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What can write on chrome soclets permanently?

M

mnalep

Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2010
Messages
7
Hello,

I just joined this forum.

I have been trying to find something that will write on all my older Sears Craftsman sockets which are chrome plated. (My eyes just can't make out the small engravings anymore - and i spend too much time searching for my sizes that are mostly loose in my tool box, or trying to find my reading glasses so that I can read them.

I don't want to buy the new etched sets if I don't have to - but have seen that Sears, KD, and Mountain have some etched sets that don't cost a fortune. Do you know of others?

I tried a Sharpie - but it starts wearing off after several uses.

I was looking at trying these:
http://www.nissenmarkers.com/catalo...less-Steel/Low-Chloride-Fine-Point-Ink-Marker

or trying these:

http://www.nissenmarkers.com/catalog/Category/Ball-Point-Metal-Markers/Super-Fine-Metal-Marker

but was hoping someone already has a good solution to this problem without me buying and trying a marker that may, or may not, hold up?
 
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Ocho

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Messages
314
Location
DFW, Texas
A Brother label maker with the clear plastic label tape. If they start to wear off, two seconds to remake the label.

My dad used to spray his metric sockets blue and SAE sockets red.
 
D

dwm

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
861
Location
Southeast Michigan
Tags work better than a marker. I like the ToolTagz, but they're more expensive than others and don't have a great range for every drive size. Search 'socket labels' on Google and you'll find a bunch.
 
H

Hamster

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 16, 2010
Messages
63
Why not bring them to the store and try to exchange them for the "easy read" laser socket.

You can't read the markers and therefore you no longer satisfied with them. A failure of design to take into account the failing eyesight of the customer during a tool's service lifetime.

This is what they state about their guarantee for hand tools:

All Other Hand Tools
WARRANTY POLICY
If this Craftsman hand tool ever fails to provide complete satisfaction, it will be repaired or replaced free of charge.
WARRANTY SERVICE To obtain warranty service, return the product to the retailer from which it was purchased for free repair or replacement if repair is unavailable.
Click to expand...

I think it is fair. You expect a lifetime of service from these socket and you have paid for it with the knowledge that you will enjoy these tools for life.
 
P

pipsters

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 1, 2010
Messages
4,899
Location
USA
Hamster said:
Why not bring them to the store and try to exchange them for the "easy read" laser socket.

You can't read the markers and therefore you no longer satisfied with them. A failure of design to take into account the failing eyesight of the customer during a tool's service lifetime.

This is what they state about their guarantee for hand tools:

I think it is fair. You expect a lifetime of service from these socket and you have paid for it with the knowledge that you will enjoy these tools for life.
Click to expand...

That's really pushing it.
 
R

RbrtAWhyt

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 25, 2008
Messages
5,154
Location
North East Georgia
Organize them by putting them in Hansen trays instead of letting them be loose in your toolbox...

FWIW, I think trying to warranty them because your eyesite isnt as sharp as it used to be is wrong...
 
C

crewchief888

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
13,751
Location
NW indiana
+1 on the hansen trays.
fwiw i cant see markings on sockets, but if i stay organized i know exactly where everything is.
and for me, it gets confusing with 2 completely different set of tools.

organization helps

:beer:
 
J

jay50

Banned
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
3,894
Get this permanent metal marking paint pen; it will not rub off when applied.
To my knowledge, there is only one company that imports them from Japan. The importer is located in TN iirc. Google them on the 'net.

DecoColor, Marvy/Uchida of America Corp
 
G

Garage_Mahal

Well-known member
Joined
May 31, 2008
Messages
551
Facom socket tags.

getimage.php
 
T

toolnut

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 19, 2009
Messages
756
Location
Lockport,NY
Colored electrical tape. I just wrap the important sizes with the same color, Example - 15mm - green 13mm - brown 10mm - red 8mm - white 7mm - blue etc. That makes it easier to reach for the size I need.
 
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O

OccupantRJ

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Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
11,218
Location
Eastern North Carolina
lilredex said:
Got further info on that?? Assume you are talking 12V or something??
Click to expand...

