Labeling and Storing Personal Equimpment

I have accumulated a fair amount of stuff for when I run live sound gigs. Up til now, I haven't really labeled my stuff. (power cords, power strip, voltage testers, lamps, etc etc). Well last friday at my gig, some rat stole two adapters outta my bag. I just usually throw all my stuff into a paper bag or tub and show up. Along with crates of my rental or own equimpment (which is all racked up).

I'd like a good way to label little stuff like voltage testers (which is the size of your hand)...little cables, that kinda stuff.

Also, some type of small tool box to carry stuff like this in? where can I find a cheapo one...?

[gafftapegreenia]

There are several ways:

Write on them with sharpies.

Get a P-touch label maker.

Buy an engraving tool.

Get "security labels" made. The metal kind with the crazy adhesive.

Establish a "color" for your kit. Mark all your stuff with paint and electrical tape in this color(s).

The more places on an item you have your name, the better. It won't stop all theft, but it will help prevent it.

[porkchop]

also for stuff that's too small to write/ label white gaff tags and a sharpie fixes lots of things

[avkid]

I engrave the ends of my mic cables with my initials.
Adapters generally get a bit of yellow LX tape on them.
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My processing rack has a few bits that make it easy to identify should it go missing: there is a red R spray painted inside one of the covers and a silica gel packet taped to the front cover.
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My AC cable container(Sterilite tub) has my initials and two red lines painted on it to stand out.
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Speaker stands have an ID sticker covered with packaging tape, as do the PowerCon to Edison cables.
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Several plastic things such as power strips and cord reels have my initials melted into them with an old soldering iron.
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Stencil your name, company or other identifying marks onto road cases and anything else that will take paint.

[Footer]

I paint all my tools gold, stands out enough that it works. As far as cables go, pink spike tape. Nothing will stop someone from actually stealing your stuff, but it can stop people from walking away with it without meaning to.

[midgetgreen11]

it can also stop people from "accidentally" taking your stuff on purpose, because you may see it again. my high school's drama club goes a little something like this: "If you leave it here for more than a week, its ours." and we have all this stuff that we've not really...stolen, but gathered from other groups.

[avkid]

Originally Posted by midgetgreen11

my high school's drama club goes a little something like this: "If you leave it here for more than a week, its ours." and we have all this stuff that we've not really...stolen, but gathered from other groups.

That's standard policy for us, if it's in the dressing room Monday morning it's either new costume stock or trash.

Thanks to all for the good information.

[sound_nerd]

I've touched all my tools with a bit of fluorescent pink spray paint. Because, although I may be comfortable enough to use pink tools, who is going to walk off with a pink set of Klein side cutters? Not too many people. Plus, it's easy too see from a distance if someone has decided to borrow from my kit without permission.

[soundlight]

All of my tools, cables, and adapters get two colors of e-tape, because I know many people that simply use one color of e-tape around tool handles and cables and adapters.

I store all of my adapters in a cheap plastic toobox with a nice removable tray for those little TRS couplers, headphone reducers, etc. I got it at the thrift shop for fifty cents. The handle of said toolbox also has the same two colors of e-tape wrapped around it, and it's a recognizable milky gray plastic toolbox. I don't know many other people with a milky gray plastic toolbox.

My mic stands (all two of them) have the same two colors of e-tape on the main stand shaft.