anyone tried etching their tools?

[larrygerald]

I'm having trouble reading the small writing on sockets, and have been thinking about some DIY etching, watched a youtube video, was looking for some more feedback on it or if anyone has done it, I noticed he colored on his sockets after etching, which won't last, but hoping we can make out the etching, here is the video, it's chris fix

 

[mikey03]

I saw a post people saying about laser engraving your tools and that seems sweet but idk anyone with a laser tbh

 

[drmarkr]

Geezus...I can't even imagine the time it would take to etch all of my ****....

 

[onewheat]

I used to work in a lab where we chemically etched numbers on tools and fixturing using something like this -
Etching Pen It was quick, easy and as legible as your handwriting

 

[mngundog]

I have a set of John Deere wrenches (Bonney) from the seventies given to me by my father-in-law that might hold some value, however he was gifted a vibrating etching tool on some point.

 

[larrygerald]

tried the marker on some sockets, it was a fail, wipes right off

 

[msharley]

I know a guy!

 

[niget2002]

Need to buy a Fiber laser

 

[GeoBruin]

I just ordered one of these little spring loaded diamond scribes that fits in place of the consumable stack in my cnc plasma cutter. Well see how it works. Won't work for anything that isn't basically flat though.

 

[BTL-A4]

I used to work in a lab where we chemically etched numbers on tools and fixturing using something like this -
Etching Pen It was quick, easy and as legible as your handwriting

I watched the video they had and it looks like an ordinary felt tip pen. Where is the etching feature? They showed a person writing on a piece of metal, but nothing about how it was etched. What am I missing?

 

[BrandonV]

I watched the video they had and it looks like an ordinary felt tip pen. Where is the etching feature? They showed a person writing on a piece of metal, but nothing about how it was etched. What am I missing?

The pen has a dilute mixture of hydrochloric, sulfuric and nitric acid. It will etch/oxidize for sure.

 

[Skellyii]

I used to work in a lab where we chemically etched numbers on tools and fixturing using something like this -
Etching Pen It was quick, easy and as legible as your handwriting

And therein lies the problem...

Nobody can read my handwriting, even me!!

 

[no704]

Way back when I was working at a car accessory joint we offered window etching. A stick on template was applied to the windows and gone over with a marker like a paint marker but acid. Left on for like 10 min would etch into the glass.

 

[BTL-A4]

The pen has a dilute mixture of hydrochloric, sulfuric and nitric acid. It will etch/oxidize for sure.

So you just write on whatever you want etched, then wipe it off? Or let it sit?

 

[larrygerald]

Tried both ways, it doesn't work on sockets, not recommended

 

[larrygerald]

They show it working on calipers in the video but it doesn't want to work on a chrome socket

 

[Skellyii]

tried the marker on some sockets, it was a fail, wipes right off

I have the same problem as you, I can see what the neighbor is up to at the far end of the cul-de-sac, but I can't read the size on my sockets without assistance.

Get a PAINT marker and use it with sockets that have fairly deep engravings. A regular magic marker will not work, and the paint will rub off if the engraving isn't deep enough.

I'm open to folks who have a better idea.

While there are some large print options out there, I'm curious why the tool manufacturers haven't come up with better options, considering the large baby boomer market?

 

[bobg03]

I seem to recall an older friend using a paint stick in yellow so he could read the sizes. IRC you drag it over the numbers and wipe oft the excess. I don't know about longevity but at the time he was happy w/the results.

 

[larrygerald]

factory engraving isn't the best of on some of the sockets, mainly struggle a little with the 1/4 drive. some mfgs put deeper engravings than others, I tried the paint stick and marker trick before hand, didn't help much print is still tiny on these. i've been thinking about the laser etched craftsman's, laser etching is supposed to wear off of those after a while, but they are cheap.

 

[Skellyii]

factory engraving isn't the best of on some of the sockets, mainly struggle a little with the 1/4 drive. some mfgs put deeper engravings than others, I tried the paint stick and marker trick before hand, didn't help much print is still tiny on these. i've been thinking about the laser etched craftsman's, laser etching is supposed to wear off of those after a while, but they are cheap.

Yeah, the depth of the engravings vary a LOT.

While some of the pros on here rave about only using 1/4" sockets, I have way too many problems seeing the size. With the 3/8" i still have a decent chance of reading them.

i picked up an incomplete set of the laser etched Craftsman at an estate sale, they are OK, but I've been stubbornly trying to use my older Snap-On stuff.

 

[ecotec]

And therein lies the problem...

Nobody can read my handwriting, even me!!

Stencil.

 

[Beerhippie]

I used to work in a lab where we chemically etched numbers on tools and fixturing using something like this -
Etching Pen It was quick, easy and as legible as your handwriting

So, basically illegible.

 

[larrygerald]

i picked up an incomplete set of the laser etched Craftsman at an estate sale, they are OK, but I've been stubbornly trying to use my older Snap-On stuff.

I understand, it's so blasted expensive there is a difference , seriously though I don't think I've ever encountered many problems with 6 point sockets, they seem to have a higher likelihood of getting lost than broken or worn out, but still seem to think my s/o stuff is better

 

[Kscardsfan]

And therein lies the problem...

Nobody can read my handwriting, even me!!

I too suffer from this condition, someday we will prevail.

 

[Beerhippie]

This is what I use when I need to engrave something:



It takes some practice to learn how the ball cuts in different directions, and does nothing to improve my handscribbling.

 

[larrygerald]

I like it.