I am sick and tired of those dinky little plastic and aluminium
labels one sees in garden centres. One tug by an enthusiastic bird
and it is lost. The plastic ones snap at the least touch with the
hoe. To top it, they are invariably too small.

I have taken the bird by the horns and have made a number of 8"
long prospective labels from 1 cm half-round hardwood moulding. So
far I have painted the working surface white with a waterbased primer.

Now comes the problem of putting the name on the label. In days
of yore, one used to buy a bottle of Hartleys black ink and wrote the
name, using an old-fashioned steam pen. The labels used to last for
many seasons. I don't see the ink for sale any more, and the rubbish
which garden centres sell as waterproof pens produce neat writing
which does not survive the first winter. The stuff sold as Indian ink
for use in draughtsmen's pens also wash off as soon as you spit on it.

So here is my question: What do I do to write on my well-designed
labels which will last for at least three seasons?

Franz

On Fri, 2 Jul 2004 20:49:38 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:

snip

~ So here is my question: What do I do to write on my well-designed
~labels which will last for at least three seasons?
~
I use pencils these days. Gave up on the pens too, as I find I'm
growing the invisible man after a few weeks. Biro is pretty
hardwearing on the plastic tags, but the foxcubs like to bite them in
two

You could use an awl to scratch names on, then ink in the grooves.

--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

~ So here is my question: What do I do to write on my well-designed
~labels which will last for at least three seasons?
~
I use pencils these days. Gave up on the pens too, as I find I'm
growing the invisible man after a few weeks. Biro is pretty
hardwearing on the plastic tags, but the foxcubs like to bite them in
two

You could use an awl to scratch names on, then ink in the grooves.

I am planning on making some wooden ones and burning the names on.

"Franz Heymann" wrote in message
I am sick and tired of those dinky little plastic and aluminium
labels one sees in garden centres. One tug by an enthusiastic bird
and it is lost. The plastic ones snap at the least touch with the
hoe. To top it, they are invariably too small.

I have taken the bird by the horns and have made a number of 8"
long prospective labels from 1 cm half-round hardwood moulding. So
far I have painted the working surface white with a waterbased primer.

Now comes the problem of putting the name on the label. In days
of yore, one used to buy a bottle of Hartleys black ink and wrote the
name, using an old-fashioned steam pen. The labels used to last for
many seasons. I don't see the ink for sale any more, and the rubbish
which garden centres sell as waterproof pens produce neat writing
which does not survive the first winter. The stuff sold as Indian ink
for use in draughtsmen's pens also wash off as soon as you spit on it.

So here is my question: What do I do to write on my well-designed
labels which will last for at least three seasons?

Old fashioned 9mm Dymo tape, if it's still available**. Lasts for years on
the allotments, certainly longer than the home made wooden labels I make to
put them on, which in turn last longer than the plastic ones.

** anyone know if the modern computer printed equivalent lasts as long
outside
--
Regards
Bob

Some photos of my plants at.....

"Franz Heymann" wrote in message
...
I am sick and tired of those dinky little plastic and aluminium
labels one sees in garden centres. One tug by an enthusiastic bird
and it is lost. The plastic ones snap at the least touch with the
hoe. To top it, they are invariably too small.

Wooden lollipop sticks? I get a regular supply thanks to my 4 and a half
year old daughter.

regards
Don

I use coloured labels: Each colour represents a variety. e.g. Red = Red
Alert, Blue = Alicante . . .

"Franz Heymann" wrote in message
...
I am sick and tired of those dinky little plastic and aluminium
labels one sees in garden centres. One tug by an enthusiastic bird
and it is lost. The plastic ones snap at the least touch with the
hoe. To top it, they are invariably too small.
===========cut===========

On Fri, 02 Jul 2004 21:53:24 GMT, Kate Morgan
wrote:


I am planning on making some wooden ones and burning the names on.

I like it ;-) I think Pyrography pens are not all that expensive now.
If your artistic side takes over you can embellish them to your hearts
content.
Rod

Weed my address to reply

http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

In article , Franz Heymann
writes

I have taken the bird by the horns and have made a number of 8"
long prospective labels from 1 cm half-round hardwood moulding. So
far I have painted the working surface white with a waterbased primer.

Now comes the problem of putting the name on the label. In days
of yore, one used to buy a bottle of Hartleys black ink and wrote the
name, using an old-fashioned steam pen. The labels used to last for
many seasons. I don't see the ink for sale any more, and the rubbish
which garden centres sell as waterproof pens produce neat writing
which does not survive the first winter. The stuff sold as Indian ink
for use in draughtsmen's pens also wash off as soon as you spit on it.

