Experiment No 2
Object:- To understand, determine, uses and practice marking tool "Scriber"
Apparatus:
Scriber
Procedure:
WHAT IS AN ENGINEER'S SCRIBER?
An engineer's scriber, or scribe as it used to be called, is a tool used to mark or scribe a
guide line onto a workpiece prior to it being machined.
The name scriber comes from the word scribe, which itself comes from the Latin word
scriba, which was a person who would write, engrave or inscribe documents.
Engineer's scribers are used to mark guidelines onto a workpiece before it is to be
machined. They are most commonly used to mark out metal work pieces due to their
advantages over other marking methods on this type of material.
ENGINEER'S SCRIBERS VS. PENS AND OTHER MARKING
TOOLS
Engineer's scribers are used instead of pens or pencils as scribed lines are shallow
scratches that can't be smeared or rubbed off.
Other advantages of scribers over other marking tools are the lines they make are far
thinner so they are more accurate and marking ink can be used with scribed lines to
make them more visible.
Disadvantages of using a scriber
The disadvantages of scribers over other marking tools are that the lines they make
can't easily be removed, without grinding or polishing. This means scribers are not
always the best tool for marking out an area of the workpiece that will be visible in the
finished part.
This also means it's very important when using a scriber to make sure your
measurements are correct before you scribe the workpiece.
ENGINEER'S SCRIBERS VS. CARPENTER'S SCRIBING
TOOLS
Engineer's scribes have a sharp point that may be made of tool steel, hardened steel or
occasionally diamond, enabling them to scribe lines on hard surfaces such as metal .
Whereas, a carpenter's scriber is only designed to mark wood or soft materials.
Engineer's scribers look similar to pens, whereas a carpenter's scribe can take many
different forms. Carpenters' scribes will often mark the workpiece with a pencil line
instead of a metal pointed tip. Carpenters' scribers are most commonly used to transfer
the contours of one surface to another in order to achieve an accurate fit.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
ENGINEER'S SCRIBER?
There are four basic types of engineer's scriber: the pocket scriber, the machinist's
scriber, doubled ended scriber and knife edge scriber.
Pocket scribers
These are small scribers about 100mm (4") in length. They often feature replaceable tips
and a hexagonal head to prevent them rolling off work surfaces.
Machinist's scribers
Machinist's scribers are just longer versions of pocket scribers, usually 150-200mm (6-8")
long. They often have a clip similar to a pen to secure them onto jacket pockets and
prevent them rolling off work surfaces.
Double-ended scribers
These scribers feature a straight point at one end of the scriber and can have a variety of
angled points at the other.
The angled point allows lines to be marked on the workpiece in confined areas such as
inside holes or on the underside of ridges.
Knife edge scribers
Knife edge scribers have a straight point at one end and a flat knife blade at the other
and can range in length from 100-250mm (4-10"). The knife blade is used for marking
lines on wood, plastic and other soft material.
They have several other names including 'striking knives', 'scoring knives', 'layout
knives' and 'marking knives', although most of these will only feature the knife blade
and not have a scriber point at the other end.
PARTS OF AN ENGINEER'S SCRIBER
Engineer's scriber tip
The scriber tip, also called the point, is the part that actually does the scribing.
Tips are usually made from either tungsten carbide, hardened steel, tool steel or steel
with a diamond tip and will be replaceable on some models.
What are the different types of replacement scriber tips?
There are different types of replacement scriber tips available for different uses and
types of scriber.
When purchasing replacement tips for a scriber, first check to make sure that the
replacements are compatible with your particular tool. Some replacement tips are
designed to screw into the body of the scriber whilst others need a chuck to hold them
in place.
Engineer's scriber chuck
The chuck secures the tip to the body of the scriber and is only found on scribers with
replaceable tips.
How does the chuck hold the tip?
The tip of the scriber is placed in the shell between the jaw guide. A hood is then placed
over the tip and screwed onto the shell. As this is done, the jaw guides are forced
together, clamping down on the tip holding it in place.
Engineer's scriber body
The body of the scriber is also referred to as the shaft, or handle, at times. This part of
the scriber can be made of a variety of materials.
Scribers with replaceable tips usually have a metal body and often feature a knurled
surface to improve grip and prevent the scriber slipping in the user's hand.
Engineer's scriber clip
The clip is only found on machinist's or pocket scribers and is used to secure and keep
the scriber handy in a jacket pocket. It also serves to prevent the scriber rolling off work
surfaces.
Engineer's scriber head
On pocket scribers, the head is often hexagonal in shape to prevent the scriber rolling
off work surfaces.
