marking metal that will be heated

[surthrival]

I need the product to use for layout on metal that is going to turn cherry red and still remain visible. For instance: I want to do a precise bend on red hot stainless steel stock over the anvil. Soap stone and scribe lines are not visible. What marker or pencil is visible when the material is heated with an oxy-acy torch? The finer that mark the better.

[Timothy Miller]

Their is no such thing as a precise bend hot over the side of an anvil. You will be lucky if you get it to an 1/8". The old tried and true method it to make two center-punch marks on the line near the sides of the bar. A torch will burn off most things you can mark it with. If you have a sharp eye you can see soap stone lines in the forge. I have heard that the white pencils that a seamstress uses to mark out patterns on cloth show on hot iron but this is just hearsay.

[surthrival]

Anybody tried the Nissan high temp marker (specifically the one rated to 2000F) or the Markal "silver-streak" and "red-riter" pencils?

[CurlyGeorge]

Hobby Lobby carries a white charcoal pencil. I have used them and they seem to work well. Most of the time, though, I end up just grabbing the soap stone. :D

[John B]

White correction fluid (Tippex?) will show up to a mid to bright red heat, and can be obtained in a thin line dispenser.

[maddog]

It's by far the best thing I have found. I use a correction fluid pen to mark a line to follow with the torch. I can cut right up to it and still see it clearly.

[fciron]

the big problem in marking metal to be heated is that the surface scales off. It doesn't matter how hot the ink can go if it is attached to a gray crumb on the floor. Thus the traditional use of center punch marks; I have heard some claim that a square mark is easier to see than a round mark on glowing metal. I made a center punch with a pyramidal point, but see little difference.

Another approach is to bend a gauge out of wire. I find brazing or bare welding rod handy and I even put a little handle to keep my fingers away from the heat. You can use the gauge to check your work as well, which is nice.

[thingmaker3]

I put a soapstone mark on my hammer. I put the hammer against the edge of the anvil. Then I line up the hot steel off the edge of the anvil with the mark on the hammer. Then hit.

[David E.]

Mark a line on the workpiece that corresponds to the other side of the anvil that you will be bending on when your bend line is lined up on the edge of the anvil,always more than one way to skin a cat :)

[fciron]

I'm gonna remember those last two. Thanks.

[thingmaker3]

Mark a line on the workpiece that corresponds to the other side of the anvil that you will be bending on when your bend line is lined up on the edge of the anvil,always more than one way to skin a cat

Good idea. Occurs to me that a line on the anvil in addition & one might use this trick for punching as well as bending or setting.

[HWHII]

I had learned from a Rob Gunter demo if you grind your center punch with four sided pyramid shape instead of a round tapper it is easier to see on the hot steel. It has worked well for me.