Ask HN: What kind of whiteboard does not use dry erase markers?
77 comments
·March 15, 2025seoulbigchris
A long time ago, a colleague and I visited a supplier in another state. While we were waiting alone in a conference room, we noticed an unusual looking note taking device at the front of the room. It was a very large easel that looked like a white board, with a tray of markers and an eraser. But it was clearly electronic because it had stuff attached to the top and bottom, some buttons, and was plugged in. We walked up to the easel, drew a large circle on it, and pressed what looked like a COPY button, curious how it was going to perform that task.
The machine whirred into action, scrolling the white board material (which turned out to be a flexible plastic-like film) over the top of the easel, and paying out fresh whiteboard up from the bottom. A perfect duplicate of our circle on paper spat out of a slot in the machine, akin to a FAX machine. As the scrolling came to a stop, it revealed a previously hidden drawing -- someone had drawn a large "X" in the middle of the page. I guess we weren't the only ones who were curious how the machine worked.
wrp
In the 1990s, I went to a lab in Tokyo for a presentation, and they had me using a freestanding whiteboard. When the board got full, I grabbed the eraser but a few in the audience started going "wait! wait". I thought they needed more time to copy the writing, but then a guy came up from the audience and pressed a button at the side of the board. The writing surface scrolled off to the side and a printout emerged from a machine in the corner.
rubatuga
The tactile experience sounds amazinf
RaftPeople
We had a few of those years ago. It kind of worked but was also another device that you had to understand how to load paper or work through error conditions.
creer
Techies and magic - hours of entertainment. Like cats and string :-)
vladsanchez
I bought this 4'x3' Black Glass Board back in 2017 for $150! I write with white and neon colored liquid chalk markers and it's the best!
Here: https://a.co/d/hlrwPHQ
Enjoy it.
ThePowerOfFuet
Tracking-free link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JOW6EGY
saurik
Wow! Do you then use white board erasers, chalk board erasers, paper towels, microfiber clothes, squeegees ;P, or what do you use then to erase?
myvoiceismypass
Is there a particular advantage to getting the black version of this versus the ultra white version?
aaron695
Ditto, same size, same thing (different brand), cheaper pickup ~ $70 (2024) "Magnetic Glass Board", chose black since it seemed less NPC.
Lots of cool pens on Temu - https://www.temu.com/search_result.html?search_key=Liquid%20...
Also cool. Looks great under a UV light too.
MathMonkeyMan
In a previous apartment, I painted a wall with several coats of blackboard (chalkboard) paint and then used fancy chalk on it, and a chalkboard eraser. Worked pretty well. The landlord even let me keep it up when I moved out, because the next tenants liked it.
alexwasserman
We did this when we renovated. Had a kitchen wall section chalk board painted for notes, as well as a much larger section of the kids play room wall.
The notes was useful space on the kitchen and the playroom one the kids just loved to doodle. Their friends were always impressed and loved to be able to leave a tag or doodle on it when they came over.
We tried a layer of magnetic paint too, but it didn’t work nearly as well.
creer
I'm of the generation that had student labs (with eye-wateringly expensive computers) full of chalk dust. Chalk dust everywhere. I still have chalk dust trauma I guess and even with better housekeeping habits I'd think twice about it. Doodling opportunity so very tempting though.
DAhelloNG
I write directly on the drywall, it's a lifehack that forces you to accept your past ideas and thoughts.
cf100clunk
Once, long ago, I wrote some pithy, earth-shattering thoughts onto the wall while extremely high, and was self-satisfied at the gift I'd bestowed upon the world. The next day I had no idea or recollection of what it meant, and on reflection I wish it had been on a white board and not wallpaper.
oldsklgdfth
When I was renovating my kitchen, I left some notes on the wall before putting up cabinets. A little treat for the next renovator.
yjftsjthsd-h
...Permanently? You just keep everything indefinitely?
