How do you mark your tools?

[vavet]

Do you have a system for marking your tools? Engraving?
Spray paint?
Nail polish?
Colored tape?

I found an etching system that's pretty nifty, but not cheap -about $100 for a basic system, but it would be permanent.
Etch-o-Matic.biz

 

[Murphy4570]

Re: How do you make your tools?

Thread title got me excited. I was going to discuss lathes, mills, welders, torches, hammers, drill presses, et cetera. Toolmaking is an artform in a class all its own.

At work I have white tape wrapped around the bottom of the handle on my hammers to identify them. Other tools I don't have marked.

 

[vavet]

Re: How do you make your tools?

Thread title got me excited. I was going to discuss lathes, mills, welders, torches, hammers, drill presses, et cetera. Toolmaking is an artform in a class all its own.

At work I have white tape wrapped around the bottom of the handle on my hammers to identify them. Other tools I don't have marked.

Ugh! Darn Autocorrect! Thanks...I fixed it.

 

[Infinia]

I put pheromones on them.

found an etching system that's pretty nifty, but not cheap -about $100 for a basic system

hundred bucks to devalue my tool collection?, no tanks.
I'm pretty sure nothing but a deeply engraved DL# would halt a thief from absconding.

 

[someone else]

I don't mark my tools. I'm a hobbyist, so usually they stay at my house or if I take them with me, theyre not going to wander

 

[L.Cheapo]

I don't mark my tools. I didn't mark them when I worked in a shop, either. No one there ever did. Though we all did have our "own" color of Snap On hard handles! (this was the 90s)

 

[OccupantRJ]

Rotary engraver for work tools. At home I have several people's names on them due to buying a lot at sales.

 

[Ram Hemi]

Most of the tools that are the same as other guys in the shop have I mark with my first name or initial with my engraver.

 

[jeeper46]

I have an air-powered "pencil" with a carbide tip for engraving tools. When you work in a shop as big as mine was, you mark every tool you own. You might leave it on a job, or even drop it into a pit under a machine, but if it had your name on it, it would make its way back to you. No name? Finders Keepers.

 

[JJThrasher]

I work at a relatively small shop. I don't mark anything. People know who owns what.

 

[sgtmac]

I use blue paint discretely that matches my tool box.

Road tools marked green.

Home tools white.

I keep it small and discrete but I always know where they go.

 

[gdocktor3]

Many people simply grind 3 little notches into the beam of their wrenches, ratchets, etc with a bench grinder and call it a day. Quick and easy. Go crazy and put 4 notches in yours!

 

[woody 73]

My dog and kats pee on everything does that count if they pee on your tools ???
A little paint or use one of those paint marker tubes:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Testors-White-Gloss-Enamel-Paint-Marker-6-Pack-2545C/205570215

Come to think about it nobody will ever touch your tools if the family pets get their way.

 

[Danglerb]

No marks, but I keep track of all my tools, sometimes. Nobody uses my tools that I would not be willing to make a gift of the tool to.

 

[Empty Pockets]

My tools are under lock and key.

The only 2 people that have access when I am not around are my wife and #2 son. #1 son wouldn't know which end of the screwdriver to hold

 

[SnapOnToolsGreen]

Keep my stuff locked up tight but thinking about getting those metal stamps and stamping my initials on everything would be the way to go.

 

[Infinia]

#1 son wouldn't know which end of the screwdriver to hold

why wouldn't that make him #2 son?

 

[alien]

Engraved

 

[LXCam]

Urine for me. Least the dogs stopped taking them.

 

[tvtaurus]

Of course you guys would give us some out there answers.

 

[2oolhound]

I stand on my left leg, lift my right leg up and urinate on them like huskies and wolves do. Once the co-workers see you doing that a few times they won't touch them.

(I just had the idea for this comment and when I came to write it I saw LXCam's comment, I can't believe we had the same idea so close in time, thought I'd still add it to the thread though)

 

[LXCam]

Of course you guys would give us some out there answers.

Ya engraving thing is just plain silly huh?

 

[LXCam]

I stand on my left leg, lift my right leg up and urinate on them like huskies and wolves do. Once the co-workers see you doing that a few times they won't touch them.

(I just had the idea for this comment and when I came to write it I saw LXCam's comment, I can't believe we had the same idea so close in time, thought I'd still add it to the thread though)

Great minds think alike.

 

[derosa]

Just green nail polish and only on tools that will be brought to an area where others might be able to use them. Nothing on home only tools

 

[2oolhound]

Great minds think alike.

