Adam Savage's Favorite Tools: Labelmaker
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 มิ.ย. 2024
- $15 Brother label maker: amzn.to/2PmI17v
You know those little square black power transformers that come with nearly every new electronic you get? We call them “Wall Warts”. The problem is that they often don’t have written down on them which device it charges. That's why every single new adapter that comes into Adam's house gets a small label made for it, describing exactly what electronic thing it belongs to. These label makers can make very small labels (Adam puts his name on all camera equipment in unobtrusive spots) or larger and colorful labels depending on the make and model you want to invest in.
$15 Brother label maker: amzn.to/2PmI17v
Shot by Gunther Kirsch and edited by Norman Chan
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$15 Brother label maker: amzn.to/2PmI17v
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What model Epson is that you have? Does it use the same type of tape as the Brother?
Edit: And BTW Big Clive made a video about how the Brother labellers work th-cam.com/video/W2SRePOg4VM/w-d-xo.html
So cheap I can't help but not buy.
Your suggestion must be working, because I don't see the default buying option on the link! The next buying option is 27$. Will you guys still get a commission from those other buying options?
The $50 model is much easier to use and worth it because the labels are quite expensive.
@@kurtownsj00 $76 in Canada
I started doing this exact same thing several years ago. It was an absolute lifesaver when I moved house. I literally do this with every electronic device I get. One more tip for you Adam, if your label maker has different text sizes, print one example of each size, with the text being the size (eg. A label "large" in large text, a label "small" in small text, etc.), and stick them all on the back of your label maker. So next time you need a label, you can physically see what the best size text to use is.
Thats a great idea. I think ill do that with my labeler.
Gonna do this on a grid to see different fonts in different sizes and such
*I have another label maker life-hack that will change your life.*
Print out multiple labels using all the different font sizes that your label maker can do. Make the label text be the font size you used. "8pt" "12pt" etc. Then stick them all to the underside of the label maker!!! Now you always have a quick reference to see what font size you need. (This can also be done with other font styles and settings too)
OK, the whole “hit the return key to make the text smaller” thing... Why not put text on both the upper and lower lines and make the label even shorter?
Or change the font size. Or change cartridge to a thinner label. Or take the big one, cut it up and stack the text that way.
Yeah I would have made it double lined, making use of the second line.
That would be handy if you need two, sure.
That isn't "One Simple Lifehack" and isn't as SEO friendly.
Omg genius! Why haven't I thought of this? I'm an idiot! 😫
Another labeler hack: Most labelers waste a lot of tape when feeding a single printed label. Instead, print as much text for multiple onto a single labels and then print that, later cutting them using a scissor. Much less waste
I do that as well! I put four spaces between the words that end up on different labels after cutting
Check the documentation of your labeller - most of them allow you to change the size of the margin. The option is well hidden though.
@@KonradTheWizzard I know. But it often is easier to just continue with several labels add if they were one..
@@KonradTheWizzard newer labelers can actually require a huge margin at the beginning, because they print on the paper and then laminate it in 2 steps, and the gearing needs a bit of space to pull through correctly. Im not sure if this type can be adjusted.
Brother label makers have a feature called "chain print."
"GO OUT AND LABEL EVERYTHING"
0:18 the sound of the dymo labeler's ghost still haunts the shop...
I can't figure out if the dymo sound comes from his mouth, palm... or knuckles!
@@GuillaumePinard I literally replayed that part about 15 times trying to figure it out...... I can't.... I'll chalk it up to aliens.
Yeah, the first time I was like "did I imagine that?", so I watched it again and was like "no, the sound's really there...did I miss something?", so I watched it again and now I'm just curious if they added that in post, had someone else make the noise while he demonstrated, or...what...?
okay, label makers are a problem. You will want to label everything....I literally labeled my dogs bed, "dog bed" on the floor in front of my dogs bed...I think I might be the one with the problem, actually.
In Minecraft, I went nuts with the signs. I used them to label everything. I wanted no one to be confused about what something was.
I also labeled everything in English AND Klingon.
