My favorite cheap but professional option is to print a label with a cheap label printer, stick it on lengthwise along the cable and then cover with clear heatshrink.
the issue in a marine application is the heatshrinknot beiing fully sealed and solvents getting to the label and distorting it, then again gasoline or diesel will destroy anything
I do the printed heat shrink, shrink it, and then go back over it with another layer of CLEAR heat shrink. That way the ink won't wear off as easily. Also, I have a dymo 2400 and I've found that if you go up a size when you are selecting the size tape you have inserted you can play around with the text size and get a label or heat shrink peice that prints edge to edge. Which can be good for making text larger on smaller prints.
@@liamandrade5167 I am a little bit lost in these theme. I am doing automotive wiring but I don’t wanna use the method that I had been using it since the beginning of my wiring work.I used to use basic dymo label maker. Place a label on the wire and use transparent heat shrink tube (raychem transparent). I want to make it the right way but there goes my problem. I really don’t know how the differences are in the Dymo wire label makers. There are 5200 as you mention, than 6000, 6000+ etc. I want to have label maker that can print over the wire, basically (shrink label). Then I’ll use a transparent heat shrink tube to get an extra protection. I search for some devices like 3M PL300 and Dymo 6000+ but these are out of my range right know. Can you give me some tips which device should I buy, or tell me differences in the line of these labels? Thank you very much, if you are wasting your time with my long comment and thanks for your answer.
Thanks Doug! My ancient Ptouch label maker just died so I will checkout the Epson. I typically add where the cable goes for my “regular” setup which really helps with volunteers
I went down the same rabbit hole 6 months ago, i went with a big Brady hand hold a bit smaller then yours but returned it for the more practical M211, work via bluetooth with your phone and the footprint is very small, haven’t even charged it since I’ve first bought it being it has no display. You gave me an idea with the logo, thats super cool and ill have to see if its supported, the cool thing with this is its very easy to install fonts ect being its printing from your phone. Great video!
Last year I bought the Brady M211 printer. It connects via Bluetooth to my iPhone and you can create your own custom labels with their app. They many different compatible label cassettes, incl. these heatshrink labels but also labels that wrap around cables.
DJP Studio 1 is done enough, looks freakin' amazing. Just as good as any commercial T.V. station 👍 And, $200 for the label maker is soo, darned reasonable. Hard to think of a reason not to purchase it, and start using it. And looking forward to any/all forthcoming review/tours of the studio spaces. I'm glad it's starting to get closer to being finished 😺
I've gone back and forth on the label technique a lot. The heat-shrink tubing is nice, though I'm partial to the one you used before that. What I don't believe you covered in-depth, though, is how much of what information to include and how to format it based on need and use of the cable. When it comes to integration, the labels I have liked best used a similar system to what you demonstrated, but included information about what rack and frame/card/patch-port/etc. the signal was coming from AND where it was going to, as well as potentially what kind of signal/how it would be used. In integration for a studio or similar facility I'd actually prefer that information over length because ideally once it's installed it lives there. With the travel production company I work with, we make sure to include similar information (though perhaps less detailed on the rack/frame/ports/etc. in favor of simplification for less technical staff) and focus on details about how the cable is used. Then we not only include the length on the label but have a custom color-coding system for length of all types of cables and wrap some electrical tape on each end by the label for quick identification of length - for anyone who might be color-blind/etc. the label then also has the information. However, you can get a LOT more information on the cable utilizing the images and multiple lines/formatting available, which can be SUPER helpful, especially if you ensure the label is positioned where it will be accessible while spooled or after installed - for example, not too close to the crimp in a rack/etc.
For permanent installs that makes a lot of sense. Most of my viewers are doing mobile production so that tends to be more of where I focus my comments.
Yeah, I realized after commenting that I had gotten WAY more opinionated than I realized. It IS amazing how nice and informative labels can get with an affordable but better quality label maker. It is genuinely exciting when the possibilities open up like that. With some professional examples for options and the ability to achieve them yourself, it's such a game changer!
They aren't going away. There will still be a lot of times when the trailer makes sense for shooting videos. Having the studio makes it a lot easier to shoot more videos more often.
Heatshrink novice here: any advice for possibly using heatshrink on premade cables? XLR for example? Does heatshrink even exist that would slip over the large ends yet shrink enough to look nice? And if so, does Epson carry it?
