Findable pencils

[RossJarvis]

After all the discussions I have settled on Staedtler red pencils. The biggest problem is that they disappear. I have lost the same pencil up to 20 times in a day and more than 5 different pencils in a day. Unfortunately my ears are not capable of retaining a pencil which I think exacerbates the problem. On one occasion when marking out on the floor I literally spent 15 minutes looking for a pencil which could not have vanished as I'd not moved. It wasn't in any of my pockets, it wasn't under anything, I wasn't kneeling on it, however when about to ask the client if she'd seen it I found it had somehow got stuck crosswise in my mouth, secured between my lips. On one job, the groundworkers tied a piece of chord round my neck and gaffer taped the pencil to this. This seemed to be fairly findable.

Does anyone know of a make of pencil which performs like the Staedtler red which is also findable?

 

[dzj]

You could designate an ear for this purpose.
Also, keep a few extra pencils in an easy to reach place that has no obvious use.
A miter slot on a band saw for instance.

 

[doctor Bob]

I suffer from false pencil syndrome, I always have a pencil behind my ear at work, even though its removed at home time, when I get home I'm convinced it's still there.
Because of the habit of a pencil ear, I find it difficult to stop myself putting pens and pencils behind the ear, hence at a recent wedding I signed the wedding book with a swanky pen and then wandered around with it behind my ear for 10 mins.

 

[RobinBHM]

I like staedtler pencils, the red ones not yellow. I find they suffer much from broken leads. I buy 2 or boxes at a go as staff constantly lose them.

I wonder how much time is lost in construction each in the UK due to lost pencils It could run into £billions. I think its the underlying reason for the UKs housing shortage.

I had one jojner that used to snap his pencils in half always kept 6 or so in his overall pocket, it was great working with him, no pencil to mark something?......1 sec later he'd pass one over.

I find a pencil behind the ear doesnt work if you wear glasses sadly.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Behind the ear works for me, although i must've spent 10 minutes looking for my pencil yesterday only to find I'd put it behind the wrong ear.

 

[nev]

remember when you had mittens as a kid joined with a piece of elastic up and down the sleeves? maybe it'd work with pencils

 

[Fitzroy]

It's since I've started wearing glasses my issues have begun, can't wear them and get a pencil to stay in place. It's even a double whammy as I now often misplace the glasses as well as the pencil.

 

[RossJarvis]

Behind the ear works for me, although i must've spent 10 minutes looking for my pencil yesterday only to find I'd put it behind the wrong ear.

:lol: :lol: :lol: Boy did that make me laugh, glad I wasn't drinking coffee.

I think the problem for me as a glasses wearer is the pre-designed pencil holder is already taken up. I need to be like captain Kirk and have an extra ear for the pencils. (the left ear the right ear and the final front ear).

Robin's comment about lost time is very pertinent, I've been ashamed at how much time pencil loss has cost me.

 

[owsnap]

Do as I do, buy a pack of 20+ pencils for £1 and just scatter them around , whenever you can't find any just take a next bunch and scatter them around again

 

[Sawdust Sam]

Get contact lenses, sorted.

 

[dzj]

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:173386

 

[marcros]

I have heard that £50 on average is spent on pencils for each project. Not budgeting for this is where the newcomer to the trade often goes wrong.

 

[No skills]

I have (inadvertently) developed a hand grip that allows me to measure or cut with circular saw or jigsaw with pencil still in hand - so for lots of things I don't actually put the pencil down to loose it.

That's apart from when I forget that the pencils in my hand and I'm looking for it on the table or floor.

I also sharpen my pencils both ends, shorter pencil life perhaps but it's always the correct way round when I pick it up or grab it from a pocket - now that's a time saver.

 

[petermillard]

As a short-haired spectacle wearer, I can happily tuck a pencil behind my ear and under the arm of my specs; yes, it's as uncomfortable as all f*** but I always know where the pencil is...

 

[tomatwark]

I buy pencils by the box and keep them in the desk drawer, the problem was, when I was taking one into the workshop it will and go and answer the phone it would disappear, what I did was to buy some strange colour ones and the problem was solved over night as my machinist then started to stop picking them up, he was using the same make as me and thought he had left his on my bench.

The other thing I find is after the in frequent cleaning out of the my van I always end up with lots of pencils and I have a habit of putting them on the dash, I also used to have collection in the bathroom as I would find them behind my ear when I was having a shower.

Pesky little blighters are pencils, they are everywhere except when you want one.

 

[RobinBHM]

I wonder how many pencils are down a wall cavity, Ive certainly knocked a few tools down one.

 

[Homers double]

I've just emptied the multiple pockets of my work trousers, 5 pencils, 1 long nib market and 1 permanent marker.
I had the mickey taken last week when my client came home to go through some details, I was wearing a woolly hat with a pencil sticking out either side.
I have a feeling my labourer supplements his diet with pencils due to the amount he gets through.
Just like Doctor bob posted above I've also popped a pen behind my ear at a wedding and wandered around with it there untill my wife noticed it,

 

[skipdiver]

Bought a pack of 5 HB Staedtler Yellow pencils today in Wilko-£1.50. Was also in the Range, where the red ones were 60p each, so they are obviously better for some reason that escapes me. I'm a behind the ear guy and often get in the shower with it still there and find it when i shampoo my hair. I also have the habit of putting all things pen and pencil behind my ear like the other poster and sometimes i have done it with 4 inch nails and not realised until i try to draw a line with a nail.

 

[timbo614]

Are pencils like paper clips - millions on the planet that are not actually in use or are "lost"? From where I'm sittting in my shed/office I can see 5 pencils The one I was using today is not amoung them, I don't think. They migrate here by stopping work for tea for instance with a pencil in my back pocket. Which then sometimes sticks in my ar.. posterior so I take it out and put it on the desk. Then of course leave it there. Otherwise I'm in the scatter a box of 10/20/50 pencils all over camp.

 

[No skills]

Pencils escape when your distracted, I've found they like to escape from my pocket when driving the works van - I heard one fall to the floor once, pulled over and had a look and found 7 or 8 in the door pocket - they must of bounced on the van floor and into the door pocket.