Author Topic: mechanical pencils (Read 17562 times)

HowardH · « **on:** January 21, 2016, 09:52 PM »

I've never seen this discussed here before so here goes. I want to get a good, solid, quality mechanical pencil for marking boards. I've discovered that a .5mm lead is way too thin as just a little pressure and it snaps off. I think if I got a quality unit I would take care of it and make sure I don't lose it. Is .9mm a good size and what would be a good unit for the money? Don't want to be stupid about it price wise but I do like quality. I wouldn't have all that Festool if I didn't. Suggestions?

Shane Holland · « **Reply #1 on:** January 21, 2016, 09:58 PM »

Howard, check out these two options below. I'm sure the forum members will have other great recommendations.

Pica 3030

Accutrax

JD2720 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 21, 2016, 10:00 PM »

I use these from Amazon.com. They work well. They work well in compasses also.

Bic .9mm pencils

TOOLTOWN · « **Reply #3 on:** January 21, 2016, 10:31 PM »

Another option is a mechanical drafting pencil and sharpener. You can get a very fine point, but it will still be sturdy.

Pencil: http://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-Mars-Technical-Mechanical-Pencil/dp/B000YQEFGU/ref=sr_1_2?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1453433422&sr=1-2&keywords=drafting+pencil

Sharpener: http://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-Rotary-Action-Pointer-502BKA6/dp/B002EL9J50/ref=pd_sim_229_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41fnryers5L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR86%2C160_&refRID=1FZ66M4K7SQ1MTF0M7B1

various hardness's of leads are available.

Ken

TSO Products · « **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2016, 10:57 PM »

I agree with Ken / TOOLTOWN: my mechanical Drafting lead holder is 20 years old and going strong. Faber Castell "Locktite" 9400using 2mm lead sharpened in a rotary sharpener which uses abrasive rather than a knife to point the lead . Sold by engineering supply and artist supply companies. Very sturdy lead and writes as fine or "fat" as I want. You'll never go back to the tiny leads used in the office environment when you're working in the woodshop.
Of course a marking knife can't be beat for precision where that is called for.

travisj · « **Reply #5 on:** January 22, 2016, 12:10 AM »

I've heard good things about the Pica. I just use the cheap disposable .5mm ones. All of my critical marking is done with a knife.

There is a thread that I followed on the garage journal forum that got fairly in depth on a high end mechanical pencil tangent. If you search "Moto Mecca Makeover" you will find it. I lost a couple of days to reading through it all. Essentially, a member of the FOG moved from NY to Seattle and documented the rehab of his new house. A lot of Festool stuff in the thread. If you like motorcycles it's a bonus as his day job was a motorcycle photographer.

Peter_C · « **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2016, 01:07 AM »

I grew to like "clicker" pencils in high school and have been using them ever since. I like how if you break the lead, without missing a beat, you go "click click" and keep on writing/drawing. For wood working I like the .9mm.

http://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Pencil-Assorted-Sold-Package/dp/B014FU3N3Q/ref=sr_1_8?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1453442662&sr=1-8&keywords=clicker+.9mm

Staniam · « **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2016, 01:16 AM »

I purchased the accutrax for myself and my father, I ended up sending them both back as the overall quality wasn't as advertised (in my opinion). The lead blade wasn't very sharp and the clip was fidgety as all heck, even detaching from the rest of the pencil regularly. I really wanted to like it because all the videos and reviews I checked out pointed to it being awesome.

After I returned the accutrax pencils I ordered two Pica's. I am in love with this pencil. At $15 it may seem expensive but it's been worth it and more for me so far. First of all its hard to lose it as the neon green stands out almost anywhere. Second, the clip has a sort of three stage clamping design and when slid all the way to the third clamp it's incredibly tight. I slide it in either my front or back right hand pockets clipped onto the pocket itself and I have to yank fairly hard to pull the entire pencil out. That's a good thing. The actual writting pencil pulls out of the overall casing but is also snugly fit. It's a mechanical pencil with a sharpener build into the holster. Very nice quality overall.

My vote is for the Pica.

Cheese · « **Reply #8 on:** January 22, 2016, 01:27 AM »

Currently, I'm a fan of Alvin mechanical pencils because of their availability. In years past, Staedtler-Mars and Faber Castell were more readily available because of my previous life...all three of them are made in Germany. They're available in .5mm, .7mm & .9mm diameters.

Remember, that along with the lead diameter, the hardness of the lead makes a huge difference in overall strength/toughness of the lead. A soft lead like 4B, 3B, 2B, B creates a dark line but is very easy to break, while a medium lead HB or F creates a medium density line and a hard lead like H, 2H, 3H, 4H, 5H or 6H, while being very tough, creates a very light line but will actually dent/groove soft woods.

