Mar 15 2008
Chalk is cheap!
Layout work is a tedious and exacting part of woodworking. We select boards for size and grain orientation. We hope this is in part, the “art” of our work that separates our project from that which is good, to that of greatness. We sharpen our tools and skills, we buy accurate measuring and marking tools all with the hope of accurately conveying our vision. We go to work and accurately lay out the work, checking, and double-checking everything as we go to assure we have everything right. We cut our wood, taking care to get every cut right and of course they are perfect, except for the fact that the face of the board we loved so much is now going to be the back, because we got turned around while we were trying to be so careful. We did not mark our boards properly to affirm their proper orientations in the project above all else. Can you imagine being half way through with some half blinds when you discover the orientation error? Oh Man… A bummer, but it is avoidable. Buy yourself some chalk and mark your boards as to the intended orientation. Chalk is a buck for a box and it could save you thousands of dollars in layout errors over time. Wipes off, leaves no trace, keeps you on the intended track Blue painter’s masking tape and a Sharpie marker is a great adhesive notepad for on board paper brain purposes as well. As an upgrade to plain chalk, consider getting a chalk holder for your piece of chalk. It keeps you cleaner and helps keep the chalk from breaking and rolling off onto the floor. Keep it in the pocket of your apron really nice, you know, where you may find it and maybe remember to use it! You can also use the blackboard chalk as a release agent on files so that hardwoods, brass and aluminum do not so easily clog the grooves of the file, and this helps make the files work better, last longer and dull more slowly. Happy Woodworking!
