Has anyone worked at a shop that required tool markings?

[vintagefan]

I just talked to a friend at a BBQ earlier today, and he was telling me about his new job. Evidently, this employer requires all techs to mark all of their tools. I guess they have had so much drama and trouble with tools going missing, getting "borrowed" into someone else's box, etc., that they started requiring marking (minimum first initial and last name) to try and alleviate some of the trouble. I guess grind marks aren't enough because they can still be open to debate, so that's why they have to use their names.

I'm a little disturbed by the whole thing in general (why is this such a huge issue at this company?), but I suppose that's a whole different can of worms. He really needs the job, and it's their way or the highway.

He was upset about this, as he has been working on renewing his tool set, and has a bunch of brand new or close to new tools, most of it high dollar stuff. He's an anti-engraving type, like me. Just makes me cringe to see people gouge/scratch/file/grind the chrome on a new tool. Plus, it puts the tool on the fast track to chrome failure. I totally get why there's a need for it sometimes, so I'm not trying to criticize folks that need/choose to mark their tools.

He looked at laser marking, but it was going to be too pricy for all of the pieces he has, so it looks like he's going to go with one of those electro-etching kits. I've seen them actually come out pretty slick looking if done right, so hopefully it's something he can live with. Time consuming, but I guess he can bring a shoebox full of tools home each day and do it while watching TV or something.

I also thought it might be cool to have a custom tool steel punch or arbor press die made up, but that's probably pricy.




Anyways, sorry for rambling. I was just curious if anyone else has heard of this? I've been in the industry for quite some time, and this is the first time that I've ever heard of a company making it mandatory that employees mark their personal tools. I've heard of it pretty often with company provided tools for tracking and accountability purposes, but never for places where employees provide their own tools.

 

[David W]

Is this an auto repair shop, industrial maintenance or what?
I never heard of this being a requirement but I've etched or marked with paint some of my tools just to prevent getting them mixed up with other peoples tools.

 

[toytech40]

Never heard of mandatory etching. Have heard of mandatory no loaning/borrowing tools between techs. One dealership I heard of in the region that a friend worked at, large 20+ techs, had this rule and zero tolerance 1 strike you are gone. They even had a guy who did nothing but walk through the shop all day watching for violators of this and other rules. Anyway one tech who had been there for a lot of years and whose son worked as a tech there as well worked side by side and the father owned both his and his sons tools and boxes, and had a few differnt tools in each one, and they used each others tools. Well one day without thinking the old man needed something in his sons box and walked right up to it and got it, and bam the enforcer was ther to witness it and you guessed it he was out of a job. A little extreme but if you say zero tolerance you had better back it up.

 

[MoToys]

Stinks that he has to "ruin" his tools Imo. Only thing I can say is the few tools I have from my grandfather that have his name engraved in them, I cherish.

 

[cderalow]

Why not get tamper proof labels? In the long run if he changes jobs, he can spend the time to remove them at a later point, but in the interim, his tools are labeled, and it won't damage the chrome.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

car dealers are relatively laid back .... the biggest rule is work ... or get fired

work or not get paid

 

[jjjrmx5]

Stinks that he has to "ruin" his tools Imo. Only thing I can say is the few tools I have from my grandfather that have his name engraved in them, I cherish.

Ruin? WTF???????????????????
LOLOLOL.

Tools are meant to be used.
If engraving means that I get to keep and retain my high priced tools due to a high theft rate so be it. A very small price to pay.

So many tool polishers here on GJ that it amazes me.

I have many tools that I have my initials on. I have purchased many many tools that are used that have other person's initials on that I have made to be my own. All high $$ Mac, Snap-On and others. Never gave it a second thought.
Has it effected the quality or use of the tool one bit? Nope.
But you already knew that.

Work in an mfgr. environment or somewhere with a large group of temp. or contract employees and it is the only way to ensure tool retainment short of locking your box everytime you walk away from it. Locking = lost work time and that affects both your bottom line for hours and productivity and thus the company's bottom line. And that is normally means for termination.

Not doing mandatory marking means find another job or **** it up and realize that the company is protecting you and your tool investment by doing so. Jesus, they are &^*( ing tools, not your children or pets.

Two inititals on a tool are such an insignificant matter if being paid $30k, $60K or even $100k a year.

