Kid all you like about the anal among us labeling everything (including the label maker), but labeling your work makes life much simpler — especially when you return to a task months (or years) later and have to remember what the hell you were thinking the first time around. But those nifty electronic label makers have a serious flaw: they run out of batteries. And they’re expensive. And they tend to get dirty or damaged in the shop.
(Ok, that’s a couple of flaws. My bad.)
Label maker giant DYMO, already known to many Toolmongers (see TM’s earlier post on the DYMO Letratag), offers a solution I think sounds great: A truly simple write-on-it-yourself label dispenser.
The Rhino 101 consists of essentially a case to store a reel of label material, a window where you can write on the label using the case as a steady surface, and a cutter. Just write whatever you want on the label, tear it off, and move on. No batteries for you to find dead when you’re ass-deep in the attic identifying wiring someone else installed years earlier, no print head to get gummed up with crud when you’re blasting grinding particles and wood dust (or God forbid Bondo dust) all over the shop — and a pricetag you can actually afford: $20 freakin’ bucks.
I’m afraid I’m gonna have to get one of these.
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9 Responses to A Really Simple Label Maker
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thought I had seen this before: http://toolmonger.com/2009/12/21/a-luddites-label-maker/
The refills for this are 11.5 feet and run about $10.
Nick, these guys REALLY like to label. <12 feet for $10 seems a bit costly. Perhaps [cheaper] 3rd party label tapes can be used.
A roll of masking tape is cheaper, and also comes with it’s own “dispenser”.
Oh, and unlimited fonts!
well this has a shortcoming too. You need to keep that sharpie handy. But seriously, how is this better than a role of white paper tape from a photo store?
They use it for labeling everything from film cans to mixer and lighting boards.
Doesn’t dry out or fade, or leave gummy residue.
I don’t get it. if I have a Sharpie, what do I need the tape for? I just use the Sharpie to write on the thing I want to label. If necessary, it cleans off with alcohol or acetone.
@lens42: Amen! Around my parts, a sharpie is known as a craphouse pen…for where it does most of its writing.
I have my vintage dymo embosser type label maker and love it.
As for labeling the label maker….either you have a good sense of humour or you might benefit from what modern pharmacology has to offer.
I would have a very difficult time using that – there’s no surface to rest your hand – kind of like those credit card boxes with the electronic signature lines.
So this uses over-priced label media too.
Two-thumbs down.
Hey, but the Sharpie is fine… So why doesn’t someone like 3M come up with a residue-less labelling tape on a roll for this purpose.
I use a Sharpie to write my car’s mileage under the hood when I change oil – I can always check when I check the oil to see how soon I need to change it. Wipes off with denatured alcohol. Don’t need any expensive label material for this!
Jim