LOL,

Even though I wear latex gloves for mechanical work I don't have to mark my tools like that since my current situation is only in my home shop

 

[Olafur]

Great minds think alike.

Nope - I was thinking the same thing.

 

[uscarry45]

I have rotary engraver, but really like the looks of the etching system. A cheaper alternative would be a high quality label maker but would wear off with use

 

[hobie1dog]

Quit marking tools after working at McDonnell Douglas. When you watch the fighter jet crash after takeoff because of a wrench left inside the wing with the guys name on it......he never worked in that industry again.

 

[bagged150]

We etch our tools in the Navy, it's a great concept but I don't want any part of it.


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[FullRaceMerc]

It depends on the tool. I work in construction where "confusion" happens too easily. Marking is important unless you bring enough to share. It helps to be able to see the marking at a distance or while the tool is in use, so engraving is not a great choice here. I know my tools & wouldn't bring someone else's home, but others aren't as careful & I want my tools to go home with me.

Long tools like shovels get spray paint stripes in my color on the handle. Power tools & batteries get my initials with a paint pen (Good thread here: Marking devices). Hand tools get the stripes or a full coat of paint on half the tool.

I recently worked with a company whose company tools were all sprayed hot pink. No "confusion" there.

 

[cliftonbros89]

Since I work on the family farm I only have to worry about my tools getting mixed up with my pop's. That's only a handful of things. Mainly stuff like a few Craftsman screwdrivers. Both of which usually get used as a pry bar or something similar. I just mark mine with a quick swipe of a yellow paint marker on the handle. I don't have to worry about my uncle swiping my tools anymore since I learned to keep my boxes locked up. The only other one who has access to my tools is my brother-in-law and he's as particular as I am so he knows where things go and who things belong to. So no need for much marking here.

If i needed to I think I'd go with marking with a colored tape or paint. I'd always considered engraving. However since I've been gradually upgrading on certain things in the past few years I'm kind of glad I didn't just yet.

 

[slip knot]

I engrave most of mine. The police/pawn shops don't much care about colored stripes or paint dots. but a name or DL will get your tools back when senor methhead snags them to fund his habit. BTDT.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Keep my stuff locked up tight but thinking about getting those metal stamps and stamping my initials on everything would be the way to go.

Stamps won't last long due to the hard metal, and all the plating will break up due to the impact.

 

[wrenchr]

I put pheromones on them.

hundred bucks to devalue my tool collection?, no tanks.
I'm pretty sure nothing but a deeply engraved DL# would halt a thief from absconding.

Beat me to it

 

[Westozfixer]

Stamps don't even mark decent tools. I used to be a mad engraver, even down to the tiniest stuff like 4mm sockets and 3mm allen keys, new stuff never got used before it got engraved. Disposable stuff like china brand big wrenches(1 1/2 and up stuff) I rarely bothered with but now I don't seem to bother at all. My brother on the other hand blazes his initials on all of his tools with a mig welder, even watched him do it to a brand new set of Snap on spanners straight out of the wrapper.

 

[OccupantRJ]

OH, the HUMANITY! lol

 

[Westozfixer]

I don't worry about engraving because I would NEVER, Ever consider selling my tools but even I thought welding the new SO's was a bit extreme. Our premier brand in oz used to be Sidcrome and years ago my brother bought a set of the big spanners(1 1/4 and up) but didn't need the box end so he lopped the box ends off and welded on lengths of drill steel to the open end.

 

[Mr_B]

engraving ok if done neatly and bit discreetly, reduces resale of tools. I don't do mine, I know what I got and box is always locked when not near it. Co-workers all very trustworthy and we all ask before borrowing. Fortunate as also have a strict company policy on personal equipment and people messing with it.
In some situations I assume it a must, does help a bit in theft situation possibly but I prefer not marking them unnecessary ...

 

[WhiskeyRanger]

Engrave my last name on pretty much everything, power tools get my name on them in sharpie too.

It's less about thieves than about making sure that when we pack up a job, the guy who grabs my channies will look at them when he gets back to the shop and realizes he has two pairs instead of one will see my name and give them back.

I think the years of use are going to do more to hurt the resale value more than engraving my name in them and the money saved by getting them back instead of replacing them more than makes up for it.

 

[Spacecataz]

Simple answer is, I don't. I don't work with them for a living anymore, and only certain trusted people are even allowed in my garage to gaze upon them, let alone steal them.