Tool Tip: Layout Fluid. Take Your Idea, Draw It and Make It Easily In The Metal Shop

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Do you have an idea, something you want to make? We are making more products and having some fun in the metal fabrication shop this week. This one tip surprised a lot of people and is one of our favorite things in this area… blue layout fluid. 

Dyke Steel Blue Layout Fluid

Also called marking blue, is a layout stain or Prussian blue dye used for metal working that lets you mark out rough parts for machining on metal.

Layout Fluid brushed on to Aluminum

You use this by painting it on your metal (with a brush typically) that stains with a very thin layer of dye that can be scratched off using a scriber or other sharp object to reveal a bright, yet very narrow line in the metal underneath. 

Simply put, you can draw your design idea on the metal and it will stay so you can cut/shape/form to those marks to make your idea easily!

Another advantage using this is that any existing scratches or marks are covered with the dye and the new lines have a contrasting background. 

From here you can use any number of methods to work on your metal

Vertical Metal Bandsaw
Vertical Metal Bandsaw cutting metal at 757 Makerspace
Milling Machine with endmill surfacing a chunk of Aluminum at 757 Makerspace

Looking to take an idea you have and make it? Come join us and we can show you this and more tips to successfully make it!

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