mix of .3, .5, .7, and .9 lead.
Not even going to mention the cost of some of these. At the end of the day they all do the same thing, but sometimes it is just really nice to hold a quality instrument in your hand. This thread appearing on FOG is very apropos because we could all settle for using entry level power tools from Ace Hardware, but we don't.
Suffice to say that most of these are never used outside of my office, let alone in my shop!
I use pencils almost exclusively for my writing chores, and the collection came along from about 25 years of my having to do technical drawings and schematics for my real job. These two photos show the majority of my collection. A mix of .3, .5, .7, and .9 lead.
Not even going to mention the cost of some of these. At the end of the day they all do the same thing, but sometimes it is just really nice to hold a quality instrument in your hand. This thread appearing on FOG is very apropos because we could all settle for using entry level power tools from Ace Hardware, but we don't.
Suffice to say that most of these are never used outside of my office, let alone in my shop!
