Cable tagging

[geoff]

What cable tagging or labelling system do folks find most effective ?
Preferably appliable to already made up XLR cables. I would like to put
them on the male ends, stating the cable length.

I've found the like of the plastic Dymo self-adhesive ones fall off
after a short while when the glue loses its grunt.

geoff

[JackA]

On Monday, December 5, 2016 at 7:35:47 PM UTC-5, geoff wrote:
> What cable tagging or labelling system do folks find most effective ?
> Preferably appliable to already made up XLR cables. I would like to put
> them on the male ends, stating the cable length.
>
> I've found the like of the plastic Dymo self-adhesive ones fall off
> after a short while when the glue loses its grunt.
>
> geoff

Brother!

Jack

[Mike Rivers[_2_]]

On 12/5/2016 7:35 PM, geoff wrote:
> What cable tagging or labelling system do folks find most effective ?
> Preferably appliable to already made up XLR cables. I would like to put
> them on the male ends, stating the cable length.

I tried all of the "professional" cable labeling systems and everything
comes off except for a piece of heat shrink tubing put on before you put
on the connector.

What seems to last at least a few years is clear packing tape. Make a
paper label, lay it on the cable (a dab of glue stick will hold it in
place) then wrap a couple of layers of the clear tape over it.

--

For a good time, call http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com

[geoff]

On 6/12/2016 2:23 p.m., Mike Rivers wrote:
> On 12/5/2016 7:35 PM, geoff wrote:
>> What cable tagging or labelling system do folks find most effective ?
>> Preferably appliable to already made up XLR cables. I would like to put
>> them on the male ends, stating the cable length.
>
> I tried all of the "professional" cable labeling systems and
> everything comes off except for a piece of heat shrink tubing put on
> before you put on the connector.
>
> What seems to last at least a few years is clear packing tape. Make a
> paper label, lay it on the cable (a dab of glue stick will hold it in
> place) then wrap a couple of layers of the clear tape over it.
>
Unless I get a better recommendation I'm thinking to take the male XLR
off, wrap on a printed Dymo/Brother/whatever plastic label, then put
some clear heat-shrink over that before re-wiring the connector back on.

A job a rainy day. Or a rainy week.

geoff

[geoff]

On 6/12/2016 3:16 p.m., geoff wrote:
> On 6/12/2016 2:23 p.m., Mike Rivers wrote:
>> On 12/5/2016 7:35 PM, geoff wrote:
>>> What cable tagging or labelling system do folks find most effective ?
>>> Preferably appliable to already made up XLR cables. I would like to put
>>> them on the male ends, stating the cable length.
>>
>> I tried all of the "professional" cable labeling systems and
>> everything comes off except for a piece of heat shrink tubing put on
>> before you put on the connector.
>>
>> What seems to last at least a few years is clear packing tape. Make a
>> paper label, lay it on the cable (a dab of glue stick will hold it in
>> place) then wrap a couple of layers of the clear tape over it.
>>
> Unless I get a better recommendation I'm thinking to take the male XLR
> off, wrap on a printed Dymo/Brother/whatever plastic label, then put
> some clear heat-shrink over that before re-wiring the connector back on.
>
> A job a rainy day. Or a rainy week.
>
> geoff
>
Onto the cable that is, not onto the connector - too much wear and tear
Methinks.

g.

[Scott Dorsey]

geoff > wrote:
>What cable tagging or labelling system do folks find most effective ?
>Preferably appliable to already made up XLR cables. I would like to put
>them on the male ends, stating the cable length.

I have to say it... but I like to sharpie the connector.

>I've found the like of the plastic Dymo self-adhesive ones fall off
>after a short while when the glue loses its grunt.

I don't know those, but the wrap-around Brady ones work well, but you
have to get the machine. I like those for things like labelling each
pair in a huge bundle, though.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[geoff]

On 6/12/2016 3:20 p.m., Scott Dorsey wrote:
> fter a short while when the glue loses its grunt.
> I don't know those, but the wrap-around Brady ones work well, but you
> have to get the machine. I like those for things like labelling each
> pair in a huge bundle, though.
> --scott
>
Maybe the Brady label media is more resilient than the Dymo-style
stuff, but I've found with the latter the tape's adhesive goes tack and
the tape unwinds and falls off after a few cycles of heat or sunshine.


A bit expensive to try blind though. I'll see if there is a local agent.

geoff

[geoff]

On 6/12/2016 3:20 p.m., Scott Dorsey wrote:
> geoff > wrote:
>> What cable tagging or labelling system do folks find most effective ?
>> Preferably appliable to already made up XLR cables. I would like to put
>> them on the male ends, stating the cable length.
> I have to say it... but I like to sharpie the connector.

Comes off on your fingers. And not much use on black connectors !

geoff

[Mike Rivers[_2_]]

On 12/5/2016 9:17 PM, geoff wrote:
>> Unless I get a better recommendation I'm thinking to take the male XLR
>> off, wrap on a printed Dymo/Brother/whatever plastic label, then put
>> some clear heat-shrink over that before re-wiring the connector back on.