So here is my question: What do I do to write on my well-designed
labels which will last for at least three seasons?

What about sing one of those pyrography pens which people use to burn
designs on to wood? They're not outrageously expensive nowadays.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

On Sat, 3 Jul 2004 10:44:47 +0100, Kay
wrote:

In article , Franz Heymann
writes

I have taken the bird by the horns and have made a number of 8"
long prospective labels from 1 cm half-round hardwood moulding. So
far I have painted the working surface white with a waterbased primer.

Now comes the problem of putting the name on the label. In days
of yore, one used to buy a bottle of Hartleys black ink and wrote the
name, using an old-fashioned steam pen. The labels used to last for
many seasons. I don't see the ink for sale any more, and the rubbish
which garden centres sell as waterproof pens produce neat writing
which does not survive the first winter. The stuff sold as Indian ink
for use in draughtsmen's pens also wash off as soon as you spit on it.

So here is my question: What do I do to write on my well-designed
labels which will last for at least three seasons?

What about sing one of those pyrography pens which people use to burn
designs on to wood? They're not outrageously expensive nowadays.
=============================================
The Pyrographt Pen seems to be a good idea. I looked them up on
the internet and found - what I consider to be a cheap source - at

http://www.axminster.co.uk/default.asp?part=020301

To go a step further though; I wonder if the pen will
work on plastic?

For a long time I've used sliced up washing-up liquid bottles for
labels - to the appropriate shape - and written on them in
'permanent' marker.

To combine the two methods may be worth trying, but experience
of this news group has shown me that most things have already been
tried by some other 'Urg.' So I'd appreciate your input.

Thank you.

John.
===========================================

On Sat, 03 Jul 2004 10:26:34 GMT, John
wrote:


The Pyrographt Pen seems to be a good idea. I looked them up on
the internet and found - what I consider to be a cheap source - at

http://www.axminster.co.uk/default.asp?part=020301

Since you mention it, Axminster are excellent suppliers for a very
wide range of tools and machines. Been using them for years for my
woodworking tools. Good stuff, good service and some of the best
prices in the business.

Rod

Weed my address to reply

http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

To go a step further though; I wonder if the pen will
work on plastic?
dont see why it should not work, I have an old pen somewhere if I can
find it I will give it a go.

kate

Since you mention it, Axminster are excellent suppliers for a very
wide range of tools and machines. Been using them for years for my
woodworking tools. Good stuff, good service and some of the best
prices in the business.

Rod
I agree with that, they are good, my other half buys all his toys sorry
tools from them :-)

"Bob Hobden" wrote
** anyone know if the modern computer printed equivalent lasts as long
equivalent lasts as long outside

The heat-set laminated labels are very good. In particular the Dymo
one with 3 layers, the clear layer over the top, is very resistent,
although the colours are not UV proof. They will fade in full sun,
but not as qickly as typed or inkjet printed labels.

I've used the Dymo 4000 labels on towed underwater equipment. Wrapped
round underwater equipment and covered with ordinary clear parcel tape
they easily survive being towed around for a year.

"......... I have taken the bird by the horns and have made a number of 8"
long prospective labels from 1 cm half-round hardwood moulding. So far I
have painted the working surface white with a waterbased primer ..........."

2 possible answers,
1. Write on the label with a permanent black marker then put the label
upside down into the ground so the light cant fade the ink.
2. If the wood you have used is dark then write with either a white marker
pen or a chinagraph pencil.

I find that if the plant dies then the label stays legible for years, but if
the plant lives then the label fades inside a year, making me wonder if
there is something that the plants give off that helps to fade the ink.

Personally I use "bog standard" HB pencils on plastic labels.
--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

On 3 Jul 2004 05:44:21 -0700, Robert E A Harvey wrote:

"Bob Hobden" wrote
** anyone know if the modern computer printed equivalent lasts as long
equivalent lasts as long outside

The heat-set laminated labels are very good. In particular the Dymo
one with 3 layers, the clear layer over the top, is very resistent,
although the colours are not UV proof. They will fade in full sun,
but not as qickly as typed or inkjet printed labels.

I've used the Dymo 4000 labels on towed underwater equipment. Wrapped
round underwater equipment and covered with ordinary clear parcel tape
they easily survive being towed around for a year.

Dymo labels stick like limpets if you coat the substrate with
contact cement before applying them. I use dymo labels on
foot-long pieces of aluminum strip (1/8" x 1/2"), using contact
cement precoating on the aluminum, and in the ten or fifteen
years I've been doing this, only one has come off.

Yes, most dymo labels fade in time, but being embossed you can
still read them.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
[change "atlantic" to "pacific" and
"invalid" to "net" to reply by email]