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Paint pens anyone?

Acuratechva

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Joined
Mar 4, 2013
Messages
438
Location
Virginia Beach VA
Hey all, im sure you've all seen brand new engines and other parts come marked from factory, and i've seen some builders use them as well. Wanted to grab some paint pens for high end builds but starting to see that there are so many options but none are really advertised for automotive use. Something that wont stop working first time it sees tiny oil.

Then there is paint pen vs marker decision aaahh. Dykem is about the only automotive related brand offering Markers all else online is just making my head spin

If anyone can recommend something they have used that would be awesome!


 
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redragoon

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Jun 12, 2018
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296
Location
Greenville SC
Where I work, we use the uniPAINT markers from Mitsubishi pencil. The ATF we use immediately wipes away Sharpie markers.
https://www.uline.com/Product/Detai...Markers-Yellow?model=S-19423Y&RootChecked=yes

These are oil and fuel resistant. They also have not worn off when painted on the side of an engine block on top of factory paint.
The paint can be removed with scrubbing tools, but it works very well for our use.
 

jimkinney

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Joined
Jan 3, 2009
Messages
299
Location
Florida's Space Coast
Sharpie has a 5 color (black, white, blue, red & yellow) pack of paint pens, not markers. They are available at Walmart. Haven't used them in automotive apps, but seemed to work well elsewhere.
 

charbar

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Feb 6, 2021
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Midwest
I use these all the time in my shop. I like the metal tip better than the fat felt like tips on the Dykem markers I have. They work much better and last longer in my experience.

 

Bert_

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Dec 24, 2016
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Location
NW Iowa
Not sure what they do to make different colors but blue is by far the best marker.
 

Dmm698

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Sep 21, 2015
Messages
50
Where I work, we use the uniPAINT markers from Mitsubishi pencil. The ATF we use immediately wipes away Sharpie markers.
https://www.uline.com/Product/Detai...Markers-Yellow?model=S-19423Y&RootChecked=yes

These are oil and fuel resistant. They also have not worn off when painted on the side of an engine block on top of factory paint.
The paint can be removed with scrubbing tools, but it works very well for our use.
Same, powertrain R&D for a major tier 1. I don’t see it come off even when used inside the engine cover on internal fasteners.
 

cgrutt

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Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
8,328
I bought a couple of acrylic paint markers at local art supply worked good. I bought one in blue and one in red. Unfortunately can't seem to find them but I think they were these (if not same brand they looked very similar)...

s-l960.jpg

This is a part I marked last year still holding up good.

20230621_192530.jpg

Note the ink will come off with solvents (parts cleaner, brake cleaner, etc so be careful if you're marking timing etc that you don't disolve markings before they're needed.
 
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cgrutt

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Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
8,328
I bought a couple of acrylic paint markers at local art supply worked good. I bought one in blue and one in red. Unfortunately can't seem to find them but I think they were these (if not same brand they looked very similar)...

s-l960.jpg

This is a part I marked last year still holding up good.

20230621_192530.jpg

Note the ink will come off with solvents (parts cleaner, brake cleaner, etc so be careful if you're marking timing etc that you don't disolve markings before they're needed.

Found one of the pens it is actually oil based paint not acrylic. Brand is Craftsmart. They work great on auto parts.

20230622_164906.jpg
 

rslaback

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Joined
Jul 24, 2010
Messages
4,078
Location
Westcentral Wisconsin
I used paint markers when color coding my drills years ago. I find that some of the drills had an oil coating on the surface that I was able to wipe off with some brake clean, acetone or IPA before hitting it with the paint. Is it possible for you to prep the area at all in your application or does the paint have to stick directly on whatever the surface is at the moment?

2-jpg.1904273
 

rustyzman

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Joined
May 7, 2015
Messages
772
Location
Chicagoland
Markal makes several versions for different applications including ones that will write and dry on oily surfaces. I got a big sample pack from them at IMTS about 10+ years ago and one of the things they were stressing in that pack was a paint marker that could write on oil.
 
OP
A

Acuratechva

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Joined
Mar 4, 2013
Messages
438
Location
Virginia Beach VA
Hey all, finally got around to getting a few to try that were recommended above. Couldn't get all the ones recommended and went with whatever was chap and oil based, mostly amazon. Appreciate the input, no complaints yet even on dirty oily surfaces.

No complaints, pretty happy here. I suspect these turned out to be same factory(Uni and Overseas) but rebranded. feel and look mostly the same. At 7 for a pair or 17$ for 6 either is a decent deal

These are not officiate links
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B189DSBR/?tag=atomicindus08-20
 

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4xdog

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Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Messages
5,620
Location
Santa Fe, NM
Interesting thread. I've tried lots of paint markers over the years, and been unhappy with most of them. Their fiber tips tend to dry out on storage and then flood on priming, and none of them have line widths as fine as I'd like. Some of them have come apart on taking off the cap. The best luck I've had has been with silver metallic paint pens.

I'd love to find one I really liked. That's been elusive so far.
 

Wrench97

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Joined
Jun 23, 2018
Messages
12,130
Location
Southeastern Pa
GP-X classic are the ones I use, did get them from Imperial Supplies but they are available elsewhere.
 

mfewtrail

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 14, 2011
Messages
675
Hey all, finally got around to getting a few to try that were recommended above. Couldn't get all the ones recommended and went with whatever was chap and oil based, mostly amazon. Appreciate the input, no complaints yet even on dirty oily surfaces.

No complaints, pretty happy here. I suspect these turned out to be same factory(Uni and Overseas) but rebranded. feel and look mostly the same. At 7 for a pair or 17$ for 6 either is a decent deal

These are not officiate links
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B189DSBR/?tag=atomicindus08-20

They're not the same as Uni. Uni markers use xylene solvents(or at least they did). Overseas claim that they're xylene and toluene free/environmentally friendly.
 
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