Creative ways to mark equipment?

[Maco Services]

I'm a bit frustrated, in that we loose a couple pieces each season. Typically, it's from a grab and go while someone is in a back yard. One was from my not relocking a cable lock in a lowes parking lot. All can be avoided if everything is locked up, I get that.

But I find myself wanting to inspect every trimmer I see someone else using a trimmer that walked away, or a similar blower that could be mine. One, I'd love to get it back, but really, I just hate to think someone could get away with it, and it's likely someone that is in my neighborhood, or that I will have passed by again. Someone could be using my blower, right in front of me, and I have no cause to approach them, b/c likely it's not mine.

I've got an engraver, but that wont do anything unless I'm up on the equipment. I'm thinking something that could be see from across a street. I've thought about spray painting all my recoils a certain color, or handles, or straps. Something that might not be noticed by someone stealing it, but will be descriptive enough that myself or the police will have cause to check a serial number.

Anyone so such a thing to their equipment? Discuss.

[Swampy]

If your thinking of painting, do it on a part that isn't easily swapped out. Such as a Blower housing or shield on a trimmer. The bad thing is going to resale, some on may not want a green stihl.

[A.T.T.]

When I had some expensive bikes, I would put a slip of information on myself in the seat tube, something that I could identify if it was ever stolen, is there a way to do that with equipment?

[rlitman]

Originally Posted by Maco Services

I've thought about spray painting all my recoils a certain color, or handles, or straps. Something that might not be noticed by someone stealing it, but will be descriptive enough that myself or the police will have cause to check a serial number.

Originally Posted by Swampy

If your thinking of painting, do it on a part that isn't easily swapped out. Such as a Blower housing or shield on a trimmer. The bad thing is going to resale, some on may not want a green stihl.

I think the OP is looking to do something hidden in plain sight. If it's subtle enough, even if it's easily visible from far away, it probably wouldn't affect resale value, since nobody would notice it unless they were looking for it, and if a thief overlooks it, it probably wouldn't be removed.

For instance, painting your pull handles Stihl orange, when they're normally black. It'll just blend in. Or maybe painting a trimmer shaft in a white that matches the clutch housing, on the part between the trigger and the clutch (unless you have an FS350 that looks like that already).

Now if you don't care about resale value as much (although I'm not sure how much some paint will retract from the saleability of a commercially used tool), you could dip your pull handles in say purple for instance (that would sure stand out), or spray your motor housings in fluorescent green (that sounds pretty cool actually, but if you do choose to do that, I seriously suggest painting in white first . . .).

On the bright side, the more you detract from the resale value, the harder you make it to fence, which makes it less desirable to a thief. I once had a nice Bianchi bike with quality Campagnolo components that looked so bad I only had to chain it up to keep it from ending up in a dumpster. It sure rode nice, but I will admit that I didn't get much for it when I sold it.

[cuttin-to-the-Max]

Originally Posted by Swampy

If your thinking of painting, do it on a part that isn't easily swapped out. Such as a Blower housing or shield on a trimmer. The bad thing is going to resale, some on may not want a green stihl.

this is exactly what im thinking of doing.... taking the "engine shield" off and dipping it in white paint. But i will have to do it to all my equip. so it all looks uniform!

[ProMo]

Originally Posted by SmokeyBacon

When I had some expensive bikes, I would put a slip of information on myself in the seat tube, something that I could identify if it was ever stolen, is there a way to do that with equipment?

About 20 yrs ago a guy I worked for purchased a used blower from a rental yard and a couple of weeks later he had to put it in the shop for repair. The dealer called him and said his blower was stolen , there was a piece of paper with the owners info under the cover. It was returned to the original owner and the rental place refunded his money.

[Brett's Lawn Care]

Maybe soothe handle into some red or orange plasti tip I think is what it's called. Make it look like a grip on the handle of the blower or starter handle, easily noticed and you may even like having the gripper instead of plastic...
Posted via Mobile Device

[BOSS LAWN 2343]

Silver spray paint on parts that are hard to replace/removed, I also tag all my equip. with return address labels. That's how I got one of my mowers back when some guy took it off my trailer in the middle of the night.


Also taking photos of everything wont hurt.

[Forever Green Landscaping]

Posted via Mobile Device

[Durabird02]

I am not concerned with resale value and I will be painting all of my equipment with my company colors. I only buy equipment I need, so I will not be selling any of it, run it until it dies!