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what paint pens???

atch

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Apr 4, 2006
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Columbia, Missouri
I want to mark the size on chrome plated sockets and other shop stuff. I've been told that paint pens or paint markers are what to use. I just came home from Lowe's and Wally World and both of them looked at me like I had two heads when I asked for them. So I get on Amazon. They have about a zillion choices.

Has anyone used these?

What brand did you use?

Did they work?

Note: these are sockets I bought over 50 years ago when my eyesight was better and the companies used tiny numbers.
 
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drmarkr

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I bought these about 2 weeks ago....so far they're working great. Time will tell re: durability. They look like they're working well on my tools to identify my stuff as being mine. $13 for 12 pens.

 

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pizza

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cmandp

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I order them from McMaster-Carr usually. I forget the brand unfortunately, but they will not send you junk.
 

Dan in Pasadena

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I bought these about 2 weeks ago....so far they're working great. Time will tell re: durability. They look like they're working well on my tools to identify my stuff as being mine. $13 for 12 pens.

Outstanding deal & price but I'd never use all the colors as I got mine just to mark some tools. Why I only bought red and black. Even at that chances are mine will dry out before I use them up.
 

floridafarmer

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Nov 27, 2010
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Central Florida
I want to mark the size on chrome plated sockets and other shop stuff. I've been told that paint pens or paint markers are what to use. I just came home from Lowe's and Wally World and both of them looked at me like I had two heads when I asked for them. So I get on Amazon. They have about a zillion choices.

Has anyone used these?

What brand did you use?

Did they work?

Note: these are sockets I bought over 50 years ago when my eyesight was better and the companies used tiny numbers.
Atch
Try these folks - they're old friends of mine and they've been around in the industrial market for a long.. time and they are just across the river from STL - should be one day UPS ground to you in Columbia.
Diagraph and Marsh were 2 companies that were headquartered near the STL area for 100+ years focusing on industrial marking solutions - stencil machines, ink jet systems and traditional products like paint markers - there is a difference in the quality of the pens/valves and inks these guys will supply vs some of the amazon stuff.
Let me know if you need an introduction.
 

zmotorsports

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I use paint pens and torque seal to mark fasteners for movement opposed to writing specs on them but the two I've used are the Markal ones for paint marking and for actually marking fasteners for movement I prefer to use the Torque Seal ones from Dykem.
 

Ralf11

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how about the ones with a little needle on them (instead of a foam tip) ??

anybody know about those?
 
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OP
A

atch

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Columbia, Missouri
how about the ones with a little needle on them (instead of a foam tip) ??

anybody know about those?
Good point. I will be checking all of your recommendations. I am concerned, however, that on a 3/8 or 7/16 socket a felt-tip might write too big to be able to be read.
 

mikegt4

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sw ohio
You will have better sucess if you look for paint pens at a craft store (Michaels, Hobby Lobby) than Lowe's and Wally World. I have a 6 color set of UNI pens that I got probably 15 years ago. Storing them on end so the tip points down makes them last a long time without drying out.
 
OP
A

atch

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Columbia, Missouri
I find these more useful than marking everything I can't see.

glasses.jpg
I've got about 20 pairs of them spread around all over the house and shop, as well as every car and motorcycle. I'd still like to be able to read socket sizes and combination open/closed end wrenches without having to grab a pair.
 

zmotorsports

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I find these more useful than marking everything I can't see.

glasses.jpg

Unfortunately just this past year my eyesight has gotten to where I have started to wear readers for working on small objects, reading and even welding. It ***** having to reach for them but I guess it's still better than not being able to see. I especially hate having to wear them under a welding helmet but my welds were starting to suffer and I reached for them a few months ago and low and behold, I could see better under my hood.
 

shedfullatools

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Apr 10, 2016
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Nova Scotia
I used red nail polish on my sae wrenches and left the metric ones plain so I could differentiate quickly, I just brushed the polish over the whole area of the letters and numbers then scraped off what was on top with a razorblade. Its been on there for years and still looks great.
 

bugman1974

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Oct 19, 2014
Messages
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I like Super Met-Al with the metal pin tips. Got a few from them at a trade show years ago and still use them. I think you can get them on amazon or at grainger.
 
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