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Label Printer

RV-4

Well Known Member
Hello Gents

I'm wanting to buy a label printer for my upcoming wiring job but I just don't know which one to buy..

One that can write on wire tubing will be very nice...

Someone here a little while ago mentioned one that was affordable but I failed to write down the name..

Do you guys have suggestions or preference to offer??

Thanks

Bruno
 
Not the cheapest, but very good.

You can trim the ends of the heatshrink tubing and use an ultra fine sharpie on the tube for simple idents - works well - write big though as..... Well, it shrinks :D
 
I use the Dymo Rhino 5200 and I buy generic brand from Amazon shrink tube. Very inexpensive that way.
 
I have the Dymo Rhino as well and it works great. The Dymo shrink tubing definitely works best over time. I found all of the Amazon brands I tried work fine UNLESS you let them sit more than a month after opening, then the ink ribbons dry out and you get blotchy printing. The Dymo ones can sit opened a long time and still print fine.
 
I got an Epson LW-PX750. It'll do almost anything you need. It can print from a PC as well, so you can create a list of labels to print and do batches of them. It prints on a bunch of label types including heat shrink tubing and self laminating wrap as well as normal label media.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08JQMR6CT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The only thing it can't do is accept large bulk spools of label media or shrink tube. To get that, the printers are significantly more expensive.

I got the recommendation for it from a guy who runs an avionics shop, who had a slightly older version of the same printer.
 
Dymo LabelManager

I have been using a Dymo LabelManager for work and wish I had used it for the RV.

Plug it into a USB port on your computer and it shows up as a USB drive with a label maker program. I always have my laptop with me anyway, and I find it much easier to use than typing out labels in a tiny keyboard of the self-contained printers.

The cheap knock-off cartridges work just as well as the Dymo brand, too.
 
Thanks...what is the model number of the heat shrink tubing you use for that Dymo 160?

The description below is from what I bought on Amazon. It doesn't say it works with the 160, but I found it to be compatible.

Fimax Compatible Label Tape Replacement for DYMO 18051 1/4" Heat Shrink Tube Labels Use with DYMO Rhino 4200, 5200, 5000, 6000 Label Maker, Black on White, 1/4 Inch x 4.9 Feet (6mm x 1.5m), 3-Pack
 
I used the Dymo Rhino 5200 label printer with the Dymo heat shrink tubing that is black printing on yellow tubing. While the generic heat shrink tubing is a lot cheaper than the actual Dymo cartridges, I decided that after spending about $50k on avionics, I wasn't going to go cheap on the wire labels and regret it in a few years when the printing on the labels became unreadable or presented other problems.

While I don't know for a fact that the generic labels would do that, I didn't want to take any chances. It's too important to me to be able to read the wire labels in 10 - 15 years when I am updating my panel or trouble shooting it.

I also found it to be easier to print a few labels at a time as I needed them, rather than batch printing a bunch and then trying to find the right ones in the bag of printed labels to apply them.

Just my experience and logic, FYI.
 
LABEL MAKERS

Hello Gents

I finally went with the Dyno Label Maker 160 which should foot the bill for what I'm planning on doing..

Thanks all for your recommendations, it is appreciated

Cheers

Bruno
 
The 160 doesn’t appear to have a dedicated heat shrink/wrap setting so what process are you using to get the heat shrink tubing to print out without wasting too much each time and in large legible font once they are shrunk?


Hello Gents

I finally went with the Dyno Label Maker 160 which should foot the bill for what I'm planning on doing..

Thanks all for your recommendations, it is appreciated

Cheers

Bruno
 
Rhino 5200

I have the Dymo Rhino 5200. Expensive but the kit comes with the AC adapter and a bunch of tape. I purchased the generic heat shrink tube on Amazon and tested them. They work fine.
 
The 160 doesn’t appear to have a dedicated heat shrink/wrap setting so what process are you using to get the heat shrink tubing to print out without wasting too much each time and in large legible font once they are shrunk?


I'm not sure I'd characterize the end result as large legible font when I'm using 1/4 shrink on a #22 wire, but I have the Dymo 160 set at 12 point font. I don't bold it, although I haven't really tried the bold setting much.

There is some waste every time you hit print, so I try to print labels for as many wires as I can, like maybe 10 at a time. I print those and use scissors to snip off the tube, instead of using the built in cutter. The cutter creates a little waste too. I also don't mind a hand written label or two on the pieces of leftover blank tubing.

$10 for three more 5' rolls won't break me, but I'm cheap.
 
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