> Onto the cable that is, not onto the connector - too much wear and tear
> Methinks.

I've used clear heat shrink tubing over a label on the shell of a 1/4"
phone plug, but there really isn't enough cylindrical surface on an XLR
to do that.

--

For a good time, call http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com

[Scott Dorsey]

geoff > wrote:
>On 6/12/2016 3:20 p.m., Scott Dorsey wrote:
>> geoff > wrote:
>>> What cable tagging or labelling system do folks find most effective ?
>>> Preferably appliable to already made up XLR cables. I would like to put
>>> them on the male ends, stating the cable length.
>> I have to say it... but I like to sharpie the connector.
>
>Comes off on your fingers. And not much use on black connectors !

I never had it come off on my fingers. Black connectors get a white paint pen.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[JackA]

On Monday, December 5, 2016 at 9:16:46 PM UTC-5, geoff wrote:
> On 6/12/2016 2:23 p.m., Mike Rivers wrote:
> > On 12/5/2016 7:35 PM, geoff wrote:
> >> What cable tagging or labelling system do folks find most effective ?
> >> Preferably appliable to already made up XLR cables. I would like to put
> >> them on the male ends, stating the cable length.
> >
> > I tried all of the "professional" cable labeling systems and
> > everything comes off except for a piece of heat shrink tubing put on
> > before you put on the connector.
> >
> > What seems to last at least a few years is clear packing tape. Make a
> > paper label, lay it on the cable (a dab of glue stick will hold it in
> > place) then wrap a couple of layers of the clear tape over it.
> >
> Unless I get a better recommendation I'm thinking to take the male XLR
> off, wrap on a printed Dymo/Brother/whatever plastic label, then put
> some clear heat-shrink over that before re-wiring the connector back on.
>
> A job a rainy day. Or a rainy week.
>
> geoff

Brady had/has a really fancy device for printing on shrink tubing [aerated polyethylene?], expensive though!

Jack

[JackA]

On Monday, December 5, 2016 at 8:23:52 PM UTC-5, Mike Rivers wrote:
> On 12/5/2016 7:35 PM, geoff wrote:
> > What cable tagging or labelling system do folks find most effective ?
> > Preferably appliable to already made up XLR cables. I would like to put
> > them on the male ends, stating the cable length.
>
> I tried all of the "professional" cable labeling systems

I doubt that.

Jack


and everything
> comes off except for a piece of heat shrink tubing put on before you put
> on the connector.
>
> What seems to last at least a few years is clear packing tape. Make a
> paper label, lay it on the cable (a dab of glue stick will hold it in
> place) then wrap a couple of layers of the clear tape over it.
>
> --
>
> For a good time, call http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com

[geoff]

On 7/12/2016 3:14 a.m., Scott Dorsey wrote:
>
>> have to say it... but I like to sharpie the connector.
>> Comes off on your fingers. And not much use on black connectors !
> I never had it come off on my fingers. Black connectors get a white paint pen.
> --scott

My blue-black fingertips tell me I need a better brand of Sharpie then ;-)

geoff

[Scott Dorsey]

geoff > wrote:
>On 7/12/2016 3:14 a.m., Scott Dorsey wrote:
>>
>>> have to say it... but I like to sharpie the connector.
>>> Comes off on your fingers. And not much use on black connectors !
>> I never had it come off on my fingers. Black connectors get a white paint pen.
>
>My blue-black fingertips tell me I need a better brand of Sharpie then ;-)

There is only one! Accept no substitutes!
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Mike Rivers[_2_]]

On 12/6/2016 3:53 PM, geoff wrote:
> My blue-black fingertips tell me I need a better brand of Sharpie

There are several brands of felt tip marker pens, but the genuine
Sharpie brand seems to have the most permanent ink, unless you're using
the water soluble or dry-erase types. If it comes off on your fingers,
either you're not using the permanent kind or the surface wasn't good
and clean when you wrote on it. Get some isopropyl alcohol - the kind
that doesn't have lanolin in it - and wipe the connector shell with that
and let it dry thoroughly before writing on it with a Sharpie. And,
incidentally, isopropyl alcohol will remove the Sharpie ink - completely
if the writing is reasonably fresh, and almost completely after a few
months when the ink has had time to soak into the metal surface a bit.

But even a permanent marker isn't totally permanent. It will rub off
with use but if it's stuck on good, it'll take a while before you need
to re-write it, and by then you may have re-purposed the cable anyway.

--

For a good time, call http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com

[geoff]

On 7/12/2016 10:43 a.m., Mike Rivers wrote:
> On 12/6/2016 3:53 PM, geoff wrote:
> > My blue-black fingertips tell me I need a better brand of Sharpie
>
> There are several brands of felt tip marker pens, but the genuine
> Sharpie brand seems to have the most permanent ink, u

Maybe fake Sharpies have surfced ! Also tried 'Vivid' markers.

Or maybe I'm just too hot sweaty and greasy..

geoff

[PStamler]

Dremel Moto-Tool, engraving a code on the XLR. That doesn't rub off.


Peace,
Paul