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Desktop label maker for banners

Dukenukem117

New Member
I've been looking for a desktop sized roll printer that can print a long thin banner of removable tape. Its meant to be a 1-time use consumable. I was looking into Brother QL label makers as they sell something like that, but the specs say that it can only print up to 3 feet long banners even on continuous tape that can extend to 100'. I need to be able to print up to 6 feet minimum, preferably more.

Does anyone have any recommendations?
 

Dukenukem117

New Member
You don't come from the sign industry

Thanks for the chuckle I guess.

upload_2019-12-21_8-7-50.png
 

cstone94

Pro-Graphx
I've been looking for a desktop sized roll printer that can print a long thin banner of removable tape. Its meant to be a 1-time use consumable. I was looking into Brother QL label makers as they sell something like that, but the specs say that it can only print up to 3 feet long banners even on continuous tape that can extend to 100'. I need to be able to print up to 6 feet minimum, preferably more.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Look at Brady. I have a BMP61 (Mobile w/ Wifi) but they have a wide selection of desktop also.
 

Dukenukem117

New Member
There are many label printers capable of that.. zebra, cab, toshiba..

It seems like a very simple capability, but I cant believe how expensive some of these label printers get for making what is essentially a sticker. According to PCMag the Brother QL 1100 should be able to do make a 'banner' up to 10ft, but their specs say 3'. I ordered a much cheaper model as a result to see if its an old marketing spec, but I'll get the 1100 if this doesn't work.

Look at Brady. I have a BMP61 (Mobile w/ Wifi) but they have a wide selection of desktop also.

Wow that's an expensive label maker ($700 on Amazon). Whats the advantage of that over a $100 Brother?
 

Christian @ 2CT Media

Active Member
That is a label, not a banner. You can't make a 4' X 10' banner and hang it on the side of a building with a label maker.
Are you kidding? What does it matter, its a choice of terminology!
Do you call Tissue paper, Kleenex? Do you call sticky back notepaper, Post-its? Do you call Cotton Swabs, Q-tips?

The biggest question is, could you decipher what he was asking from his improper use of terminology?
 

ams

New Member
Are you kidding? What does it matter, its a choice of terminology!
Do you call Tissue paper, Kleenex? Do you call sticky back notepaper, Post-its? Do you call Cotton Swabs, Q-tips?

The biggest question is, could you decipher what he was asking from his improper use of terminology?

It does matter, they are completely different. How would you feel like someone told you to buy a machine for a couple thousand bucks and then it didn't do what you wanted?
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
It's kinda like some people here, are sign makers and some people SAY...... they are. Wonder which term best fits sam ?? It's all in how you perceive it.
 

Christian @ 2CT Media

Active Member
It does matter, they are completely different. How would you feel like someone told you to buy a machine for a couple thousand bucks and then it didn't do what you wanted?
The crutch of the English language is that it is not precise, it allows for multiple descriptors for the same object. Our job as English speakers is to decipher those descriptors into the proper image of the object. I'm not arguing the symantics with you as I share your frustrations of improper description, but I also know that people may not have the same experience as us and are learning with the tools they have available to them.
 

unclebun

Active Member
As long as we're being picky about language, even the Brother web page the OP linked doesn't call them banners. Here's the title of the page, copy and pasted:
How do I create a Banner Label using DK-22205 or similar?

And at the end of the instructions:
Completed label
completed_label.gif


Peel the printed label from backing and apply the label.

So in this case, the word "banner" is not being used as a noun, but an adjective.
 

GAC05

Quit buggin' me
Someone should make up a Sign Maker's Style Guide like the news and print guys have so we know what words and phrases are approved for use.
 

Jeremiah

New Member
This is great ! A customer could order an 4 x 8 banner and prepay . When he comes to pick it up , I hand him a 4" x 8 " "Banner " .
 

Dukenukem117

New Member
As long as we're being picky about language, even the Brother web page the OP linked doesn't call them banners. Here's the title of the page, copy and pasted:
How do I create a Banner Label using DK-22205 or similar?

And at the end of the instructions:
Completed label
completed_label.gif


Peel the printed label from backing and apply the label.

So in this case, the word "banner" is not being used as a noun, but an adjective.

I agree that 'banner' is a weird way to phrase it. I was googling 'strip' until I found the brother website.

https://www.brother-usa.com/products/ql700

  • Also prints on continuous paper and tape rolls for banners and signs up to 3 ft. long
Although if you want to get super technical about it, this did pop up when I googled 'banner definition'

noun
  1. 1.
    a long strip of cloth bearing a slogan or design, hung in a public place or carried in a demonstration or procession.
 

Dukenukem117

New Member
I think the full terminology that is being overlooked is "banner label" as in "adjective noun" where banner is a method of printing off of a roll, and has enough memory to store a print that is longer than the label maker is wide, therefore they needed advanced terminology to differentiate the capabilities of the machine.

Something like this could work, depending on your actual needs. In my experience, most removable labels are not going to stand up to the elements, and could turn a batch of nicely printed banners into a mess of unlabeled sticky tarps.

The Brother label makers do use a continuous roll.

I'm not looking for something to stand up to elements. It just needs to stay on the wall for a few minutes to guide our install before it is trashed. I ended up ordering a used QL1100 as Brother says it can do a 10' length so hopefully it works out.

But I guess to ams's original point, I'm not from the sign industry. I'm from consumer product design.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
So, you're looking more for a template/pattern maker ?? Do you have any plotting/cutting equipment at all ?? Or even a printer of some sorts ??
 

Dukenukem117

New Member
So, you're looking more for a template/pattern maker ?? Do you have any plotting/cutting equipment at all ?? Or even a printer of some sorts ??

This is on a per job basis and not something I want to change the material roll for. A handheld label maker is the most ideal solution and I already did a proof of concept.
 
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