MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
Does anybody care? I do, but if you think "who cares?" then save yourself and stop reading now... this is way more about dry erase markers then most people want to know.
Alright. Is it just the few of us OCD weirdos now? Good.
Even though people keep stealing my freakin' $75 Don Earl slates I try to keep them looking nice as long as I can. So what marker do you use? Does it STAIN your slate? All the markers I've used previously have! So finally I decided to find the best slate marker... and I did!
Quick history: Bought my first slate (Don Earl) many years ago from Filmtools. Bought a half-dozen of the DIXON markers that they recommended with it. DIXON markers dried out fast, and stained my slate. Eventually I ran out of DIXON markers and my slate got nabbed.
Bought another Don Earl... since the DIXON markers stained my last slate I decided to try EXPO... still stained my new slate, but lasted well. I continued to use EXPO markers for years, accepting the stains as an inherent weakness of the slates... thinking they were just prone to staining. Most of the slates I've ever seen look like mine... and it's not like the stains make it THAT hard to read the new writing... it just leaves the slate dingy... finally that slate got nabbed.
So in a pinch I bought a cheaper brand of slate... still the nicest one my local supply house had, around $65... but not a Don Earl (and surprisingly enough, there IS a difference, the Don Earl slates are nice)... so anyway... I continued to use up my EXPO markers and stain up my new slate over the last year and a half... and recently I've kind of wanted to get another Don Earl slate, but this put the stain thought back in my head... especially when I saw that Studio Depot recommends Marks-A-Lot (made by Avery... sometimes called Avery-Dennison)... because they say that's the one marker they've found that don't stain slates!
Well I thought this was cool and assumed I could get 'em anywhere, since they're listed on all the office supply sites, but NOPE... only mail order! The crappy EXPO markers have a monopoly at ALL the local stores in STL.
Since I was having to order them anyway... and I expected to just get a few from one of the pro-shops... I went back to examining the inventory and trying to decide if I would get another new slate, even as a backup... because if you've ever caught yourself on a shoot without one, you know that sick feeling, and how a spare is cheap compared to not having one when you need it.
This search led me back to Filmtools... where I saw the KLEENSLATE markers, which I had seen one other time on a shoot... and I thought it looked cool at the time, but I was too busy doing my own job, to give it more then a passing glance.
Well... sorry, rambling. The bottom line is that I checked out the KleenSlate website to read more about these things... since FilmTools STILL sells the same markers that stained up my slates... I didn't want to take their word about the KleenSlate markers (FilmTools says all the markers they sell are compatible, but somebody needs to wake up over there and drop the Dixon and Expo).
So I checked out the KleenSlate site where I discovered that you can order their markers directly... on page 2 of the store section... and they're cheap! Plus shipping was CHEAP! (thank you very much)
These things arrived and they are killer... as markers go. By this time you realize I'm insane about details, but it's the small things that can make a day that much better, or that much worse... and I'm stunned at how nice this cheap little product is... NO MORE STAINING... and what's even more impressive... is that they are actually cleaning the stains OFF! :huh:
No joke... everywhere I write something on my "off-white" slate, is white again after the writing is erased!
I haven't even mentioned the coolest part about these markers... check the built-in eraser! That is the sh*t man... AWESOME... plus that eraser pulls off and can be washed and re-used... or put on some other brand of marker (which of course would be stupid now that you've read this)...
For clappin'... this marker is great. Also of note is the rubber grip, and the marking part itself is shaped like a bullet... so even with the fat marker the tip is still just right for writing on a slate (I also got the smaller markers and I do NOT suggest them for slates... ONLY because the tips are too small for slate writing. It's the difference between a normal and bold font.)
I feel a little stupid posting this enthusiastic raving about a freakin' marker... but it's not so much about the marker as it is the slate... and the real world use in slating your production with a great marker that writes well, erases effortlessly with it's own built-in eraser, and does NOT stain your slate. :beer:
Here is the picture from the FilmTools site:
Here's the picture from the KleenSlate site:
But obviously it's the very same markers.
I think I'm going to help this lady out with some better images about her product... if you read the "about" sections, she seems like a really cool person... and this marker works so much better then the crap monopolizing the stores now that I'd like to see her company get the proper place in the market... as an alternate choice anywhere the other crap markers are sold.
http://www.kleenslate.com/store2.htm
Scroll down to the middle of the page... "Single Large KleenSlate Marker/Eraser" and select color + quantity... I think she said they may raise the price a bit before too long... like a slight bit... but right now they are only $1.50 each... and with the dirt cheap shipping it still works out to only $2.07 each SHIPPED... ($24.87/12)... vs. $35.29 from Filmtools.
I wouldn't have posted this if I wasn't thrilled with these... hopefully somebody else has cared about this at some point... or will find this post in the future. :beer:
Alright. Is it just the few of us OCD weirdos now? Good.