The original Brother P-Touch advert was exactly this: th-cam.com/video/64-BCHr8Ss4/w-d-xo.html
A similar thing I've recently started doing is labelling cables and power cords for the various things that plug into my computer and behind my desk. It has made it so much easier to figure out which USB cable plugged into the back of my computer goes with the thing I actually want to remove, rather than just trying to follow the cable from my desk down to the computer.
I have a Brother P-Touch P1000, that I must have bought nearly 15 years ago to parts bins and tools. I now have not only wall-warts labelled, but also all the mains plugs in my kitchen, and some switches which need to stay on (broadband router, NAS boxes, network switches, fridge, BT YouView box). I'm now old enough to need such reminders! I've also found that 6mm tape with the smallest font can make labels for my USB sticks. I also have a stack of hard drives in USB caddies for running backups and they all have labels on the front so I know which ones to turn on. He is right about how much difference such labelling makes. You no longer have to trace out wires to find out what you just unplugged! I also worked out how to make flags to label all my network cables. These are genuine life-hacks when you start to develop a flakey memory.
I keep several silver sharpies around for this same purpose. The labels are a lifesaver.
I do something similar; I write the voltage and amperage on the labels - that way I know which ones can safely be repurposed. I have no idea what they belong to, but it doesn’t matter.
Ditto!
Every wall wart I've seen is already marked with output voltage and amperage?
Christian Gerefalk it is, but usually in very fine print in black on black. It’s just faster to find one by the label.
Don't forget to check the polarity of the plug not all are the same Center Positive and Negative are used. Plug the wrong polarity in and if the device is not protected from this it could be ruined.
richb313 Yeah, important to point out! So far I don’t have any with a negative center, but you never know..
Dymo the maker of that old school label maker, still makes label makers they just evolved into the thermal printer kind
But just like other well known brands they overcharge for their products.
Tip for wall warts, you need one with:
1) A plug that fits your device (polarity can matter but in my experience that's rare)
2) Correct voltage
3) Sufficient amperage
On top of that,
1. Plugs can be converted, there are adapters available for some common sizes. Worst case scenario, chop it off and solder another one on.
2. Voltage can be +/- 10% (and in some cases more), it will work just fine. In general, lower voltage won't harm the device but higher will, so never go over +20%.
3. Amperage can be lower up to a good percentage and still work if not pushed too much but it depends on the device. Higher amperage never* harms the device.
You can also get an all-in-one wallwart that comes with 20 different connectors and has an adjustable output voltage...
@@thegoodhen Be careful with these though. I blew up an old Walkman years ago when I accidentally bumped the voltage switch up to 9V.
Most label makers, including that one, have a font size choice. Much easier that way.
1:55 "You don't need a super fancy one". I'm a nerd, of course I need the super fancy one :-D
I have one of the ones that attaches to the computer via USB... ANY font I want. ANY size that will fit.
I've used the "label the wall wart" option a LOT in the past...until I ran out of label cartridges. So now I just take a silver sharpie and write on the wall wart what device it's made for. I've also started putting the Volt and Amp output on USB wall adapters in sharpie. Yes most USB adapters are 5V but the Amps can vary widely!
Best thing with my label maker is it will do heatshrink tubing. So handy when doing electronics to be able to safely label something. Especially if its going into a warm environment where most other labels will lose their adhesive and fall off.
Tho the wall wart thing. All of them have the voltage, polarity, and current written on them, if not the manufacturer. And all the sockets on the devices they are for also have that information (at least 99% of them do). I just have a big box (well, two of them) full of wall warts and I just pick one out with the correct ratings.
Labelmaker is my favorite tool also......
Im not allowed to use it anymore...
I used up all the labels before anyone else could use it...
using up all the label tape means you can't use it anymore not that you aren't allowed. just buy more label tape. problem solved.
@@gpckoleco I think they mean they were forbidden from using it by others because they abused the privilege lol
*He should have labeled the labeler "labeler". How is every going to find his labeler when he needs to label something if it's not labeled???*
Remember also to label the label stock.
