Author Topic: Pens and papers  (Read 6081 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline PlainName

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 7508
  • Country: va
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #25 on: August 27, 2020, 04:50:17 am »
Regarding graph paper, you can always print your own if you can't find the one that exactly matches your desired format/colo(u)r. I couldn't find the exactly right lab book that worked for me (at least, not at an affordable price) so ran off my own. Benefit is that I can have A4 or A5 or whatever depending on whim (A5 is more useful for 'mobile' jotting).

Just in case anyone fancies a roll-your-own, I've attached a 100-page A4 version (though, of course, any number can be printed). And an A5 slightly different version for comparison
 
The following users thanked this post: JohanH, HobGoblyn

Offline jhalar

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 76
  • Country: au
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #26 on: August 27, 2020, 05:50:09 am »
Back when I was at uni, before the CAD days, I was introduced to the Staedtler clutch drafting pencil. Its still my everyday pencil.
I tend to press hard when drawing, the 1mm mechanical pencil keeps breaking for me.



Electronics and Network Engineer. Working in both worlds.
 

Offline krish2487

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 567
  • Country: dk
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #27 on: August 27, 2020, 11:47:41 am »
Paper - a square ruled book in 5mm graticules so to speak, A4 size and smaller A5 as well.
Pencils - Staedtler mars micro 0.7mm, rotring 600 0.7 mm and a staedtler 1.3mm lead holder and a staedtler mars technico 2mm.

I love the staedtler pencils. I bought the rotring to find out how it feels in hand.. but it is way heavy for normal, continued use. Staedtler ( all of the models mentioned above) are fairly light that I can write for a long time without fatigue. Also worth mentioning, These are my firsts for staedtler so to speak. I havent lost one, broke them or anything. The oldest is the mars micro which is now about 11 years old. Other than the rubber grip going slight smooth, works perfectly every time and is usually my goto pencil.

Also, I found 0.7mm is the perfect balance between leads breaking and too heavy an impression on paper. I found 0.5mm breaks too easy and 0.99 and above are too abrasive on paper.
If god made us in his image,
and we are this stupid
then....
 

Offline Sal Ammoniac

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1764
  • Country: us
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #28 on: August 27, 2020, 05:10:07 pm »
Back when I was at uni, before the CAD days, I was introduced to the Staedtler clutch drafting pencil.

Yes! I also used one of those all through my uni days. Less so now, but I still use my original occasionally.
"That's not even wrong" -- Wolfgang Pauli
 

Offline Mortymore

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 470
  • Country: pt
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #29 on: August 27, 2020, 06:04:59 pm »
I'm always drawing or writing notes down on paper, mostly with mechanical pencils. I have a few of them.

I tend to use 0.5mm the most, with HB or B leads. But for some sketches I use a mix of 0.3mmm HB (or H) and 0.5mm HB to 2B.
I've been trying to discipline myself to draw or take notes of everything in a notebook, but I still can't help myself from drawing or taking notes on every piece of paper, envelope or something that comes to hand. In result, I collect lose papers, or lose them.

EDIT: The mechanical pencils I use the most are probably Rotring 500 or 600, Pentel Graphgear 500 and Pilot S10

EDIT2: Erasers are important also. For detail, I like the Tombow Mono Zero elastomer round and square as can be seen in a 3rd picture attached. Otherwise, Staedtler Mars plastic 528

« Last Edit: August 27, 2020, 06:32:17 pm by Mortymore »
 
The following users thanked this post: cdev, Zucca

Offline Sal Ammoniac

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1764
  • Country: us
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #30 on: August 27, 2020, 06:28:34 pm »
I also find myself taking notes and making drawings on random scraps of paper (usually printer paper taken from the printer's paper tray) rather than a lab notebook, which is almost always near to hand. I need to discipline myself to write everything in the notebook so I can find the information again when I need it.

For erasers, I prefer Staedtler Mars white plastic erasers. I have to vacuum my lab and office at least once a week to get rid of the eraser crumbs!
"That's not even wrong" -- Wolfgang Pauli
 

Offline PlainName

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 7508
  • Country: va
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #31 on: August 27, 2020, 11:48:04 pm »
That is some collection, Mortymore!
 
The following users thanked this post: Mortymore

Offline Black Phoenix

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1137
  • Country: hk
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #32 on: August 28, 2020, 12:49:51 am »
I don't mean this sarcastically or dismissively, but this is hardly a revelation. "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater" stands true here. The only people who feel that physical objects an traditional media are "outdated" are those who never used them enough (or at all). It's a little like when the iPad came out, many people saw it as the death knell for "traditional" computers - erm... nope.

Mate how is that commentary related with the thread in question? Do you have anything valuable to add as your experience with mechanical pencils, pens and papers, then please add. If not please stop with the Off Topic.

It is not the first time I see you replying with things totally unrelated with what is being discussed. Yes everyone have the right to their own opinion. But in this case you didn't add anything valued.

