Labelling rack panels

[samchurchill]

Hi,

 

I wondered about adding this to https://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?showtopic=73941&pid=577545&st=0entry577545 but I think it’s a slightly different question so warrants another thread.

 

Have any of you worked out a good way of retro adding permanent labels to 19” rack panels like ones that you can buy off the shelf with holes for D-type panel connectors? There’s not a lot of space to work with so Dymo type labels often don’t fit, and they seem to come off fairly quickly anyway.

 

I’m wondering whether there’s anything other than perhaps a silver metallic pen that I haven’t thought of.

 

Thanks

[sandall]

If you mean the black plastic channels with paper labels & clear plastic strips that come with PO-type jackfields, try Canford, Studiospares or Bryant, or look for an old jackfield to cannibalise.

[samchurchill]

Hi, I’m meaning panels like https://www.pennelcomonline.com/en/Penn-Elcom-1U-Rack-Panel-Punched-for-12-x-XLR-or-SpeakON-R12691UK12/m-6384.aspx

[andy_s]

Something like a Brother label maker might be suitable, you get different tapes for choice of letters and background colour (including transparent) and you can change the font size. I've found the tape sticks fine in non-greasy surfaces, metal, plastic etc. Edited October 16, 2019 by andy_s

[sandall]

Hi, I'm meaning panels like https://www.penn elco...

Yes, that's what I thought you meant. I use these jackfield strips to label XLR panels for installs, using DS tape & a few small self-tapping screws to anchor the strips - pretty indestructible. Dymo-type labels seem to peel-off or fade (or both).

[Dave m]

https://www.canford.co.uk/Products/2021020/45-077_CANFORD-DESIGNATION-STRIP-E-1.4m-x-12.0mm

If you have room.

I also have a dymo label printer. The estates electricians in our building use them to label light switches and sockets and they seem to last okThe tape is available in different versions

When you say dymo did you mean the hard plastic tape that you printed out on a "Star Trek phaser " type gun? Very old skool

When I worked in a control room we had a word document that we could print as an A3. Someone had spent ages working out a template that would slip into a channel like the above Canford strip protected by a clear strip.

[skinda0]

I have used Mega Electonics Quick-Mark Digital film before with very good results (picture below), but I have just found out that it is now discontinued!

 

One other method was laser engravable laminate, but only really useful if you have access to a laser cutter!

I have used Brother label tape in the above strips and found you dont need to take the adhesive backer off if you are carefull.

[Junior8]

If you were having a lot done wit the same sort of art work screen printing might be a good solution - or short run pad printing or laser engraving. Ir won't come cheap but it would be pretty permanent. One firm I know personally who can cover most of this kind of work is near Portsmouth https://www.tealwood.co.uk/ but there are similar outfits everywhere.

[sandall]

https://www.canford....

If you have room.

(If there is room for Dymo-type tape there is probably room for a proper designation strip).

I suspect I only used the Canford ones when TV companies were paying! Studiospares did 1u & 2u panels (403-220 & 403-190) which included Canford-style designation strips, which I first started using when SS were in a little street near Angel in the 1990s, but I can't find them on their website now that they have moved. Part of the slow decline of yet another pro-audio dealer??

[Yorkie]

For distribution board labelling in the past couple of years I've been using a Brother PT-E300VP with their strong adhesive black on white tape. Available in various widths; I find 18 and 6mm most useful. There's a great function 'patch bay labelling' which spaces out continuous labels, eg for a fuse box every 18mm. You select length to the nearest mm

[DrV]

I have used Mega Electonics Quick-Mark Digital film before with very good results (picture below), but I have just found out that it is now discontinued!

 

One other method was laser engravable laminate, but only really useful if you have access to a laser cutter!

I have used Brother label tape in the above strips and found you dont need to take the adhesive backer off if you are carefull.

Lovely. Pity they didn't proof read it first?

[samchurchill]

Thanks all - those Canford designation strips with self-tapping screws look ideal. And perhaps I’ll be more forward thinking in future and buy panels with built-in strips!

 

And yes, definitely the “modern” style Dymo labels, not the old style. They just don’t seem to stick well to these panels that don’t have a nice smooth space for them.

 

(Sorry sandall, I googled “jackfield“ but didn’t get much until I later googled “po jackfield” -now I see exactly what you meant!)

Edited October 16, 2019 by samchurchill

[Cameroon]

https://rack247.com/custom-rack-panel these are pretty affordable and customisable if you haven't already done the work.

[bruce]

As Yorkie suggests above, Brother P-Touch labels are available with extra strong adhesive

[Stuart91]

https://rack247.com/custom-rack-panel these are pretty affordable and customisable if you haven't already done the work.

 

Those look like a very good option - thanks for turning them up. I'm sure I'll use them in future.

 

My only disappointment is that it's not possible to fit 16 XLR cut-outs on a single U rack panel - twelve seems to be the maximum.