Additional features of an engineer's scriber
Reversible tips
Scribers with removable tips and a locking screw chuck can have the tips reversed and
recessed into them. This helps protect the tip from damage and makes the scriber
shorter and easier to store when not in use.
Magnetic head
Some scribers are available with magnetic heads for quickly and easily picking up metal
filings from the surface of the workpiece, thereby preventing possible damage. These
are usually found on machinists' scribers and are useful if you are mainly scribing iron
or steel.
Which material is the best?
PVC-bodied scribers will not rust, but the tips of these scribers usually can't be replaced
so they are not suitable for anyone who intends to frequently use a scriber.
Steel bodied scribers can rust if they are not nickel plated, which can cause problems
with chucks, making them seize up, so changing the tips can become very difficult.
Aluminium scribers have none of the drawbacks of steel or PVC but some people find
them a bit light and prefer a scriber with more weight to it. This is of course purely a
personal preference.
WHAT ARE ENGINEER'S SCRIBER TIPS MADE OF?
There are four types of material used to make engineer's scribers tips: tungsten carbide,
tool steel, hardened steel and steel with a diamond mounted tip.
Tungsten carbide
Tungsten carbide is a compound made of 50% tungsten and 50% carbon.
There are several methods used to form the compound, the most common is by reacting
tungsten metal with carbon at a temperature between 1400-2000°C.
When used in tools, tungsten carbide is alloyed with 3-30% of either cobalt or nickel to
improve its toughness.
Generally, the lower the percentage of alloying cobalt or nickel, the harder the tungsten
carbide will be. Depending on the percentage of cobalt or nickel present, then tungsten
carbide can have a similar hardness to sapphire or ruby.
Tool steel
Tool steels are a group of alloy steels that possess properties that make them well suited
for use as tools. They have superior hardness and abrasion resistance when compared
with other steels as well as the ability to maintain a sharp cutting edge.
Hardened steel
Hardened steel is steel that has undergone heat treatment to increase its hardness.
Which is better?
Tool steel properties vary depending on the exact make-up and quantities of the
alloying elements used to produce it.
Whilst hardened steel may be harder than tool steel, tool steel itself is often hardened
and tempered for use in scriber tips and other tools. This can lead to confusion when it
is referred to as hardened steel instead of hardened tool steel.
Because of this, it is difficult to say with certainty if a hardened steel scriber tip would
be better or worse than a tool steel scriber tip.
Diamond mounted tip
Diamond mounted tips are made of steel but feature a small industrial diamond
mounted and fixed at the very tip.
As diamond is one of the hardest known materials, diamond mounted tips can be used
to scribe lines on very hard materials such as tungsten carbide. This also enables them
to stay sharp for much longer.
These tips cannot be sharpened unlike other types, so when they do wear they need to
be replaced.
Comparison of scriber tips and their applications:
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT DESIGNS OF SCRIBER TIP?
Finely tapered or fine point tip scribers
Finely tapered and fine point scriber tips will give you a thinner, more accurate scribe
line. The point is less obscured on a finely tapered point making it easier to scribe
accurate lines close together.
The disadvantages are that finely tapered and fine point tips wear quicker so require
more frequent sharpening and are more likely to break.
Fine pointed diamond tip scribers
The diamond mounted in the end of a scriber tip can have a cutting face with an angle
ranging from 30 to 120°. The smaller the angle, the finer the line that the scriber makes
will be.
These narrow angle diamond points are, in effect, fine point scribers.
Scribers with angled or hooked tips
Angled tips are used to mark areas of a workpiece that are awkward to access, such as
inside a hole or recess.
Replacement tips for this type of scriber are often threaded and designed to screw into
the body of the scriber.
Knife-edge scribers
A knife edge scriber is used to mark lines on soft materials such as wood or plastic.
Scored lines in wood help to prevent frays and splinters (known as tear out) at the
edges when later sawing.
Scriber lines on a wooden workpiece are thinner than a pencil line so are more
accurate.
The groove created by the scribed line in the workpiece can also serve as a guide to
help locate saw blades or chisels in any subsequent operations.
Double bevelled knife edge vs. single bevel
When looking at the knife blade down its edge, a single bevelled blade will feature one
flat side and one bevelled or angled side. A double bevelled blade will be angled or
bevelled on both sides.
Double bevelled blades are stronger and will scribe a deeper, thicker line, but a single
bevelled blade allows you to accurately scribe right up to the edge of a ruler or square.
This is important if you need accurate lines for making strong tight fitting joints such as
dovetails.
