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Contact Info

Address

LA-CO Industries Inc.,
1201 Pratt Boulevard
Elk Grove, IL 60007-5746 USA

Toll Free for U.S.A. and Canada

(1) 800.621.4025

Local and International

(1) 847.956.7600

Fax for U.S.A. and Canada

(1) 800.448.5436

Fax International

(1) 847.956.9885

Email

Customer_Service@laco.com

General Marking

What's the difference between a paint marker and a permanent ink marker? Both markers can be used on a multitude of surfaces. An ink marker tends to dry faster than a paint marker on any surface, but is not as permanent. Ink markers are removed easily with common solvents such as alcohols and fade rapidly when exposed to sunlight. Paint markers are much more resistant to these conditions.

Why does Markal® have so many different types of markers? No one marker can work for all applications. An example is our Hot Paintstik®s. These markers only write on hot surfaces and will not write on room temperature surfaces. Conversely our Cold Surface Paintstik®s write on surfaces up to 150 F but will melt on surfaces above this temperature. Check out our application charts.

How can I erase or wash off a mark? Most Markal® markers are meant to be permanent. However, some of these products can be ground off or removed with hazardous solvents like ketones and acetates. Markal® does make removable markers such as the W/S-3/8® Paintstik® and the PRO-WASH® series of paint markers.

Where / how can I purchase Markal® brand products? Markal® branded products are available from over 1500 distributors. Please see our "Where to buy" section to find a distributor near you.

Liquid Paint Marker

Where are paint markers most commonly used? They are used on metal and other non-porous surfaces where a highly visible permanent mark is required. They are typically used by automotive assembly and sub-assembly manufacturers to indicate quality check operations have been performed. A wide variety of manufacturers use liquid paint markers for part number, job number or purchase order identification during manufacturing operations. They are used by welders and fabricators to indicate welding instructions, layout lines and for part number identification.

There are many types of liquid paint markers available, why should we use one from Markal®? All Markal® liquid paint markers are designed and manufactured exclusively for industrial or commercial use only. They are not Arts and Crafts or Office Supply markers that are being sold for industrial use. All Markal’s® products are created with the needs of heavy industrial users in mind and are tested in the most difficult marking environments possible. We only sell Markal® paint markers through industrial and welding product distributors.

Why do you offer Xylene Free liquid paint markers? Xylene has two by-products, Ethyl Benzene and Tolulene that are included on the California Proposition 65 listing of chemicals that can cause cancer or have reproductive health problems. The Markal® PRO-LINE® series of markers are Xylene free, and also do not contain any chemicals that require a California Proposition 65 warning and have no chemicals that are currently listed on the EPA SARA 313 or the OSHA HAPS listings.

How are PRO-WASH® Removable Paint Markers different than other types in the industry? PRO-WASH® Removable Paint Markers are designed to be permanent paint markers until they need to be removed, and then they are easily removed with either water for PRO-WASH® W or with a detergent solution with ph higher than 10 for PRO-WASH® D. These markers typically are used in operations that require QC or Part ID marking during manufacturing, but then require a clean surface for painting, powder coating or plating.

Paintstik®

We use B® Paintstik® markers, why do you have so many other cold surface markers, doesn’t B do it all? Markal® B® Paintstik® is a general-use solid paint marker used in many industrial marking applications from steel, ship building, commercial and home construction, to metal fabrication. Markal® manufactures many other solid paint markers with unique formulations for specialized applications: F® Paintstik® - Fluorescent for brighter marks B-L® and BL-W® Paintstik® - “Bleed-through” oil or water-base paints N® Paintstik® - Markers that do not bleed through paint top-coats FAST DRY® Paintstik® - Fast-dry paint formulations M® and M-10 Paintstik® - Markers for heat-treating O-10 Paintstik® - Markers for oily surfaces WS-3/8® Paintstik® - Water-removable markers

Paintstik® marks take too long to dry, do you have anything else that dries faster? Markal® manufactures markers for many different applications. The FAST DRY® Paintstik® and Quik Stik® are Markal’s® fast-drying solid Paintstiks®. Other fast-drying markers include Markal®’s liquid paint markers and permanent ink markers.

Why would I use a Markal® Quik Stik® rather than a regular Paintstik®? Markal® Quik Stik® is a solid Paintstik® and is used for many of the same applications as a standard Paintstik® (B Paintstik®). Markal® Quik Stik® Paintstik® is in a plastic holder with self-storing cap, preventing marker breakage and keeping hands and clothing clean. Markal® Quik Stik® is also faster drying than other Paintstiks®. The Paintstik® advances with a twist-up knob, and marks on virtually any surface: metal, glass, plastic, wood, cardboard, paper, etc.

How does a Hot Paintstik® perform differently than a B Paintstik®? Markal® manufactures nine different Hot Paintstiks®, formulated to mark on hot surface iron, rubber, and metal alloys. Each marker is designed to operate within a specific hot temperature range, from a low of 150oF to 2200oF. The B® Paintstik® is appropriate on surfaces up to 150oF; the paint will burn off a hot temperature surface above 150oF. Click here to view the Solid Paint - Marking Temperatures” application chart.