Even though people keep stealing my freakin' $75 Don Earl slates I try to keep them looking nice as long as I can. So what marker do you use? Does it STAIN your slate? All the markers I've used previously have! So finally I decided to find the best slate marker... and I did!
Quick history: Bought my first slate (Don Earl) many years ago from Filmtools. Bought a half-dozen of the DIXON markers that they recommended with it. DIXON markers dried out fast, and stained my slate. Eventually I ran out of DIXON markers and my slate got nabbed.
Bought another Don Earl... since the DIXON markers stained my last slate I decided to try EXPO... still stained my new slate, but lasted well. I continued to use EXPO markers for years, accepting the stains as an inherent weakness of the slates... thinking they were just prone to staining. Most of the slates I've ever seen look like mine... and it's not like the stains make it THAT hard to read the new writing... it just leaves the slate dingy... finally that slate got nabbed.
So in a pinch I bought a cheaper brand of slate... still the nicest one my local supply house had, around $65... but not a Don Earl (and surprisingly enough, there IS a difference, the Don Earl slates are nice)... so anyway... I continued to use up my EXPO markers and stain up my new slate over the last year and a half... and recently I've kind of wanted to get another Don Earl slate, but this put the stain thought back in my head... especially when I saw that Studio Depot recommends Marks-A-Lot (made by Avery... sometimes called Avery-Dennison)... because they say that's the one marker they've found that don't stain slates!
Well I thought this was cool and assumed I could get 'em anywhere, since they're listed on all the office supply sites, but NOPE... only mail order! The crappy EXPO markers have a monopoly at ALL the local stores in STL.
Since I was having to order them anyway... and I expected to just get a few from one of the pro-shops... I went back to examining the inventory and trying to decide if I would get another new slate, even as a backup... because if you've ever caught yourself on a shoot without one, you know that sick feeling, and how a spare is cheap compared to not having one when you need it.
This search led me back to Filmtools... where I saw the KLEENSLATE markers, which I had seen one other time on a shoot... and I thought it looked cool at the time, but I was too busy doing my own job, to give it more then a passing glance.
Well... sorry, rambling. The bottom line is that I checked out the KleenSlate website to read more about these things... since FilmTools STILL sells the same markers that stained up my slates... I didn't want to take their word about the KleenSlate markers (FilmTools says all the markers they sell are compatible, but somebody needs to wake up over there and drop the Dixon and Expo).
So I checked out the KleenSlate site where I discovered that you can order their markers directly... on page 2 of the store section... and they're cheap! Plus shipping was CHEAP! (thank you very much)
These things arrived and they are killer... as markers go. By this time you realize I'm insane about details, but it's the small things that can make a day that much better, or that much worse... and I'm stunned at how nice this cheap little product is... NO MORE STAINING... and what's even more impressive... is that they are actually cleaning the stains OFF! :huh:
No joke... everywhere I write something on my "off-white" slate, is white again after the writing is erased!
I haven't even mentioned the coolest part about these markers... check the built-in eraser! That is the sh*t man... AWESOME... plus that eraser pulls off and can be washed and re-used... or put on some other brand of marker (which of course would be stupid now that you've read this)...
For clappin'... this marker is great. Also of note is the rubber grip, and the marking part itself is shaped like a bullet... so even with the fat marker the tip is still just right for writing on a slate (I also got the smaller markers and I do NOT suggest them for slates... ONLY because the tips are too small for slate writing. It's the difference between a normal and bold font.)
I feel a little stupid posting this enthusiastic raving about a freakin' marker... but it's not so much about the marker as it is the slate... and the real world use in slating your production with a great marker that writes well, erases effortlessly with it's own built-in eraser, and does NOT stain your slate. :beer:
Here is the picture from the FilmTools site:
Here's the picture from the KleenSlate site:
But obviously it's the very same markers.
I think I'm going to help this lady out with some better images about her product... if you read the "about" sections, she seems like a really cool person... and this marker works so much better then the crap monopolizing the stores now that I'd like to see her company get the proper place in the market... as an alternate choice anywhere the other crap markers are sold.
http://www.kleenslate.com/store2.htm
Scroll down to the middle of the page... "Single Large KleenSlate Marker/Eraser" and select color + quantity... I think she said they may raise the price a bit before too long... like a slight bit... but right now they are only $1.50 each... and with the dirt cheap shipping it still works out to only $2.07 each SHIPPED... ($24.87/12)... vs. $35.29 from Filmtools.
I wouldn't have posted this if I wasn't thrilled with these... hopefully somebody else has cared about this at some point... or will find this post in the future. :beer:
Last edited:
rogar-Dum(DBG):
Especially when it's driven home by other people.