Your Way To Keep Track Of All The Pieces

[richard b miller]

I've done a few projects so far and have tried different ways to keep track of all the cut pieces. Do you write on the wood? Use sticky notes? How do hou keep track?

[Lee Schierer]

Ordinary black board chalk works great for labeling parts. It doesn't mar the wood, has good visibility, doesn't affect any finish and can be changed if needed.

I also use a HB lead pencil for joint assembly marking. I put the marks where they won't be seen after assembly.

[Erik Christensen]

fiber pen on blue tape - no way to indent a fragile wood surface - can remove & replace when sanding - no marks to worry about when ready to finish - only thing to be aware is on very light sensitive woods like cherry to keep things covered if going to be more than a day or so to avoid a having wood under tape not color match rest of surface

[Doug Hepler]

Richard,

Like Lee. I number the parts in chalk when I am laying out cuts, corresponding to my cut list, and then while they are awaiting assembly. I usually use a soft pencil to mark cut lines, reference edges, etc.

Doug

[John Lankers]

Soft pencil on (cheap) masking tape, easy to peal off and can be reattached on a face not being worked on at the moment.

[Andrew Hughes]

I mostly use a pencil if there will be a lot of shaping I use a sharpe.Even a pencil mark can get rubbed away and hard to see.
Blue tape is too expensive

[Jim Becker]

Chalk is what I use to mark components when it's necessary to do so.

[glenn bradley]

Yep, chalk for rough cut pieces. As final milling and joinery proceed I find a place that won't show after assembly to mark like parts that may be confused.

[Fred Falgiano]

Sharpie on blue tape for me. I write on the tape before I peel it off the roll to eliminate any risk of bleed through.

[Ole Anderson]

Only time I needed that level of detail was on my kitchen cabinet boxes using cut list for the plywood breakdown. I printed up the stickers that were a part of the program.

[Wayne Lomman]

If it's mass produced items, batches with the parts procedure on a clip board with the pallet. If it's a small job, I just organise it to match my cutting list. An good cutting list is essential. After a couple of machining processes, the parts are then recognisable anyway. If any chance of confusion, I use pencil where it won't be seen. Cheers

[andy bessette]

I write with ordinary pencil on the surface to be glued or on mounting surface.

[Frederick Skelly]

Sharpie on blue tape for me. I write on the tape before I peel it off the roll to eliminate any risk of bleed through.

+1. I do the same.

[Bradley Gray]

This:

with chalk or soft pencil depending on the wood. If there is more than one drawer or panel, double or triple the bottom line or a side line.

This also gives you the orientation of the part.

[Jim Becker]

Bradley, I'm happy to say that I've used that "triangle" method for many years, although I didn't read about it documented as you have previously. It just makes sense.