What Label Printer

[Rannsachair]

I was toying with the idea of labeling all my tubs, drawers and boxes, as am fed up hunting for things I know I have and would hope this would simplify the process.

I had a quick search of the forum, they come up quite often though could not see my question.

Just for home use in a workshop setting what do folk recommend, do not want to spend too much.

Thanks

 

[Mick Annick]

I’ve just bought a new Brother PT-D210VP, our old one did 10 years before it died, 39 euros on Amazon

 

[knighty]

I bought this one https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333866684493

not sure if that's what I paid

I mostly wanted to label up network cables, so using it near a pc/laptop was no issue for me

plus... you can buy off brand label tape stuff, which from when I looked made a big difference

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I have a Brother one, can't recall the model and it's too rough to go out to the cave to check. Mains or battery operated iirc and tapes in various widths and colours are available.

Can update when the rain stops and the gale subsides....

 

[Tangledfeet]

Don't make the same mistake I did and get one that DIDN'T have qwerty input...

I now have a Brother (with qwerty!) that doesn't connect to a PC but I do think it would be useful.

I also tried some cheaper label cassettes but found the backing nigh on impossible to remove once cut to length so stick with the pukka Brother stuff.

 

[graffian]

I have a rhino 5200.
They come up on gumtree now and again.
I got quite a few rolls of tape and tube with it but had to buy some of the small tube size. I
bought elcheapo stuff from amazon, I can't say I noticed any difference between elcheapo
and the dymo stuff. But I haven't tried cheap tape

 

[rich_c]

I now have a Brother (with qwerty!) that doesn't connect to a PC but I do think it would be useful.

I have the opposite situation - PC only, no keyboard and think it'd be useful to be able to spontaneously label stuff rather than have to batch print them at a PC.

The other thing for the OP to consider is label size, mine takes D1 cartridges which go up to 12mm - great for drawers, shelves and small boxes, but ridiculous on bigger containers (and harder to read at a distance).

Personally, I'd avoid Dymo as a brand due to them locking the 500 series printers to their own consumables. Not cool.

 

[6ply]

I bought this one used on eBay. Cost about £10 plus postage. Bought some compatible tapes online. They print as well as the brother originals but the backing is slightly more difficult to peel. Bought 20 more tapes (half for work, half for me) at about £2.50 ea. / 12mm 8m. Originals cost much more. Wife labelled her drink bottle and it has been through the dish washer several times and remains good.

 

[AdventuresInMetal]

I have 27 thermal transfer printers ranging from a 50mm Sato CG212 to a 220mm Zebra 220xi4, labeling workshop bins and boxes my advice would be to ovoid anything that uses direct thermal labels at all, they fade to nothing over time and become completely useless. RS Components are guilty of this, I have loads of bags of electronics components from not even 10 years ago that I don't know what they are anymore without looking under a microscope.

You want something that is thermal transfer, that uses a print ribbon. There are 3 primary types of print ribbon, Wax, Wax/Resin and Resin.

Wax is the cheapest type and is for use on paper based media only and very easily smudges when rubbed a couple of times.

Wax/Resin is a blend of a wax and resin based ink that is a decent allrounder for printing on both paper and some synthetic based media, but can be smudged when used on synthetic but great on paper.

Resin based ribbons are terrible on most paper based media but hold up incredibly well on synthetic media, absolutely great for printing any type of polypropylene, polyethylene or polyester based labels that hold up to weather and UV.

Most of the brother P touch printers by the nature of the cartridge are thermal transfer, but a lot of the desktop thermal printers are just direct thermal on crappy paper labels. If you only have a small quantity of labels to print then something self contained like a brother P touch with laminated labels are the way to go.

However if you have a lot of labeling to do, I would say the more cost effective way to go is to buy a used thermal transfer printer on ebay, Something like a Zebra GK420T (a GK420d is direct thermal only!) but gives you the flexability to print something up to 4 inches wide on whatever media you would prefer.

Also if you want small text on labels, make sure you get something at least 300 DPI and not the usual 203 DPI, most thermal transfer printers are available in 203, 300 and 600 DPI (600 is rare and significantly more expensive)

 

[brightspark]

i have a simple brother one paid 20 quid for it about 20 years ago and still going strong

 

[8ob]

Got a brother 1830 for wide tape and a freebie brother handheld for the narrow tape. I recently bought in some multipacks of tape from Amazon, doesn’t seem too bad and it sticks well. With my forced hour a day in the shed no matter what I have been tipping out all of the mancaves drawers, I have sorted reorganised and labelled them. It’s amazing how much space you can make.

 

[J1nx]

P touch brother here also, think it’s the one aimed at sparks and sold at CEF. Replaced an older one but that was the same tape only narrower.

I know the genuine cartridges are pricey but they are worth it, beside the crap adhesive and backing the knock-offs also fade ime.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Can update when the rain stops and the gale subsides....

Don't say I'm not good to you lot , I ventured out during a lull and brought it indoors.

It's a Brother P-Touch 2100, an old model but still available afaics. A review is here CLICK HERE [scroll down]. I've had it for years and only use it on mains, not batteries. I can recommend it.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Sharpie and a sticker works fine

Ahhh, but what if your writing's illegible?

 

[Migmac]

Sharpie and a sticker works fine

I’m posher than you, I use a paint pen

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Then you must hire a dedicated label writer

Mine is completely dedicated to me.

 

[badabec]

I have a Brother P-touch H500. It will also take shrink wrap tape, ideal for wiring looms etc.

Don't let your children near it. I came home to find the kettle, dishwasher, microwave and oven had stickers, telling me what they were.

 

[bourbon]

I got a cheap one from Aldi. Let me tell you, Labelling tubs and boxes, Does work! now I'm not searching for stuff for ages.

 

[indy4x]

I have a Brother P-touch H500. It will also take shrink wrap tape, ideal for wiring looms etc.

Don't let your children near it. I came home to find the kettle, dishwasher, microwave and oven had stickers, telling me what they were.

Same goes for grandkids, they printed everything they could reach

 

[RichardM]

I have a pencil, small pieces of paper and some clear tape to stick them on with. I did think of buying a label printer to replace the old (really old, clicky style) Dyno one still languishing in a drawer, that I really ought to throw away, but as I'd just finished labeling my milling cutters never got round to it.