I'll look further at it for you after the weekend. It is 120 input, not sure about output, but seem to recall about 6 volts output. It is definitely home brew, because it's a transformer sandwiched between two small pieces of plywood, so the transformer won't tumble around on the bench.
 
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M

mnalep

Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2010
Messages
7
Wow. Tons of great ideas here. Gut reaction is that the stickers, or marking pen would be easiest.

Gorilla labels have 84 labels. $4.99

Steel labels have 60, and look a bit tougher. $3.50

ToolTagz look best, with sizes printed on 3 sides of wrap around label, but only 29 labels. $10.99

Liking the Steel labels best so far. Will they stay on?

I think I will order the metal markers pens also, and see if the stay on.

Now that I think of it, I did not clean the socket set with alcohol before using the Sharpie - and that might have led to early rubbing off - but I don't think it is a good solution either. Maybe the metal mark pens will be better.

I did not realize there were so many solutions on the market. I Feel better knowing my eyes are not the only ones that can't read those sockets anymore.

I do try to keep them on the rails, but they keep falling off. And I still can't read them on, or off, the rails. But I like some of the organizers I've seen, and will go out and look at some at Sears, or Harbor Frieght, etc.

I even came across a youtube video f a guy who made his own socket lock box out of 2x4's, a hinge, some nails, and a latch - pretty clever.

Thanks for the tips
 
M

mrholeshot

MEMBER EMERITUS
Joined
Jun 22, 2010
Messages
8,043
Put them on a rail and use the often and you won't need to look at the size. I haven't looked at the size on the tool (under 1") for 20 years.
 
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M

mnalep

Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2010
Messages
7
Also, do the magnetic tray, or hansens, work better. (sockets stay on, and are easy to remove and put back)?
 
J

jay50

Banned
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Oct 28, 2007
Messages
3,894
B

bmxr4life87

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Messages
872
Location
Bixby Oklahoma
Organization is key if your sockets won't stay on the rails then you need better rails try the plastic or metal 3 pc ones from hf it kills me to watch people dig through a socket drawer for 3-4 min because they have a whole drawer of loose sockets... I really like hansen trays but I also have some sets on rails its really easy to find what I need and see if anything is missing at a quick glance
 
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M

mnalep

Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2010
Messages
7
Well I cannot find on the web that place in Tennesse, and I've tried googling many variations of the info you gave me.

The closest thing I've found was this, but it does not say permanent.

decocolormarker.jpg
 
W

Wakefield

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 26, 2010
Messages
5,133
Location
Arlington VA (but would like to get out to country
Could try cleaning the socket with alcohol,then paint on some colored nail polish,then use the heavy duty marker to write over the nail polish. Might work for a while,at least until some grease or oil gets on the socket. Make sure the nail polish is good and dry before trying to write on it!
 
D

Daddy_Rabbit

Banned
Joined
Oct 12, 2010
Messages
787
I use the same thing Danaher uses ... a Trumpf laser marker/etcher ... it helps to have access to one as they are a bit on the expensive side.
 
K

KCarGuy

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
2,075
Location
50 miles outside Chicago, illinois
Ocho,
I love your Idea. I have the Lable Maker...I have the Hanson trays.
But Red for Standard and Green for Metric is a great idea.
I have alot of loose ones and I may just start lableing them all!
 
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M

mnalep

Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2010
Messages
7
Kcarguy,

That is what I was thinking if I could find a permanent marker. I 'd use color codes to differentiate metric from SAE - like green for metric and red for SAE.

I need a permanent marker first. I wrote to Grainger - an industrial tool supplier - as they had a ton of markers listed on their site - to see if they had a recommendation. I also wrote to a company called Nilsen that I found on the web.

Jay50, is the pic I posted (on 11-28-10) of the DecoColor marker - the marker you were telling me to try?
 
D

dwm

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
861
Location
Southeast Michigan
Paint markers won't hold up for very long. Solvents and other fluids will remove it in a flash from chrome. So will just handling the sockets. I use the DecoColor markers regularly, but wouldn't use them on sockets. It'd be a waste of time and paint, IMHO.
 
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