Heat shrink is rated by its shrink ratio -- how much the diameter will shrink when heated. The most common ratio is 2:1, but 3:1 isn't uncommon either. There are higher ratios for other products, but Epson's offerings are limited to just those two options, with 3:1 only being available in smaller diameters. labelworks.epson.com/amfile/file/download/file/38/product/398/ I don't see any there that would even come close to both being wide enough to pass over the internal portion of an XLR connector and be able to shrink down to the diameter of the cable.
Great video as always, Doug. How concerned should someone who’s doing this be about using the heat gun to shrink the labels to the cable? Could the heat damage the integrity of the cable in any way? Thanks
You’d have to hold a heat gun in the same position for a pretty long time before it would do any damage to the cable - long after the heat shrink has reached its minimum size, and you’d see visual indications of a problem before any actual damage was done.
Congrats on the studio. Looks great! Thanks for great tips. I've been using a Brother label maker like the old one you used putting the label along the cable and pulling transparent heat shrink on top. Works ok but this last option looks way better and more afordable than I expected. Maybe it's time for an upgrade? :D
Congratulations on the new space, looks great. As for labels been there done that lol tried all the options you showed from before. Would you know if the printer can print on the opposite side in the other direction! You know how sometimes you plug the cable somewhere and the label ends up being the side you cannot see!
Very nice Printer. How durable is the printing on the heatshrink ? I was using paper printed labels fixed by transparent heatshrink for years. But this transparent heatshrink gets milky by time.
Considering regular label printers are quite inexpensive, as is clear heatshrink tube, why not just print a regular label and add a clear heatshrink tube?
My favorite cheap but professional option is to print a label with a cheap label printer, stick it on lengthwise along the cable and then cover with clear heatshrink.
the issue in a marine application is the heatshrinknot beiing fully sealed and solvents getting to the label and distorting it, then again gasoline or diesel will destroy anything
I do the printed heat shrink, shrink it, and then go back over it with another layer of CLEAR heat shrink. That way the ink won't wear off as easily. Also, I have a dymo 2400 and I've found that if you go up a size when you are selecting the size tape you have inserted you can play around with the text size and get a label or heat shrink peice that prints edge to edge. Which can be good for making text larger on smaller prints.
@@liamandrade5167 I am a little bit lost in these theme. I am doing automotive wiring but I don’t wanna use the method that I had been using it since the beginning of my wiring work.I used to use basic dymo label maker. Place a label on the wire and use transparent heat shrink tube (raychem transparent). I want to make it the right way but there goes my problem. I really don’t know how the differences are in the Dymo wire label makers. There are 5200 as you mention, than 6000, 6000+ etc. I want to have label maker that can print over the wire, basically (shrink label). Then I’ll use a transparent heat shrink tube to get an extra protection. I search for some devices like 3M PL300 and Dymo 6000+ but these are out of my range right know. Can you give me some tips which device should I buy, or tell me differences in the line of these labels? Thank you very much, if you are wasting your time with my long comment and thanks for your answer.
Thanks Doug! My ancient Ptouch label maker just died so I will checkout the Epson. I typically add where the cable goes for my “regular” setup which really helps with volunteers
I went down the same rabbit hole 6 months ago, i went with a big Brady hand hold a bit smaller then yours but returned it for the more practical M211, work via bluetooth with your phone and the footprint is very small, haven’t even charged it since I’ve first bought it being it has no display. You gave me an idea with the logo, thats super cool and ill have to see if its supported, the cool thing with this is its very easy to install fonts ect being its printing from your phone. Great video!
Loving the new studio and look!
Last year I bought the Brady M211 printer. It connects via Bluetooth to my iPhone and you can create your own custom labels with their app. They many different compatible label cassettes, incl. these heatshrink labels but also labels that wrap around cables.
Congratulations on the new studio!
DJP Studio 1 is done enough, looks freakin' amazing. Just as good as any commercial T.V. station 👍 And, $200 for the label maker is soo, darned reasonable. Hard to think of a reason not to purchase it, and start using it. And looking forward to any/all forthcoming review/tours of the studio spaces. I'm glad it's starting to get closer to being finished 😺
New studio looks fantastic!!
This became relevant, trying to do shrink tube labels on 1/0 battery cables for inverter.
Congrats on the new studio! Spiffy!
Congrats on the new studio. I have a new one also that's not finished but I have a usable space set up. Look forward to seeing the tour.
Great video! Such a great way to label and organize production cables!
Thanks, Nick! This system has worked really well for me.
