Junkyard yellow marking pen?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

NCBurb

NCBurb

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2020
Posts
106
Reaction score
63
Location
WNC
First Name
Rick
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
Suburban
Engine Size
6.2L
Howdy. I am trying to find one of those yellow markers like they use in junkyards. You know, they mark the part just right over the dirt and grime and yet nothing in the universe will clean it off? I thought they were grease pencils, or china markers, but I picked up a couple of those and they are just like trying to write with a crayon on metal, so not so good. I'm just looking for something tough, bright, writes smooth, and easy to see, I've got to take some things apart and want to mark parts before i start removing them. Thanks.
 
C

Curt

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2017
Posts
676
Reaction score
1,140
Location
Loco Hills
First Name
Curt
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
K-30
Engine Size
383
A regular metal paint pen will work.And pipe chalk is even better,but not near as clean.
 
bucket

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
29,066
Reaction score
23,821
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
You mean like this?

You must be registered for see images attach
 
78C10BigTen

78C10BigTen

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2017
Posts
15,562
Reaction score
23,952
Location
pennsylvannia
First Name
Ted
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C10 BIG TEN
Engine Size
350
Tractor supply is where i but my paint markers, they dont wear off.
 
PrairieDrifter

PrairieDrifter

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2014
Posts
3,447
Reaction score
4,549
Location
North Dakota
First Name
Mason
Truck Year
84,79,77,70,48
Truck Model
Suburban k10, bonanza k10, c30 C&C, c10, gmc 1/2ton
Engine Size
350, 350, 350, 350, 350
Paint markers. Farm and fleet stores or some auto parts stores carry them. Not sure about this website, but these are the ones we've always used, I like the yellow ones.

You must be registered for see images attach
 
SK 99

SK 99

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2017
Posts
120
Reaction score
551
Location
Hilliard, OH
First Name
Steve
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K15
Engine Size
350
Tractor Supply and Harbor Freight both have them in stock. If you want to order online, any industrial supplier (Grainger etc) will sell any type of paint marker you could possibly want
 
bucket

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
29,066
Reaction score
23,821
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
PrairieDrifter said:
Paint markers. Farm and fleet stores or some auto parts stores carry them. Not sure about this website, but these are the ones we've always used, I like the yellow ones.

You must be registered for see images attach
Click to expand...

Those ones are usually found in the welding isle at most any farm store.
 
bucket

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
29,066
Reaction score
23,821
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
Fwiw, I find the ball-point bottles to work better at marking greasy, oily or rusty parts. Which is probably why junkyards have always used them.
 
PrairieDrifter

PrairieDrifter

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2014
Posts
3,447
Reaction score
4,549
Location
North Dakota
First Name
Mason
Truck Year
84,79,77,70,48
Truck Model
Suburban k10, bonanza k10, c30 C&C, c10, gmc 1/2ton
Engine Size
350, 350, 350, 350, 350
bucket said:
Fwiw, I find the ball-point bottles to work better at marking greasy, oily or rusty parts. Which is probably why junkyards have always used them.
Click to expand...
I've never seen this option, I'll have to pick some up for sure! The pens definitely prefer a cleaner surface but they stick well, especially if left a long time.

Does the metal tip basically cut through all the grease? Then the ball point hits the item and releases paint?
 
Last edited:
R

Ricko1966

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2017
Posts
4,045
Reaction score
5,873
Location
kansas
First Name
Rick
Truck Year
1975
Truck Model
c20
Engine Size
350
When I'm making reference marks for disassembly/reassembly I use automotive touch up paintsbthe kind in the little bottle mutiple colors so I can red dot ,red dot. the. blue dot, blue dot etc. If I run out of colors then I can go red dot blue dot, red dot blue dot etc. So I can just look and see match red to red,blue to blue red/blue to red/blue makes reassembly fast and accurate. On clean parts I use white out stripes with colored sharpie stripes like capacitors.
 
Last edited:
S

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,731
Reaction score
11,278
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
At work we have the ball point type like bucket was talking about and the paint markers Prairie Drifter was talking about and good old fashion white out. Personally I prefer the ball point markers for general marking and white out for marking fine stuff, like linkage settings or timing gears. At home / the farm I just use a little latex paint and a brush to mark whatever, it works just fine it's just not as convenient as the other options.
 
BKING33

BKING33

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2020
Posts
268
Reaction score
751
Location
York Springs, PA
First Name
Brian
Truck Year
1987, 1989
Truck Model
K30, Suburban
Engine Size
6.2, 6.2 turbo
I use a sharpie mean streak marker. U can get them at lowes. They r in the tool section
 
RecklessWOT

RecklessWOT

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2015
Posts
2,548
Reaction score
4,744
Location
New Hampshire
First Name
Kevin
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
V10 Suburban Silverado
Engine Size
350 TBI
bucket said:
Fwiw, I find the ball-point bottles to work better at marking greasy, oily or rusty parts. Which is probably why junkyards have always used them.
Click to expand...
when I worked at salvage yards we used ballpoint paint markers, though not the bottle type. They still looked like regular paint markers but didn't have a felt tip, and actually had a little primer ball on the other end. I have a couple that still haven't dried out and they're t least 10-12 years old. I use them for marking distributors and any other part I want to remember where it goes. Orange writing all over everything I own, that stuff doesn't come off unless you really want it to. Hah pretty sure one of my datsuns that has habitually slippery valves still has the valve numbers and gap size written on the strut tower so I can adhust them on the side of the road and not have to look it up.
 
bucket

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
29,066
Reaction score
23,821
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
PrairieDrifter said:
I've never seen this option, I'll have to pick some up for sure! The pens definitely prefer a cleaner surface but they stick well, especially if left a long time.

Does the metal tip basically cut through all the grease? Then the ball point hits the item and releases paint?
Click to expand...

The ball in the tip depresses rather easily, so you can basically just paint right onto the grime. But if you push hard, yes will kinda cut through the grime and get the paint stuck better. It has it's limits doing that though as it may temporarily clog the tip.

RecklessWOT said:
when I worked at salvage yards we used ballpoint paint markers, though not the bottle type. They still looked like regular paint markers but didn't have a felt tip, and actually had a little primer ball on the other end. I have a couple that still haven't dried out and they're t least 10-12 years old. I use them for marking distributors and any other part I want to remember where it goes. Orange writing all over everything I own, that stuff doesn't come off unless you really want it to. Hah pretty sure one of my datsuns that has habitually slippery valves still has the valve numbers and gap size written on the strut tower so I can adhust them on the side of the road and not have to look it up.
Click to expand...

I forgot all about the ones with the primer bulb! We had a few of those at the little junkyard I worked at too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

OldBlueDually
Side markers turn on when pressing brakes
Replies
7
Views
964
Matt69olds
Matt69olds
sidschev
wires ?
Replies
9
Views
572
sidschev
sidschev
L
NV4500 questions
Replies
1
Views
204
bluex
bluex
MaverickH1
Quadrajet Choke and Fast Idle Linkages
Replies
7
Views
770
MaverickH1
MaverickH1
NickTransmissions
4L80E Information Thread
Replies
1
Views
297
dragstews
dragstews

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
42,035
Posts
907,803
Members
33,528
Latest member
Hugger-4641
Top