Thread: Colour leads for marking timber

Originally Posted by Mountain Ash

Hi Martin. Have you seen the Pica range of mechanical pencils? I bought one (and a extra packet of white leads) recently for marking on dark timbers. Works well but they are easy to snap. Leads are sort of waxy and soft.

Hi Ma

Indulged in one of the pica's. Kind of expensive for a plastic pencil plus pack of leads. Didn't love it as for the reasons you have stated. A sharpened tip breaks up straight away, then drawing with a thick crayon. Prefer the consistent lines from narrow mechanical pencils.
The leads are inexpensive and I had the pencils already.

Also, tried the soapstone sticks Michael suggested. They are also pretty good. Carved the edge to a single side bevel. The ship tip wears quickly but then the tip stabilises.

So why try another- main objective of trying the yellow is to see if it stands out on as wide a variety of timber as possible, light and dark. Then there is a single markup pencil to deploy.

If I have joy with the pilot yellow leads will note so here on the forum, but they are in snail mail. Not due until mid April.

Originally Posted by MartinCH

Hi Ma


If I have joy with the pilot yellow leads will note so here on the forum, but they are in snail mail. Not due until mid April.

Yellow arrived, not a huge jump from the light blue, but useful as well.

Interestingly, how that I have an array of "colours" they are arrayed to my right while marking up and use different colours for varying aspects. I suspect there is not a 'serious' reason for this - but the result looks nicer while working and I suppose that helps for paying attention.


Cheers