I used to have a label printed and on my desk at work that said "label"
I label all my finger to be sure i use the right one in any situation.
We got a new fancy labeler at my work and I put a label on it that says "fancy expresso machine" just because every label maker i have seen is labeled label maker.
, you can also thin out some 2ton epoxy and paint it on so those labels stick under heavy usage. For batteries, drills pelican boxes ect.
I grew up using a dynamo label maker to appease my OCD, and I started doing the same thing with all my plugs and cables when my mom got a nice label printer for Christmas one year. Lifechanger
i love your organizational ideas !! Your book spends alot of time discussing your ways of organizing and i'm loving it........Thanks so much !!!
I use one to label the plugs going into the wall, so if I want to unplug a certain device without accidentally losing power to other stuff, I know for certain what I am unplugging.
I used to do that but found that these type labels have a tendency to unstick or de-laminate over time
@@jfuscojr It matters what labler you use for that. The fancy ones come with special functionality to make it better. Or just reinforce the label with a bit of scotch tape.
I've had to move about every 2 months for the last 4 years for school. My Mom shared the same life hack 2 years ago, and it has saved me HOURS trying to get my stuff set up at my new place every time!
Thank you Adam! love your show!
When you print the label, print it twice on the same tape (no cut between) then wrap the tape around the cable below the 'wall wart'' and stick it back to itself. You get a sort of long tag like you sometimes get on a plastic wrapped loaf of bread. You get all the advantages of labelling the charger without having to figure out a flat area to stick the label on the 'wart' itself.
I do this, too!
For cable management and such it is awesome.
It has also saved the morning coffee supply in the office on numerous occasions. After some genius had filled ground coffee into the bean hopper (which requires basically a full disassembly&cleanup - takes ages and is incredibly messy), I went to the IT dept, borrowed their label printer and put a big-a$$ label on the machine that says „ONLY FOR BEANS!“.
I've been doing that but using a bit of masking tape and writing on it. It's what you can do on the cheap. But now one of those labelers will be on my wish list.
I did that before I got a labeler but at one point or another the masking tape would always come off (or rip off because it cought on something.)
Labelling Wall Warts - I've done this for a while now and it has saved me so much hassle. 100% good advice! It might seem to be a bit of a trivial thing but it is sooooooo good to label those power bricks.
I'm doing this a lot but with a label on each end so I directly see which "plug" goes to which "wall wart / device / plug" without following the cable to the end. I do it on almost every (external) pc cables (USB, HDMI, DisplayPort ...) and the countless wall warts for all the external accessories. Extremely useful!
I got a label maker for my 10 year anniversary at my company. Mixed feelings
Great minds think alike! As a photographer, I had the same epiphany! USB Hubs, Powered HDMI hubs, Tablets, battery chargers, you name it! Been using this system for about 5 years and for sure, it changed my life too,.....
I need a battery chafer in my life 😂
Another way to label something that has a chord or cable, but might be too small to fit even a small label or shaped in a way so that it lacks any smooth surfaces, is to simply put the label around the chord and stick it to itself, like if you fold the label in half with the chord in the fold. It's also a great way to keep track of what plug belongs to what component in a media center, or USB cables going in to your PC or something.
I've been writing on my wall warts with silver sharpies for many years but I imagine yours look nicer. 😉
That's been my method as well. Don't know how well the sticky labels hold, but paint DEFINITELY isn't falling off.
Yeah, often labels like to fall off, particularly on wall warts which heat up, and leave a sticky mess of melted adhesive.
Silver sharpies! Great for highlighting that pesky black embossed printing on black plastic devices.
I'm a follower of Zaphod Beeblebrox. I label black things in black sharpie on a black background.
Sometimes, seeing a video immediately is very nice.
No fooling Adam, I just bought one of these and it was delivered yesterday! It was to replace one I previously bought and have misplaced somewhere since we moved four years ago and I still cannot find. But in developing a model workspace for craft work and home organization I really needed one now. You're absolutely correct about labelling wall warts, and many remote controls, settings for equipment or start-up procedures, files... Thanks !
