marking strips for joint fitting

[John Morton]

I have seen video of someone using a black paper strip to pull through the heel/body joint, marking the high spots. I use cloth-backed sandpaper in this way, but I'd rather make that the last step, using other tools for the rough fit.

What is this product called, and where can I get it? I'd prefer some other color, so it shows up on ebony.

[Ken]

It's probably carbon paper. Back in the dark ages, when using a typewriter (another ancient device) to make more than one copy you would insert carbon paper between your sheets of paper, type away, and get multiple copies. I don't know but it might be hard to find carbon paper these days, maybe in a very complete office supply store. Anyhow, black is the only color I've ever seen it in. Chalk fitting is another method of final fitting and would give you a wide variety of colors to choose from. Chalk one side of the joint, and then see where it rubs off onto the other side of the joint.

[John Morton]

Carbon paper is dark blue, as I remember, and sort of crinkly. The stuff I saw was very black and looked to be stiffer than carbon paper, which wouldn't withstand much tugging I suspect.

[billhay4]

Well, you really don't have to tug. You just lay the carbon paper on the joint and gently try to assemble it. It will mark the high spots.
However, the chalk method is much, much simpler, less messy and doesn't depend on hard to find paper.
Bill