It does not affect tool performance , but does seem to affect those who do not have their priorities in order in most cases.
Good luck with that.

BTW--chrome failure rate with engraving????
Really?
Have plenty of engraved Snap_on (and other) tools with no chrome failure at all.
Sounds like you are listening to what you only want to hear and not reality.

 

[MoToys]

It doesn't matter what it is that I own, I treat it with care. It may get dirty but I clean it. Engraving a tool is not a factory mark and is not ok with me.
I use my tools everyday, should I slide them across the ground because hey, "they're just tools?".
You should stop passing judgement on others. I don't give a **** about what you do with your stuff why do you give a **** about mine?

 

[M-technik-3]

I had all mine done when I was working for Gulfstream some time ago. This way if a tool is found on an airplane it can be traced back to the owner. Lost tool in a tool chest grounds a jet till the tool.

 

[tjmonsen5]

Tools are for getting work done, if it means you need to mark your tools to keep your job, you do it! Its not like any of the tool dealers will deny warranty for a name being engraved in the tool.

 

[back2class]

No big deal. Most people don't live in a world where they have any issue with some makings on used tools. If someone has some odd hangup like this, then go work somewhere else. We make our sudents put their name on their footwear for the sports teams we run. Never did hear someone whine about it and if they did we would tell them to man up....but this is GJ journal where tool polishers find a safezone from the cruel world of tool scratches both accidental and on purpose.

 

[jontar]

I work as an Industrial Electrician at a large plant in Alberta, and we get paid a tool allowance, by the company for having and maintaining a certain number of tools. Electricians have $5500.00+ millwrights have $12000.00+ worth of tools to quality etc. And part of the program is you engrave your tools or no tool allowance which is $720.00/yr for electrician and $1200.00/yr for millwright. Mine are all engraved the klein, the ideal, the channellock, the snap-on, the mac, the proto, the craftsman, the mastercraft, the powerfist. Tools are tools, they meant to be used, and abused.

 

[jjjrmx5]

It doesn't matter what it is that I own, I treat it with care. It may get dirty but I clean it. Engraving a tool is not a factory mark and is not ok with me.
I use my tools everyday, should I slide them across the ground because hey, "they're just tools?".
You should stop passing judgement on others. I don't give a **** about what you do with your stuff why do you give a **** about mine?

Hahahahaha.

No one is arguing with having and owning nice tools. This is not a dirt or care issue. It's a tool retention and personal belongings issue while on the job. Sounds like many have never worked in a shared tool facility or one with a high turnover or temp. workers. Ur tool gets stolen you can't do the job. Stolen tools recoverd with your ID not only get returned but also get the theif fired/prosecuted. I guess you just don't get it.

You don;t like the engraving policy, then go find another f&^%ing job.

The rules are set in place to protect both the shop/mfr. employees and the employer.
Go start your own company or shop if you don't like it.
Done.

 

[archirelic]

Tell the guy to look into this:

http://www.datadotdna.com/us/

 

[lennoxlennox]

Ruin? WTF???????????????????
LOLOLOL.

Tools are meant to be used.

So many tool polishers here on GJ that it amazes me.

 

[atomicpunk]

I engrave my initials in all my tools and have yet to experience this so called "chrome failure"

 

[MoToys]

Hahahahaha.

No one is arguing with having and owning nice tools. This is not a dirt or care issue. It's a tool retention and personal belongings issue while on the job. Sounds like many have never worked in a shared tool facility or one with a high turnover or temp. workers. Ur tool gets stolen you can't do the job. Stolen tools recoverd with your ID not only get returned but also get the theif fired/prosecuted. I guess you just don't get it.

You don;t like the engraving policy, then go find another f&^%ing job.

The rules are set in place to protect both the shop/mfr. employees and the employer.
Go start your own company or shop if you don't like it.
Done.

He can do whatever he wants/needs to do to his tools to get the job he wants. I am simply against the practice of engraving and have no need for it in my profession. I stated my opinion and get flamed, that's what I have an issue with. You guys are just a bunch of know it alls.

 

[vintagefan]

I engrave my initials in all my tools and have yet to experience this so called "chrome failure"

I've been cut at least two or three times from marked tools, where the edge of the chrome was starting to come up around the marking. It's particularly bad on wrenches.

