Recommend a label printer?
 

My needs are simple. Mailing labels is what I need to do, so no frills is fine.

My problem is that there are a myriad on the market and they vary enormously in price. Reliable is good!

Anyone?

Do you not just need a sheet of sticky labels run through a regular printer?
Some brands even have template documents that you can download.

Sure, but I only need to print occasionally, never en masse AND the last time I did this with my laser printer, the labels wrapped themselves around the drum and that was plain expensive to fix.

I have kinda settled on the Brother QL-700 and placed an ebay bid, as they are appallingly expensive here - $230!

It's that "occasional" label printing that often results in the expensive jam. As labels lose their stickiness with age, they become increasingly prone to peeling off the sheet and fusing to the hot roller as the sheet works its way through the printer. It's a good idea to bend a label sheet gently before sending it though the printer to see whether the labels are already about to pop off the sheet. With many printers, there's also a "back door" flap that you open so that heavier stock can pass through the printer with the least possible amount of sheet-twisting.

$230. Wow! The sponsored ads that appear in Google today put the price here in the US at between $55 and $100.

The price may seem high for occasional use, but I would recommend that you buy a label printer from Zebra for the highest reliability. Zebra label printers are the ones that get used in every big or small Shipping department that I've ever toured (including the one at the place where I work), because they always work when you need them to. Other label printers, not so much.

Trevor

Thanks for the input Gentlemen. Too late, I won the eBay Brother QL-700 for $40, but the shipping was $50! That's still way below what they are going for here though, so not so bad overall.

There were a few Zebras on eBay - wish I had known that, but too late now. Just need to source the label refills now - any clues?

Zebra is what Hospitals and Labs use. If things do not work out I have suggestions.

For occasional Label printing/Postage/Shipping Label etc. Nothing beats a plain Laser printer and scissors or cutting board and Packing tape to affix.

For mass mailings laser printer sheet labels are the way to go.

Actual Label printers tend to be a PIA. Most use Thermal printing which fades. Of course the better ones work well just not usually worth it.

I don't do mass mailings, but do need to send a few client letters per week and they need to looks professional.

Fading shouldn't be a snag, as the label only needs to survive long enough to get to it's destination, or did you mean fading in production terms?

Yup
 

A few week is not that rare. Yes thermal paper/labels fade. The printers it depends. I have had Dynmo which are decent. Zebra are the best that I am aware of.

Agree for "Clients" you would neither want to waste a whole sheet of Labels nor Cut and packing tape on. You would be surprised though you can make it look pretty good. I mostly use for packages.

Another ? why can you not print straight onto your Envelopes?

Ha! Good question! I have never mastered this, surprising as this may sound. I lost my long time PA to marriage and pregnancy 3 years ago and have struggled by on my own ever since and this is just something I have not gotten around to learning how to do. Add to that the expensive disaster with the labels and laser printer a few years ago and I just wanted an easy (read: cop out) way out.

It is a worthwhile effort at some point. Should not take more then 30 minutes to get working. Word, NeoOffice, Apple's Contacts/aka address book etc. All have an Envelope/label printing feature.

I would argue that if there strictly one offs people your not likely to write again one might find it easier to do in a word processor. If your going to write them again Contacts of course makes it easy to have contacts for the purpose ready. In short, if your already putting the address in the letter then no need to type/paste it again into fields in Contacts.

Not All Laser printers are envelope friendly (some wrinkle them). Some printers have a straight paper paths/MP (multi purpose tray) that helps.

If you ever want to make an effort and need a hand let us know. Of course also let us know how the label printer goes. Of course the real expense with label primers is Labels, three usually a bit expensive.

Know a good place to get label refills at all?

I always start with Amazon.. Did a search below. You location makes the store shipping the main decide I think. Thermal paper sometimes get discolored if stored. Perhaps they seal them airtight so that does not happen. Light is the biggest killer I believe.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...+QL-700+labels

Thanks for that. I think I'll try and get hold of Brother Thailand and see if they can point me at a stockist first, as the shipping is prohibitive.

OK, QL-700 arrived. Software downloaded directly from the Brother site (http://welcome.solutions.brother.com...rod=lpql700eas)

but my Mini just can't see/recognise that this damned thing is connected and powered up.

Any suggestions please?

I see even Mavericks is supported. Odd. Perhaps run installer again and reboot. So your running there software and it does not see the device or you can not see it from other Aps as a printer?

Too late. It blew its internal fuse, so now in theBrother service centre.

Hmm. Very sensitive to power fluctuations the printer is:) Sorry. Was the printer new? I remember it came form Ebay.

Brand new and straight out of the box. The Brother service place hadn't seen one before! Seller doesn't want to know.

I read the warranty and it"s worthless outside the USA AND if it wasn't bought from an authorised Brother dealer, so I disassembled it and the internal fuse had blown. The standard-looking glass-bodied fuse with metal end caps could not be removed from it's holder. Soldered in somehow??

Let's see what the service depot says.

Ugg. Crappy Seller. Well if it does not work out you may want to make the effort to use Plain #10 Envelopes through your Laser. Keep us in the loop.

