To make precise, clearly visible marks on dark or coarse-grained woods, I lay down a piece of white artist’s tape first, and mark on that. It’s a low-tack tape, similar to blue tape, so it comes off easily, and it takes pencil marks and erases nicely. You can find it at most art-supply stores.
From FWW #267
Drawings by Dan Thornton
More on FineWoodworking.com:
- Tape: Unsung Hero of the Shop – These 4 rolls will help you cut cleanly, lay out clearly, and clamp securely
- Quick Way to Find the End of the Tape – If, like me, you have fought with a roll of clear packing tape trying to find the end, here is a simple solution
- How to Cut Perfect Dovetails with Tape – How painter’s tape can help you cut the perfect dovetails
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Comments
Or you could use a white pencil. I finally found a use for all my kids white ones.
I've been on a search for the perfect white pencil lately. I have issues.
The best artist tape I've found for this is Scotch 3M Low Tack Artist Tape, it has the best matte finish and is the easiest to write on. Many other artist tapes are a bit shiny and don't take pencil as easily. Results with the tape are much sharper than any white pencil I've ever used.
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