[Nhcoll-l] Ink for priting labels for fluid preserved specimens

[Dirk Neumann]

Dear Joosep,

there is a very good overview on this topic on the SPNHC WIKI pages 
<https://spnhc.biowikifarm.net/wiki/Labeling_Natural_History_Collections>, 
but there is no easy straight forward answer to this question, because 
"printing" always is a combination of printing medium, printing method 
and the printer itself and thus a lot a variables that influence your 
result, i.e. the label that is placed in the jar.

Sadly, printers and required inks and toners change constantly and at 
high rate. Parts of our collections for example still use the good old 
HP600 monochrome fossils, but HP decided to finally end the production 
of the ink cartridges. So it would be good to have an eye on 
'availability' (how long have specific printers been on the market, how 
likely is it that they will still be supported in 20 years from now).

In your case, I would look into inkjet printer that use a system similar 
to that of the old HP printer, which boil up the ink and shoot them into 
the paper, so that the pigments of the ink penetrate into the pulp of 
the paper and not only sit on the covering layer. This improves abrasion 
resistance of the imprint.

The are quite a few inkjet printers that are rated to produce permanent 
/archival-quality prints, i.e. these printers should use a high quality 
pigment ink. But it might be worth checking available details of the ink 
and the printing method. I once tested durability of labels by putting 
specimens (field tags and gill tags) into a  PE-bottle and put it in a 
washing machine for a full cold washing programme to see of gill tags 
would stay in place and test tables for abrasion resistance before we 
left for field work on extremely bumpy roads in Africa ...

Hope this helps,
Dirk





Am 01.09.2021 um 09:48 schrieb Joosep Sarapuu:
>
> Hi,
>
> Just in case I also add here the paper we are using these days:
>
> Resistall paper Sheets 584 x 457mm 
> (https://www.preservationequipment.com/Catalogue/Conservation-Materials/Paper-Board/Herbarium/Resistall-Paper-Byron-Weston-Co-Strong-when-wet 
> <https://www.preservationequipment.com/Catalogue/Conservation-Materials/Paper-Board/Herbarium/Resistall-Paper-Byron-Weston-Co-Strong-when-wet>)
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Joosep
>
> *From:*Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] *On Behalf 
> Of *Joosep Sarapuu
> *Sent:* Wednesday, September 1, 2021 10:37 AM
> *To:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] Ink for priting labels for fluid preserved specimens
>
> Dear colleagues,
>
> We are currently holding our zoology fluid-preserved specimens in 
> 70-75% EtOH (or trying to change old fluid to this). And of course we 
> would like to print out the labels for them (to put them inside the 
> jar). What kind of ink we have to use to print these labels and be 
> sure that the labels last well?
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Joosep Sarapuu
>
> Estonian Museum of Natural History
>
>
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-- 


Dirk Neumann

Tel: 089 / 8107-111
Fax: 089 / 8107-300
neumann(a)snsb.de

Postanschrift:

Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns
Zoologische Staatssammlung München
Dirk Neumann, Sektion Ichthyologie / DNA-Storage
Münchhausenstr. 21
81247 München

Besuchen Sie unsere Sammlung:
http://www.zsm.mwn.de/sektion/ichthyologie-home/

---------

Dirk Neumann

Tel: +49-89-8107-111
Fax: +49-89-8107-300
neumann(a)snsb.de

postal address:

Bavarian Natural History Collections
The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology
Dirk Neumann, Section Ichthyology / DNA-Storage
Muenchhausenstr. 21
81247 Munich (Germany)

Visit our section at:
http://www.zsm.mwn.de/sektion/ichthyologie-home/

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