ProSoundWeb Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Pages: [1] 2 3  All   Go Down

Author Topic: I need suggestions on how to label male xlr ends  (Read 17733 times)

Steven warner

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 55
I need suggestions on how to label male xlr ends
« on: April 03, 2011, 02:26:13 AM »

I came across a cheap reel snake that I have decided to rebuild. I have no idea what the best way is to label the male ends.
     I would like something highly visible and least half decent looking. The only thing I have thought of so far involves plastic print outs under clear heat shrink. I would really like to do something better, thoughts? 
Logged

Tim McCulloch

  • SR Forums
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 23741
  • Wichita, Kansas USA
Re: I need suggestions on how to label male xlr ends
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2011, 02:37:38 AM »

I came across a cheap reel snake that I have decided to rebuild. I have no idea what the best way is to label the male ends.
     I would like something highly visible and least half decent looking. The only thing I have thought of so far involves plastic print outs under clear heat shrink. I would really like to do something better, thoughts?

Do you want them to look pretty or do you want to be able to read them?

For the latter, white paper artist tape and a Sharpie.  You'll freshen them in about 6 months and replace them every year or 2, depending on how much you handle them.. but you'll be able to read the numbers in low light.

For the former, the channel numbers hot-stamped on heat shrink tubing with a clear shrink cover... looks really nice, lasts a long time and is almost impossible to read under low light. The imprint seems to always be opposite the latch mechanism, which means you probably can't see the stamping when it's plugged in.

The various snake builders sell heat shrink kits, but you'll be surprised at what they cost.  The artist tape and Sharpie looks very attractive...

Have fun, good luck.

Tim Mc
Logged
"If you're passing on your way, from Palm Springs to L.A., Give a wave to good ol' Dave, Say hello to progress and goodbye to the Moonlight Motor Inn." - Steve Spurgin, Moonlight Motor Inn

Jordan Wolf

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1483
  • Location: Collingswood, NJ
Re: I need suggestions on how to label male xlr ends
« Reply #2 on: April 03, 2011, 03:01:32 AM »

I came across a cheap reel snake that I have decided to rebuild. I have no idea what the best way is to label the male ends.
     I would like something highly visible and least half decent looking. The only thing I have thought of so far involves plastic print outs under clear heat shrink. I would really like to do something better, thoughts?
Look for something like this at your local hardware store or electric/electronic supply house. 


After wrapping the strip around the desired channel, use clear heatshrink to cover it.  I like to leave about 3/4" overlapping each side of the number strip.  You may also want to make the label about 4"-6" from the connector, in case you need to cut off some of the cable for repair at a later date.
Logged
Jordan Wolf
<><

"We want our sound to go into the soul of the audience, and see if it can awaken some little thing in their minds... Cause there are so many sleeping people." - Jimi Hendrix

Frederik Rosenkjær

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 479
Re: I need suggestions on how to label male xlr ends
« Reply #3 on: April 03, 2011, 03:24:52 AM »

Learn the standard electronics color code and use Neutrik plugs with color coded rings and caps. This is by far the fastest as you can spot every plug miles away - don't have to twist and turn each one to find and read the number. Suddenly your hands will be the only bottleneck in how fast you can patch.
Logged
Affiliations: Danley Sound Labs, Yamaha (MI)

Dave Dermont

  • Forum Moderator
  • Global Moderator
  • Sr. Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 376
  • From The Great Pocono Northeast
Re: I need suggestions on how to label male xlr ends
« Reply #4 on: April 03, 2011, 06:18:46 AM »

The Radio Shack Self-Laminating Cable Markers are cheap, and you can put them on with the connector on the cable.
Logged
Dave Dermont

Warning: Dates on calendar may be closer than they appear

Dave Bigelow

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 284
  • Louisville, KY when I am actually home...
Re: I need suggestions on how to label male xlr ends
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2011, 07:34:25 AM »



Tape and a sharpie is my vote. What happens when the snake has to be put on the other side of the stage and all those pretty ended cables don't reach now? Or if one goes bad and you don't have the time to fix it for a few gigs? Or you let a buddy borrow a handful of cables and he takes all of the odd numbered ones up to 15?

To me the only permanent marking on a cable should be the one that shows ownership.



Logged

Mac Kerr

  • Old enough to know better
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7551
  • Audio Plumber
Re: I need suggestions on how to label male xlr ends
« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2011, 09:21:35 AM »


Tape and a sharpie is my vote. What happens when the snake has to be put on the other side of the stage and all those pretty ended cables don't reach now? Or if one goes bad and you don't have the time to fix it for a few gigs? Or you let a buddy borrow a handful of cables and he takes all of the odd numbered ones up to 15?

