That old trick with a soapstone on a hot plate

Back in 2012 on a job in Gary, I couldn't get a consistent mark on a 1 inch plate. Layout lines kept disappearing once the heat got on. Tried chalk, tried a marker, nothing stuck. An old timer told me to heat the soapstone on a portable hot plate for 30 seconds before marking. Worked like a charm, lines stayed visible for the whole pass. Anybody else still use that method or found something better?

3 comments

3 Comments

sarah5312mo ago

Did your buddy try dipping the soapstone in water first to keep it from smoking too bad?

oscarw832mo ago

@Sarah531 nailed it, the water dip calms the smoke way down.

robinp721mo ago

That Gary job sounds brutal, nothing worse than chasing disappearing layout marks when you're trying to get a clean weld. @oscarw83's mention of the water trick is solid, I've used a quick dip to keep the smoke down and it works fine for me.