My favorite for marking wood is a .7mm in HB or F. For drawing & sketching, I prefer an H or 2H in .5mm.

Simon (UK) · « **Reply #9 on:** January 22, 2016, 02:17 AM »

I bought the Incra 0.5mm mechanical pencil to go along with their precision rule.
The pencil was quite expensive for what seems to be a cheap branded item.
I got through virtually all the lead in my pencil (a few sticks) before I developed the fine motor skills needed to make a mark and not break the lead.

I will try one of the recommended ones on here next. Thank you.
Simon.

jonny round boy · « **Reply #10 on:** January 22, 2016, 02:30 AM »

I got one of the Pica pencils, and it was great - for about 3 months. Then the mechanism packed in, and it no longer propelled the lead out making it completely useless.

I still have a couple of packs of spare leads for it floating round in my toolbox...

I've tried a few 0.5mm mechanical pencils, and I've now settled on Rotring 'Tikky' ones. They're good quality but not ridiculously expensive.

Peter Parfitt · « **Reply #11 on:** January 22, 2016, 05:01 AM »

Quote from: Klemm on January 21, 2016, 10:57 PM

I agree with Ken / TOOLTOWN: my mechanical Drafting lead holder is 20 years old and going strong. Faber Castell "Locktite" 9400using 2mm lead sharpened in a rotary sharpener which uses abrasive rather than a knife to point the lead . Sold by engineering supply and artist supply companies. Very sturdy lead and writes as fine or "fat" as I want. You'll never go back to the tiny leads used in the office environment when you're working in the woodshop.
Of course a marking knife can't be beat for precision where that is called for.

If you look in my top pocket on most of my videos I have a pencil like this tucked in the top. I have four of them and not one has ever failed in about the same (20 year) timeframe. You can get different hardness of leads, they are easily sharpened to a point suitable for most carpentry work.

I also have a 0.5 mm propelling pencil which I use with my brilliant Incra Precision T Rule. I agree that the leads can break but if one takes care they are fine. I rarely use this pencil for anything other than marking with the Incra PTR.

BTW - I have the Pica Dry with soft crayon leads which is super when I am grading wood, identifying defects, doing rough out marking before jointing and planing or end marking after cutting components.

Peter

Peter

GarryMartin · « **Reply #12 on:** January 22, 2016, 05:18 AM »

Pentel P205 and Pentel Ain Stein 0.5mm HB Pencil Lead - it's supposed to be "about 10% stronger than existing Pentel leads
thanks to a ceramic cell structure" whatever that means. In practice, I don't often break leads so maybe it's a combination of the pencil and the lead. Used frequently and especially with my Incra rules.

As others have said, I use a knife for some marking.

estley · « **Reply #13 on:** January 22, 2016, 05:58 AM »

I have the pica, it was fantastic for a few months, then the sharpener stopped working and it's pretty hard to use. For the cost I guess it's fine.

GhostFist · « **Reply #14 on:** January 22, 2016, 06:38 AM »

Went through 2 picas. There won't be a 3rd

jaguar36 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 22, 2016, 07:54 AM »

Quote from: JD2720 on January 21, 2016, 10:00 PM

I use these from Amazon.com. They work well. They work well in compasses also.

Bic .9mm pencils

+1 This is what I use too. Cheap, works well, don't have to worry about losing it. I find the 0.9mm lead is still thin enough to write sharp lines but is durable and doesn't wear to quickly.

Peter Halle · « **Reply #16 on:** January 22, 2016, 08:09 AM »

Here is a pencil that I have started to use when I am doing trim:

It has 2 mm lead and can be sharpened to a sharp point, and besides the sharpener shown in the picture it also has a mini sharpener / pointer inside the cap.

Here is a link: http://www.woodcraft.com/product/158546/20mm-lead-technical-pencil-set.aspx

Peter

chewy · « **Reply #17 on:** January 22, 2016, 08:25 AM »

Quote from: HowardH on January 21, 2016, 09:52 PM

I've never seen this discussed here before so here goes. I want to get a good, solid, quality mechanical pencil for marking boards. I've discovered that a .5mm lead is way too thin as just a little pressure and it snaps off. I think if I got a quality unit I would take care of it and make sure I don't lose it. Is .9mm a good size and what would be a good unit for the money? Don't want to be stupid about it price wise but I do like quality. I wouldn't have all that Festool if I didn't. Suggestions?

If all you need to do is scribble writing on a board then 0.9 would be ideal. Personally I use 0.3mm and occasionally 0.5mm for drawing lines to cut to. If I used a 0.9 for that I wouldn't know where to cut ! - halfway on the line, left side of the line or somewhere in between. Only other thing to add is I use 2h lead which seems a bit more robust then the normal lead usually supplied with the pencil.
Good luck with your search.

