[Nhcoll-l] Desktop thermal printers?
Ian Engelbrecht
ianicus.za at gmail.com
Fri Mar 27 11:33:19 EDT 2026
As I understand it Teslin's claim is that no further treatment is
necessary, even with laser printing, which is know is problematic with
paper printing. I do have inkjet printed samples on Teslin as well as
several other papers, which have been standing in ethanol for about five
years now. Please check back with me in 2119 😋
On Fri, Mar 27, 2026 at 3:45 PM Simon Moore <couteaufin at btinternet.com>
wrote:
> I did hear that someone had used the rather homespun remedy of running a
> hot iron over the labels to heat seal the lettering down
>
> With all good wishes, Simon Moore.
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>
> On 27 Mar 2026, at 13:30, Bentley, Andrew Charles <abentley at ku.edu> wrote:
>
>
> Ian
>
> I could not find what the composition of Teslin paper is online but it
> appears similar to the spun bound polyester medium we use in our thermal
> printers. I would always guard against laser or inkjet printing as they
> are not permanent and in some cases require further heat treatment to make
> them stand up to immersion in alcohol for long periods.
>
> Andy
>
> A : A : A :
> }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°>
> V V V
> Andy Bentley
> Ichthyology Collection Manager
> University of Kansas
> Biodiversity Institute
>
> Dyche Hall
> *1345 Jayhawk Boulevard*
> *Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561*
> *USA*
>
> Tel: *(785) 864-3863 <%28785%29%20864-3863>*
> Fax: *(785) 864-5335 <%28785%29%20864-5335>*
> Email: *abentley at ku.edu <abentley at ku.edu>*
>
> ORCID: *https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3093-1258
> <https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3093-1258>*
>
> *http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu
> <http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu/>*
>
> A : A : A :
> }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°>
> V V V
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Ian Engelbrecht <ianicus.za at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* Thursday, March 26, 2026 5:16 PM
> *To:* Bentley, Andrew Charles <abentley at ku.edu>
> *Cc:* Derieg, Katrina <katrina.derieg at mso.umt.edu>; Natural History
> Collections Listserv <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
> *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Desktop thermal printers?
>
> Hi folks,
>
> Has anyone tried printing on Teslin paper for wet collections? You can
> just use a regular laser printer, and a few of the wet collection managers
> here in South Africa swear by it. For a smaller collection with less
> frequent printing it might be a good option, but the question with any new
> medium is whether it lasts for decades/centuries.
>
> Ian
>
> On Tue, 24 Mar 2026 at 18:28, Bentley, Andrew Charles <abentley at ku.edu>
> wrote:
>
> Hi Katrina
>
> I do not have any experience using desktop thermal printers but do have a
> lot of experience using commercial ones and can highly recommend spending
> the extra cash to get one of these that will serve you well. I am not sure
> if some of the brands that make these commercial printers make desktop
> versions, but you may want to try CAB SQUIX (
> https://codesource.com/collections/cab-squix-thermal-transfer-printers)
> as they make a very good commercial version. One issue that you will find
> is that these smaller printers will not accept the rolls of media we are
> traditionally purchasing for museum use as they are too large. I suspect
> that they are also not designed for the heavier polyester media hence why
> you were having issues with rollers in your previous version.
>
> There do appear to be second-hand commercial thermal printers available
> that you may consider given your budget.
>
> I would stay away from laser printed labels if possible. I have never had
> much luck with longevity of laser printed labels.
>
> Hope that helps
>
> Andy
>
> A : A : A :
> }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°>
> V V V
> Andy Bentley
>
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/1345+Jayhawk+Boulevard+%0D%0A+Lawrence,+KS,+66045-7561+%0D%0A+USA?entry=gmail&source=g>Ichthyology
> Collection Manager
>
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/1345+Jayhawk+Boulevard+%0D%0A+Lawrence,+KS,+66045-7561+%0D%0A+USA?entry=gmail&source=g>University
> of Kansas
> Biodiversity Institute
>
> Dyche Hall
> *1345 Jayhawk Boulevard
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/1345+Jayhawk+Boulevard+%0D%0A+Lawrence,+KS,+66045-7561+%0D%0A+USA?entry=gmail&source=g>*
> *Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/1345+Jayhawk+Boulevard+%0D%0A+Lawrence,+KS,+66045-7561+%0D%0A+USA?entry=gmail&source=g>*
> *USA
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/1345+Jayhawk+Boulevard+%0D%0A+Lawrence,+KS,+66045-7561+%0D%0A+USA?entry=gmail&source=g>*
>
> Tel: *(785) 864-3863 <%28785%29%20864-3863>*
> Fax: *(785) 864-5335 <%28785%29%20864-5335>*
> Email: *abentley at ku.edu <abentley at ku.edu>*
>
> ORCID: *https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3093-1258
> <https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3093-1258>*
>
> *http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu
> <http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu/>*
>
> A : A : A :
> }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°>
> V V V
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Derieg,
> Katrina <katrina.derieg at mso.umt.edu>
> *Sent:* Tuesday, March 24, 2026 11:08 AM
> *To:* Natural History Collections Listserv <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
> *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] Desktop thermal printers?
>
> 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
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/32+Campus+Drive+%7C+406?entry=gmail&source=g>-243-4743*
> *Office: Health Science 211*
>
> *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
> <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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> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
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> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
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