In fact, I've been cut by failing chrome quite a few times in general, to the point where if the chrome fails, the tool goes in the trash.



I don't mark my tools for the same reason that I don't slide them across the concrete or just throw them to the ground when switching tools (both of which I've seen a LOT of mechanics do).

I'm far from a tool polisher, I just like to take care of my tools, and try not to do things that will reduce their lifetime.

 

[Skin]

if theft is that bad i probably wouldnt be planning on staying there. You can saw your tools in half for all i care but that still wont change the fact that you're working with scumbags.

 

[bignick]

I could see this being done for airplane mechanics. So if they left a tool they know who did it. But most of those guys have etched out toolbox liners and can see when something is missing.

 

[bottleneck]

Here were I'm at I've never heard about this being a requirement, sounds odd.
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[JASTECH]

I don't like to mark mine either. I hate it when my tools get borrowed and they slide them across the concrete, been done with my impacts too! I have corded drills almost 30yrs. old that still look new, they get wiped off then wrapped in an OR rag and put back in drill box.

What about marking like Monte did? Or was it Outlaw? I am going to fill in the size/name or ect. with bright green metal paint/marker ect.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

One dealership I heard of in the region that a friend worked at, large 20+ techs, had this rule and zero tolerance 1 strike you are gone. They even had a guy who did nothing but walk through the shop all day watching for violators of this and other rules. Well one day without thinking the old man needed something in his sons box and walked right up to it and got it, and bam the enforcer was ther to witness it and you guessed it he was out of a job. A little extreme but if you say zero tolerance you had better back it up.

Stupid. Good place NOT to work. Good place for me NOT to take by biz to. To fire a guy who has been there that long over something like that? I would find another shop to take my biz to and let the owner know why I went OTFD!

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

Rather than engraving, what about using the P-Touch labels and their super strong adhesive tape? Faster than engraving.

 

[Roots]

Rather than engraving, what about using the P-Touch labels and their super strong adhesive tape? Faster than engraving.

If theft is the concern, a P-Touch label is too easy to remove. It might work, albeit expensively, if your only concern is compliance.

 

[2oolhound]

We're not talkin a couple of initials here the guy's got to have his 1st initial and full last name minimum. Depending on your name that could be quite difficult on many tools.

Some people like to keep their tools neat and clean and their boxes neat and organized while others pile greasy tools where ever they can fit them. Same guys keep their engine compartment so clean you could eat off the manifolds while others it's all they can do to keep their rigs running. If I had to mark mine I'd use a method that keeps them neat looking and professionally done, not some chiseled or scratched in scrawl. The devils in the details, your tools, your workmanship and probably your appearance too.

In today's economy and economic times I hope his job lasts after all the trouble and expense.

Another thing, this policy would make it difficult having used tools with previous owner's initials or names on them.

 

[vintagefan]

We're not talkin a couple of initials here the guy's got to have his 1st initial and full last name minimum. Depending on your name that could be quite difficult on many tools.

Some people like to keep their tools neat and clean and their boxes neat and organized while others pile greasy tools where ever they can fit them. Same guys keep their engine compartment so clean you could eat off the manifolds while others it's all they can do to keep their rigs running. If I had to mark mine I'd use a method that keeps them neat looking and professionally done, not some chiseled or scratched in scrawl. The devils in the details, your tools, your workmanship and probably your appearance too.

In today's economy and economic times I hope his job lasts after all the trouble and expense.

Another thing, this policy would make it difficult having used tools with previous owner's initials or names on them.

I agree with all of the concerns in your post.

I'm guessing (hoping?) that they're flexible on the full last name thing, I can't imagine trying to mark "H. Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff" on a 1/4" drive socket.


I'm thinking maybe it was full last name on things like wrenches, ratchets, screwdrivers?

