Looking For A Good Labeller

[GAJ52]

Hi

Can anyone recommend a good labeller for use on boats i.e. for internal and external use.

I have an old (15 years) Brother P-Touch, but the labels tend to fade after a period of time, so I'm looking for non-fade labels and two sizes small for inside the cabin and larger for external use "Water Fill" and "Waste Drain" (oddly these aren't labelled) for example.

Not too bothered about price if its worth it.

Thanks Glen

 

[cliff]

Some sheet brass and a set (or two) of number and letter punches. - Punch out your text, cut out the "label", flatten the label, fill the letters with black epoxy (or red or what ever contrasting colour you fancy) polish with some fine emery / wetndry, lacquer and fix either sika slex or screws.

 

[David2452]

Kroy 5100, I have had one in use professionally for a couple of years and it's really good, prints direct to heatshrink as well as strip labes and the media types available are pro grade and designed for industrial usage. They were a bit expensive for DIY but now available from the labelzone at a more attractive price.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I've had some success laser printing onto clear self adhesive labels (made by Avery IIRC) from a PC. Lasts longer than the Brother, but still eventually fades. You can choose whatever size font you want. You could also make fancy labels to wrap around your water filler; the only limit is your word processor or DTP package but it must be a laser printer if you want any durability.

 

[sarabande]

I've hada Brother P2700 for years which I use for identifying computers and routers and IT kit when doing IT manuals for clients, but for boat cabling work, I saw a clever Kroy 510 at an electrical show on Friday. Good price, and a range of very technical labels.


EDIT
Our forum lecky has beaten me to it !

For a similar, there's a Brother
http://www.labelzone.co.uk/brother-pt-e300vp-professional-handheld-label-printer/p15675

 

[lw395]

For a job a few years ago, we had vinyl labels printed, just email them a jpeg or something and it comes back done.
I can't remember the company, but it was not expensive. Very tough, and the adhesive was something else, a horror if you got the label upside down.
Might be worth googling for such services? you'd get a lot of labels on an A4 sheet.
Another thing we used was coated aluminium cnc milled for switch panels.
Modern 'Dymo' stuff is quite good, but there are alternatives.

 

[sarabande]

I think that technology has moved on very quickly in the last 2 - 3 years , and has put place-of-use labelling at the front of practical cabling. Certainly, labelling up a data switching centre could not be done by waiting for a third party.

 

[lw395]

I think that technology has moved on very quickly in the last 2 - 3 years , and has put place-of-use labelling at the front of practical cabling. Certainly, labelling up a data switching centre could not be done by waiting for a third party.

Some of us think ahead, and get the third party to print the stuff the week before.
Cabling is a bit of a different game, the Op was talking about more user-oriented labels.
Since a minor fiasco with a motorbike, where all the sticky labels fell off the cables after a couple of weeks, probably due to ACF50 residue on the cables, I tend to like either heatshrink over labels, colour coded tyraps or heatshrink, or the old school plastic numbers that go around wires.
Datacentres probably have a lot more string, but less psychotic wielding of WD40 cans, spilt coffee and seawater.

 

[GAJ52]

Thanks for the info regarding label printers.

Having done a Google search on some of the printers mentioned here and others, the sales info doesn't appear to give much information on the label media i.e. if it fades or not, and whether its suitable for outside use. My boat has many light and control switches that need labelling as well as some items on the outside of the boat, so also must be UV and weather proof.

Not having bought a labeller for many years I may be out of touch and now ALL labellers cover this criteria ?

 

[nigelmercier]

Brother TZ laminated labels (for example this http://amzn.to/1iqyeYP) are UV resistant and don't fade, mine are still on the clutches after 8 years. The early Brother printers can't use them.

I now use P-Touch printers that connect to the PC, they are much more versatile, you can include anything you can put in a document: text, images, graphics. They come with software for composing labels, but I often use Word or Photoshop.

I've got this one at home: http://amzn.to/1iqxlzx (up to 24mm)
This one on the boat: http://amzn.to/1rAVLI8 (up to 12mm)