Just curious, what kind of pencil do you use for layout.

I sometimes like to use a drafting pencil with a nice hard lead in it like a 4H to maintain sharpness and to some extent cut a little.

What do you use?

P.S. This one from Lee Valley has peaked my interest but am concerned about the price.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=45504&cat=1,42936,43509

I've used a lead holder from my drafting board days:

http://www.staedtler.com/en/products/pen...788-leadholder/

Works well on smooth / s4s material.
Okay on rough stuff.
For rough stuff I like the Mirado Black Warrior.
Or a traditional carpenters pencil, sharpened on my chisel or with a layout knife.

I've also used the mechanical clicky pencils.
OK on smooth stuff.
No go on rough stuff, although I haven't tried the thicker leads.

We use a soft lead in a .5 or .7 mm mechanical pencil, if we use a pencil. Most of the time we use a .7 mm pen and/or a traditional bamboo marking pen with ink from our "sumitsubo."

"fine line fine cut."

Regards,

jay

Hello,

Have stopped with pencils for the most part and am using self-made bamboo pen and ink on all wood surfaces.

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff

Bamboo pens? You two have a picture of these instruments?

What if you lay-out your shoulder too short? Advantages / Disadvantages?

Jay, yes "fine line fine cut". With my brief experience that is the basis for me. Consistently a fine accurate line, from there I work to different sides when cutting depending on the joint. Without the fine line and with the same approach....well, sloppy.

I no longer use pencils, instead, I strike lengths with an awl from tape story pole and from reference edge with homemade gauges, I strike cheeks and gains. After striking, I check and then ink, freehand inside the scratch, with split quill ruling pens. The result is clear and completely specific. I detail with chalk, crayon and sharpies.

Interesting. Tape story pole? Is this a length of tape that you can write on without typical graduation?

Like to see a picture of that too, and your homemade gauges please.

Forget that this thread is labeled "Pencils". I wish I could change it to lay-out tools. Although I am still using pencils....

'fine line, fine cut'

i learned to roll my pencil / lead holder from a pair of artists i worked for.
sort of self sharpening, once you get the hang of it.

Another great conversation,

There are many different styles, and I am sure names as well, but what I make and use most often is a Sumisashi-(sorry I had the Kanji here but the stupid graphics on this forum don't work at all-literal translation: Ink Feed.) When I was still and apprentice, I have seen entire frames cut without a tape measure, and often today, once we have a design and a story pole created, (vertical stick blue print,) there is no more use of a tape measure.

Just as Roger N. suggested you take your datum off the story pole and strike a mark with a knife (or pencil,) recheck your layout with some form of "back check," and then, in our case, because we use line rule, you set you layout templates on your target marks and ink the cut lines of the joint, Highlight the waste with "hashi," marks.

Roger peaked my interest with a tape story pole. I would be very much interested in a "tape measure" with a blank writable face along its length.

I think I will be building this very soon for some centered mortise and tenons. With a little more substantial members.

EDIT: getting a better picture.

by the way my waste marks are an oval.