Outdoor slab labeling

[Marshall7199]

Wanted to know what the people were using for labeling there slabs or milled wood? Also considered using a a Sharpie but with the thick coat of Anchorseal, probaby would be difficult.  Considering getting a Brother P-Touch or Brady label maker for labeling slabs.  Cut date, mill date, wood species, etc.  Would need to be some type of a waterproof label. This is for a small volume operation.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I buy lumber crayon's from amazon.
I also bought the holder as I kept breaking them in my pocket.
Works good, and who doesn't like crayons?
Jon

[Crusarius]

I just went through and sorted all my lumber this weekend. I would love to know if someone has an answer to this. I am not a fan of lumber crayon on the face of the wood. I am pretty sure that with anchor seal it will not work on the end of the log.

[Stephen1]

I buy lumber crayon's from amazon.
I also bought the holder as I kept breaking them in my pocket.
Works good, and who doesn't like crayons?
Jon

i like crayons but they keep breaking in my pocket, then they go in the wash, get warmed up and come out funny. not much good.
I am going to get a holder....

[tule peak timber]

I split open an aluminum beverage can, cut into fat ribbons with scissors, and use a ballpoint pen or a nail or an awl to create labels. Short roof nails attach each label to every lift that is stored outdoors. Weather proof, and years later identification is easy.

[scsmith42]

I buy plastic tags off of e-bay or Amazon, and then write the information with a paint marker on the tag.  

Sharpie's have been known to fade out over time, but the paint markers last fine.

[YellowHammer]

I use whatever is handy.  White Dixon crayon for walnut, black Dixon for other stuff, Sharpie and pant pens.  I write on the ends and the edges.  I use transparent packing tape from a hand dispenser, the kind used to tape up cardboard boxes. Make a wrap around a slab so the tape sticks and write in it.  Sometimes I use white duct tape.  

[Nebraska]

Just a thought you might try going to your  local large animal veterinarian, feed store, fleet farm, tractor supply, running's  etc,  and look for blank livestock tags they come in many sizes from  small lamb to  big cows a small roofing nail as mentioned before or screw to hold them. (even a staple)
 Buy specific  a livestock tag paint marker to mark them.. permanent markers aren't enough... or buy the Ritchey branded cattle tags that are a plastic sandwich that takes a burr and a dremel tool to engrave the face of the tag... they Never loose the number. They cost a little more. 
Tag markers fade over time if out in the weather although they would tuck in to a stack easily enough and probably not fade. They can be reused just flip it over.  
Another option is bulk aluminum pet tags that you see typically given out with rabies vaccination are easily engraved, I don't know where to order them blank but a little searching would likely turn them up.

[alan gage]

I split open an aluminum beverage can, cut into fat ribbons with scissors, and use a ballpoint pen or a nail or an awl to create labels. Short roof nails attach each label to every lift that is stored outdoors. Weather proof, and years later identification is easy.

I was de-nailing a utility pole the other day that had a similar label attached to it. I could still see the hand written imprint of our town's name and all but the last digit of the year, 1970-something.
Alan

[K-Guy]

These pens are supposed to be the cat's meow for lumber marking.

https://www.numarkmarker.com/

[rjwoelk]

From the sign guys getnsome corplast material, looks like plastic cardboard. Cut into size needed on the table saw staple them to the end of the board.

[ESFted]

At .12 ¢ each these would do the trick.  I use something similar in the garden, but found they were no longer available....those were much cheaper too. :embarassed:

[scsmith42]

In most states Veterinarians throw out surplus rabies tags at the end of the year.  They are usually aluminum, around 5/8" wide and 2" long. You can get them for free.

[Fmartinconst]

Ideas:
Weld up branding iron with letters,handle.

Make steel template cut out with handle,hold on log end,torch it.
(M-for maple,etc)

Just like the old west...

[moodnacreek]

A black ink marker works good. Crayons fade fast. The length and width you can see. The date in 2 places on the stack and Xes on the end of bad boards.  When ever I nail anything in my lumber it will not ever be steel nails, must be aluminum nails , saw right through them and no stain.

[Marshall7199]

I recently located aluminum labels,  I use a ball point pen to log the mill date, species, and source,  I attach the label with an aluminum nail. The aluminum is soft and accepts the ball point pen well and is weatherproof.  Nail does not stain and if not removed can be cut with a saw with minimal damage.  

[tule peak timber]

Your aluminum labels look like my cut beer can labels. I think I will keep generating my labels my old fashioned way as I enjoy the side benefits......... :D

[Randy88]

Use two different methods, one is already mentioned, the other hasn't been.     We use markers on the edges of the boards for species and year cut, the other method is when we cut the logs, we spray paint the ends of the logs, red spray paint for red oak, white for white oak and so on, so once the log is cut, the ends are spray painted the color for the species.   Old spray paint cans are usually on hand at all times if we run out, any store handles them, and they stay on for years, once the lumber is used, we always saw off the end of the board anyhow, so nobody cares it was once spray painted.    All anyone has to do is make sure they mark the tree's with the correct color when its cut, our color for each species never changes, then for the year sawed I take a chainsaw and saw in a roman number on the ends of the boards in a few places on the pile or on the sides with a skill saw or chainsaw.    Nothing to ever hit with a saw blade or wear off, and decades later I know it'll still be there. 

My dad used to pile whatever lumber came off the mill, I hated this method and complained all the time, so once I was in charge, I stack via species and quality, finishing lumber walnut goes on its own pile, dimension lumber walnut goes on its own pile, same for every species we saw, so once its sawed, stickered and stacked, its done till its dry enough to use or stacked for years to decades later to be used, marked so you can tell in an instant what it is.    

For years I sawed in the edge grain, FW for finishing lumber walnut and so on, then roman numbers for the years with a skill saw, was better than markers due to not wearing off or fading over time or the wood darkening and not being able to read them.   

I really like the soldering iron idea though, once considered stamping, but most stamps you hit with a hammer are really too small to see in the back of a dark shed 30 years later, we use those for stamping the bottoms of the projects once done.   Made by ........ year and date and for whom ........... and why, christmas, birthday, wedding etc. 

[RichTired]

Maybe an RFID tag would work.  You can get them pre-printed or print your own.

      

[Marshall7199]

Very nice. Much nicer than my aluminum tags and alum nails I am using.  I am sure you can record plenty of data per tag.

[hstaples]

Hi all, 
Just joining the forum ... on the verge of getting a hobby-sized mill, with the Woodland Mills 126 as the leading contender. So far, I have only cut enough chainsaw slabs that I mentally remember them all by where they're stacked. Ha!

That being said, I have used TerraSlate for outdoor garden signage. I run through a laser printer; they're waterproof and have lasted 2-3 years out in the elements. I'm assuming they'll last longer for stapling into board ends and being out of rain/sun. I haven't had to buy lately, but I got mine from Amazon. I think it's limited to laser printers only; not inkjets.