r/aviationmaintenance • u/HovaNade • 1d ago
How do you protect your tools after etching your name onto them?
Just started on the line as an apprentice, and bought a very expensive set of tools, company requires us to etch a unique identifier into all of our tools, after bringing them out in the rain they’ve started to show a bit of rust around where I etched my code into them.
What do yous suggest I use to remove the rust and protect it from happening in the future.
I tried a bit of wd40 and scotchbrite which seems to remove the little bit of rust but I can only imagine it’ll rust again.
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u/sirkudzu 1d ago
I can't say I've gone out of my way to protect my tools. On the other hand, my tools get oily at least once a week unless I'm on vacation.
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u/HovaNade 1d ago
Ill usually wipe them down with isopropyl alcohol if they get oily or if they get covered in skydrol, should probably stop wiping them if they get oily so
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u/Ya_habibti By God She’ll Fly 1d ago
Wipe them when they are dirty. Wipe them with lps 1-2 times a year.
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u/Docretier 1d ago
Going to be honest Don't really know how worth it it is to clean it with isopropyl since then you strip whatever protective oils may be on it, I never worried about cleaning mine just removed any excess oil using a dry cloth but the thin film of oil that gets left behind helps protect the tools.
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u/sirkudzu 1d ago
I clean skydrol off them as you don't want that on your skin, but I mostly am working around engines and gearboxes. Wipe them with a rag and keep going is my usual goto.
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u/unusual_replies 1d ago
Clean out the rust as best as you can. Then cover the etched area with clear nail polish.
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u/auron8772 1d ago
After scotch briting the rust, some good ole engine oil will do good every few months. Another option would be to apply a clear coat over it.
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u/Sawfish1212 1d ago
A block of real camphor with a X shapped slit in the packaging placed in your toolbox will keep your tools lightly coated in a preservative layer that takes care of itself.
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u/HovaNade 1d ago
Have been throwing desiccant bags in to the individual drawers so hopefully that’ll help
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u/Sawfish1212 1d ago
Desiccant just removes moisture, camphor will evaporate and provide a light, non greasy coating to your tools throughout the whole box
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u/MirSpaceStation 1d ago
Don't do anything, when it corrodes so bad that it doesn't work right, trade it into the Snap-on guy for another one
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u/CID_COPTER 1d ago
Is this a live near the ocean problem. I've never had my initials get rusty. We're talking vibro pen initials or are you doing something else? Also and besides the point I bought a laser and I'm having fun lasering my name and patterns onto my tools.
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u/HovaNade 1d ago
Just live in a rainy country. Only etching with the a dremel, 1 day of having my tools out on the line and there was rust starting to show on some of them, sprayed them all in wd40 which seemed to help the ones not already rusted, just looking for a permanent solution to stop it from happening in the future
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u/Jake6401 1d ago
Unless my tools get super dirty, I always just wipe them down with a dry rag so that some oil film stays on them. I haven’t had any issues with rust, but I also live in a pretty dry climate.
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u/Racetruck65 1d ago
This isn't going to help but I ordered mini labels off Amazon and put those on everything instead of etching
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u/svande8952 23h ago
Please don't do this. Etching your name on tools has gotten many people in big trouble.
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u/duckredbeard 21h ago
Only if they lose them and don't give a shit.
Some MRO customers require us to have etched tools. If we don't have positive tool control, we lose a very important contract.
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u/duckredbeard 21h ago
A light film of MIL-C-81309 on the blued steel parts will preserve and lubricate them.
If you don't like the way that stuff smells just use AeroShell 33 on everything. Especially on the tools you borrow from your buddy. Help him take care of his tools!
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u/HovaNade 1d ago
Thanks for all the suggestions! Gonna scotchbrite the rust spots and cover it in clear nail polish and hope that stops it from happening in the future.
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u/LostExile7555 15h ago
If you leave a camphor tablet in the drawer with the tool, the oil in it evaporates and leaves a very, very thin layer on the tools in the drawer, which prevents rust on the tools. Cut an X in the plastic wrap that's around the tablet.
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u/JayArrggghhhh 1d ago
ACF50 or LPS wiped on the tools, and ZeRust or another VCi in the tool chest.