My origional labels were just printer paper stuck to packaging tape and that tape wrapped the cable. Over 20 years later, but without hard usage in the last 15 years... still have a really old phone number and my name on the cable - about 6" away from the
plug. Also on the other (female) end the
gaff tape small ribbon of
gauge and type on one side, and Amps/Wattage on the other side. The
gaff tape with use has shown a little more wear on the paint marker writing, but given old
gaff tape, didn’t become gooey as most
gaff would with weather and time.
Older printers or perhaps better printers will still take adhesive back printer paper. My
current printer at work (the despised one) don’t. That would be a way of sticking or fixing paper to the cable before heat shrinking, otherwise there is always say 3M #77 adhesive to the paper under
heat shrink. Other concept is to get
heat shrink closely matched to the cable, slide the label into it while under the cable and start shrinking the
heat shrink from the opposing end of the paper - though tapping is also a good idea. Just fighting the shrinking of the
heat shrink verses everything under it moving before it gets to
base size, than the rest can be shrunk.
Polyoefin
heat shrink tubing is prefered over especially
PVC heat shrink that yellows and cracks with age. Also cracking with age is frequent in longer than 2-3" tubing in general unless glued or adhesive lined and glued. Loosens as the cable flexes, bunches up
etc. Keep your labels short and if more than one, spaced apart. Adhesive lined
heat shrink basically is hot melt glue inside it. Good stuff especially for sealing a cut in a cable if the final
thickness (shrink ratio) is considered in comparison to the original outer
jacket thickness of the cable; but it’s just
hot glue on the
heat shrink and you need neoprene adhesive to bond this
hot glue to the rubber or even plastic
jacket of the cable fully. (That’s a cable repair) Otherwise for a good and if longer
heat shrink label, I normally use neoprene adhesive to bond to normal
heat shrink. It will ensure the
heat shrink will stick sufficiently to the cable without expanding with flexing
etc.
Back over 16 years ago where I got to where I currently work, they just used colored and printed
heat shrink labels to
mark their cables. That printing rubbed off over time and use. Was just printed ink on
heat shrink. Also used
clear PVC heat shrink if they used
E-Tape color coding over the label
heat shrink. Too much crappy grade
E-Tape and layers of it (at most two layers of colored
E-tape) and the glue on the tape and tape in general with it just bled out of the markings for a gooey mess.
E-Tape in general as with
gaff tape you have to consider the gooey mess that will be hard to correct later when using. Unless removed after a show, try to limit use or at least
thickness - the layers of it are what causes the creep/bleed.
P-Touch labels changed a lot of things for me. Could just print up what info I wanted to convey, put it on the cable and
heat shrink onto it down. Modern electronics printers are computer driven and can print logos
etc. even in color I think. Later was the Barcode printers that came with their own
clear leader tape. Cut off the extra
clear leader tape if putting
clear heat shrink over - or later it will help to become foggy and or the above glue creep will cause problems. Otherwise if not getting too hot, a barcode sticker is a good way to go.
Space the Barcode away from the
heat shrink label if using both. Speaking of
spacing, My
stock standard is a label is 18" away from the
plug (unless a 5' or shorter length at like 6" or one label). At 150', 75' or 10' as long as I have an 18" marking from the
plug standard I can easily tell how much shorter than it’s design length the cable now is. And how many times in the past it’s been worked on. This also gives adequate room for a
Soco cable to be worked on in repair a few times. Sucks when your 100' cable is 96' at times as could otherwise happen unless you know when it’s been cut down. A specific length from the
plug, but one that allows flex in the cable is useful.
As for removing markings... Ibid... If someone didn’t spend the time to
take off their markings, they also probably didn’t spend the time to test or inspect the cable. Not in-frequent I have to repair rented cable from other companies so as to get it out the door. Liability for the cable in end user use, something someone else now owns and shouldn’t be sent back to me goes with a in general expectation of safe gear. If you get something marked for someone else, inspect it really well as you will most likely find attention needed before your use - this especially if the cable still has someone’s markings on it. And or if third party... might be stolen. While depends on the department for quality of resale (off the shelf or factory spec.), no gear where I work for sells has it’s brand on it when sold. Takes a lot of effort at times to make it so.
