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Rookie Sheet Metal Working Question: marking pen(cil)

Saville

Well Known Member
I'm making the mounting plate for my Andair Left - Right - Off valve.

What, in your opinion, is the best marking tool to draw on the aluminum? I'm using a fine marker but I cant get it close to the edge of an overlapping plate or component.

Seems to me you want something that can get into a corner, and make a line thick enough to be useful but not too thick.

What do the experts suggest?

Thanks!
 
Pencil of course is hard graphite and scratches and graphite corrodes aluminum so not the best choice.

Fine felt tip is best for me. Have one pen you use sparingly only for fine work so it stays like new fine. I suspect you are down to micrometer level tolerances 0.001, which might be over kill. Cut on one side of the "fat" line leaving the line or removing it (decide what you are aiming for). If you are really getting into high tolerance you can score the metal with a scribe which is a very fine line. Another time honored method is cut "fat" and file down to your desired cut line as you take measurements.
 
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Pencil of course is hard graphite and scratches and graphite corrodes aluminum so not the best choice.

Fine felt tip is best for me. Have one pen you use sparingly only for fine work. I suspect you are getting down to micrometer level tolerances 0.001, which might be over kill. Cut on one side of the "fat" line leaving the line or removing it.

Good advice on the pencil. Though I was thinking about those Crayola color pencils which seem to use a waxy kind of "lead". Don't know if that would scratch.

I always cut into the waste and trim back to the line. But the problem (for me) is JUUUUST eliminating the line and not going further.
 
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I bought a box of the fine line blue markers on Amazon. I can still never find one when I need one.:D

I tried red and black, but the blue for me is the best choice. It?s the most visible.
 
Blue ultra-fine sharpies will get you to within 0.050". If you need to go more accurate than that, use a regular blue sharpie (or Dykem blue), paint the surface and use a scribe to lightly remove the blue. That'll get you to within 0.001".
 
It's already been said, but to reiterate, graphite pencils are a big no-no on aluminum. I'm my past life doing repair design on heavies, there were a few instances with text, writing, and drawings perfectly corroded into panels. Fine point sharpies were the utensil of choice with the professionals as well.

Another big benefit for me is that it bleeds through AKZO primer. Makes part numbering easy.
 
I ordered a couple of Blue Ultra-Fine sharpies from Amazon. Will be here Thursday.

Thanks everyone for their suggestions.
 
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