Wire marking

[Charles in SC]

What are some good ways to label wires? Such as avionics.
Thanks

[erich weaver]

I use the Dymo RHino Pro 50000:
http://www.labelcity.com/rhinopro/rhinopro5000.shtml

You can hunt around for the best price.

Get the fleixble white nylon tape. Almost indestructible. THe Dymo has a nice feature where the print is repeated multiple times so when you wrap it around the wire it is visible from any angle.

A lot of people using a numbering code for their labels. I dispensed with any code and just labeled each end of the wire with the source and destination,abbreviating as necessary.

erich

[Jekyll]

I print a code such as the function and pin number using 6 font then, cut them out, and apply them to the wire using small, clear heat shrink. Works well and is inexpensive.

Jekyll

[az_gila]

Originally Posted by Jekyll

I print a code such as the function and pin number using 6 font then, cut them out, and apply them to the wire using small, clear heat shrink. Works well and is inexpensive.

Jekyll

Yes... just like this... a 20 gage wire example

[walter]

Expensive but very very nice.

K-Sun 2001 XLST, purchased from Image Supply for around $300 bucks. Prints whatever you like on heatshrink tubing. Print your label, place on wire, apply heat, move on to next wire.

[RV7AV8R]

Originally Posted by erich weaver

I use the Dymo RHino Pro 50000:
http://www.labelcity.com/rhinopro/rhinopro5000.shtml

You can hunt around for the best price.

Get the fleixble white nylon tape. Almost indestructible. THe Dymo has a nice feature where the print is repeated multiple times so when you wrap it around the wire it is visible from any angle.

A lot of people using a numbering code for their labels. I dispensed with any code and just labeled each end of the wire with the source and destination,abbreviating as necessary.

rich

After 6 years I have noticed that my Dymo labels are seperating. There is a clear plastic layer over the white that is seperating. If I had to do it again I would use the clear shrink tube over the labeled wire as others have suggested here.

[gvouga]

I used a brother (model?) label machine that I got from Staples. There are many brands and models that are similar with similar label tape. However, the labels are heat sensitive. I used heat shrink over them and it would turn the entire label dark or black depending on how much heat was applied. I just learned to be careful with the heat application. However, after 3 years many of the labels have faded to the point that they are unreadable. I even have some labels that I did not cover with heat shrink and they have faded as well.

If I had to do it again, I would just buy a label maker for heat shrink tubing. It would have saved me a lot of time (cutting all those labels then adding heat shrink tubing got old fast) and my labels would still be readable. I'm sure I could have sold the label maker to the next builder to recoup some of the expense, but I probably would have just kept it.

Greg

[az_gila]

Originally Posted by gvouga

I used a brother (model?) label machine that I got from Staples. There are many brands and models that are similar with similar label tape. However, the labels are heat sensitive. I used heat shrink over them and it would turn the entire label dark or black depending on how much heat was applied. I just learned to be careful with the heat application. However, after 3 years many of the labels have faded to the point that they are unreadable. I even have some labels that I did not cover with heat shrink and they have faded as well.

If I had to do it again, I would just buy a label maker for heat shrink tubing. It would have saved me a lot of time (cutting all those labels then adding heat shrink tubing got old fast) and my labels would still be readable. I'm sure I could have sold the label maker to the next builder to recoup some of the expense, but I probably would have just kept it.

Greg

The heat shrink tubing is expensive at $30 for 60 inches -

http://www.labelcity.com/eonline/itemdesc.asp?ic=18052

...and 1/4 inch is the minumum ID available (Rinho machines) - which with a 3:1 shrink ratio, is a marginal grip on M22759/16 wire at 18 gage (0.077 - 0.081 diam.)

[Jack Tyler]

Good buddy of mine does panels & radios, spends $299 less than Walter, uses a fine point Sharpie marker pen and writes on flat, white shrink tubing. Steps are the same: "Print your label, place on wire, apply heat, move on to next wire." No peeling of plastic film off the labels later, either.

Shrink tubing I've used is not as pricey as Gil mentions. E.g. 19 cents/ft for 3/16" flat width, 1/8" diameter, 2:1 white tubing on 100' roll:
http://www.buyheatshrink.com/heatshr...lyolefin.htm#B

Jack

[walter]

If you saw my handwriting....