You could had start your post like that, and then in the end say: "but enough off topic. My experience with mechanical pencils, pens and papers are with the following products: .........."

That way you added something valuable instead of a post to steer away the conversation from the topic because just why not.
 

Online ataradov

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 11903
  • Country: us
    • Personal site
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #33 on: August 28, 2020, 12:53:34 am »
Keep smiling :)
Dude, you are being obnoxious in multiple threads. What is your problem?

And now you are deleting your messages too. Classy.
Alex
 

Offline Halcyon

  • Global Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 6120
  • Country: au
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #34 on: August 28, 2020, 05:27:49 am »
Guys, just quit it. If you're going to be a dick, you're going to piss people off. If someone hurt your feelings, get over it, it's the internet.
 

Offline AdrianFu

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 14
  • Country: au
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #35 on: August 28, 2020, 05:46:46 am »
Have a Lotring set of pens 0.1- 0.7. But unfortunately I stopped drawing for awhile due to health problems and ink dried in tips. So if someone can give me a good tip on how to free up the tips would appreciate it. The kit had everything I needed when I was at uni pens mechanical pencils set squares everything and was expensive. Noodles for the next month  :-- no beer  :-- .

Adrian
 

Offline jfiresto

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 896
  • Country: de
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #36 on: August 28, 2020, 07:32:01 am »
For erasers, my all time favorite for pencil is the Läufer PLAST-0120.
-John
 

Offline PlainName

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 7508
  • Country: va
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #37 on: August 28, 2020, 08:58:50 am »
Quote
good tip on how to free up the tips

Soaking. Coupled with a little manipulation, but the 0.35s are probably toast. When I used them professionally the only way I got to keep using them reliably was to, er, use them. And clean 'em out good before they dried if I stopped using them.

(Hope you're trying to get them going because your health has improved!)
 

Offline emece67

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • !
  • Posts: 614
  • Country: 00
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #38 on: August 28, 2020, 10:29:25 am »
.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2022, 03:53:56 pm by emece67 »
 

Offline VK3DRB

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2272
  • Country: au
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #39 on: August 28, 2020, 01:18:49 pm »
Way back when I was a high school and university, I preferred a fountain pen, especially when solving mathematical problems. It gave the maths an image of beauty like poetry. Nothing nicer than a "QED" written using a fountain pen. In those days, you could buy left hand nibs that were slightly bent the left that allowed a more comfortable writing experience for the user. To my knowledge true left hand nibs are no longer available anywhere on the planet.

To this day, I am an over-writer (write with a hook) even when using a pencil or a ballpoint pen, as are many of us older left-handers. The reason is when we were learning to write, if we wrote like a right-hander (an under-writer), we would smudge the ink with our hand as we were writing. The Israelis probably had the opposite problem.

https://www.nibs.com/content/left-handed-writers
 
The following users thanked this post: Mortymore, HobGoblyn

Offline Black Phoenix

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1137
  • Country: hk
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #40 on: August 28, 2020, 01:42:37 pm »
To this day, I am an over-writer (write with a hook) even when using a pencil or a ballpoint pen, as are many of us older left-handers. The reason is when we were learning to write, if we wrote like a right-hander (an under-writer), we would smudge the ink with our hand as we were writing. The Israelis probably had the opposite problem.

https://www.nibs.com/content/left-handed-writers

OFF-TOPIC

Ahh, so that's the reason. I have a friend that is able to write perfectly with both hands, and he is also a over-writer. Basically when I was in primary school, our teacher was one of that old school ones, and all left hand kids had to write with the right hand because "It is how it should be".

She learned how to write with the right at school while secretly at home learning to write with her left. Basically if you see the same text written you will be hard pressed to find the difference. Well you probably can because you are a left hand writer, but I as a right hand one can't find a difference in her writing.

She nowardays uses most the left hand but some times she uses the right one to not lose the practice. I on the other hand have one of the most hideous hand writings, so that I prefer to always just use a computer and print. When I write I can only write as if my hand was in CAPS LOCK all the time. For passwords and other important notes when distinction is needed, I have to understrike the letters that are lowercase. My objective until I die is to learn properly.
 

Offline CatalinaWOW

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 5569
  • Country: us
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #41 on: August 28, 2020, 04:43:46 pm »
I did a quick Google search and found several vendors for left handed pens and for left handed nibs.  If it is important to you they can be found, though prices are not low - on the order of $15 US.   Some are NOS and some are newly manufactured.  And as with everything, they may or may not be suitable to you.  Those who love fountain pens have may foibles (excuse me, very important preferences) in the specs of a perfect nib.  Stiffness, shape, details of the end shape and more, as well as the body they will fit.  The favorite nib may no longer be available.
 

