Instrument labels

R

rjcoles

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 Oct 2007
Messages
307
Location
Med
Visit site
I'm getting to the end of my one year refit (that has taken 3 years) and I need to change the labeling on the instrument panel. All the pre-printed label sets I have seen so far do not meet my needs. I am looking for 1/2" wide labels with white lettering on a black background.

Any suggestions?
 
They are useful things to have for a boat. Particularly when chartered, as you need lots of labels and notices for people who don't know the boat, but even for your own boat it's useful. I got through most of a roll of tape labelling all the cables when I re-wired Kindred Spirit; some future owner will thank me for that one day.

Pete
 
One of the best things I ever bought was a good label printer, so many uses, only just behind the one that prints onto adhesive lined heatshrink tube. Main drawback with both is similar to that of ink jet printers, inexpensive to buy but consumables make up for it. Label cartridges are quite expensive, heat shrink cartriges are astronomical. The Dymo Rhino Pro 1000 Hand Held is only £19.99 from Label Zone along with consumables.
 
The labels from my Brother printer faded to eligibility after about a year. That's the ones exposed to sunlight.I have only used the tape that came with the machine perhaps there are anti fade ones.


Martin
 
theoldsalt said:
......but where to buy inexpensive tape refills. The ones I find each cost almost as much as the printer.
Click to expand...


Tell me about it! I use quite a lot of cartridges, both tape and heat shrink tube and have tried all sorts of places. The only way I have found is to negotiate for decent quantities, not much use if you are never going to use them I know, somebody could do a forum bulk order?
 
rjcoles said:
Looks like I need to buy a Brother label maker for the office..
Click to expand...
If you can justify the extra cost, get the one that connects to a PC: Brother P-Touch 2430PC
It gives you loads more font and label size options, as well as better formatting and less wastage.

I've had Brother laminated labels in the Mediterranean sun for 5 years, still intact.
 
Last edited:
nigelmercier said:
If you can justify the extra cost, get the one that connects to a PC
Click to expand...

But that would mean I'd have to make up all my labels in advance, instead of printing them on the spot.

It's for marking cables and switches, not teenage girls' diaries, who cares about fonts etc? :)

Pete
 
I think there's a lot to be said for the old-type DYMO embossed tape - cheap to buy - LIDL have them a couple of times a year - no need for electricity to operate the machines, and unlike the printed-type labels, there's no ink to fade / rub off. The background colour does fade with time if exposed to sunlight, but the label remains legible, and the adhesive lasts a long time.
 
greenalien said:
I think there's a lot to be said for the old-type DYMO embossed tape - cheap to buy - LIDL have them a couple of times a year - no need for electricity to operate the machines, and unlike the printed-type labels, there's no ink to fade / rub off. The background colour does fade with time if exposed to sunlight, but the label remains legible, and the adhesive lasts a long time.
Click to expand...

The printed label cartridges contain two reels of tape - one coloured and one clear. The machine prints on the coloured tape, and then applies the clear tape as a cover over it before it comes out of the slot. So the printing cannot rub off, and I have also not seen it fade. The boat we've just bought was previously chartered, and had loads of these labels - many required by MCA coding (eg "Do not open at sea", "Flare stowage") and hence probably applied a dozen years ago when first chartered out. None of them were faded.

I find the Dymo tape inclined to peel itself off the surface once the glue starts to fade, because of the stiffness of the tape. You also can't wrap it around a cable to label it, which is my main use for the things. Plus they look ok in a metalbashing workshop or an engine room, but a bit industrial for a saloon.

Pete
 
I use printed tapes and they are fine down below, whereas above decks they do fade in the sun and delaminate in the UK weather. That's fine so long as you replace them every few years.

I spotted a display in one of those key cutting shops who can engrave labels onto sandwich plastic strips - black facing with white centre, so the letters come through as white. It remnded me that this sandwich material is also available with a clear centre. If you make a panel from that, with the labels engraved and a groove around the edge, bulbs in the groove (or LEDs?) provide a soft, diffused light to show through the label letters. This method used to be used on aircraft panels to illuminate without glare. Using LEDs, one could choose what colour backlight you want - even a choice!

Rob.
 
greenalien said:
I think there's a lot to be said for the old-type DYMO embossed tape - cheap to buy - LIDL have them a couple of times a year - no need for electricity to operate the machines, and unlike the printed-type labels, there's no ink to fade / rub off. The background colour does fade with time if exposed to sunlight, but the label remains legible, and the adhesive lasts a long time.
Click to expand...
I can think of several things, none good! The new ones are miles better. :D
 
The printed label cartridges contain two reels of tape - one coloured and one clear. The machine prints on the coloured tape, and then applies the clear tape as a cover over it before it comes out of the slot.
Click to expand...

Not true of the cheaper machines, they just print directly on the tape.

I find the Dymo tape inclined to peel itself off the surface once the glue starts to fade, because of the stiffness of the tape.
Click to expand...

I've got some on my boat that were done over 15 years ago, still stuck fast - some on varnished wood, some on Perspex, some outside on GRP.

Plus they look ok in a metalbashing workshop or an engine room, but a bit industrial for a saloon.
Click to expand...

That's just a matter of taste - provided they're done evenly, they look great on a switch panel.

One thing they're not so good for is as cable markers, as the tape is too springy to loop back and stick to itself without unsticking after a while.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top