Tip: Electronic Labeler

Certainly, there are more elegant ways of labeling an instrument panel than using a Brother electronic labeler. Still, that's what I and many builders have chosen to use. The pictures give you an idea of its uncommon versatility....on and off the airplane. Up to four lines of print are possible on the wider widths of tape. The tape endures very well and I have labeled/placarded many items FWF too. Over 200 hours and 2-1/2 years later, I have observed no deterioration in FWF labels. As shown, you can easily adjust size, font, borders, and style to suit. The tape is available in clear and several colors and widths. While dry transfers and silk screening do convey a more professional and finished look in the cockpit environs, it is still quite visually passable AND simple enough to peel TZ tape off and relabel anything you wish on the slightest of whims.

Rick,
I agree 100%. Very well stated.
I used a label maker with transparent tape for all my placards. Even if I had the patience and dinero for a screened panel there would bound to be a change I would want to make. Then what to do? Cover it with an adhesive label, I guess.

Just keep the labeling machine out of the hands of your children. They will label all their stuff and hand it back to you when its empty!

The labels are great, but....

Rick, you are way to organized. A labeled binder for invoices!

Mine are in a card board box, shaken but not stirred.

Kent

Rick, I really like the satin black on the panel (at least that's what it looks like in the photo).

I'm ready to paint mine now and that's the color and sheen I want, What did you use? I've tested several brands in a rattle can and don't like any of them. I may have to go to "real" paint, but I hate to buy a quart just for a panel.

Larry

lrfrey said:

Rick, I really like the satin black on the panel (at least that's what it looks like in the photo).

I'm ready to paint mine now and that's the color and sheen I want, What did you use? I've tested several brands in a rattle can and don't like any of them. I may have to go to "real" paint, but I hate to buy a quart just for a panel.

Larry

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Larry-Have you tried the Rustoleum Satin Black that comes in the white can with the picture of the garden furniture on it? (Sorry, I don't have the part number, but I bought it at Lowes or Home Depot.) I too bought every single can of satin black I could find off the shelf from every store I could find (Lowes, HD, Ace, etc.). The problem was that I didn't want flat black because it was too flat and most satins still had too much gloss. Of all the satin cans I purchased, the Rustoleum described above seemed to have the least reflectivity. I didn't end up using it, because I decided against a black panel, but that was the result of my research. Hope this helps. Good luck.

lrfrey said:

Rick, I really like the satin black on the panel (at least that's what it looks like in the photo).

I'm ready to paint mine now and that's the color and sheen I want, What did you use? I've tested several brands in a rattle can and don't like any of them. I may have to go to "real" paint, but I hate to buy a quart just for a panel.

Larry

Click to expand...

I get a really nice "black satin" by using flat black rattle can and a fine mist of armor all just as the paint is flashing. Tough as nails even on the grille of a car and good looking. I found that a windex sprayer with it's finer mist worked better than the one that comes with the armor all.

YMMV, practice first

When I get one of those label makers, the first one I'm going to make is going to say, "Label Maker".

Hi Larry,

Steve nailed it all right. It is Rustoleum Satin. That side panel is the only place I used it. If you look carefully at the photo, the floor (and the instrument panel) is shot with Tempo black wrinkle paint because my tastes lean towards its slightly textured look.

model number?

Rick6a said:

Certainly, there are more elegant ways of labeling an instrument panel than using a Brother electronic labeler.

Click to expand...

Rick, what model number of Brother labeler do you use? Looks it uses some pretty thick tape.

Christopher.

Chris,

There are several models of the Brother electronic label maker available and they commonly use the TZ series of tape. I sold the first label maker I bought... a 1750 after I loaned it to a friend to tag wires in his airplane....he practically begged me for it so I presently own a PT 1950. It gets a lot of mileage on battery power alone so I've never felt the need to buy an adapter. Price is generally commensurate with capability. I'm told you can even download and print custom images on the tapes, though I've never felt the need to do so. It is very difficult if not impossible to get certain tapes locally so I simply order the styles and sizes I require from Amazon.com finding the price is competitive even with shipping costs added.

Has anyone tested which color panel and which labels look best? I just bought a 1950 and made a "black on clear" label. When I stuck it to a piece of from my light gray (primer gray) interior I could still see the clear tape pretty well. Are there better colors that hide the tape?

Also, any experience with the regular TZ tapes versus "high strength" TZS tapes?

BTW, Office Max has the 1950 online for $49.99. I found one in stock at the local Office Depot for 69.99 and they matched Office Max's online price. Tape choices in the stores are indeed limited.


Thanks,

Another label trick I have used on my plane is to use the border feature around the basic label. This allows you to cut the shape out right around the outside border and the visual line around the words takes your eye away from the tape transition. I used all clear with black writing and they look great.

Border Trick and TZS

I "borrowed" the border trick from Andy and I agree it works nicely.

I used TZS tapes and have several on the outside of the plane and two exposed to 100LL spills hanging in the 170mph breeze. They are not going anywhere. They seem immune to temp extremes here in Minne. -5 to 110degF.

The labels just ahead of the fuel caps and "No Step" labels are TZS white on black.