Offline rdl

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 3667
  • Country: us
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #42 on: August 28, 2020, 10:35:42 pm »
I wouldn't worry about it. I've written the same way for probably 50 years and it has never been a problem. Lower case are just smaller versions of upper case. Lately I've even been using the same underline trick for indicating caps when writing down passwords.

... When I write I can only write as if my hand was in CAPS LOCK all the time. For passwords and other important notes when distinction is needed, I have to understrike the letters that are lowercase. My objective until I die is to learn properly.
 
The following users thanked this post: Black Phoenix

Offline Miti

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1405
  • Country: ca
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #43 on: August 30, 2020, 02:20:38 am »
I absolutely love my 0.5mm pencil from Rotring. I have it since my university years.
For the paper, I go green. I use the back of the tons of pages that come with every DigiKey orders.  :-DD
Fear does not stop death, it stops life.
 

Offline Bassman59

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2501
  • Country: us
  • Yes, I do this for a living
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #44 on: September 01, 2020, 07:16:46 pm »
I use rOtring mechanical pencils in 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7mm with Pentel Ain Stein 2B lead. For paper, I typically use green quadrille engineering paper in pads.



That's exactly the type of paper I prefer. When not available, standard quadrille paper is fine.

Also, Dixon Ticonderoga #2 pencils!
 

Offline floobydust

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 7678
  • Country: ca
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #45 on: September 02, 2020, 04:22:57 am »
I use that engineering paper, and if I can't find it I have an Excel spreadsheet that prints a faint grid on printer paper with my name and use that. It's thicker paper and can take erasing.
Engineering clubs at university usually sell Eng paper for fundraising. I haven't seen the green stuff for sale in any store, who really buys drafting supplies nowadays.

I have a dozen mechanical pencils and the best are knurled shanks Alvin DM05, Rotring 600. But drop one and the love affair is over, it's dead  :'(  Pentel 207 is a low cost workhorse.
Pentel ZE22 /Berol QE-103 mechanical erasers are a great match with the pencils. They seem to be long obsoleted.

Traveling on an airplane, the only way to do circuit design and a little math is with a pencil. A laptop is so much hassle and limited.
 

Offline Ed.Kloonk

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 4000
  • Country: au
  • Cat video aficionado
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #46 on: September 02, 2020, 04:33:22 am »
Ink Joy
iratus parum formica
 
The following users thanked this post: tooki

Offline dnwheeler

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 86
  • Country: us
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #47 on: September 02, 2020, 07:26:22 pm »
And sometimes Zebra F-301 Compact Ballpoint


I concur. The Zebra F-301 is the best general purpose ballpoint pen I've found in a long time. I use the standard (non-compact) version.
 

Offline ajb

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2785
  • Country: us
Re: Pens and papers
« Reply #48 on: September 02, 2020, 08:07:43 pm »
I've found I do much better with pen and paper when it comes to taking and keeping notes and todo lists.  I get SUPER picky about these things, but have found a system I like.

Notebook: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BBNNSTU/

It's big enough to hold the essentials but small enough that I can't go overboard stuffing it with supplies.  The cool thing is the binding can be opened, so you can rearrange the pages, or add a custom combination of page types, or just remove full pages for archival.  You can buy refills with the same openable binding, but the combs are a bit small.  I use the pages out of these notebooks just because they're more economical: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BBNNSTU/ 

I added the covers from one of them to the notebook so that I always have a solid surface to write against instead of the fabric cover.  I keep lined pages in the front for to-do lists, grid paper in the middle for general sketching/notes, and more lined paper in the back for journal-type entries.  Being able to rearrange pages is really nice and makes this system work quite well for me.

I keep a pen and pencil (both Rotring 800) in the outside pen pockets, and the flap top has a clickable eraser, one highlighter, and a couple of extra pens and markers.  I keep a small ruler, triangle, eraser shield, and some post-it flags as well.  The Rotring 800s are very nice all-metal construction, and the entire tip of the mechanical pencil retracts to keep it and the notebook safe from damage.  They often go on sale on Amazon for ~$25, which is still expensive, but much more palatable than their normal $60 price tag.  Still need to get a better refill for the pen, the stock one is ok but not amazing.  Here's the contents:



Eraser: Uni E-Knock(Discontinued?  :'( )
Backup pencil: Uni Shift Pipe Lock Retractable mechanical pencil
Backup pen: Zebra Sarasa Grand with Signo refill
Alt color pen: Pilot G-2 Red
Generic highlighter
Sharpies
Eraser Shield
3" 45/90 triangle
6" Machinists scale
Post-it flags.

I'll probably eliminate the sharpies since I always have them around anyway, and I'd like to replace the ruler and triangle with nice plastic ones that will be less hard on the notebook, just haven't found ones I like yet.

Just to prove it all fits nicely:


Edit: So we have the "expandable thumbnail in message" options for attachments now, but they don't work?
« Last Edit: September 02, 2020, 08:10:54 pm by ajb »
 
The following users thanked this post: Mortymore


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf