Thread: How many pencils do you need?

been there done that. Only solution is to keep a set of cheap pencils (read $2 shop) in the shed. Works for me ).

In fact I keep a few boxes inside as well )

I have 18 Lee Valley regular pencils (HB), about 6 'carpenters' pencils, a couple of the modern plastic things with adjustable leads, 5 or so pencil shapeners. I can usually find a pencil, even if it is sticking into my hand when I put it in my pants pocket ;-)

I have one of the 'cheap' steel multi-drawer tool boxes & one drawer is my marking tools drawer - sharp pencils, mitre-squares, rulers etc. Due to having a too small shed, I have to work outside & packup each day, so they have only a few hours to escape before they are all thrown back in the drawer.

You may find a tin mug ( or even a clean tin can) would make a good home for your pencils.

You just need one as long as it has lead in it.

Any tool you use a lot, you need lots of! I've got one of those old school type pencil sharpeners screwed to the wall and underneath it is a tin full of pencils and other writing/marking implements. There's usually a tape and pencil next to the drop saw and numerous pencils scattered around. I used to grab a handfull of those little pencils that the casino passes out for Keno everytime I went in there. I may have to go in again, I'm down to about a dozen pencils. They're like clamps and routers, you can always use more of them.

Mick

I may have to visit the company's stationary cupboard again soon.

Actually, I've thought of getting one of those German propelling pencils but I don't know how your supposed to sharpen the buggers. :confused:

Originally Posted by craigb

I may have to visit the company's stationary cupboard again soon.

Actually, I've thought of getting one of those German propelling pencils but I don't know how your supposed to sharpen the buggers. :confused:

Craig,
propelling pencils usually have really thin leads, .5, .7, .9mm are standard and don't need sharpening. If you mean a clutch pencil (lead is about the same thickness as a normal pencil) then they do make special sharpeners for these.

Mick

I have hundreds, if not thousands of the buggers.

Every now and then I put one on every horizontal surface I can think of so that all I have to do is reach out and grab one, and it will be there.

After about an hour, they have all migrated to one spot, which is never the same place, but is always exactly as far away from where I am as is possible in our house.

All that is except for the clutch pencils or propelling type pencils which have run out of lead, and the occasional wooden one with a broken lead.

Cheers,

P
:eek:

Doesn't that bug ya :mad:

I know there were some here the last time I looked :confused:

Same thing happens to the electrical tape, the biro's and classy pens at my computer desk :confused: And the calculator, rule, the phillips head no 1, the super glue :eek: .

And when I ask the teenagers you get that blank vacant stare followed by the roll of the eyes. :confused:

Can we call back Kojak and entice him to suck a lollipop to see who these little chinese gremlins are?

Mine grow legs and run into the darkest, furtherest spot in the workshop never to be seen or heard from again. Even the one I put in my SMOCK pocket leaps out.

You only need one ( at a time, but in order to find the bugger one needs hundreds of them!

While in Bunnings a few weeks ago I saw a heap of tape measures for $1-99 each. I figured that an 8 m tape can easily cost $16-00 each, so I grabbed 8 of these and have them plus the probably 10 that I had just all over the place. Guess what..................I still have to hunt them down when I need one.

I hope you guys have better luck!

I would be very happy with just one, as long as the pencil goblin leaves it alone!

I've got a clutch pencil and one of those little sharpeners. It's too heavy to put behind my ear though

Originally Posted by journeyman Mick

Craig,
propelling pencils usually have really thin leads, .5, .7, .9mm are standard and don't need sharpening. If you mean a clutch pencil (lead is about the same thickness as a normal pencil) then they do make special sharpeners for these.

Mick

Mick,

Yes you are right. I meant clutch pencil

When I was looking at them in Dymocks art supplies, I couldn't spot a sharpener. They also didn't have 2H leads for them either.

I guess I won't buy one from Dymocks

I keep mine in my pencil case