Scriber sets with different tips
Scriber sets are available for scribers with replaceable tips and are useful if you want
several different angled tips for your scriber.
Sets are most common for diamond tip scribers as they rarely have a double ended tip;
the set allows one scriber body to be used as both a straight and angled tip.
Diamond sets will often feature a variety of tips with different angles and diamonds
with a range of point angles (these are the diamond tip equivalent of standard and
finely pointed tips).
WHICH ENGINEER'S SCRIBER SHOULD YOU USE?
Factors that affect the decision of which scriber you should use are:
● The material you want to scribe
● The shape of the workpiece
● The amount of scribing you are likely to be doing
Material
Soft Materials
If you are scribing soft materials such as wood, laminate or plastic, then a knife blade
scriber will make it easier to mark the workpiece and allow you to make deeper score
lines for saw blades and other tools to follow.
Metals
Soft metals such as brass, copper, aluminium and mild steel can be marked with
hardened steel, tool steel and tungsten carbide tips.
Hardened Metals
Metals such as stainless steel, hardened steel and tungsten will require a scriber with a
tungsten carbide tip or diamond mounted tip to scribe a line on them as the scriber tip
has to be harder than the material it is scribing.
Very hard metals such as tungsten carbide can only be scribed with a diamond
mounted tip.
SHAPE OF THE WORKPIECE
If you need to scribe a line in a confined space on your workpiece, such as inside a hole
or recess, then you should use a scriber with an angled point at one end.
Can you get scribers with different angled tips?
Scribers can have a variety of angled tips, the most common being 90 and 45 degrees,
and are used for marking the underside of lips, and in holes or recesses.
Scribers with hooked tips are also available for the extremely hard-to-access areas of a
workpiece.
Amount of scribing
If you are only going to be doing a small amount of scribing on soft materials, then a
hardened or tool steel tip would be the cheapest option and the easiest to sharpen.
If you are doing a larger quantity of scribing or are scribing harder materials such as
stainless or hardened steel, then a tungsten carbide tip would be best, as it is cheaper
than a diamond mounted steel tip and can be sharpened when needed.
A tungsten carbide tip will stay sharper for longer than a hardened or tool steel tip as
well, meaning you have to spend less time sharpening it.
Also, if you are doing a large quantity of scribing then it is worth getting a scriber with
replaceable tips. This will allow you to quickly replace the tip when it is worn and
complete all of your scribing, then sharpen the tips at a more convenient time.
Uses:
HOW TO USE AN ENGINEER'S SCRIBER
Equipment needed:
Engineer's marking ink
Also known as engineer's blue, this is used on the surface of metal that is to be scribed
in order to provide a better contrast with the scribed line, making it stand out clearly.
Small paint brush
Use this to apply a thin layer of the engineer's marking ink to the workpiece.
Soft bristled brush
Use this to brush the workpiece clean of dust, dirt and metal swarf.
Engineer's rule
A rule is needed to measure out the position of lines on the workpiece.
Engineer's square
Use this as a guide to mark lines at a right angle to the edge of a workpiece.
Template
If you are creating multiple copies of the same shape, you may have a template for this,
which will eliminate the need to measure out every time.
Clamps
Clamps may be used to hold a template in place on a workpiece, making it easier to
scribe around.
Engineer's dividers
Use engineer's dividers to scribe curves and circles on the workpiece.
How to prepare the workpiece for marking out
Step 1 - Clean
Clean the surface of the workpiece using the soft bristled brush.
Step 2 - Ink workpiece
If your workpiece is metal, use the small paint brush to coat the surface with a thin,
even layer of engineer's marking ink and leave a few minutes for it to dry. The
workpiece is now ready to be marked out. To save ink, apply only to areas to be
marked.
The correct technique for using a scriber:
Holding the scriber as you would a pen, place it up against the edge of a ruler,
engineer's square or template. Hold the scriber at an angle of 45 degrees to the
workpiece. Keeping the tip of the scriber up against the edge of the ruler, engineer's
square or template, and at the same angle, move the scriber across the workpiece in the
direction you have the scriber head tilted.
You should apply enough pressure to keep the tip in constant contact with the
workpiece surface. This will produce a thin neat line that will be bright and in contrast
to the darker inked surface of the workpiece. After you have finished marking out and
other work on the workpiece, remove the marking ink using a solvent cleaner or
methylated spirits.
How to use the other equipment when marking out
Using rules and engineer's squares
Using a rule, measure out the starting position and end position of the lines you want to
mark on your workpiece. Place a small scribe mark at the start position and end
position of the lines you wish to mark.
