To mark or not to mark --

...that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the confusion and disorientation of unlabeled pen holes, or to take marker against a sea of invisibilities and by labeling, end them. 

My first Wild Gears were acquired before markings for the pen holes were etched into the gears. For quite some time I wanted to keep my gears pristine so I did nothing more than ink in the etched labeling for the number of gear teeth to make them somewhat more visible. Leaving them blank, as I later discovered, made it considerably more difficult to keep track of where I was when using a progression of holes or even to be sure what hole(s) I'd used when creating a drawing. (I like to write the "formula" for a drawing in the lower right corner so I have some chance of recreating something similar should I later want to try a variation.) 

When I got my first set that had etched labels for all the pen holes it was a bit of an epiphany. A consistent labeling system with reference marks for finding and maintaining your place was a huge improvement. Even the marks on the teeth at the end of the row of holes were useful. 

Having seen how useful these labels and marks were, my attitude about my unmarked gears changed dramatically. Rather than things of beauty themselves, meant to be maintained in original condition, my gears became tools used to create beauty, and, as tools, any modifications that improved their function were a benefit.

I got out my Pilot Name Marker pen and began labeling each previously unmarked gear. Each row of pen holes gets a letter, with 'A' being the row with the outermost hole and working inward from there. Each pen hole gets a number starting with '1' on the outermost hole in each row. Same labeling system as on the new gears with etched markings. Some of the holes are too close together to number but it's usually easy to see the progression and there are seldom more than one or two that can't be labeled. 

My numbers aren't quite as neat as the etched ones, but I can live with it. Having them is so much better than not having them. Even on the small gears where there's little room for confusion, I still find the markings to be useful.

I blacken the gear tooth that's at the end of each row of pen holes. This provides a reference point that has turned out to be vastly more useful than I would have ever imagined. If you're doing a long progression where you're moving the starting point at the end of each pattern the angles can eventually make it a bit difficult to be sure where the end of the pen hole row is lining up. Having that reference mark is very useful. On the gears with holes in a spiral pattern the alignment reference marks make all the difference.

I've also made a stab at marking an alignment point for the rings embedded in some of the gears. Getting these lined up consistently can be extremely difficult. Something as simple as a small mark on an outer tooth can make things much simpler. I've been just outlining the edge of the tooth for these rather than filling the whole tooth in as I do for the pen hole alignment marks. It's hard to tell in the picture above but the marked tooth at the outer portion of the 63 hole actually looks more like a 'V' than an arrowhead. It's unlikely I'd ever get them confused with the pen hole alignment marks, but it seemed like a reasonable idea when I first started marking and I've stuck with it. 

On some gears where the etched number of teeth isn't very prominent, I'll write over it with the marker to make it more visible. Basically, I'm open to any markings that will make practical use of the gears and hoops easier. I've not done any color coding but I can see where that might have a use. 

The Pilot Name Marker pen mentioned above has a fairly fine felt tip and uses an oil based ink designed to write on plastic. I bought the pen for use on food containers but one of the pens has found a permanent home at my drawing table to help with labeling my gears and whatever else might need labeling. The ink can be removed from the gears with rubbing alcohol and a tissue should you change your mind or want to have another go at making the markings look neater. Soap and water should also work, though that would likely be erasing the whole thing and completely starting over where a little alcohol on a tissue can do spot erasing.

To me, the marking of the gears made life so much simpler I was sorry I hadn't done it right from the start. About the only benefit to waiting was I could start with the same labeling approach as Aaron used when he added the etched marks to the gears. If you have the older style gears and haven't labeled them, I encourage you to do so. You'll thank me later.  

Do you mark your gears? Discovered some useful marks I've overlooked? Leave a comment.