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    Ask HN: What kind of whiteboard does not use dry erase markers?

    32 points dandrew5 | 17 comments | 15 Mar 25 18:46 UTC | HN request time: 1.67s | source | bottom

    I've been using a dry erase whiteboard for decades and am in the market for something different. Someone mentioned in another thread they were using some kind of magnetic board (maybe it wasn't magnets, I can't remember 100%) but I can't find anything like this online.

    Anybody have any recommendations?

    1. firefax ◴[17 Mar 25 17:40 UTC] No.43390886[source]▶
    Slightly off topic, but if you ever write on a whiteboard with a sharpie, you can write over the text with an erasable marker and then wipe it away.
    replies(4): >>43391764 #>>43395751 #>>43395902 #>>43395923 #
    2. brudgers ◴[17 Mar 25 19:07 UTC] No.43391764[source]▶
    If you want to remove Sharpie, use IPA...isopropyl alcohol...India pale ale remains useless.
    replies(4): >>43395798 #>>43395836 #>>43408433 #>>43408743 #
    3. fahrnfahrnfahrn ◴[18 Mar 25 04:26 UTC] No.43395751[source]▶
    You can do the same with a Sharpie. All inks contain a solvent for their pigment, so you can use the same marker to remove the same ink. Just mark over it and immediately wipe it off.
    4. echelon ◴[18 Mar 25 04:36 UTC] No.43395798[source]▶
    Isopropyl removes all inks and glues. It's incredible.

    It's also fantastic to wash your hands with when doing cell and tissue cultures and trying to avoid contamination.

    replies(2): >>43395829 #>>43395833 #
    5. j_bum ◴[18 Mar 25 04:41 UTC] No.43395829{3}[source]▶
    Ideally used to sterilize while gloves are on your hands… be mindful of your skin microbiome!
    6. Two4 ◴[18 Mar 25 04:41 UTC] No.43395833{3}[source]▶
    It's also similarly great for killing braincells when auto-applied orally
    replies(1): >>43395944 #
    7. MathMonkeyMan ◴[18 Mar 25 04:42 UTC] No.43395836[source]▶
    Your pale ale clearly isn't strong enough!
    8. BleakButBold ◴[18 Mar 25 04:53 UTC] No.43395902[source]▶
    Even better, sunscreen (I just use old, expired ones). Don’t know why, but it does a great job.
    9. LeoPanthera ◴[18 Mar 25 04:57 UTC] No.43395923[source]▶
    This works because the solvent base for the ink is alcohol, so a much simpler method that doesn't waste ink is to use a small spray bottle of isopropyl alcohol. Ideally 99/100%, if you can get it. (Try eBay.)

    This doubles up as an effective whiteboard cleaner.

    replies(2): >>43399236 #>>43399313 #
    10. dreamcompiler ◴[18 Mar 25 05:01 UTC] No.43395944{4}[source]▶
    No. You're thinking of ethyl alcohol. If you ingest isopropyl alcohol you're gonna have a bad day.

    Oh and make sure the label on the ethyl alcohol does not contain the word "DENATURED." That's code for "tastes like shit and makes you sick."

    replies(2): >>43395979 #>>43402631 #
    11. zdragnar ◴[18 Mar 25 05:10 UTC] No.43395979{5}[source]▶
    Well, if the stated goal was to kill brain cells, I'm sure either will get you there
    12. lathiat ◴[18 Mar 25 13:30 UTC] No.43399236[source]▶
    Hand sanitiser is great for this. A dab of whisky on a paper towel also works well.
    13. firefax ◴[18 Mar 25 13:41 UTC] No.43399313[source]▶
    Yeah, I'm mostly posting this for folks who might not have access to ISO, but if you do, that is the best solution.
    14. swe02 ◴[18 Mar 25 18:04 UTC] No.43402631{5}[source]▶
    Isopropanol is relatively safe to drink in small amounts (single digit mL). It's only about 2x stronger than ethanol, and your liver metabolizes it to acetone, which is safe.

    Denatured alcohol contains methanol, which is way more dangerous since you metabolise it to formaldehyde.

    Source: I unknowingly got drunk on IPA fumes before work one time and wrote some really bad code

    replies(1): >>43403766 #
    15. dreamcompiler ◴[18 Mar 25 19:21 UTC] No.43403766{6}[source]▶
    Methanol is indeed quite toxic but it is not the only denaturant. There are many others [0]. When methanol is used as a denaturant, special labeling is required [1]. Most of the denatured ethyl alcohol I've seen in pharmacies in recent years has not contained methanol but merely bittering agents, because methanol is so dangerous.

    [0] https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2003-title27-vol1/xm...

    [1] https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2016-20712/p-284

    16. dlcarrier ◴[19 Mar 25 05:09 UTC] No.43408433[source]▶
    I use hand sanitizer, so an alcoholic beverage might work, although it's significantly diluted.
    17. kazinator ◴[19 Mar 25 06:18 UTC] No.43408743[source]▶
    I second that. I discovered that IPA dissolves sharpie resin when doing DIY circuitboards via toner transfer. When you do toner transfer, you can use a Sharpie to fix up imperfections in the artwork before doing the etching. After the copper is etched, you remove the ink.

    The first time I did that, I tried IPA first, and that took off the Sharpie touch ups, not doing anything to the laser printer toner.

    Next up, acetone: swoosh, clean copper in one wipe.