ErickAlexJames
Member
Does anyone have any companies that they like to use for heat shrink type labeling of 3pin connector cables and XLR cables?
Labeling 3 pin and mic cable
- Thread starterErickAlexJames
- Start date
If you are purchasing them new, many companies will put the heat shrink tube on the cable for you, and you just add your label inside and hit it with a heat gun. If you are trying to label your existing stock, you (and your budget) might be better off buying the tubing and just doing it yourself (if you're comfortable spending some quality time with your soldering iron...)
ErickAlexJames
Member
I have all my cable. I guess that I will have to take all the ends off to slide the new tube on? Oof!
Not necessarily. Heat shrink comes in 2:1, 3:1, and 4:1. Do a search, we've discussed it before, but at least one variety will fit over an XLR connector and shrink onto an about 1/4" dia. cable. For a place to start,
heat shirink dot com.
heat shirink dot com.
You might be able to find some heat shrink with a high enough shrink ratio to slip over the connector, but I think they get pricy. But 3:1 ratio is not too difficult to find. I labeled my DMV cable with a simple label printer and placed it on the barrels, between that and the differently covered cables ties they stay separate well enough from my microphone cable.
You could also look to see if you can find transparent rescue tape- it sticks only to itself and then shrinks. Might do the trick, buts a bit pricy.
Or you know, you could sit there with the soldering iron. Just don't use packing tape, whatever you do.
You could also look to see if you can find transparent rescue tape- it sticks only to itself and then shrinks. Might do the trick, buts a bit pricy.
Or you know, you could sit there with the soldering iron. Just don't use packing tape, whatever you do.
ErickAlexJames
Member
bishopthomas
Well-Known Member
Are you wanting your name printed on the tubing? I order from CBI (must be a company to set up an account) when I need heat shrink. I get 3" lengths in multiple colors (to distinguish lengths) with my company name printed on it. If you don't want anything so customized I can recommend an eBay seller where I buy all my bulk shrink. It comes on a roll; I have every size in black and clear. I don't have a link, but look up BB Trading (or B & B Trading, something like that).
BillESC
Well-Known Member
All of my data cable has 1/2" wide day-glo orange gaffers tape at the male end next to the colored tape indicating length whereas my mic cables have no extra color.
I don't remember what the shrink ration was, but I got a clear shrink-tube from buyheatshrink.com that just fits over XLR type connectors and then shrinks down to the cable. We have slowly been labeling all of our DMX and scroller cables with length, pin count, and cable type. Length is color coded, other information is printed on DYMO labels, applied and we put the shrink tube over it all.
It has to be either a 3:1 or 4:1 shrink tube that I have been using, I can probably find it and tell you. The only disadvantage to the high shrink ratio is that it gets a little cloudy when you shrink it, but the information underneath is still easily readable.
It has to be either a 3:1 or 4:1 shrink tube that I have been using, I can probably find it and tell you. The only disadvantage to the high shrink ratio is that it gets a little cloudy when you shrink it, but the information underneath is still easily readable.
Any shrink tubing big enough to go over the connector will not shrink down to the cable diameter. But, you can put an adhesive label (Brother P-Touch) on the connector body, and put clear shrink tubing over that. Any of the electronic supply houses, like Newark, Mouser, Allied, will have what you need. An XLR takes 1" tubing.
Posts 4 and 11 above.
I'm pretty sure on at least Neutrik connectors, you can unscrew the shell and pull back the strain relief enough without unsoldering anything that you can reduce the outer diameter of the ends of the cable enough to slip some heatshrink tubing over. That is, without having to pay for an absurdly high shrink ratio.
jhochb
Active Member
Good Morning
A quick search at HEATSHRINK dot com found these pages
They even print on 3:1 sleeves
http://www.heatshrink.com/pc_combined_results.asp?search_cat=searchexact~pcpcm.parent_pc_id~9159EE3EC1974F3E93D6C71197B20B6A&pc_id=9159EE3EC1974F3E93D6C71197B20B6A
http://www.heatshrink.com/pc_combined_results.asp?search_cat=searchexact~pcpcm.parent_pc_id~B33963CD8EDA46B685C8A8E3421CA8F2&pc_id=B33963CD8EDA46B685C8A8E3421CA8F2
Great guys just tell them what you need and they’ll get you what you need.
cbarrett92
Member
If they are Neutrik ends, how about something like these?
http://www.neutrik.us/en-us/xlr/xlr-cable-connector-accessories/xcr
Doesn't require any un soldering. Just screwing and unscrewing the shell. You would have to get the type that fits your series connector though (x,xx,etc.)
http://www.neutrik.us/en-us/xlr/xlr-cable-connector-accessories/xcr
Doesn't require any un soldering. Just screwing and unscrewing the shell. You would have to get the type that fits your series connector though (x,xx,etc.)
Good idea, except that the data cable I have to label is A) not neutrik connectors and 2) needs a company label, too.
There are also self-laminating cable labels from Brady, Panduit, etc. where you can write or print the labels and then when you apply them there is a clear section that wraps over the labeling. Not as nice as clear heat shrink over a separate label but much quicker and easier if you're labeling a large number of cables (and esier to change if you find an error or need to relabel a cable).
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