Stenciling is a reliable way to mark surfaces with information, lot numbers, addresses, or product information. Unlike adhesive labels, a stenciled mark can't peel off in transit or get soaked off by rain. Oil & gas pipelines, aviation, crate shipping, and military are common applications for stenciling.
A Marsh stencil coding line isn't one product, it's a small system of a few pieces that each do a specific job. Here's how it all comes together to put a permanent mark on a surface.
The Stencil Machine
This is the cutter. For manual machines, you dial in a letter, number, or symbol, press the lever, and it punches that character into a sheet of material, then advances automatically to the next position. There are two categories of stencil cutters to choose between: electric, which we carry a single model of, the ESC60, and manual, which comes in four character sizes (1/4" Model Q, 1/2" Model H, 3/4" Model S, and 1" Model R). Machine size needs to match the size of mark you're trying to produce, so the character height decision comes first.
Manual machines are built around a fixed character size, so once you're past 1" characters, a manual machine isn't an option anymore. That's where the electric cutter earns its keep. Rather than a mechanically fixed character height, it cuts freehand, which means it isn't boxed into one size. It handles large characters without the cost of a specialty oversized manual machine, and because it isn't limited to a fixed alphabet stamp, it can cut logos and specialty characters that a manual machine simply can't produce.
Oilboard
This is the material the stencil machine cuts into. It's a treated paperboard that is oil-impregnated so it resists moisture and holds its shape through repeated use. Once the machine cuts a message into it, that sheet of oilboard is the stencil itself, and a well-cut one is reusable. How many uses depends on a variety of factors.
The Ink Applicator: A Few Options
This is where you have options, and choosing the right applicator depends upon how the surface behaves, and how much upkeep the applicator itself is going to get.
Ink roller and ink pad
A separate ink pad, the RM50, holds a reservoir of stencil ink, and the ink roller picks up ink from the pad before you transfer it to the stencil. Rollers come in two widths, a 1.5" (RM20-15) and a 3" (RM20-30F), sized to match the width of your stenciled message. It's a simpler, lower-cost setup, and many operations treat it as effectively disposable. There's no internal reservoir to maintain. To prolong the life of the applicator and pad, place the applicator roller back into the white cup and place the cap on, and close the ink pad.
Refillable fountain roller
A fountain roller holds ink internally and feeds it to the roller surface as you work, so there's no separate pad to load from. It also comes in two widths, a 1.5" (RFR200-15Only) and a 3" (RFR200F-30Only), and keeps ink flow consistent across a high number of repeated marks. The tradeoff is that it's a piece of equipment, not a consumable. It needs to be cleaned and maintained to keep the internal reservoir and feed mechanism working properly. Where an operation can commit to that upkeep, it's a strong fit. Where it can't, the roller and pad combination is often the more dependable choice, volume aside.
Fountain brush
Rollers assume a reasonably flat surface. If you're stenciling something uneven, like a rough concrete wall, a roller can skip across the high points and leave gaps in the mark. A fountain brush solves that. Its bristles flex into the low points of an uneven surface in a way a hard roller edge can't, so ink still reaches through the stencil consistently even when the surface underneath isn't smooth.
Ink
The ink itself has to match the surface as much as the applicator does. Marsh breaks its stencil inks into a few main types, and which one you need depends on what you're marking.
K-Stencil ink is formulated for porous surfaces only, wood crates, corrugated cartons, kraft paper, and cloth sacks. It's permanent, waterproof, and dries fast, but it's built for absorbent surfaces specifically, not metal, plastic, or concrete.
RolMark ink is the more versatile of the two, waterproof and fast-drying on both porous and non-porous surfaces. This is the ink to reach for when the surface isn't guaranteed to be something absorbent like cardboard, and it's the ink typically paired with a fountain roller, fountain brush, or ink pad.
Spray stencil ink is a different delivery method entirely. Instead of an applicator making contact with the stencil, the ink is sprayed directly through it, which is useful when a roller or brush isn't practical for the surface or the job. It also comes in a mark-over version, meant for covering old markings so cartons can be reused.
How the System Comes Together
The stencil machine cuts a message into the oilboard, turning a blank sheet of oilboard into a reusable, custom stencil. That stencil is then held flat against whatever surface needs marking, whether that's a carton, a crate, a drum, or a section of pipe. The ink applicator, whichever one fits the surface and the operation's maintenance habits, is worked across the cut characters, and ink passes through the openings onto the surface below. Lift the stencil away, and the mark is left behind.
A Few Practical Notes
- Match ink to surface. Porous surfaces like corrugated cartons and wood behave differently than metal drums, concrete, or plastic, and the right ink depends on both the surface and the applicator you're using.
- Match the applicator to the surface, not just the job. A roller works fine on flat cartons and crates, but an uneven surface like rough concrete calls for a fountain brush instead.
- Keep the stencil flat. Any gap between the oilboard and the surface lets ink bleed underneath, which is the most common cause of a fuzzy or doubled mark.
- Clean applicators after use. Dried ink on a roller, pad, or brush shortens its life and can transfer unevenly on the next job.
- Store oilboard stencils flat. Curled or creased stencils won't sit flush against a surface, which defeats the point of reusing them.
Why Businesses Still Use This Method
Stenciling isn't the newest marking technology, but it remains a practical choice for a specific reason: durability. A stenciled mark is applied directly with ink, so there's no label to peel, no adhesive to fail in heat or moisture, and no need to reprint if you're running the same message across dozens or hundreds of units.
That durability is exactly why stenciling has stuck around in some demanding environments. The military has relied on stencil marking for decades to code crates, equipment, and supplies, since a stenciled mark holds up under handling and storage conditions that would tear a printed label apart. Oil and gas operations use the same approach on pipeline sections and equipment, where markings have to survive outdoor exposure, weather, and rough handling over long periods, often on surfaces far less forgiving than a cardboard carton. In both cases, the mark needs to outlast the conditions it's applied in, which is the exact problem stenciling was built to solve.
If you're setting up a stenciling system for the first time, the machine, oilboard, applicator, and ink all need to be sized and matched to each other, to your typical surface, and to your job, so it's worth working through that combination before ordering equipment.
