ID's for marking lumber and slabs

xlogger · May 25, 2015, 06:31:22 AM

Now that I'm stepping up my little operation I'm cutting different species and need to mark them for id and date to look at months later. Heck I forget at my age what I did yesterday sometimes :D. I started using a lumber crayon, I would not think that would be hard to sand off. What do any of you use? Some things are just going to be air dry before the solar kiln.

woodman58 · May 25, 2015, 07:35:44 AM

I use the fat cheap chalk from the Dollar store. As long as the wood does not get wet, it stays on.

GeneWengert-WoodDoc · May 25, 2015, 08:29:51 AM

I have seen green lumber marked with a lumber crayon and the slightly faded marks were still visible after drying. I have seen yellow used on walnut and it is fairly clear after drying.

Oftentimes the edges of several pieces in a stack might be marked with an identification of species, grade, thickness and date. A few times I have even seen bar codes used on a stack, but not individual pieces.

WIwoodworker · May 25, 2015, 10:45:12 AM

I also use the fat chalk Woodman58 described and I mark them right off the saw. I use it to write slab order on the ends of the boards and sometimes sizes on the pieces so I don't have to bust out a tape every time someone wants to know how big a specific slab is.

mesquite buckeye · May 25, 2015, 01:39:53 PM

Pencil doesn't wash or rub off even if it lays out in the weather. That is how plant stakes get marked for field trials where the stuff needs to be readable after months in the weather. ;D

tule peak timber · May 25, 2015, 02:50:15 PM

I cut beer cans into strips and use an awl to date , code , identify lifts. I pound the tag in with a nail and it works pretty well...Rob

xlogger · May 26, 2015, 05:36:41 AM

Beer cans sounds like a good idea, I'm going to plan on doing a lot so I need to start emptying some cans :D.

tule peak timber · May 26, 2015, 07:54:19 AM

Yes,,,,, there are side benefits from making tags this way ! ;D

GeneWengert-WoodDoc · May 26, 2015, 08:21:22 AM

As the forum members seem always so helpful, I think that this might be a great opportunity to help a fellow member. However, it is critical that only fresh cans be used be use, so no road kill. If each FF member contributed a dozen, he might have enuf...maybe two dozen per member would be better. It does sound like there is an urgent need for these, so maybe they should arrive prior to July 4. Due to high shipping costs today, it would seem that "no extra weight" means all should be emptied first before shipping.