Love my label machine. One of the coolest things you can do, that is a big life hack, is get labels specifically designed to code wiring. They are malleable enough to wrap around wires or cords, and you can identify what the wire is for, and where it goes. This also works for power cords, especially in a computer server rack. Rather than chase a corded plug back to it's powered component, you label the plug end with a wrapped label. So when you need to unplug an item, you know exactly which plug you need, and don't have to untangle a mess of spaghetti wiring to trace it back.
PS. Most come with an option to change font size, so you can create labels of different sizes this way. Many have an option for vertical print, which makes labels much easier to read in certain configurations.
Same here. I love labelling tool device, and it comes to be very helpful in many use.
Love that enthusiasm and yes, I'll listen to you!
I have done this for years. It also serves a second purpose. As a broadcast engineer, you want to be absolutely sure you are unplugging the correct gear from a strip that may have 5 or more of these things plugged into a rack strip. (I label regular power cords on the plug end for the same reason)
I always buy a label maker that also does vertical print so I can wrap the label around a cord and still read it.
Doing that for years and it's a life saver in case of moving, remodeling..etc..
Have the same label maker, didn't think to put labels on my wall warts. I've used a paint marker before but that is much neater. Those labels leave a mess when they're on for a long time though.
Finally some label appreciation!!! I was looking at these for ages and found one in Aldi for £15!!! It’s literally my favourite bit of kit! My kids and wife always used to struggle with HDMI cables behind the TV for blue ray players Nintendo’s etc and not knowing which is which to plug in... I printed the labels for each e.g Nintendo, don’t cut it yet then repeat the print so you end up with one long label with Nintendo written twice... loop this round the wire near the HDMI head and stick it to itself!!! Your welcome and I hope it helps you from the HDMI cable struggles!
I like the old vintage label makers though. The 3D ascetic of it is so satisfying.
omg. Adam. You seriously are the next step in human genius evolution. Thank you.
I’ve been labelling my wall warts for the last 12months or so, best idea ever!
So true , Adam !!!!!!! Thanks for showing this Label maker
This makes so much sense. I'd never thought of that
Having owned a label maker like that for over 15 years, having dozens or hundreds of practically identical power converters (wall wart or corded types) and even being a professional electrician that labels *everything*, I can't even begin to tell you how stupid I feel that I've never thought about labeling my frickin' power converters!! EGAD!
White electrical tape and a black sharpie.
I also label the head of the cable where it plugs in. Sometimes I'll have a couple of cables that look similar but are slightly different sizes or amps
My dad gave my my first labelmaker. Changed my life
Adam... See those As in different sizes on the upper left? That tells you that the labeler has several options for font size...
Wow! I have never thought of such a simple idea :) I will absolutely do this. Thanks
I agree 100% agree with Adams choice. I reluctantly received one as a Christmas gift years ago and it changed my life. For the next LPT/LH, Adam will discover how to spec out replacement chargers on Amazon 😜
At work we just labeled all of our power cable /wall warts with their voltage and amperage, since all of the devices we use have some sort of indication on them of those. Only issue that leads to is the different leads occasionally, but it helps out if you were to lose one cable and have something else that the device can use.
Awesome advice! A few years ago, I was so struggling with "wall wart" management, that I was actually considering making a website/database with images and descriptions of products and their wall wart counterparts. This is a much better solution :)
One of your best wall wart hacks was the one you picked up at that maker space and to put unused ones into sandwich bags. I have all mine now in a crate and the leads NEVER get tangled up. Saved me about 100 hours when trying to find one and not having to unknot them! (plus the sandwich bag is labelled with the V & A)
I got a super cheap brother labeler for maybe $60 on ebay that you plug into a usb port of a computer like a regular printer and you download free software from their website and it'll print whatever you like on your labels at any size in any font... you can even stick some low resolution pictures in there if you want to make your own icons, it's also great for printing qr codes or bar codes if you wanted to use it for inventory purposes if you wanted to. I've been doing the whole wall wart label life hack for years (since i was using one of those old dymo impact labelers Adam was talking about) and it's a life and money saver!
