[Nhcoll-l] Desktop thermal printers?

[Gali Beiner]

Dear Katrina,

I agree with Andy, laser printers are usually best avoided as far as fluid
collections are involved. In our collections, there are examples of
"alphabet soup" created by laser-printed labels where letters detached from
the substrate.

There actually is precious little published info out there in terms of
labels for use in fluids. I authored a publication on this subject. Here is
a link for your convenience:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/355103566_Labels_for_Eternity_Testing_Printed_Labels_for_use_in_Wet_Collections

In our case, we opted for a high quality inkjet printer on acid free, OBA
free paper.

Best wishes,

Gali






Gali Beiner (ACR)
Conservator, Palaeontology Lab
National Natural History Collections
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Berman Building, Edmond J. Safra campus, Givat Ram
Jerusalem 91904, Israel
Fax. 972-2-6585785
*gali.beiner at mail.huji.ac.il <gali.beiner at mail.huji.ac.il>*

*https://nnhc.huji.ac.il/?lang=en <https://nnhc.huji.ac.il/?lang=en>*

בתאריך יום ג׳, 24 במרץ 2026, 18:09, מאת Derieg, Katrina ‏<
katrina.derieg at mso.umt.edu>:

> 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/
>
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>
> *katrina.derieg at umontana.edu <katrina.derieg at umontana.edu> |
> umzm at mso.umt.edu <umzm at mso.umt.edu>*
>
> *University of Montana*
>
> *Search the UMZM collections on Arctos: Birds
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