MAKING NEW TAGS

[daveh_sf]

I use a Brother PT-H100 printer, which is about $20. The printing doesn't fade, it's perfectly legible, and for making more than 2 or 3 labels it's faster than writing by hand.

[Leucadian]

Could we get an update on the experiments?
My personal preference to date is a #2 pencil. Cheap, easy to use, lasts as long as the plastic. I am careful to only mark on the more textured side so the writing is darker.

[Ray]

Like Kim, my "go to" is a Brother P-Touch label. I have some that are 20 years old and still look good as new.

I tried a new, "EXtreme" Sharpie on a polystyrene tag, and after two summers in the NC sun, it was close to unreadable. They were suppose to have the most stable ink of all of their pens.

[Leucadian]

Does the Brother adhesive last 20 years??

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Leucadian

Does the Brother adhesive last 20 years??

In this case it has. I have not lost a single label to glue failure.

Black print on a white background provides the best UV resistance and protection of the glue, according to Brother, for their Tz tapes. They also sell an "Industrial" strength tape, but I have not seen any difference and feel its unnecessary.

I also have a black-on-clear label on a casserole dish that has been filled with hot food and later placed in the dishwasher several times over the last 20 years, and it's still there, too.

[richardb]

I use Stabilo Write-4-all which I find really are permanent. I had a problem with other felts and took it up with the makers because they faded and found that for me, these are the only felts which are absolutely colour fast. I use two colours. Every plant has two labels. One in black ink with name then potting info on reverse. The other is in red recording flowering then on the reverse any special info like long spike or perhaps a different support needed when a spike appears. I can see easily what flowering pattern each plant settles to.

[claypot]

The old Dymo machines were good but very laborius to create the tapes.

[dnatural1]

Hi Dounoharm,

Could you give more info on the "radiograph pens" you are using? Are they fillable with ink (sort of like fountain pens) or they come prefilled with India Ink? Any specific brands you are using?

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Ray

Black print on a white background provides the best UV resistance and protection of the glue, according to Brother, for their Tz tapes.

I bought my P-touch PT-700 late last year after seeing somebody mention this device in orchidboard. I can't even remember who mentioned it.

My opinion of it ---- a triple thumbs up! Works excellently. I just print the label out, then stick it onto those white plastic plant tags. No issue with fading - ie. there is no fading. Haven't seen any degradation of the strips out in the sun. The strip sticks really well to the tags. No issues with rain/water on the strips at all.

I've been using the 9 mm width Tz tape.

The black writing on white background strips. The tape just reliably prints out and automatically cuts the tape after it finishes printing. Fantastic.

[Leucadian]

Maybe I'll try it. I have a Brother portable printer, which is a pain to type on. The PT-P700 looks like it would be a lot easier.