In Praise of Waterproof Pens

[Dennis]

My water proof pen, the kind that will write on shiny surfaces, is always within reach. Preferably a red one so that it is not easily mislaid. They’re brilliant:

1. For soldering multiple jump rings, where it might be difficult to see a well closed joint, small red marks can indicate exactly where to place the solder and speed the process.
2. When trimming the surplus back plate around a bezel cup. A red line in the angle between the two, will help to pierce it more accurately and avoid unwanted undercuts.
3. It is often important to have a bezel the right way up, or even an addition for sweat soldering, so red marks can signal ‘top’
4. Lastly, marking centres, making parallel lines, or cross-marks on the metal, or the soldering block, will ensure that parts are correctly aligned prior to soldering.

The red marks burn away and will not interfere with soldering. If you make a mistake, they can be removed from metal with a little meths on a cloth, or from a brick with a torch.
If you have found other uses, please add them here. Dennis.