Pencil ??

I’m new to shaping and my first couple of boards have came out super. I got most of the technic down for a begginer. The only problem i’m running into is what type of pencil should i use to write the shape size on the bottom? The foam is soft and a normal pencil is to hard for me to sign it on the bottom, plus i tried a marker and it bleeds. If anyone could help that would be super. My shaping is good, my glassing is good, and my sanding is ok, but i’m working on that. If i just can figure out what pencil will write easy on the soft foam that would be great. Thanks, Steve

Why chance wrecking the soft foam, when you’ve got a perfectly hard stringer to write on? Stringers will accept a #2 or even a #3 pencil easily.>>> I’m new to shaping and my first couple of boards have came out super. I > got most of the technic down for a begginer. The only problem i’m running > into is what type of pencil should i use to write the shape size on the > bottom? The foam is soft and a normal pencil is to hard for me to sign it > on the bottom, plus i tried a marker and it bleeds. If anyone could help > that would be super. My shaping is good, my glassing is good, and my > sanding is ok, but i’m working on that. If i just can figure out what > pencil will write easy on the soft foam that would be great. Thanks, Steve

Why chance wrecking the soft foam, when you’ve got a perfectly hard > stringer to write on? Stringers will accept a #2 or even a #3 pencil > easily. Thanks, I guess that will work to, just saw that a lot of boards that i bought growing up had them signed below the stringer. Thanks for your help Steve

Steve…the higher the number lead, the softer it is. Go to an art supply store, and they’ve got the high numbers (used for sketching in different values). Bring a chip of foam to the store, and test 'em out for your application.

When signing on the foam I use a Derwent Sketching pencil. It worked good for me. However, I have reverted to signing on the stringer. I feel it gives it a cleaner look. And in that case I use a #2 pencil. Hope that helps some. Andy

When signing on the foam I use a Derwent Sketching pencil. It worked good > for me. However, I have reverted to signing on the stringer. I feel it > gives it a cleaner look. And in that case I use a #2 pencil. Hope that > helps some. Andy How about using a charcoal leaded pencil. You can get them in the art store. Just round the tip off and you aught to have something that works great. Good Surfin’, Rich

How about using a charcoal leaded pencil. You can get them in the art > store. Just round the tip off and you aught to have something that works > great.>>> Good Surfin’, Rich Thanks for all your help. I’ll give those art pencil a try. Thanks again, Stephen

i’d stick with graphite. get a nice fat 7B or 8B pencil and you’re in…if the stringer’s less than 1/4" i write on the foam.

I’m new to shaping and my first couple of boards have came out super. I > got most of the technic down for a begginer. The only problem i’m running > into is what type of pencil should i use to write the shape size on the > bottom? The foam is soft and a normal pencil is to hard for me to sign it > on the bottom, plus i tried a marker and it bleeds. If anyone could help > that would be super. My shaping is good, my glassing is good, and my > sanding is ok, but i’m working on that. If i just can figure out what > pencil will write easy on the soft foam that would be great. Thanks, Steve Steve, me and the boys all use a carpenters pencil, you know those flat ones. The lead is big and wide and works great on foam. Aloha