Sparktrician · « **Reply #18 on:** January 22, 2016, 08:36 AM »

I've been using the Pentel P209 .9mm pencils, commonly available at Office Depot, Staples and the like. The leads are the right size for use with Woodpeckers marking guides and are nowhere near as fragile as .5mm leads. The Pica pencil is nice, but I can never seem to find it when I need it. I never have to sharpen the Pentel either.

Bohdan · « **Reply #19 on:** January 22, 2016, 08:41 AM »

Quote from: Peter Halle on January 22, 2016, 08:09 AM

Here is a pencil that I have started to use when I am doing trim:

(Attachment Link)

It has 2 mm lead and can be sharpened to a sharp point, and besides the sharpener shown in the picture it also has a mini sharpener / pointer inside the cap.

Here is a link: http://www.woodcraft.com/product/158546/20mm-lead-technical-pencil-set.aspx

Peter

My choice also as only a few screws in the attached sharpener gives you a really sharp point.

@Peter Halle Which lead do you prefer?

Peter Halle · « **Reply #20 on:** January 22, 2016, 08:48 AM »

Quote from: Bohdan on January 22, 2016, 08:41 AM

Quote from: Peter Halle on January 22, 2016, 08:09 AM
Here is a pencil that I have started to use when I am doing trim:

(Attachment Link)

It has 2 mm lead and can be sharpened to a sharp point, and besides the sharpener shown in the picture it also has a mini sharpener / pointer inside the cap.

Here is a link: http://www.woodcraft.com/product/158546/20mm-lead-technical-pencil-set.aspx

Peter

My choice also as only a few screws in the attached sharpener gives you a really sharp point.

@Peter Halle Which lead do you prefer?

Easy answer - the lead that comes with it. I tend to misplace the darn things before I use all the supplied lead.

Peter

chris s · « **Reply #21 on:** January 22, 2016, 08:58 AM »

I am with Sparktrican although I might have to try the one from woodcraft that Peter mentioned.

SRSemenza · « **Reply #22 on:** January 22, 2016, 09:33 AM »

I use several different pencils. Staedtler 2mmm lead holder for general marking. Pentel .5mm for Incra rules. Pentel .9mm for Woodpeckers T-Squares. Pentel lead.

The .9mm is perfect for the Woodpecker's items because the holes are 1mm. The Pentel GraphGear 500 is very nice for the price. On these mechanical pencils the metal tube that holds the lead extends quite a bit to help support the "point". For the .9mm I like 2B lead. It is softer but because it takes very little pressure to make a mark it tends to break less since you don't need to press down.

I like the .9mm for the Woodpecker's T-squares but not for other types of marking. The Staedtler 2mm with HB (I think) lead works well for most other things.

Seth

charley1968 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 22, 2016, 03:49 PM »

Got a .5mm and a 2mm rotring pencil. I like their weight and the fact that the ferrule is retractable.

ben_r_ · « **Reply #24 on:** January 22, 2016, 06:27 PM »

I use both the Incra and the Woodpeckers mechanical pencils myself.

HowardH · « **Reply #25 on:** January 22, 2016, 06:27 PM »

I'm going to try out the Pica and see how it works. I like the idea of a thick lead that can be sharpened to point. I've used the inexpensive bic for years and I'm just a bit heavy handed to keep from breaking the leads all the time. I did some searches and one can pay $250 for pencil if you wanted to.

I'd guard it with my life... BTW, this may be the least expensive tool we have every bantered about. That's refreshing for a change!

Jason Kehl · « **Reply #26 on:** January 22, 2016, 07:12 PM »

I've also bought 2 Pica's and won't buy a 3rd, they are great for a few weeks of general carpentry use but then the lead stops advancing.

I've had one of these from Lee Valley for over a year and it's been excellent.

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

Shane Holland · « **Reply #27 on:** January 22, 2016, 07:40 PM »

Just remembered that we have these too. What do you guys think, gimmick or worth it? I think it's better suited for rough construction.

$25 for the tape, $5 for two lead refills.

http://www.toolnut.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=quick+draw

charley1968 · « **Reply #28 on:** January 22, 2016, 07:48 PM »

Second that, Shane

otis04 · « **Reply #29 on:** January 22, 2016, 10:14 PM »

I use these, they work well, the lead at .7 mm is decent and I I don't fret when I lose or break one.

http://www.officesupersavers.com/viewItemsAct.asp?classlabel=WBAA&manufactlabel=1700349&sku=ZEB51391&gb=1&utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=comparsionshopping&gclid=CjwKEAiAw4e1BRDfi7vghaWU9jESJACzo9jucMdtQ-c0GzWG7g5UtQRpYpppjZHylYp4xkjKh1-6jRoC6HXw_wcB