Socket Labelling

[Ralf11]

Has anybody tried any of those tricks to color in the size markings on their sockets? One I saw had you use an oil based Sharpie marker, then razor blade off the excess.

I have a vintage, older model Mark One eyeball and it needs an upgrade.

I -should- be able to tell a 15mm from a 14mm in one easy glance - I know.

 

[PCMusicGuy]

Oil nail polish works decently and the wife usually always has whatever color I need.

 

[measuredtwice]

I've never colored the numbers on sockets but I think DecoColor paint pens are going to be far better than oil based Sharpie. I've used both. We bought the DecoColor after reading rave reviews online. Prices can vary a lot since some places mark stuff up so that they can give you "free" shipping. We got them cheap from a craft store that's a national chain but I don't remember the name of the store.

A lot of guys spray everything with brake cleaner and that might take the ink/paint off.

 

[measuredtwice]

Would rails with numbers help? Hansen trays and Ernst rails have numbers.

 

[PelicanPines]

I'm a nail polish kinda guy... wait... that sounds WRONG... but I do have 6 bottles of nail polish in my drawer marked "Odd Tools"... in the back... behind the belt tensioner tools.

I even use Nail Polish for other jobs in identifying things... Like today... I put red and green nail polish on my Honda Generator Gas Cap... to signify ON and OFF.

 

[theoldwizard1]

With proper lighting I can still read the engraving even on my 1/4" drive sockets WITHOUT my bifocals. (Which I should be wearing ... that is why I bought the damn things !)

I keep my 1/4" drive items in a plastic box. It has hole for only the SAE sockets. (Yes, that is how old the box and the sockets are !) I finally got smart and put a piece of yellow electrical tape on the 10mm socket (which everyone knows is the most frequently used metric socket) for quick location !

Segue - Stop being a cheap *** ! Every time you cruise through the electrical department at HD, pick up a roll of different color electrical tape. One roll will last MANY years. The grandkids get a kick out of it when I mark their cups or water bottles with it ! Except the one granddaughter. Her favorite color is PINK !

 

[dscheidt]

I use a markal lacquer-stik.

https://markal.com/products/lacquer-stik
It's a paint stick you rub it over the engraving, and then wipe away the excess. Works best when the part is a bit warm. Doesn't last forever, but it holds up okay. Mcmaster sells singles for a resonable price.

 

[MJK]

I find that box layout helps me avoid hunting for socket labels.

For 1/4 and 3/8, I like the Ares/Olsa organizers on Amazon. I keep 1/2 drive, Allen, Torx, Inverted torx, triple square, and crows feet on Magrail strips and tend to place them in a size ordered matrix.

Let your OCD work for you, rather than against you.

 

[Duker]

I'm a nail polish kinda guy... wait... that sounds WRONG... but I do have 6 bottles of nail polish in my drawer marked "Odd Tools"... in the back... behind the belt tensioner tools.

I even use Nail Polish for other jobs in identifying things... Like today... I put red and green nail polish on my Honda Generator Gas Cap... to signify ON and OFF.

I used to use Testors paint but I found like Pines that nail polish works great and I can get it every HEB, Walgreens or CVS. I use mostly red because it’s one of the few colors I can see and well....it matches my eyes....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[bonneyman]

Has anybody tried any of those tricks to color in the size markings on their sockets? One I saw had you use an oil based Sharpie marker, then razor blade off the excess.

I have a vintage, older model Mark One eyeball and it needs an upgrade.

I -should- be able to tell a 15mm from a 14mm in one easy glance - I know.

I can usually guess SAE sizes, but the 1 mm difference between metric sizes is beyond the capability of my older eyes.

Never tried the nail polish idea,

 

[Ray-CA]

I've highlighted my impact socket and my hex-head sockets with white paint. For the standard chrome plated ones....nope.

Ray

 

[Lassen Forge]

My mark on everything is lime green... I found a paint marker once that color, and stuck with it. My dad's stuff had a red stripe - I remember mom having nails the same color, so that's probably where that came from. Additionally, all my whitworth stuff is marked in blue, and most of my metric stuff (that's not already black) has a black patch with the size in white.

But yeah, that bright green stripe, inlay, or engraving is my stuff.

 

[Gotcha640]

I put a red line on my standard sockets on the 8ths, my eye and hand can tell 1/4 from 3/8, and a blue line on the evens on my main set of metrics.

Beyond that, I keep them all on rails so I at least know they're all there and in order, and when I'm doing a longer job on a car, I'll keep a small breaker bar or extra ratchet with a 10 or 12mm or whatever handy, not putting that socket away every time.