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Frequently Asked Questions |
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ANSWERS |
Our line of markers are designed to compete directly with all of the most popular paint markers on the market. In fact, our line has some distinct advantages over most of the competition.
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| The cap was designed to provide a place to store spare nibs, and to keep them right there on hand. It's unique shape also prevents it from rolling off of work surfaces. It is easier to twist off (particularly with gloves on) then some of the other smaller style caps that get glued on, and hurt your fingers. It also stores on both ends of the marker. |
| These markers contain pigmented inks. All inks and paints that contain pigments will eventually "settle out". A condition where the solvent separates from the the thicker solids. These solids tend to "cake" into a hard clump at the bottom of the container. By shaking the marker (with the cap on - so the nib stays put) the two shaker balls inside will stir the paint, and break up the clumps. |
| After a good shake, remove the cap, and depress the nib gently a couple of times until you see the paint flowing. It takes some time for the ink to wick it's way down through the nib, so be patient, and avoid pressing too much, and over inking the nib. |
| The marker has an actual valve in place that controls the ink flow to the nib. This is in contrast to a capillary type marker (ie. sharpie), where there is no valve, and the ink is delivered to the nib by capillary action in the form of a large wick that runs down into the bottom of the marker. A valve is required for pigmented inks, as they are too thick to flow properly in a capillary marker. |
| Pigmented inks are thicker, and tend to dry a little slower than dye based inks (ie. sharpie / felt marker) but they have several advantages. You can write with a bright light colours like white or yellow on a dark black surface. Because the mark is actually thicker, the ultra violet resistance is substantially improved |
| When the nib is pressed in, it depresses a spring located inside the valve body, opens a valve, and allows the paint to flow in a controlled manner. If you gently depress the nib as you are writing, it will continuously reload with paint |
There are few good reasons for having a spare nib on hand. If you are writing on rough surfaces such as wood, rusty metal, concrete, etc. You will eventually end up with a mushroomed and useless nib. Instead of throwing the marker away, and heading back to the storeroom to replace it, just pop in a spare nib. If you accidentally leave the cap off, and the nib dries out, you don't have to fight with it, just use the spare. Some customers like to keep two different shaped nibs on hand (ie. Sharp & Chisel) for different applications |
There are basically three types of nibs available
There are some different nib materials used in addition to the three shapes, to accommodate for thicker and thinner paints |
| You can recondition your nibs, by just soaking them for a few minutes in a small container filled with solvent, and then squeezing and rolling them inside a rag or paper towel. For the Pumper, use xylene. For the Autowriter, or the Big Glass just soak the nib in glass cleaner such as Windex, or any other ammonia based glass cleaner. |
| The nibs are actually a rather expensive component, and because the spares are not always used , we decided that two nibs would just add to the price, without providing any significant value. The cap is designed to hold two spares, and some customers take advantage of that, some don't. |
| The Pumper is made with a thick paint formula that is specifically formulated to provide a long lasting, durable mark for outdoor applications. It is designed to resist fading and UV exposure, as well as weathering from wind, rain and ice. We actually have sample marks on steel pipe in our test yard, that are still legible after more than four years of exposure to the elements. |
| The Pumper does not contain any halogens, and therefore will satisfy the specifications required for various sensitive applications such as nuclear power plants. Documentation certifying this halogen free status, can be found in the MSDS section. |
We have satisfied customers that use the Pumper for outdoor survey and seismic work in the winter, in northern Canada, where 40 below zero temperatures are common. They actually like the fact that it's easy to get the cap off while wearing bulky gloves or mitts, and that the pigmented paint leaves a bold, highly visible mark. |
| In most cases, a good quality industrial primer will cover the mark with out any bleeding. It would be best to test, or if in doubt, remove the mark with xylene, lacquer thinner, or any similar solvent before painting. |
| The Pumper is extremely resistant to high heat, and is ideally suited for welding or metal working shops where you need to cut, grind, or weld, close to the mark, without loosing it. You can take a torch to a white mark and it won't disappear. It will powder and fade a bit, but you will still be able to see it. |
| Both the Autowriter and The Big glass marker use the same non-toxic, water based formula. This ink (or paint) is designed to provide a bright, highly visible, "semi-permanant" mark. |
| No! Even though it is a water based ink, once it has cured (apx. 1 hour) it will not wash off in the rain. It will also resist spray from a hose, or sprinkler system. Basically, it takes more than just water to get rid of it. |
| The Autowriter mark will start to dissolve instantly after being sprayed with a typical ammonia based glass cleaner such as Windex . Just spray with glass cleaner, give it a few seconds to break down, and wipe clean. |
The Autowriter mark was designed to write on finished automotive surfaces. Under normal conditions there will be no staining. We have sold hundreds of thousands of these markers to body shops, and we are not aware of any problems associated with staining. Some porous painted surfaces, such as appliances or filing cabinets, tend to "absorb" a bit of the pigment, and can leave some "ghosting'. It's best to test, and follow the instructions if you are not sure. |
gion3
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