Layout dye

Topics include, Machine Tools & Tooling, Precision Measuring, Materials and their Properties, Electrical discussions related to machine tools, setups, fixtures and jigs and other general discussion related to amateur machining.

Moderators: GlennW, Harold_V

User avatar
SteveHGraham
Posts: 7788
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 7:55 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Layout dye

Post by SteveHGraham »

I like the contrast of a blue Sharpie, because metal is grey, not blue.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
User avatar
tornitore45
Posts: 2077
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:24 am
Location: USA Texas, Austin

Re: Layout dye

Post by tornitore45 »

Has anyone else ever had a problem with spray cans leaking or exploding?
I was painting from a can of red enamel.
The nozzle plugged, but for an insane reason I thought it fizzled out so I poked a small hole on the top.
Gas gushed out, but not fast enough for my taste, so I pounded a bigger hole.
My entire shop looks like a murder scene.
Sometime intelligent people do indescribably stupid things.
Mauro Gaetano
in Austin TX
spro
Posts: 8016
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:04 pm
Location: mid atlantic

Re: Layout dye

Post by spro »

One area of my basement shop had similar treatment. I don't remember why that can of white paint was sitting there. I was actually cleaning and that can hit some object on the floor. It started spewing paint everywhere. Got white stripes across machine bases, tooling, etc.
spro
Posts: 8016
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:04 pm
Location: mid atlantic

Re: Layout dye

Post by spro »

I regret my earlier post about blue dye. I've never used "dye" but Prussian Blue and Dykem. So the post was based on neither directly and falls into the category of rhetorical hyperbole.
TimTheGrim
Posts: 115
Joined: Sat Sep 13, 2003 2:47 pm
Location: El Paso, TX

Re: Layout dye

Post by TimTheGrim »

When I worked for ASCO back in ‘85, our Tool Room Foreman came back from a meeting and immediately confiscated all 23 bottles of blue Dykem from each bench. He then distributed new unopened bottles in their place. The explanation was that a component in the old ingredients was now banned and this was for our safety. The new blue formula sucked and I’ve tended to prefer red ever since. Since then I have a stainless nut in my blue bottle and shake it before use. Red I don’t have to.
Illigitimi non Carborundum
'96 Birmingham mill, Enco 13x40 GH and Craftsman 6x18 lathes, Reid 2C surface grinder. Duro Bandsaw and lots of tooling from 30+ years in the machining trades and 15+ years in refinery units. Now retired
johnfreese
Posts: 219
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 2:10 am

Re: Layout dye

Post by johnfreese »

I had Dykem in cans with the brush attached to the screw top. Eventually the dye builds up on the threads and makes it hard to open and close and does not seal tight so you can't shake the can. I have spray cans of Dykem that spray everything around the part I am working on. Sometimes the nozzles plug. Both the brush cans and spray cans are a pain. Next purchase will be the roller pen type. I tried Sharpies and felt markers but they don't show a scribed line as will as Dykem.
User avatar
mcostello
Posts: 963
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 10:45 pm
Location: Lancaster, Ohio

Re: Layout dye

Post by mcostello »

Just as an aside, the reason I went with red was because the shop I worked at only had blue. I used to do government jobs a lot and got tired of Everyone thinking I was working on Company parts and refusing to take lunch. Fat chance of that. They got used to noticing the red layout dye and left Me alone to proceed on with things. Which is how My small home based shop had it's beginnings.
User avatar
Harold_V
Posts: 20227
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Layout dye

Post by Harold_V »

tornitore45 wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 3:43 pm
Has anyone else ever had a problem with spray cans leaking or exploding?
I was painting from a can of red enamel.
The nozzle plugged, but for an insane reason I thought it fizzled out so I poked a small hole on the top.
Gas gushed out, but not fast enough for my taste, so I pounded a bigger hole.
My entire shop looks like a murder scene.
Sometime intelligent people do indescribably stupid things.
Chuckle!!

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
User avatar
wlw-19958
Posts: 1072
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2006 5:41 pm
Location: Lewes, DE

Re: Layout dye

Post by wlw-19958 »

Hi There,
tornitore45 wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 3:43 pm I was painting from a can of red enamel.
The nozzle plugged, but for an insane reason I thought it fizzled out so I poked a small hole on the top.
Gas gushed out, but not fast enough for my taste, so I pounded a bigger hole.
My entire shop looks like a murder scene.
Sometime intelligent people do indescribably stupid things.
Hah-Hah!

I did a similar thing. Back when I was young and more prone
to outbursts of frustration and anger, I was working on my car
and things weren't going well. I forget now what it was that
ticked me off so much but I swore and threw a screwdriver
across the garage and wouldn't you know, it hit a spray can
of green paint with the tip and pierced it. The can was on the
ledge of the garage window and it shot around the ledge, coating
the window and then down onto the floor making a mess. It
certainly distracted me and I had to laugh. I knew I couldn't
have done that if I tried but crazy things happen.

Good Luck!
-Blue Chips-
Webb
User avatar
Gary Armitstead
Posts: 279
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:35 am
Location: Burbank, CA

Re: Layout dye

Post by Gary Armitstead »

During my 45+ years in the die sinking trade (made forging dies), I always used red. The shop provided the smaller cans with the built-in brush and also provided provided red and blue Dykem in 1 gallon jugs. It was always up to the preference of each die sinker to use what they liked. Because forging dies can take 4-8 weeks to machine (on average), red always seemed to be better for me and stayed nice and red thought the milling process (always used air on the cutter to remove chips and if drilling was involved, the red always stayed and no separation, can't say that with blue)......the sharp contrast between the steel and the the scribed line worked better for me with the shop lighting and lights on the hydrotels. I never shook either color (waste of time IMHO :))

I STILL use red in my home shop. And I much prefer the can rather than the spray (another waste of money :))
Gary Armitstead
Burbank, CA
Member LALS since 1980
Member Goleta Valley Railroad Club 1980-1993
User avatar
Harold_V
Posts: 20227
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Layout dye

Post by Harold_V »

Gary Armitstead wrote: Wed Oct 17, 2018 2:03 pm Because forging dies can take 4-8 weeks to machine (on average),
Must have been some huge dies. Is it possible you could share with us what they were typically used for?

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
Post Reply