Brother P-Touch 231 TZ tape for markers

I would like to find the most economical source for this tape for my Brother P-Touch label maker. The cartridges do not last long for me and I have many labels to print. I like to buy a 2-pak rather than a single.

You all have always given me great advice on so many details. I hope someone has some insight to a good economical source for these.

Thank you,

Irisawe

You're not kidding they're costly. I usually get mine from Ecom office supply and they are around 13. But here's a search for the cheapest ones of the model I useTz black on clear 3/4. Ebay often has some good deals on them.


http://www.gosale.com/13235/brother-tz131-black-on-clear

Here's the website for Ecom.

http://www.ecomofficesupplies.com/

I buy from Econ, too. Excellent service. Probably learned about it from Polly. I certainly learned about it from someone on the Iris forum.

We had a co-op with them at one time. That's when I got my second P touch. They really are nice people there. I forget the mans name that was our contact, but he really went out of the way to help.

Every once in awhile ebay will have the orange tape, or some other similarly horrible color for sale for like 2.00 a tape. If you have any children or grandchildren around 5-10 that's hours of great fun. And as I mentioned before it really doesn't stick too well to the cat.

LOL Polly I'm glad I don't have a cat, but I do have a couple of dogs they could stick them to.

Now I need to ask a couple of questions.
1.Where do you buy the P. touches? I thought someone said. Wally World. I asked here awhile back at Wal-Mart and they didn't have them.
2. How do you know which one you should buy to do what you want to do? I'm tried of looking at all my chicken scratch on the signs and can't make out half of my own writting after it gets cold. LOL Anyone else have that problem?
3. Is it difficult to operate and make the signs? I guess what I'm trying to say is do you screw up on very many signs while trying to learn to make them?
I'm not very good at tech thingies. LOL I can barely turn on the t.v. and goodness knows if it gets off cable I can't get it back on, have to have some help. Not much better at the computer. Turn it on and either it works or it doesn't. Been known to get lost on Dave's Garden more than once or twice. I'm sure some of you have heard that saying you wake up in a new world each day. Well that describes me to a T. I'm so forgetful it's unreal. I have post it notes everywhere EXCEPT in the gardens. LOL

I need one of these things....Polly if you want to you can dmail me whatever I need to know to look for and where to look regarding the little printer maker thingie.

Happy Gardening, Marian

Marian,

I got mine from Ecom, the second one, and it's a better one. Big difference is you can make the labels on the computer. Here it is:

http://www.ecomofficesupplies.com/ProductInfo~productid~BRT-PT2700.html

I called and spoke with Larry. I told him I was a member of DG, and he gave me a terrific discount. If the price is still too steep they have cheaper models.

It is not difficult to operate, and if you have any problems I would be glad to walk you through. Or my granddaughter Jenna will. She's 7 now, and has the thing down pat. And there are lots of bells and whistles on it. But basic it's very easy to use.

I always buy the TZ tapes. They work well on the metal labels. For an added safety you can Clear Coat them, but I have found it's not necessary.

The other P Touch I have is model 1950, which has been replaced with model 2100. It works really well still after about 10 years, and is pretty basic.

http://www.ecomofficesupplies.com/ProductInfo~productid~BRT-PT2100.html

If you call, talk to Larry, and he will tell you what you need for what you want to do.

So basically you're printing labels with the P Touch, and then taking the backing off and attaching them to your metal markers. I have some that are still in great shaqpe after 7-8 years.

Amazon has the PT 2700 for 59.94 with free shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/Brother-PT-2700-Desktop-Labeling-System/dp/B000FHFKGW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=office-products&qid=1252209226&sr=8-1

This message was edited Sep 5, 2009 11:54 PM

Staples carries P Touch machines and supplies too. I've also bought the tapes directly from Brother.

Ok, I'm going to check into buying one of them things. I have some kind of label maker on my Daylily Flower Program but I must confess I certainly don't know how to use it and I don't know anything about buying the product to put in the printer to make the labels on. I really need to check into all of this as I could make the labels over the winter months when there's not alot to do outside. Besides that I can't take the cold either, I'm freezing to death if it gets below 60. LOL

Thanks again for all the information, this really is a must have as far as I'm concerned. I'll probably purchase one as soon as our Social Security check comes in next week.

Happy Gardening, Marian

LollyJean, Staples is usually very expensive compared to Ecom, or ebay. One of the P touches I looked at there was just under 100, where Ecom was u nder 50. And I've found our local Staples to be quite expensive. Staples has the TZ 3/4 in black on clear tape for 23.99. Ecom has it for 12.50.

I use a P-Touch 1180 label maker, along with metal mini blind slats to make labels for our garden. We have some pretty bad winters, so will have to wait to see how they will survive this year. But in the past I have used the P-Touch labels on plastic and they have lasted 5-8 years. The metal labels should bend under a snow pack or at least not break off.

Good solid info from all of you. Thank you so much. You are a treasure trove of information.

Irisawe

I'm going to get me one and then probably drive Polly crazy trying to learn how to use it. LOL I have wanted one for several years but everytime I looked for one somewhere they didn't carry them. Most folks in these little towns just looked at me like I was crazy and had no ideal what I was talking about.

I use a p-touch on miniblinds as well. I used to get the metal markers until I had too many to buy! But I have some of those old metal markers from 15 years ago and the label looks like I did it yesterday -- they never fade and the glue never lets loose! The only problem was trying to change the labels, so I just stopped trying -- I put the new labels over the old! But the mini's are doing well -- the only problem is with heaving (again!), as the mini's have nothing to grab on the bottom. I have started bending the bottom tip, then digging a hole for the label and filling it back in on top of the bent bottom. This worked great last winter.

I have been getting my cartridges through our office supply at work (Quill) -- I am using our company discount so they are around $20 for a twin pack. When I retire, I guess I will just stock up first!!! LOL

Or use Ecom which is cheaper than you get at work!