Great idea. I would also label the equipment w/ voltage and amp needs if it doesn't already. That way you can chuck extra wall warts and still have the correct power needed for the equipment.
I have one of those old Dynmo labelers. When my great grandmother past away I found it. There are times when I use it over modern labels.
My tip is to use TESA TAPE or some other heavy duty transparent tape (made for repairing glass and greenhouses) and put tape over the label. Then it never falls off. Great for securing labels to the ends of mic and speaker cables, round power sockets or anything that might have a rough life.
Label everything.
Plus: 1) Get a universal wall wart. 2) They make label makers that print on heat shrink tube! If you need that it is awesome. 3) Label your light switches. Also, label them (and outlets) with the breaker number.
Thanks Adam.
Came up with this myself a few years ago. It truly is a life changing thing. :)
Super small and rather inconsequential, but boy is it useful.
So simple, but so genius. I'm gonna start labeling chargers for sure.
Always have to spent a lot of time looking for the right one, for electronic that I don't use that often.
For narrow spaces we always use both lines of texts.
That allows to label keys, thumbdrives, yubikeys, even micro SD cards, ... and to put more text on labels for bell signs and the like.
Tape and Sharpie does the job also. I do this with all my bricks (wall warts)
I do the same thing. Also my label maker has font size options. I also took some empty plastic gum containers, peeled the original product label off and then put small items like eye-hooks or key ring binders, etc in those containers and label them. I've even labeled my USB cables in some cases to be sure I'm using the original cable that came with the electronic item.
I have had several Brother P-Touch label makers and have used them for everything. However, some wall warts get warm, which can affect the adhesive backing on labels. I now simply mark wall warts using a silver metallic Sharpie marker.
Thanks for the video.
Even non fancy ones without a return key will have a change font size in the menu.
uberfuzzy I have this printer and I'm almost 100% sure it has a font size option
Edit: when they show him doing this "life hack" you can clearly see the font size option 🤦🏻♂️
But that's more work :)
The one advantage to Adam’s method is it gives you a little space to write in extra info after the fact if you need it. 🤷♂️
Great point and a great life hack.
For power, it's worth reading the labels. Things have a voltage, and a maximum amperage. If the plug fits (and it's trivial to buy multi-plug adapters), and the voltage is correct, and the amps greater or equal to what's needed (unlike volts, it doesn't need to be exactly equal), it works. No need to throw things away. I've got this weird reputation for being some kind of magician in knowing exactly what adapters can be used for other things. But it just says it on the side. Most people are just paranoid that the electricity supplied will be of the wrong 'flavour' or something.
It’s funny that when I got a label maker and started labeling everything (as one does) that labeling my wall warts was one of the things I thought of, and it’s true, I have a a box of chargers and when one particular thing needs charging i used to have to try a few chargers before getting the right one, I think it also prevents chargers from being thrown out when you can read what it goes to
Hi Adam! True wisdom being imparted here.
Thank you again Adam !
About a year ago, by accident, I purchased yellow labels instead of white labels. I then discovered that reading small black text on the yellow labels was much easier to read than reading small black text on a white label. Since then, I’ve chosen to use yellow labels on all of my wall warts. When you’re crawling under the desk and shining a flashlight on your power strip, the glare from the flashlight isn’t quite as bad, and it’s easier to read the text on your wall warts
I've used a silver Sharpie for this, but it can wear off over time if you handle the wart a lot.
The brother tapes are very durable too.
As a joke I put a label into a friends shower bath combo unit, near the plug hole saying “This is a temporary label” -
It’s still there 5 years later !!!!!
Got a brother pte300vp. It's an awesome little machine
I still love my Brady BMP-21 labeler 👌 I work with a lot of cable so it's perfect for the job. Favorite label type would be the fabric label tape because it holds up like nothing else.
