Which Pen to use for Signatures on Mylars

[What!!]

I was wondering which pen to use to sign on Mylars. Our projects contain 100+ sheets where we sign. So we need to have a pen which is permanent and dries out instantly. I have been using Staedtler Pigment liner and has 4 varieties of thickness (0.1, 0.3, 0.5 & 0.7 mm). But it takes about 1 minute to dry out completely. Will Sharpie work?

What do you guys think.

 

[maryannette]

Try Sharpie Ultra Fine Point. I think that works.

 

[roadwreck]

After you stamp and sign the sheet put a post it not over the stamp (not the sticky part) then move onto the next sheet in the stack. This helps to prevent the stamp and signature from smearing on the back of the page before it.

 

[kevo_55]

I've never signed on mylar but as a general rule I always sign in blue pen.

I don't want clients to photcopy calculations that I have sealed and try to pass it off on other projects!!

 

[Dleg]

^^Very good point! I have caught several people doing that on permit applciations around here, and I always give a courtesy call to the original engineer to let them know. 9 times out of 10, their client (or another engineer) was trying to re-use another set of plans for a new project.

 

[SSmith]

I've never signed on mylar but as a general rule I always sign in blue pen.
I don't want clients to photcopy calculations that I have sealed and try to pass it off on other projects!!

How does this work exactly?

 

[kevo_55]

^^ It's as simple as completing one job and then your soon to be ex-client photocopying the sealed drawings and calculations to use for another similar project.

It has never happened to me but one client actually tried to preform their own engineering calculations on something by using our submitted calculations as a guide.

Rule #1 is to protect your seal!!

 

[Guest]

Rule #1 is to protect your seal!!

Very good point!!

JR

 

[Desert Engineer]

^^ It's as simple as completing one job and then your soon to be ex-client photocopying the sealed drawings and calculations to use for another similar project.
It has never happened to me but one client actually tried to preform their own engineering calculations on something by using our submitted calculations as a guide.

Rule #1 is to protect your seal!!

I think he meant, how does blue ink protect you?

 

[Guest]

I think he meant, how does blue ink protect you?

blue ink = original and not photocopied.

JR

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

 

[MA_PE]

Seeing as how mylars are meant to be reproduced I'd think that the extra time letting the ink dry is worth the effort to maintain a good clear image espacially as I con't think of anything that will dry any faster. Take a stack of ~10+ sheets and shuffle them to expose only the block where you're going to sign and then just start signing at the top. then move on to the next set. PITA but relatively trivial in the global scheme of things.

 

[SSmith]

blue ink = original and not photocopied.
JR

So do you have a statement that you sig is in blue somewhere in the sig block?

 

[kevo_55]

^^ No, but it is implied when you sign in color.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Yeah, but unless you somehow let people know you signed in color, how would they know?

 

[kevo_55]

From my exp, everyone signs in color. If it is signed in black, then it might be a copy.

 

[Guest]

^^^ Yep, that is true.

When I used to work with FEMA, all of the 'original' grants would be signed in blue ink that way it was understood which form contained the original signatures since multiple reproductions of the same grant were typical.

I guess it depends what circles you work in as to whether you 'know' about the blue ink.

JR

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I'd say 90% of the people sign in black here. I'd go with color, though.

 

[SSmith]

Yeah, but unless you somehow let people know you signed in color, how would they know?

I was wondering the same thing myself.

 

[kevo_55]

It really does depend on what branch of engineering you are working in.

For my circle, you will sign in blue and never allow anything you seal be photocopied or scanned.