Then, using the rule or engineer's square as a guide for the scriber, scribe a line
connecting the start and end positions of the lines you wish to make.
Using templates and clamps
If you are using a template, then place it on the inked surface of the workpiece.
You may need to clamp the template to the workpiece to prevent it moving and make it
easier to scribe around. Otherwise, you will have to hold the template in place with one
hand while scribing around it with the other.
Keeping the tip of the scriber butted up against the edge of the template, scribe around
the template to create an outline which will be your guide for machining or cutting.
HOW TO USE A KNIFE EDGE SCRIBER
Equipment needed:
Engineer's rule
A rule is needed to measure out the position of the line you need to mark on the
workpiece.
Engineer's square or tri square
An engineer's square or tri square may be needed if you want to mark a line that
continues around the workpiece on more than one side.
Pencil
You may require a pencil to darken the scribed line you have made in the workpiece in
order to make the line more clearly visible, particularly if not using marking ink.
The correct technique for using a knife edge scriber
Step 1 - Mark the end position
Using a rule or other measuring device, measure the end position of the line you wish
to scribe onto your workpiece. Place a small mark there with your knife edge scriber.
Step 2 - Mark start position
Take your measuring device and measure the start position of the line you wish to
scribe. Place a small mark there with your knife edge scriber but this time leave the
scriber in place on the workpiece.
Step 3 - Position ruler
Take your rule or straight edge and place it up against the edge of the scriber you have
in place on the workpiece, so that it joins the start and end position of the line you wish
to scribe.
Placing the knife edge scriber at the start position of the line and then moving the
straight edge up to it helps to minimize any inaccuracy.
Step 4 - Scribe line
Keeping the scriber knife up against the straightedge or ruler, draw the scriber along to
mark the line.
You may have to repeat this a few times to make the line deeper and more visible.
Step 5 - Mark edge
If the line you want to scribe onto the workpiece travels around more than one side of
the workpiece, then when you reach the end of the line at the edge of one side of your
workpiece, rotate the blade of the scriber 90 degrees around the edge of the workpiece.
This will then mark the start point of the line you need to scribe on the second face of
the workpiece.
Step 6 - Make line more visible
If the line you have scribed is not very visible, running a pencil along it will mark either
side of the scribe you have made. This makes it easy to see the line whilst keeping the
more accurate groove that was made by the scriber.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER USES FOR AN ENGINEER'S
SCRIBER?
Carbide tipped engineer's scribers
Carbide tipped scribers are used by jewellers and gemologists as a quick and easy way
to discern natural coloured diamonds from "treated colour" diamonds.
Diamonds that have had a surface colour coat applied to them are worth considerably
less than natural coloured diamonds or irradiation and HPHT (high pressure high
temperature) treated coloured diamonds.
Jewellers and gemologists can use a carbide tip scriber to scratch the pavilion and
crown facets of a diamond. If they have been surface coloured, then the scriber will
scratch away the surface coating.
As carbide is not as hard as diamond, the diamond itself is not scratched.
This enables jewellers to quickly and easily tell if the diamond they are buying is
surface colour coated or not and so allow them to more accurately determine its value.
CAN YOU SHARPEN AN ENGINEER'S SCRIBER?
Is there a difference between sharpening hardened steel, tool steel and
tungsten carbide?
The technique for sharpening a scriber tip is the same, regardless of whether it's a
hardened steel, tool steel or tungsten carbide tip. However, there is a difference in the
sharpening stone and cutting fluid you will need.
Hardened tool steel can be sharpened with an aluminium oxide oil stone or whetstone,
whereas tungsten carbide tipped scribers will require a diamond stone with
a continuous diamond surface, as the sharpening stone has to be of a harder material
than the tool it is sharpening.
HOW TO SHARPEN AN ENGINEER'S SCRIBER MADE
OF HARDENED STEEL OR TOOL STEEL
Other equipment you will need:
Aluminium oxide oilstone or whetstone
The course grit side is used for quick initial sharpening, then the fine grit side is used to
produce a fine sharp point.
Cutting fluid
Use a specialist honing oil with an oil stone. Water should be used with a whetstone.
Sharpening the scriber
Step 1 - Moisten sharpening stone
Moisten the surface of your sharpening stone with the appropriate cutting fluid.
If you are using a whetstone it should be soaked in water for about 10 minutes so it
becomes saturated.