I've gone back and forth on the label technique a lot. The heat-shrink tubing is nice, though I'm partial to the one you used before that. What I don't believe you covered in-depth, though, is how much of what information to include and how to format it based on need and use of the cable. When it comes to integration, the labels I have liked best used a similar system to what you demonstrated, but included information about what rack and frame/card/patch-port/etc. the signal was coming from AND where it was going to, as well as potentially what kind of signal/how it would be used. In integration for a studio or similar facility I'd actually prefer that information over length because ideally once it's installed it lives there. With the travel production company I work with, we make sure to include similar information (though perhaps less detailed on the rack/frame/ports/etc. in favor of simplification for less technical staff) and focus on details about how the cable is used. Then we not only include the length on the label but have a custom color-coding system for length of all types of cables and wrap some electrical tape on each end by the label for quick identification of length - for anyone who might be color-blind/etc. the label then also has the information. However, you can get a LOT more information on the cable utilizing the images and multiple lines/formatting available, which can be SUPER helpful, especially if you ensure the label is positioned where it will be accessible while spooled or after installed - for example, not too close to the crimp in a rack/etc.
For permanent installs that makes a lot of sense. Most of my viewers are doing mobile production so that tends to be more of where I focus my comments.
Yeah, I realized after commenting that I had gotten WAY more opinionated than I realized. It IS amazing how nice and informative labels can get with an affordable but better quality label maker. It is genuinely exciting when the possibilities open up like that. With some professional examples for options and the ability to achieve them yourself, it's such a game changer!
Great video. Loving the new Studio. Really learn a lot from you!
DJP Studio looks sick! I hope the trailer videos still stick around though since I love the control room backround style!
They aren't going away. There will still be a lot of times when the trailer makes sense for shooting videos. Having the studio makes it a lot easier to shoot more videos more often.
Great video.
A lot of great info but...what cable REEL is the best for your mobile production? A lot of ot them out there but you will know what works best. Thanks
It's so hard to answer 'what (product) is best' because everyone's needs and situations are so different.
Heatshrink novice here: any advice for possibly using heatshrink on premade cables? XLR for example? Does heatshrink even exist that would slip over the large ends yet shrink enough to look nice? And if so, does Epson carry it?
Heat shrink is rated by its shrink ratio -- how much the diameter will shrink when heated. The most common ratio is 2:1, but 3:1 isn't uncommon either. There are higher ratios for other products, but Epson's offerings are limited to just those two options, with 3:1 only being available in smaller diameters. labelworks.epson.com/amfile/file/download/file/38/product/398/
I don't see any there that would even come close to both being wide enough to pass over the internal portion of an XLR connector and be able to shrink down to the diameter of the cable.
Great video as always, Doug. How concerned should someone who’s doing this be about using the heat gun to shrink the labels to the cable? Could the heat damage the integrity of the cable in any way? Thanks
You’d have to hold a heat gun in the same position for a pretty long time before it would do any damage to the cable - long after the heat shrink has reached its minimum size, and you’d see visual indications of a problem before any actual damage was done.
16:45 very good advice
Nice new haircut to go with the new studio!
Congrats on the studio. Looks great! Thanks for great tips. I've been using a Brother label maker like the old one you used putting the label along the cable and pulling transparent heat shrink on top. Works ok but this last option looks way better and more afordable than I expected. Maybe it's time for an upgrade? :D
Congratulations on the new space, looks great. As for labels been there done that lol tried all the options you showed from before. Would you know if the printer can print on the opposite side in the other direction! You know how sometimes you plug the cable somewhere and the label ends up being the side you cannot see!
There really isn’t a way to feed the label back through to print on the reverse side.
Nice video. What does bort mean?
It's a reference to The Simpsons, season 6, episode 4.
Do you cut the cables or order them without ends and put them on later?
I order the RG-59 or Cat-6 cable in 1000-foot spools, cut to length, add labels, and terminate the ends myself.
13:48 How did you get the printer to partially print on the tape?
I didn't have to do anything special. The printer detected the label type and automatically set itself up.
Very nice Printer.
How durable is the printing on the heatshrink ?
I was using paper printed labels fixed by transparent heatshrink for years. But this transparent heatshrink gets milky by time.
I have only been using this for a couple months now. So far, so good... but I can't speak to long-term durability.
Considering regular label printers are quite inexpensive, as is clear heatshrink tube, why not just print a regular label and add a clear heatshrink tube?
It doesn't look as nice, or last as long (they tend to cloud or yellow). And takes a lot more time.
Without even watching: just grab your Dymo/Brother label printer, insert a heatshrink tube cartridge and make labels.
Now.. lets watch the video. :)
Basically but he found an Epson that does this.
Or use any label printer and add your own clear heat shrink tube
It drys out