 

[donsims30]

Well let me weigh in on this... Back in 1995 I was working at a western star/international truck dealership in fort kent maine. A buddy of mine (who was dating the owners granddaughter) was just learning on the job in preparation for attending tech school and didn't have a toolbox asked me to hold a screwdriver for him and put it on the top of my box. There it sat for almost a month and I never thought a thing about it, even after he left for school. Well the pay at this dealership was more than subpar as I was making 7 dollars an hour 48 hours a week ( yes 8 hours ovetime ) Yes All I was doing was pulling trannies, replacing clutches, clutchforks and such, prepping new trucks for delivery, assisiting on mounting 5th wheels and extending frames, brakes, seals, bearings, and basically anything except going into the engine, but to me the pay was still very low. So I decided to rejoin the Army. Wouln't you know 3 weeks before I was to quit and leave for the army I was brought into the office and told that another mechanic had found his tools in my box. It was the screwdriver that my friend had asked me to hold and it turned out it belonged to someone else. Now this had been left on the top of my box, not in it, this entire time and never hidden from anyone. After I left for the army word got to me that they had found alot of the shop tools at the body mans house after they fired me. When I was back up there on leave I went to the owner and even asked if this was the case and it was. I then asked if I could thus use the shop as a reference when needed since it was apparant I wasn't the one stealing the tools. His answer was no he didn't think that was a good idea. So even though I was quitting, I got fired and if engravings had been on the tool I would have known right away that it belonged to someone other than my friend and wasn't just a random tool he had found out in the yard or anything and I could have returned it to the rightful owner. Of course this would have meant the dealership would have to rehire me once my time in the army was done and give me any raises or promotions that would have been due as per law. Oh and the guy whose screwdriver it was said he never complained to anyone about finding it on my box, so makes you wonder wsa it a set-up??

 

[2oolhound]

Well let me weigh in on this... Back in 1995 I was working at a western star/international truck dealership in fort kent maine. A buddy of mine (who was dating the owners granddaughter) ...................................................................................
Oh and the guy whose screwdriver it was said he never complained to anyone about finding it on my box, so makes you wonder wsa it a set-up??

Unfortunately I've had a number of "friends" like that over the years. They think of themselves pretty clever and steal or cheat their way along instead of working to get ahead. How is it they came to search his house? Sounds like he was playing you as a decoy to keep the heat off himself. He had an in with the owner through the granddaughter (who I hope didn't marry the scoundrel). He probably tried to take advantage of him too but old granddads who own businesses have been around too much to get suckered by his type.

If you're an honest workin man in today's society you're a sittin lame duck for these types who go on to become politicians eventually.

 

[hosz]

If it were me, I wouldn't do it. I'd look for a new job and keep making excuses as to why I couldn't engrave my tools (time, money, etc.). I'd either get to keep working without engraving my tools or get fired.

If I got fired, I'd get to collect unemployment while I looked for a new job.

What if there's a downturn in business and your friend gets fired two weeks after he engraves his tools? If he needs to sell his tools, all his tools are now devalued because of the engravings. Based on ebay sales, engraved tools seem to sell at a 20%-30% discount, if they sell at all. Is his employer going to cover this loss?

This does not sound like a good place to work if his employer's solution to tool theft is to force everyone to mark their tools. It sounds like his employer is either too lazy or doesn't care about resolving work place disputes properly.

 

[billybudge]

Yes, I had to stamp my gear with an personnal identification when I worked at Ford years and years ago, but they did supply a metal stamp with my first initial and last name, all hand tools had to be done,they also supplied each bay with a full tool kit , which was all colour coded,
since then I have changed jobs many times, and never had to do this, but on a another note, I had a contact a few years ago, in a wine palnt, as a machine engineer, and although i did not have to stamp the tools, my roll cab had to be stainless steel, and all the hand tools had to be placed into the tool tray foam inserts, also they had to be cleaned in alcahol twice a week, and a supervisor used to do spot checks on all engineers tool boxes, great fun, very strict regime, glad I am away from that industry,

 

[Helo Doctor]

I've worked at a couple of jobs that it was required to have your PID on it, which was first initial and last initial and last 4 of your social security number. It was for Defense Support Services and Sikorsky Support Services Inc. Both were working on helicopters. I hated doing it personally, but once I started working for the company I am at now, making much better money, I started "missing" a couple of tools that weren't marked. It wasn't on purpose, as most of the guys I work with all have Snap On tools also, but it was an honest mistake and we couldn't tell who's was who's. I say it should be up to the individual, but when they require it, either quit the job or find a new one. Although, it would be a silly reason to quit in this economy. You have to have someway of tracking tools for accountability when working on helicopters and aircraft, so I say in some cases, you have to and those top two jobs also required you have "shadowed" toolboxes for quick inventory. Good luck to him though.

