The Framers Forum

Hi All,

I need to get a set if marker pens for colouring mitred cut edges before joining.

Does it matter if they're permanent or watercolour markers?

Also, anyone recommend a set off fleabay or wherever that has a range of useful colours?

Ta

You need the whiteboard markers
Dave

sorry meant to say the whiteboard marker in black and the simonart touch up pens for woods

thanks Dave - just opening an account with Symons.

So if I use markers, are permanent ones a no-no?

I've not heard of using the dry wipe markers before, so that a new one for me to try some time, but to give the best answer that I can there's a lot of framers out there using quite a number of different makes and varieties of markers other than those markers available from our usual framing suppliers. I quite happily use black markers from "Nice Day" which I get from Viking Direct, but to be honest I don't think it's very easy to compare the useful life of one brand, or type of marker against other markers on the market.

I'm rather unsure about using water colour markers, because there are so many cheap low quality ones of the market and usually they are not described as permanent, so if they are not permanent, than how do we quantify that.

Finding cheap good black markers is relatively easy, other colours are less so. The usual wood colours available from our usual framing suppliers seem to be filled with wood stains and most if not all of these are spirit based. Finding anything that works for touching up white is the hardest of all, I've tried the Edding white marker sold by Lion, I would not say that it ideal as it can take ages getting the white stuff into the felt tip before use, but it's the only white marker I am aware of.

I imagine that it would be feasible to refill the spirit based wood colour markers with spirit based wood stains, but I've never tried it and quite often the felt tips on some markers are subject to enough wear to make refilling them of questionable advantage. However, if it runs out and you already have the right colour of spirit based wood stain, I guess it might be worth seeing what happens if you try it.

I have always used the "Chartpack" brand markers myself, but as far as making comparisons with other brands, I have not used other brands so you'll need to ask others about that.

Hi Dan/Mark
I only use the whiteboard marker in black to touch the edges of the black frames before joining if it gets on the moulding it just wipes off with the permanent markers it will leave a purple mark.

I have had a set of the spirit stain markers from simons for years now so there are possibly cheaper alternatives on e bay,

As for white mouldings i use the white touch up cream but what i have done is made up a small mount say 100mm square and cut a window about 20mm all around stuck some clear cellophane on top of the mount board and cut a small slit about 1.5mm wide and 50mm long i . place this on top of the joints and touch up through the slit so minimal of the cream goes on the frame itself.
Hope that makes sense.
Dave

For white frames use the white chalk markers that restaurants and pubs use for their menu boards - works a treat.

Thanks guys.

Was worried I was over-thinking it (not usually an issue for me!).

I was just paranoid about using permanent, and the ink bleeding in and ruining the corners (over time).

Mark/all, I wonder what those car tyre pens are like for whites.....they must be quite 'juicy' if they can fill colour in on car tyre walls.

I've always used to Edding 750 markers - they're perfect for what I need, I only really use two colours - black and brown, between them 98.4% of everything I do is covered. (no pun intended)

I used to get them from Lion but they can be picked up much cheaper via eBay