DAhelloNG
Until I move out yea
conductr
Your comment reminds me of my 18~25 year old self when I never renewed an apartment lease as a way to avoid cleaning my bathtub.
It was my least favorite childhood chore and I’m mid40s and still haven’t done it once myself. At this point it’s petty but I refuse to do it on principle alone, to keep the streak alive
snailmailman
Different purpose than a whiteboard, because its much smaller and not really for sharing with a group. But I've used a Rocketbook 'reusable notebook' off and on for a while for any random notes at my desk. I used to just fill up a whiteboard by my desk with random notes instead of wasting paper, but now I scribble things in the Rocketbook instead. You write in it with an erasable pen, and can clean the pages off with a bit of water and a cloth.
I just flip to a blank page and write down anything i need. Then once in a while i go through and erase all the pages and start fresh again. I like that i can write very small and detailed - unlike with a whiteboard. But it also isn't a complete waste of paper. (and its still physical, unlike taking notes on an iPad)
woleium
there’s the one you can microwave too, the rocketbook wave iirc?
snailmailman
It’s a neat concept, but I think the microwaveable ones have a shorter longevity. They say it can only be microwaved around 5 times. I suspect they just work because when heated, the erasable ink becomes invisible.
On the normal pocketbooks, the ink actually washes off with just a bit of water. It’s very similar to a whiteboard in that regard. I know I’ve cleaned out my notebook more than five times, it’s still basically good as new. Except one page where I accidentally used a normal non-erasable pen.
firefax
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.
LeoPanthera
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.
lathiat
Hand sanitiser is great for this. A dab of whisky on a paper towel also works well.
firefax
Yeah, I'm mostly posting this for folks who might not have access to ISO, but if you do, that is the best solution.
brudgers
If you want to remove Sharpie, use IPA...isopropyl alcohol...India pale ale remains useless.
echelon
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.
j_bum
Ideally used to sterilize while gloves are on your hands… be mindful of your skin microbiome!
Two4
It's also similarly great for killing braincells when auto-applied orally
MathMonkeyMan
Your pale ale clearly isn't strong enough!
kazinator
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.
dlcarrier
I use hand sanitizer, so an alcoholic beverage might work, although it's significantly diluted.
fahrnfahrnfahrn
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.
BleakButBold
Even better, sunscreen (I just use old, expired ones). Don’t know why, but it does a great job.
Avshalom
dandrew5
Keeping it classic, nice. How do you manage the dust?
snackbroken
1) Try a few different "dustless" chalk brands. Pick the one that's the least dusty. It probably won't write as nicely. 2) Erase with a damp cloth, not a dry felt eraser. 3) Use a blackboard with relatively low surface roughness. It won't write as nicely.
farseer
Perhaps with multiple vacuums attached on the bezels.
wombatpm
Crayola make dry erase crayons. No fumes, cool colors
BrandoElFollito
Last year I discovered big crayons for children that you erase with water. They are awesome.
I do not know brands in the US but in France this would be something like https://amzn.eu/d/7L7p2Cd
I use them on various surfaces, they work best on whiteboards but are all great on windows (and you look cool then).
The only small drawback is that you cannot erase a small mistake with your finger (out au least it is not that great).
I love them and got some for all my teams.
hiAndrewQuinn
I have a bunch of these kinds of kid's drawing tablets lying around. They're the closest thing I have find do far to digital paper. https://amzn.eu/d/4gsa3pc
thex10
I recently learned whiteboards can also use wet erase markers. This has the benefit of not getting utterly destroyed if you graze it slightly.
mindslight
Me too! Also, whiteboard tape exists: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NBL3UMU . I've started using it on storage bins (easier to get over the mental hurdle of labeling when I don't have to worry about the label changing later), and homeprod network switches (I'm terrible at recording port assignments electronically).
bickfordb
If you use glass, whiteboard material / laminate (formica eg) you can use any kind of marker and then dissolve it with alcohol or acetone.
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?