That Brady is so much more capable. I need to get one for at home
@@ramdynebix The BMP-21? They are awesome
Brandon Cornett yup :-)
I do this too 😀 and one thing I've found is that some wall warts are made of a plastic that the labels don't adhere to very well and they start to peel off almost immediately.
For those, print a label with a bunch of spaces at the end so you end up with a label twice the length, and bend it around the cable just under the wall wart instead.
Right on Adam! Classic as I am looking on line here right for just that purpose!! Birds of a feather!! Slainte! Mike SF
Absolutely. Been labeling my wall warts for years. Fun hint, add the voltage and current in the case the original use no longer applies and they find their way into the assorted power supply bin.
you can also set a maximum label width and it will scale the text to that also
This has absolutely changed my life.
The “fancy” labeler with cheap aftermarket label tape is where it’s at. All my coax and cat-6 runs have easy to read labels.
I learned that hack from the 8 bit guy already, but you're right, it's a great idea to label them, and I like the return key hack.
I’ve got two of them, a thermal Dymo 400; and one of Dymo’s handhelds... they’re both great; but I’m thinking of getting a Brother because they have heat-shrink cartridges available for labeling wires.
That's pretty much why I bought a PT-P750W (requires a computer to use). Was casually considering getting something to create labels for component storage and stuff, and then noticed brother has printable heatshrink cartridges and more or less ordered one immediately.
One of the unfortunate features on it regarding heatshrink is that the autocut feature can't be used on "special tape" and the print output is rather recessed. So you can't just print one and cut it at the end of the print section. But generally for a wiring harness you can just print them all out at once. That said the software can access csv for data (Or microsoft xls or access db) which is quite nice.
bigclivedotcom has a video on a brother mobile unit with a manual cut function that might not have the issue.
Also since it's a wifi model (and usb) and I was rather curious, it uses SNMP (with custom bother identifiers) for state queries like the tape type and LPD (with custom brother binary format) for printing.
Silver sharpie pens writes on black plastic.
You can also lable the power input jack on the equipment with DC volts and amps.
Another wall wart tip is to buy a whole bunch of super-short (6 inch or 1 foot) extension cords. Use one to extend the wall wart a bit so that it only takes up one space on your surge strip.
I buy small electronics at estate sales quite often. One company takes all the wall warts that aren't plugged into or with the device they power and they trow them all in one box and put it out in the garage. I've gotten good at finding the right wart for a particular device but as soon as I get home - and for any new device I get - I slap a label on it, just like you do. At the sale of my estate, no one will have to guess.
I always put labels on all my tools that say when I bought them and how much they cost me, it just makes me appreciate my tools more and it always reminds me how much they are worth.
Also I would recommend a Labelmaker that uses laminated tape with ink strips instead of those heat printing ones (the Brother P-touch series uses this kind of tape). The tape costs more or less the same and, unlike the heat printed ones they are weather, heat, water and UV resistant and they don't yellow or fade. Also you can get those in all kinds of colors and even transparent.
So important! Thank you.
Adam, you might enjoy the Dymo 'PnP' labeller. You need a device to connect it to but then you get to enjoy a full-size keyboard. They also have a Bluetooth model now with a smart-device app. Also, using different coloured tapes for different types of things helps me see what's what before even reading the label. Label aficionado's unite ❗️❗️❗️
Another use... Buying wall watts at Goodwill (or similar surplus shops) and labelling the wart with it's power characteristics... e.g. 12v - 2.3a.
Now I have a supply of power supplies for projects.
a simple but great idea..thanks
A labeller is a very handy thing to have for sure, and OH MY GOD YOU HAVE A PROP SPIDER HEAD FROM THE THING HANGING FROM THE CEILING!!!
I love the ones that will also print to heat shrink.
Adam, you sir, are a genius!
I need to go do this now. So many times have a miss placed my plugs. Thanks.
Love the return key tip!!!
My label maker isn't even as fancy as yours, but I've been using it to label my wall warts & other electronic devices for years now & it truly does save a lot of time and grief!