To me the only permanent marking on a cable should be the one that shows ownership.

A snake without channel numbers is worse than useless.

On silver connectors you can just use a Sharpie right on the connector. I find I have to do this on rental snakes where the only label was the printed jacket, or Brady numbers where the clear shrink has yellowed. A big Sharpie number right on the connector is very easy to read.

You may be able to buy a set of pre-engraved connectors from Whirlwind or one of the other big snake manufacturers.

Mac
Logged

John Halliburton

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 866
  • Still has hair and white pointy beard...
Re: I need suggestions on how to label male xlr ends
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2011, 10:35:41 AM »


Tape and a sharpie is my vote. What happens when the snake has to be put on the other side of the stage and all those pretty ended cables don't reach now? Or if one goes bad and you don't have the time to fix it for a few gigs? Or you let a buddy borrow a handful of cables and he takes all of the odd numbered ones up to 15?

To me the only permanent marking on a cable should be the one that shows ownership.

A snake without channel numbers is worse than useless.

On silver connectors you can just use a Sharpie right on the connector. I find I have to do this on rental snakes where the only label was the printed jacket, or Brady numbers where the clear shrink has yellowed. A big Sharpie number right on the connector is very easy to read.

You may be able to buy a set of pre-engraved connectors from Whirlwind or one of the other big snake manufacturers.

Mac

Great suggestions so far-I've used Sharpie on silver Neutrik XLR, Brother lablemaker and clear shrink, board tape and Sharpie, and yellow electrical tape(narrow rolls in a few colors are available).

Engraved sets are sold by Whirlwind.  There might be 2-3 weeks of lead time involved. 

I wish Neutrik would do a couple of things:

1.  Make an XLR shell with a flat intentation "ring" sized to hold a piece of the Brother label tape, preferably the 1/2" wide stock, but I'd live with either narrower tape too.  I feel that a recessed bed for the label on the male shell would last quite a long time without getting damaged, and custom patch snake labeling would be improved, and if you were really worried about it, clear shrink could still be used over the label and shell.

2.  Engraved male shells.  I'd think laser engraving would be fastest and easiest.

Best regards,

John
Logged

Dave Bigelow

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 284
  • Louisville, KY when I am actually home...
Re: I need suggestions on how to label male xlr ends
« Reply #8 on: April 03, 2011, 11:25:40 AM »


Tape and a sharpie is my vote. What happens when the snake has to be put on the other side of the stage and all those pretty ended cables don't reach now? Or if one goes bad and you don't have the time to fix it for a few gigs? Or you let a buddy borrow a handful of cables and he takes all of the odd numbered ones up to 15?

To me the only permanent marking on a cable should be the one that shows ownership.

A snake without channel numbers is worse than useless.

On silver connectors you can just use a Sharpie right on the connector. I find I have to do this on rental snakes where the only label was the printed jacket, or Brady numbers where the clear shrink has yellowed. A big Sharpie number right on the connector is very easy to read.

You may be able to buy a set of pre-engraved connectors from Whirlwind or one of the other big snake manufacturers.

Mac


Haha, I wasn't saying not to label it!  ;)

I end up with different people in monitor world half the time so I let them do whatever they understand the most. Some guys get lost when it is just numbers and have to keep going back to the input list. If it makes more sense to the guy to label the cable "SR GTR 2" on each end then so be it. As long as it comes up right for me out at FOH I don't care if they write former girlfriend's names on the ends.


Edit: The reason I think the only thing permanent should be the engraving of the company that owns the cable is that we do all kinds of stuff and the cables could get moved from work box to work box. For all I know the LD could have all of what would be my number 4s in the air if they went and robbed them without asking.
« Last Edit: April 03, 2011, 11:28:42 AM by Dave Bigelow »
Logged

Mac Kerr

  • Old enough to know better
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7551
  • Audio Plumber
Re: I need suggestions on how to label male xlr ends
« Reply #9 on: April 03, 2011, 11:52:44 AM »

The reason I think the only thing permanent should be the engraving of the company that owns the cable is that we do all kinds of stuff and the cables could get moved from work box to work box. For all I know the LD could have all of what would be my number 4s in the air if they went and robbed them without asking.

I'm curious how the LD got your snake tails up in the air. No one in this thread is talking about labeling mic cables. Remind the LD he should be using DMX cables.

Mac
Logged

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: I need suggestions on how to label male xlr ends
« Reply #9 on: April 03, 2011, 11:52:44 AM »


Pages: [1] 2 3  All   Go Up
 



Site Hosted By Ashdown Technologies, Inc.

Page created in 0.038 seconds with 25 queries.