[Nhcoll-l] Desktop thermal printers?

[Callomon,Paul]

We have used multiple generations of Hewlett-Packard laser office printers (currently the HP3015), printing labels onto laundry tag paper and cutting them by hand. The oldest of those labels in our 70-80% ethanol jars is now 30 years or so, with no deterioration at all. I heard that bigger office printers like these use more heat to bond the toner powder than faster, smaller printers, and the ink certainly grips well.

Paul Callomon
Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates
________________________________
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia
callomon at ansp.org<mailto:callomon at ansp.org> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170


From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Derieg, Katrina
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 12:09 PM
To: Natural History Collections Listserv <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Desktop thermal printers?


External.
Hi NHC community,
I am hoping to step up my game with fluid labeling. We have a very small fluid collection in just a few flammable cabinets, so we have a low volume of fluid specimens being prepared, but I'm hoping to slowly expand. For reference, we are using only ethanol and not formalin going forward.

A few years ago, I bought and used a GoDEX ZX430i thermal printer when I was at UMNH and that thing was the bane of my existence. I found it difficult to dial in the settings, and the media (Tyvek) was too slick for the rollers to grab consistently. I'm sure the Tyvek was mostly the problem there, but in any case I would prefer to avoid an industrial thermal printer, mostly because of cost.

Has anyone used desktop thermal printers? Example: Brother TD-4520TN<https://brothermobilesolutions.com/products/printers/td/td-4/td4520tn/> If so, can you use them with continuous rolls of printing media? Most of the desktop ones seem to be direct thermal for sticker labels. I mainly want to print small tags (1" x 0.25") for individual specimens, as well as internal jar labels (~ 3" x 4" or 4" x 6"). Has anyone achieved this with desktop thermal printers? With what kind of media?

I'd like to spend less than $1000 USD on a printer.

Alternatively, does anyone have any thoughts on laser jet printing with special media for fluid tags/labels? This would honestly be my preference, as I already have a laser jet printer. Currently I am just printing fluid tags on acid-free card stock with the laser jet, but I know that is far from ideal.

I know there is a TON of info out there on labeling for fluid collections, but I find it hard to sift through for my needs and would just like to hear from the community on what works for you folks.

Thanks in advance!!
-Katrina


KATRINA DERIEG (she/her)

Curator | Museum Collections and Outreach Coordinator

Phillip L. Wright Zoological Museum (UMZM)
https://www.umt.edu/zoological-museum/

Shipping: Health Science 104 | 32 Campus Drive | 406-243-4743
Office: Health Science 211

katrina.derieg at umontana.edu<mailto:katrina.derieg at umontana.edu> | umzm at mso.umt.edu<mailto:umzm at mso.umt.edu>

University of Montana


Search the UMZM collections on Arctos: Birds<https://arctos.database.museum/search.cfm?guid_prefix=UMZM:Bird> | Mammals<https://arctos.database.museum/search.cfm?guid_prefix=UMZM:Mamm> | Eggs & Nests<https://arctos.database.museum/search.cfm?guid_prefix=UMZM:Egg> | Parasites<https://arctos.database.museum/search.cfm?guid_prefix=UMZM:Para>

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