Unfortunately, most of my mail is the small standard envelopes, or larger than 10".

Back to scissors and tape!

If Brother can't fix it, I'll just short the fuse with an appropriate piece of wire. Nothing to lose, eh?

True not much to Risk and a good idea... Lasers will print on smaller and larger generally.

I'll apologize in advance for commenting on what is probably obvious, but if the guarantee is only good in the US, I assume it is probably the 120 volt power supply and you had to use a stepdown transformer to hook it to your local power?

Good point Jeff, I'll check when I get it back. I made the perhaps dangerous assumption that as all this kit is made on the same line, they would probably make just one model, with suitable on-board voltage regulation. Could be that was a dangerous assumption!

The specifications in the pdf manual for your machine just say 120 volt 60 hertz. Not sure that means anything, though. The manual for my Brother PT 2730 labelmaker tells me to use 120 volts, but the power adapter itself is labeled 100 – 240 volts, 50 – 60 Hertz.

That (hopefully) would suggest that there is an on board transformer.

I'll know when I get it back, or maybe when I get home and can look at the box and paperwork. On biz up in a Chiang Mai at the moment.

Well spotted Jeff!

It is indeed a 120v @ 60Hz, 1.7A input, so transformer definitely needed. I am surprised at Brother and a bit hacked off that the numpty seller is selling these internationally and not mentioning this.

The repair was equiv. US$20, so still quids in.

The only transformers I can locate so far are 220-110v. Not being a sparker, I am not sure how, or if that would work correctly. Anyone here know please?

That is what switching power supplies are meant for (110/220). Whether what you found fits at either end and will be happy camper is another story. At least the repair was reasonable.

By "fit", do you mean the plug fittings? If so, they are fine.

My real concern is if the printer will work correctly on 110V, when 120V is specified?

FWIW, Thai wall plugs are the same as US ones as far as I can see.

Earth?? What's that?

You live there of course but the Wiki indicates quite a variety of plugs depending on when. I am not an electricity expert by any means. 110/120 is the same thing. My understanding is that 110/120/125 are all essentially the same thing and that voltage may run as high high as 130V and similarly 220/240 is also the same can also run all the way up to around 260 volts.

That said every device has an amperage draw (printer not much 1.7amps max you mention). Many plug types relate to the amperage draw. In the us Even on 110/120 the outlet can be rated up to 20 Amps which is a lot. The next Step up is 220/240 and their associated amperage.

By country
http://electricaloutlet.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_e...ity_by_country

By Plug type Nema
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector

Good links - thanks! We have 3 types here and the 3rd isn't shown, but is very similar to and possibly compatible with the NEMA-5. Good luck with those, though, as there's almost certainly not an earth cable in the wall socket!

The transformer I saw was appx. US$25 and resembled half a house brick. She shopkeeper asked me the Wattage and my O-Level physics escaped me - how embarrassing!

Anyway, a swift refresher later and taking W=V*A, then this little printer requires 204w, so I can go back armed with that information and get something that works for me.

Bit of a palaver, but I am still over a hundred bucks better off than buying locally.

In for a Penny in for a Pound:) Printer really should have come with a 110/220 power brick or internal equivalent. I would make sure to have the printer with you that all fits/works, etc.

Suppose so. I'll shop around after the cricket finishes tomorrow (yes, I'm a masochist) and check prices a bit more.

I really am surprised and disappointed that Brother didn't deal with this, as it's the first time I have encountered this issue after 15 years of buying sundry kit from the USA. It's also the first and last bit of Brother kit I will buy.

Agreed. At the risk of asking a silly but do you use powers strips and all. In case power fluctuations was a factor.

I do indeed, but, as I mentioned in a thread some years ago, they don't always work.

I lost a 20" G5 iMac when it was plugged into one of those and not even on, but a lightening strike cooked through and killed the machine.

Yup
 

Surge protection can only do so much and carries ratings. The fluctuations in power generation are usually ok and a strip can help. The power coming from mother nature is in a whole other league, though in theory some surge protectors can stand up to some. I personally have only lost a router that way and it was on surge. My friend lost a great deal came in through he thinks VIDEO ISP /TV line that was hit by lightening. Fried a great deal of the stuff in his home. Best bet if your home is to unplug if you can.

I do now!

Remember the thread years ago about Post your Uptime?

Ha!

Do not remember the thread off hand.

It was quite a few years ago.

As UltraVox once sang: "It means nothing to me..."

Hmm if they sang about it must:) Was mostly familiar with Reap the wild wind after re-looking them up:)

Offhand, I can't remember much of what they did and would probably confuse it with some of Midge Ure's (really, was he kidding with that name??) solo work. He was concurrently with Thin Lizzy, I seem to remember.

Stretching my memory cells you are:) I was more fond of Depeche, New order, yahoo, Duran, Sade, OMD, and I am sure others in no particular order. Having to use radio, tapes, and Albums was less efficient then today where you can sample and buy anything on a moments notice.

Unlike a label printer in Thailand!

Wish I'd gone with the Zebra now.

You can do it with a thermal printer easily!