To plan ahead like that, and prepare the eggs for boiling is a wonderful thing. But for those who can't seem to remember to plan (like me), or who on a whim decide to cook up a couple of boiled eggs, hard or soft, a never-fail method for me is to boil to the desired degree, and then immedieatly drain and crak the eggshells by bouncing them around in the pan for a couple of seconds, and then filling the pan with cold water. The shells come off flawlessly. This is a great when you are making deviled eggs, where the white needs to be intact.
Another tip for boiling eggs, when you want uncracked shells (as for Easter Eggs and such) is to not allow the water to actually boil. Heat it to about 200' using a thermometer and let the eggs sit in the hot water for about ten minutes. The eggs won't be jostled around and will come out perfectly cooked and uncracked every time.
This works because the egg whites start setting at between 160 and 170 degrees. This knowledge also allows you to pasteurize your own eggs by leaving them in 145 degree water for 15 to twenty minutes. All the nasties are killed by the heat, but the eggs remain in their uncooked state, ready to be used in any recipe that calls for uncooked eggs (such as marangues, or in egg nog, etc.
Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North