This is pretty self explanatory, but lengthy because there's a bit of a learning curve. I also want to thank JoeyA for his motivation for this project! I just couldn't find a chalk holder that I really felt would be convenient to use. I wanted something small, unobtrusive, with no moving parts that would stretch or wear out, and that I could wear in a multitude of locations on my slacks and in various comfortable positions.
My main goal was a location where the chalk faces rearwards and not away from my body. I can naturally grasp the chalk with my thumb, index, and middle finger without having to flip around the chalk for the actual chalking. Obviously, you can cement the washer on the bottom if you prefer, although in addition to my finding it inconvenient, the wrapper on the bottom of the chalk seems to be not affixed as smoothly and solidly as the paper wrap on the sides of my chalk samples. Some have said that over time, the washer actually tears away the bottom wrapper. Having done a test cube with various sizes and locations of the washers, it's clearly evident that the poorly affixed bottom layer of wrapper will actually pull away from the chalk, and most likely tend to fail over a protracted period of time. Mounting the washers on the sides to a tight wrapper makes them feel as though they're welded into place. Time will tell. In addition to my personal preference to mounting the chalk rearwards, my fingers never touch the washer, so it results in a totally natural experience just like not using any sort of holder at all. I was also careful to allow the E600 to fully cure for 48 - 72 hours on my samples. I also found that 3M Weatherstripping Cement worked equally as well, but it's most commonly available in either yellow or black, and it's a goopy stringy cement to work with. The E600 is crystal clear.
The crux of this are the two 5/16" magnets which are c. 1/4" thick. I wear it at the bottom of my Levi large pocket since I find my hand just naturally falls to this comfortable position. I've shown it also on the Levi watch pocket, but it seems too high and my hand doesn't go there naturally. These magnets are so ridiculously strong, that I can even mount to my belt loops.
One magnet is tossed into the pocket and located, then the outer magnet locks on to the inner one for a really, really solid positioning. This eliminates the need for a bulky belt clip. There is plenty of magnetism left over to solidly grab the washer affixed to the chalk. I tried larger washers, and they seem to work counterintuitive to what one would think. The large washers actually generate too much grab, while the smaller washers shown provide just the right amount of grab. I actually like the #10 washers the best since they provide such a natural and smooth removal. To insure the best possible adhesion, I scratched the bottom of the washers with very rough sandpaper. I then used Zippo lighter fluid on the bottom of the washer. I also used a Q-tip with the fluid to remove the waxy protective covering on the chalk paper; just enough 'til I could see red on the Q-tip.
Having all of the ingredients already on hand, I figure I'm out two bits for a test sample cube of Master chalk. I haven't a clue where to source these magnets, since they've been in our kitchen drawer forever. If you google Lowes or Depot, it appears that they might have some magnets that are similar. It's basically finding the right combination of magnetic grab, washer size and location to make something unique and fitting to your personal liking. I think for 25 cents; it's cool as heck! Aside from whatever suitable magnets may cost, all the other items are c. $10 if you shouldn't have them already on hand.
As an aside, I've previously never used a chalk holder; thinking they were silly. I know folks either love 'em or hate 'em. But what I've discovered in a few short days is, that if I really want to concentrate, my eyes never leave the playing surface. This morning I put two racks together, and the only time my eyes left the table was to rack. No need to do the Karen Corr or Darren Appleton dance of stepping back, while groping for the chalk, painting the tip and then proceeding to step into the shot. I am still also able to paint the tip easily and correctly. Both Karen and Darren are two of my favorite professionals. Their names just came to mind intuitively; sort of like my chalk comes to my hand. With the chalk readily available in a naturally comfortable position, I no longer have to reach for, or walk to my chalk, and it has literally doubled the time that I can analyze the layout, all without adding any additional time between shots. Shot time is irrelevant really, but shooting at approximately the same speed as before, all of that time is directed to where it should be; into studying the layout and a more thoughtful shot.
My main goal was a location where the chalk faces rearwards and not away from my body. I can naturally grasp the chalk with my thumb, index, and middle finger without having to flip around the chalk for the actual chalking. Obviously, you can cement the washer on the bottom if you prefer, although in addition to my finding it inconvenient, the wrapper on the bottom of the chalk seems to be not affixed as smoothly and solidly as the paper wrap on the sides of my chalk samples. Some have said that over time, the washer actually tears away the bottom wrapper. Having done a test cube with various sizes and locations of the washers, it's clearly evident that the poorly affixed bottom layer of wrapper will actually pull away from the chalk, and most likely tend to fail over a protracted period of time. Mounting the washers on the sides to a tight wrapper makes them feel as though they're welded into place. Time will tell. In addition to my personal preference to mounting the chalk rearwards, my fingers never touch the washer, so it results in a totally natural experience just like not using any sort of holder at all. I was also careful to allow the E600 to fully cure for 48 - 72 hours on my samples. I also found that 3M Weatherstripping Cement worked equally as well, but it's most commonly available in either yellow or black, and it's a goopy stringy cement to work with. The E600 is crystal clear.
The crux of this are the two 5/16" magnets which are c. 1/4" thick. I wear it at the bottom of my Levi large pocket since I find my hand just naturally falls to this comfortable position. I've shown it also on the Levi watch pocket, but it seems too high and my hand doesn't go there naturally. These magnets are so ridiculously strong, that I can even mount to my belt loops.
One magnet is tossed into the pocket and located, then the outer magnet locks on to the inner one for a really, really solid positioning. This eliminates the need for a bulky belt clip. There is plenty of magnetism left over to solidly grab the washer affixed to the chalk. I tried larger washers, and they seem to work counterintuitive to what one would think. The large washers actually generate too much grab, while the smaller washers shown provide just the right amount of grab. I actually like the #10 washers the best since they provide such a natural and smooth removal. To insure the best possible adhesion, I scratched the bottom of the washers with very rough sandpaper. I then used Zippo lighter fluid on the bottom of the washer. I also used a Q-tip with the fluid to remove the waxy protective covering on the chalk paper; just enough 'til I could see red on the Q-tip.
Having all of the ingredients already on hand, I figure I'm out two bits for a test sample cube of Master chalk. I haven't a clue where to source these magnets, since they've been in our kitchen drawer forever. If you google Lowes or Depot, it appears that they might have some magnets that are similar. It's basically finding the right combination of magnetic grab, washer size and location to make something unique and fitting to your personal liking. I think for 25 cents; it's cool as heck! Aside from whatever suitable magnets may cost, all the other items are c. $10 if you shouldn't have them already on hand.
As an aside, I've previously never used a chalk holder; thinking they were silly. I know folks either love 'em or hate 'em. But what I've discovered in a few short days is, that if I really want to concentrate, my eyes never leave the playing surface. This morning I put two racks together, and the only time my eyes left the table was to rack. No need to do the Karen Corr or Darren Appleton dance of stepping back, while groping for the chalk, painting the tip and then proceeding to step into the shot. I am still also able to paint the tip easily and correctly. Both Karen and Darren are two of my favorite professionals. Their names just came to mind intuitively; sort of like my chalk comes to my hand. With the chalk readily available in a naturally comfortable position, I no longer have to reach for, or walk to my chalk, and it has literally doubled the time that I can analyze the layout, all without adding any additional time between shots. Shot time is irrelevant really, but shooting at approximately the same speed as before, all of that time is directed to where it should be; into studying the layout and a more thoughtful shot.
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