Labeller

[Scottishnewbie]

I'm thinking about getting one of these for this year as I'm fed up with the writing wearing on the labels i've used up to now and was wondering if anyone can recommend one that isnt too expensive but will do the job - dont need anything fancy!

[Snadger]

A waterproof pencil!

Sorry............I've actually got a labeller but I never use it, the batteries went flat and I don't know where I put it!

[Jeanied]

Were you thinking of a Dymo type labeller, SN? I had thought about one myself, but in the end I preferred the handwritten ones with the indelible pencil, just as Snadger suggests. I have got some nice wide wooden labels, made from a length of moulding, and repainted every so often. I even have some fabulous ones made by my late OH, about 12" long and painted with green paint, little daisies, forks and spades and with a white painted area for the name of the plant! Too precious to use now!
If you want some nice lettering and don't want to do it freehand, how about an old fashioned lettering stencil?

[Scottishnewbie]

thanks folks, i must be doing the pencil bit wrong cos it just fades every year - and being in scotland we dont get huge amounts of sun! that was why i thought to use a labeller - and also thought it might be reusable next year with a different date.

Hey Jeanied - we have the same birthday!

[Jeanied]

Twins!!!! Just think what fun we could have SN!!! Is the vine ready for this, we ask ourselves.
I found that the fibre tip pens that some labelling kits have are useless and wear off/ wash off/ fade away within a season. I am now using the waxy black pencil that comes with some others - that lasts longer as I keep finding stray labels in the ground with my darling's writing on so it must be at least 3 years old! I am also experimenting with some 5b pencils from my art bin! How about clear nail varnishing a permanent part of the label with plant name, with a more removable/ washable section for the dates each year?

[WrexTheDragon]

I have a Brother P-Touch and buy the tape off ebay.

Labels printed 2 years ago are still looking good. I find that permanent markers only last 6 months before they fade.

Evey plug at home has a label, with the TV and PC together it is amazing how many plugs I have.

[bramble]

I have a manual labeler that you put rolls of plastic tape into.
Can't tell you much else about it.
I bought it in Aldis and it came with red, blue and black rolls of tape.
I buy the refill rolls in Easons stationary.
I find it great and it was very inexpensive.
Hope this helps someone as I too got fed up with the writing wearing off.

[bramble]

Dont think I explained that very well. It punches out the letters.

[Bigmallly]

I use tongue depressers as they are a lot bigger than the plastic labels or lolly sticks & I can see what I've written.......

Wooden Tongue Depressors

[WrexTheDragon]

I notice that Labelzone have an offer on the Brother p-touch 1005 for £9.95 + vat. Also includes a fabric label for putting name tags on cloths.

I would give them a call first.



Brother P-Touch PT-1005F Handheld Label Printer from LabelZone

[Bulbaholic]

Before you buy a label writer check out the price of the replacemnt tapes - I have found them to be very expensive. I have one similar to the Brother shown above but just use it to write labels for our show bench plants. I don't actually think the labels would survive very well outside.
Outside I use plastic labels and rite on them with an HB pencil. The writing lasts until the label gets brittle and breaks (2-4 years, sometimes longer). For a more attractive label you could try a fine point CD pen. Mine lasts for years.

[Alison]

I used to struggle with pencil / ink wearing off but bought a pack of chinagraph pencils a few years ago and find them brilliant. Only takes seconds to write on the plastic markers, I can rub it off OK at the end of the season but the words are very clear until then. Considering the number of labels I write I'd never have time to print them all out. Only today I've written about 40 labels and it took about 5 minutes so much easier.