 

[Hawk Thor]

I work in a shipyard as a journeyman ME, so my tools see plenty of hard use and a corrosive environment. All my tools are engraved with pneumatic and electric engravers.

I have tools that range from cheap junk that I keep around for the times when I need to force them on rusted fasteners and modify them to fit, too the high quality tools that I usually use.

I've never had problems with the chrome flaking because of the engraving. Hitting the tools with hammers and heating them and bending has cracked the chrome, but the engraving has given me no problems.

The trick is to not engrave too deeply. Engrave deep enough that a light polish won't buff the mark out but not so deep that you have edges that catch on your gloves and trap dirt.

I'd rather have tools with crooked, misaligned, uneven sized letters on them than have them walking away with a co-worker, ship crew or sub-contractor.

 

[donsims30]

Nah it wasn't the boyfriend caught with all the tools it was the body man, not sure how they caught him. It was in a small town of about 3000 so probably someone went to his house and recognized the tools. I never got the story on the how, just on the who and when

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

I've worked at a couple of jobs that it was required to have your PID on it, which was first initial and last initial and last 4 of your social security number. It was for Defense Support Services and Sikorsky Support Services Inc. Both were working on helicopters. QUOTE]

I suspect it was required in the event someone left a tool in a chopper, they could figure out who did it. And since it was pretty easy to tell who left the stuff in the chopper, the techs would make double sure to get all their stuff out.

 

[Helo Doctor]

I've worked at a couple of jobs that it was required to have your PID on it, which was first initial and last initial and last 4 of your social security number. It was for Defense Support Services and Sikorsky Support Services Inc. Both were working on helicopters. QUOTE]

I suspect it was required in the event someone left a tool in a chopper, they could figure out who did it. And since it was pretty easy to tell who left the stuff in the chopper, the techs would make double sure to get all their stuff out.

EXACTLY...not all places are required, but the military required it and working on military aircraft by contract, when it's a military aircraft, they require it.

 

[JDS968]

if theft is that bad i probably wouldnt be planning on staying there. You can saw your tools in half for all i care but that still wont change the fact that you're working with scumbags.

That would be my first concern. A lot of people don't think about it, but your working environment and the quality of your coworkers is worth a LOT, right up there with salary and benefits. I can walk around the shop working on things or finding people I need to talk to, leave all four of my boxes unlocked and hanging open, and everybody else does the same. Nobody's watching their gear like hawks because we know that the rest of us aren't liars and cheats, and we'd never get a single damn thing done if we had to sit on our toolboxes all day long. Now the shop-issued equipment is another story altogether, our refillable brake cleaner sprayers and the injector flush adapter and the factory special tools etc etc all have legs and walk away the minute you turn your back, but that's because they're "everybody's". If a tool belongs to me, nobody's going to grab it out of my box, even off of a workbench and walk away. And if I worked in a shop where people did things like that, I wouldn't feel comfortable turning my back on my boxes even if every last tool had my full name, social security number, and a radio locator beacon on it.

Now if I worked in a shop where the management handed me a box full of tools, or wrote a check to the Snap On or MAC or Matco man every month and told them to let me have the run of the truck, then I'll mark the tools any way they want. I'll acid etch my name, social security number, hell I'll etch a portrait of my grandmother onto the tools if they think it'll help. But if I have to outfit myself out of my own paycheck, then I don't want to hear anybody telling me what to do with my own property that I paid for with my own money. If it gets stolen, then my losses are my problem, and any liability the shop has is their problem. It's not my responsibility to solve their employee issues.

 

[nelstomlinson]

Tell me your age and the state you were born in and I can probably tell you the first five digits of your SSN. Don't tell anyone those last four digits!

 

[crewchief888]

i'm curious as to what kinda of shop this is required in?

 

[Helo Doctor]

Tell me your age and the state you were born in and I can probably tell you the first five digits of your SSN. Don't tell anyone those last four digits!

It was required in the military. There are quite a few different SSN these days from the first three, as I know the first three in Georgia used to be 259, but not there are so many different ones now that its crazy. I was surprised.