labels for wiring harnesses

[audiomaticmastering]

I was working on a 70's Neve a while back and they had these great little plastic numbers on all of the the balanced wiring in the main harness to identify where the other side of the wire went. I'm working on a pretty intense wiring harness for another project and I've been looking around for a month or so online for a quick, convenient way to label cables in harnesses that doesn't involve using one of those electricians sticker books that they sell at all of the big box hardware stores in the USA. Would love cool small plastic slide on numbers/letters like Neve used, but pre printed heat shrink that doesn't need a lot of prep would work, basically anything I can quickly slide on low profile install cable would work. Most of the stuff online is for network labeling so it has a giant perpendicular tab, or is for thick mic cable sized cable. Also, i’d like to stay away from one of those heat shrink printer type of setups if possible, the cost isn't a big deal but that option seems super slow. Does anyone have any ideas or experience with something that fits this description?

 

[noizetoys]

Those are Hellerman/Tyton labels.

https://www.hellermanntyton.com/products/wire-and-cable-markers/wic0-0-9/561-00100
I have a 16 channel Neve Monitor panel with those things are used on every cable. Amazing work.

 

[abbey road d enfer]

What about these?


https://www.amazon.com/Mini-Skater-Locking-Ethernet-Marking/dp/B07GGVJD6R

 

[shabtek]

what about using the resistor color code and colored electrical tape? cut the tape into strips as narrow as needed for wire diameter space available--tedious yes

and clear heat shrink over would be a nice touch

 

[Rob Flinn]

I use this sort of thing I believe they are called chevron markers or something similar and are of the type you see in vintage Neve gear. There are 2 sizes, one for small install cable e.g an individual core of multicore & another size that will fit mic cable diameter cable. The fact that they are coloured in the resistor colour code is great when you are trying to read them in awkward places with low light, where nowadays I would need a magnifying glass. BD PTV901 — Simply Connectors

But you need to by a thimble jig to get them on the cable easily. I normally wipe the thimble with a bit of sleeve oil to make it even quicker & easier. BD PTV901 — Simply Connectors

This type are good if you have pre terminated cables, for example Cat5/6 where you can't slide the marker over the end of the cable. Pre-printed cable markers WIC0-0-9 (561-00100) | HellermannTyton

 

[iampoor1]

You can get heatshrink labels for dymo label makers. I personally print a cable label and then just put a piece of clear heatshrink over it since its much cheaper than the heatshrink/label combos (and when your doing huindreds is a good chunk of change! haha

 

[Rob Flinn]

You can get heatshrink labels for dymo label makers. I personally print a cable label and then just put a piece of clear heatshrink over it since its much cheaper than the heatshrink/label combos (and when your doing huindreds is a good chunk of change! haha

I looked into the heatshrink labels for an install I was doing a couple of years back. The trouble for me is that they cost a small fortune. If one was doing a big set up it would be a significant cost. That's why I like those slip on chevron markers. I have done several theatre size atmos installs with hundreds of interconnects. We used the chevron markers on the cables we were making from scratch & the clip on type that noisetoys linked to for any cables that were premade, mainly cat6 cables. If the cables were too big for either of those we had some nylon rectangles that used a couple of tie wraps to tie them to the cable & wrote on them with a Sharpie. These choices weren't mine because I was just a cable jockey following a cable schedule on these particular installs but it worked very well & I have used the same methods for all my own installs since.

 

[cyrano]

I use a Brother QL-580N thermal label printer with plastic labels.

Disadvantage: doesn't last in direct sunlight.

 

[Rob Flinn]

I use a Brother QL-580N thermal label printer with plastic labels.

Disadvantage: doesn't last in direct sunlight.

Thanks for the tip.