Customizing Tools: Laser Engravings, Colored Chrome, etc

[oldschoolcraft]

I'm sorry in advance to ruffle the feathers of people who use tools for a living and think this is ridiculous socket polishing. I understand, I work in IT and the idea of spending hours customizing a keyboard (which is a hobby of many), is absurd to me. I use my keyboard to make money and dont want to play with it outside of work hours.

I've been wondering for a long time about professional-grade customizations that could be done to tools that give some functional benefit due to an esthetic change.

One I've carried in my head is laser engraving tools. Some ideas:

• Owners marks for those of you working in shared spaces, rather than hand engraving
• SAE Equivalent sizes for those of you who work primarily on metric and add in only some non-overlapping SAE tools for the rare time they are needed and might not remember 11mm = 7/16" and you could laser etch 7/16" on you 11mm sockets / wrenches. Or you get a good deal on big SAE tools and laser engrave metric equivalents on there since at 22mm+ every common metric size has an SAE near equivalent
• Personal Inventory numbers for tool control or to tie into a database you maintain of receipts for warranty purposes since most non-truck purposes require receipts nowadays
• Engraving the size in larger font for easier readability

Second idea is custom color chrome. I dont know how hard it is to do a chrome finish, maybe it requires a $10M machine. But if it's something within the realm of mortals, I envision stripping the chrome off all of my 10mm wrenches and sockets and reapplying a blue colored chrome. Then doing the same to all of my 12mm wrenches/sockets and applying a pink chrome.

HF does colored chrome on some of their sockets and I love the idea but I prefer my tools. How great would it be when you know the fastener is 12mm and you can immediately grab whatever of the type of tool you're going for in that size?

For impacts you could just cerakote the outside the correct colorway.

Wondering if any of these ideas are interesting to anyone, if any are yet feasible for home people to do (I know laser engravers are available at reasonable prices but I'm not sure how hard to engrave round tools, you might need custom jigs for each tool, and also it would strip the chrome so if you couldn't re-chrome, it would just be a mess.

Also wondering if anyone has other esoteric ideas to visually customize tools to improve them in some way.

 

[Kscardsfan]

Chrome plating is tough. It involves lots of nasty chemicals and polishing time. The environmental compliance and disposal fees etc. make running a chrome shop a nearly losing venture for most people. Powder coating is a viable alternative for coloring etc. though.

 

[DekNgo]

I've wondered about this too. Last Best Tool put out a video last year talking about the LaserPecker 2 that piqued my interest and I've had it in my Amazon cart for a while. There's now a LaserPecker 4 that has dual lasers that seems like maybe it would be better for tools, but I don't know if it would work on chrome.

 

[DAVE94LIGHTNING]

I do laser marking and most of my friends that work in dealerships and other mechanic type shops weren’t really interested in having their tools labeled because it didn’t seem like an issue because they rarely ever loan tools out and always accounted for their tools after each project. I did think about doing some customization such as Damascus patterns, etc. which would look pretty cool however you wouldn’t want to etch the finish on the tools instead, you would really want a light marking that you can’t really feel with a fingernail otherwise you would be compromising the finish on the tools . Pic for example is a set of dimple dies that I labeled with sizes for easy reference. Also drills and taps that have the markings worn off are a good use.

 

[CudaChick1968]

Candy translucent powders over a shiny / chrome replica base might be an option for you. Here's a "few" from my Powder **** stash ...



I have a brand new copper for a GJ member I just finished last night but he gets to see it first. Neener neener

Good luck with your idea!

 

[KomatsuTech]

I do laser marking and most of my friends that work in dealerships and other mechanic type shops weren’t really interested in having their tools labeled because it didn’t seem like an issue because they rarely ever loan tools out and always accounted for their tools after each project. I did think about doing some customization such as Damascus patterns, etc. which would look pretty cool however you wouldn’t want to etch the finish on the tools instead, you would really want a light marking that you can’t really feel with a fingernail otherwise you would be compromising the finish on the tools . Pic for example is a set of dimple dies that I labeled with sizes for easy reference. Also drills and taps that have the markings worn off are a good use.

What kind of laser is needed for that? I've been looking online and keep getting conflicting information. I would like to mark some tools and was hoping to find a budget laser to do that.

 

[Kkmk]

“

• Engraving the size in larger font for easier readability”

I’ve done this to a bunch of Milwaukee sockets I keep in a little bag. Engraved all four sides with the size in LARGE to make them easy to find in the bag.

I also need to regulrly drive roll pins out a specific distance, not all the way out, so I engraved a ring around the punch at the right depth.

Or engraved a poor mans knurl on socket extensions - lathe was broken.

 

[DAVE94LIGHTNING]

What kind of laser is needed for that? I've been looking online and keep getting conflicting information. I would like to mark some tools and was hoping to find a budget laser to do that.

For Metals you'll need a fiber laser. There isn't a "budget" way to get into it but within fiber lasers there are multiple technologies that are available and range in pricing from around 2k-8k for a personal use type situation. Depending on your intended use the lasers have color capability, cutting capability, speed etc ...I would get as high a wattage as you can afford nothing below 30W for personal use at home. 80W for a business etc..

 

[mikey03]

I do laser marking and most of my friends that work in dealerships and other mechanic type shops weren’t really interested in having their tools labeled because it didn’t seem like an issue

This looks so sweet but would the laser ruin the chrome and make it rust?

 

[DAVE94LIGHTNING]

This looks so sweet but would the laser ruin the chrome and make it rust?I

If you use the correct settings the laser just marks the metal and does not "etch" into it, the coating is not affected and for this instance the tap is not coated, this is the raw metal that has been polished.

 

[KomatsuTech]

For Metals you'll need a fiber laser. There isn't a "budget" way to get into it but within fiber lasers there are multiple technologies that are available and range in pricing from around 2k-8k for a personal use type situation. Depending on your intended use the lasers have color capability, cutting capability, speed etc ...I would get as high a wattage as you can afford nothing below 30W for personal use at home. 80W for a business etc..

Thank you for the information. I guess I need to do a lot more research. I knew they weren't going to be cheap, but wasn't expecting that price range.