Spraypainting your tools?

[zer0cell]

I was wondering if anyone here has tried to spraypaint all their tools for means of identification. For example... all screwdrivers, pliers, adjustable wrenches etc could all be painted black, or yellow, blue etc... Has anyone tried this at home and had any success with creating a relatively durable finish? I know painting chrome plated items would be harder, but how about ones which are just plain steel? Any ideas, pics? etc?

 

[davesnothere]

I can't even imagine spraypainting my tools.

 

[greasemonkey44]

....if i dont recognize my hammer; its not mine
same goes for any of my tools
i do however spray paint dig bars and large prybars

 

[DrkMtnDew]

some of my older at home tools are painted, generally all the metric wrenches/sockets are red.

 

[chrisziem]

I've seen people paint the very end of handles strange colors (dayglo green). Seen on hammers, beaters, pry bars and jack stands that they don't secure. Paint on chrome or nickle tools is a no no!

 

[dittle fart around]

Worked for the government on high voltage substations. Each of the 6 crews had there own color and painted the handles on everything from screwdrivers to portable bandsaws. Most of the electricians used phasing tape to identify their hand tools.

 

[oldwino]

Formally worked as a carpenter on large public works projects...if you wanted your tools back at the end of the day, you best mark them with an odd-ball color...the next job you go to, somebody else has already claimed "sky blue pink" and you needed to find another identifier.
That being said, carpenter tools, pipe wrenches, etc are all marked...mechanics tools etc are un-painted as they never leave the shop

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

I do my sleever bars, spuds, bull pricks and the like in OSHA yellow.

 

[JeremyManning]

At work we paint all tools with a blue dot but for the purposes of identification is fine but if someone wants it paint can be removed with paint thinner

 

[zer0cell]

The idea would not to actually paint every single tool I own, just a small toolbox full of regularly used items and as I stated, only the metal part of the tool would be painted. Any comfort grips the tool may have would remain. If ever I changed my mind it wouldn't be hard just to dip the metal end in paint thinner or whatever and remove the color. The idea would be to easily identify my own tools so they are not mistaken for someone else's. If someone seriously wanted to steal something it wouldn't be that hard obviously...

 

[Outlawmws]

Back in the day, I painted most of my wrenches, sockets, and screwdriver shanks a metallic kandy blue. This was so I could tell at a race track who had my tools.

I hit them with a Bernz-O-Matic torch before spraying, and in some cases it sort of burned on. and yes a couple of times I accidentally had a flame thrower while painting near the torch...

I masked off the ends of the wrenches, and the tips of the screwdrivers, and what not.

A few still have remnants of that paint over 30 years later...

 

[TWX]

I've mused if there's something that would work more like a stain than a paint, but since most of my handtools are Craftsman I'd be afraid they'd not honor the warranty.

I've considered putting about an eighth of an inch of paint into a small tin and dipping the drive end of the sockets in to give them a small bit of identifiable color without totally coating the whole socket.

 

[socalbodydude]

why not try colored plasticoat?

 

[Outlawmws]

I've mused if there's something that would work more like a stain than a paint, but since most of my handtools are Craftsman I'd be afraid they'd not honor the warranty.
SNIP.

No issue with the warranty,

the kandy blue I used worked about like that. It was intended to go over a first coat of silver IIR The chrome was still visible, and the heated surface made the paint stick well. BTW, i also cleaned them first with brake cleaner.

 

[Hans]

anyone ever try plastidip?

 

[dankicksass]

Plastidip gallons come pre-mixed in hot pink and safety colors.

 

[Outlawmws]

anyone ever try plastidip?

I've used the old stuff, it was OK. I have a can of the new stuff, I need to try it.

 

[dankicksass]

I've used the old stuff, it was OK. I have a can of the new stuff, I need to try it.

The new low-VOC stuff is better than the old stuff, the bubble pops and pitting are virtually eliminated.

 

[countryroad82]

When I was in tech school, I flipped all my sockets over to the drive end and painted them all Chevy orange. 10 years later they still have evedence of the paint. It helped when somebody would bum one of my tools and it may have ended up in the toolroom, first I would find my socket/ wrench/ screwdriver, then I would procede to pelt the idiot that didn't bring it back to me.

 

[ehegwer]

My Dad used to paint all the metric wrenches/sockets with green, and then immediately wipe it off. The paint would be wiped off the surface, but remain in the lettering and sizing engraving. Easy to ID metric wrenches he'd say.

 

[dave26]

If you just want to ID your tools from another persons tools then dip them in a long term corrosion protection liquid. It will leave an semi-perminant light brown color to all of your tools and protect then from rust at the same time. If your in the USA then use Rust Vito 342 and if your in Europe then use Dinitrol 112.

 

[NastyNate]

I've used the new plasidip on a few older items I had laying around and loved it. It takes some time and patience, but well worth the $6 for the vast amounts of usage over a can of spray paint.

 

[TozziWelding]

All the tools I had in my welding bucket, and field bag got sprayed dark green. The nice stuff that only plays with me stays stock.

 

[Slick6]

Colored shrink tubing works good and is durable for quite some time.

 

[RobertMo1988]

all of my vice grips or tools i use everyday are spray painted with a flourescent orange. and it seems to have lasted me 3 -4 years so far

 

[BQuicksilver]

You could use surgical marking tape. That stuff will stay on tools for quite a few trips through the autoclave, and can be removed fairly easily if you want it gone.

 

[zer0cell]

These are some interesting ideas...