Step 2 - Position scriber at correct angle
Beginning on the course grit side of the sharpening stone, hold the scriber in your
dominant hand as you would a pen at an angle of between 30 - 60 degrees, the closer to
30 degrees you hold the scriber tip, the finer the point you sharpen on it will be.
Step 3 - Move scriber back and forth
Rub the scriber tip lengthways across the surface of the sharpening stone, twisting it
between your forefinger and thumb as you go. To avoid leaving grooves in your stone,
even out the wear by continually moving the tip onto another area of the stones face.
Make sure you keep the scriber tip parallel and in line with the length of the sharpening
stone as you are sharpening it.
Do not sharpen the scriber tip at a right angle to the sharpening stone, if you do this the
sharpening lines on the tip will run in the wrong direction making the tip more likely to
break during use.
Step 4 - Repeat on other side of stone
Repeat step 3 on the fine side of the sharpening stone.
HOW TO SHARPEN AN ENGINEER'S SCRIBER MADE OF
TUNGSTEN CARBIDE
Other equipment you will need:
Continuous diamond stone
Make sure you use a continuous diamond sharpening stone and not an interrupted one
as this will not be as effective, and may damage the tip of the scriber.
Cutting fluid
You should use a specialist diamond abrasive lapping fluid with your diamond
sharpening stone.
Sharpening the scriber
Step 1 - Moisten stone
Moisten the surface of your sharpening stone with the cutting fluid.
Step 2 - Position scriber at correct angle
Hold the scriber in your dominant hand as you would a pen, at an angle of between 30-
60 degrees. The closer to 30 degrees you hold the scriber tip, the finer the point you
sharpen on it will be.
Step 3 - Move scriber over stone
Rub the scriber tip lengthways across the surface of the sharpening stone, twisting it
between your forefinger and thumb as you go. Use the whole of the stones face for
sharpening to prevent grooves being worn in one area.
Safety Precautions:
HOW TO MAINTAIN AN ENGINEER'S SCRIBER
Protecting the tips of an engineer's scriber
In order to keep the scriber tip in a usable condition, scribers with exposed tips should
be kept separate from other tools.
One of the best ways to do this is to purchase a separate case for your engineers
scribers. These not only protect the tip of the scriber but help keep your scriber and tips
dry and make the task of finding your scriber much easier than if it is simply stored in a
drawer in the workshop.
Replacement scriber tips often come with the tips in a plastic tube. These can be kept
and used for storing the tips when they are not in use.
Some scribers with removable tips and a locking screw chuck can have the tips reversed
and recessed into them. This helps protect the tip from damage and makes the scriber
shorter and easier to store when not in use.
Some scribers are supplied with small plastic caps that fit on the tips of scribers to
protect them.
Maintaining the body of an engineer's scriber
After use, the body of an engineer's scriber should be brushed clean of any dirt and grit.
Scribers with a metal body should be stored in a dry place, or, if this is not possible,
they should be sprayed with WD40 and wrapped in an oily cloth to prevent them from
rusting.
How long should an engineer's scriber last?
The length of time that a scriber will last depends on how frequently it is used and what
material it is used on. The more frequently it is being used, the quicker the tip will wear
and become blunt.
When the tips become blunt and ineffective they should be sharpened or replaced.
Scribers with hardened tool steel tips will wear the quickest.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS OR VOCABULARY
Abrasion
Abrasion is the means by which the surface of an object can become scratched, scuffed,
worn down or rubbed away.
Alloy
An alloy is a metal that has been made by combining two or more metals together to
produce a final product which has better properties than the pure elements from which
it is made. Bronze is an example of an alloy.
Brittle
The brittleness of a material is a measure of how easily it will break and shatter rather
than stretching or compressing, when stress forces are applied to it.
Catalyst
A catalyst is a substance that causes or speeds up a chemical reaction between two other
substances.
Electrolyte
An electrolyte is a solution formed when salts, acids or bases are dissolved in a solvent
such as water and split into their positive and negative ions within the solvent.
Hardness
Hardness is a measure of how well a material resists scratching and changing its shape
when a force is applied to it.
Quenching
Quenching is the process of rapidly cooling metal during manufacturing, often using
water. It's done as part of heat treating to achieve desirable properties in the metal, such
as strength and hardness.
Rusting
Rusting is a form of corrosion undergone by metals that contain iron. It occurs when
such metals are left unprotected in the presence of oxygen and moisture in the
atmosphere.
Saturated
A material is said to be saturated when it can no longer hold or absorb any more of a
liquid or gas.
Toughness
Toughness is a measure of a material's ability to stretch or compress without breaking
or shattering when a force is applied to it.
