Design your reel label
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Use your browser's print dialog. Set margins to "None" and scale to "Actual Size" for best results.
Getting the most from your labels
Why labeling matters
Reel-to-reel tapes are durable, but the boxes and flanges are not great at telling you what is inside. A clear label lets you scan a shelf and find the right tape in seconds. It also reduces handling. Every time you pull a tape out and squint at the leader, you risk fingerprints, dust, and edge damage. A good label protects the tape by keeping it in its box.
Paper and printing tips
Use a smooth, medium-weight cardstock (60–80 lb). Avoid glossy photo paper because it can stick to the inside of a tape box over time. If your printer supports it, choose a "plain paper" or "matte" setting. Print a test copy on regular paper first to check alignment. Trim the label with a straight edge and a craft knife for clean corners.
What to include in the notes field
The notes field is free text, so use it for anything that helps you later. Common entries include calibration level (e.g., +6 dB over 185 nWb/m), equalization curve (NAB or CCIR), noise reduction type (Dolby A, SR, dbx), and any known dropouts or splices. If the tape is a safety copy or a master, note that too.
Building a catalog system
Use a consistent ID scheme. Start with a short prefix for the collection (e.g., "JZ" for jazz, "CL" for classical) followed by a three-digit number. Write the same ID on the tape leader with a soft pencil or a white label strip. This way, even if the box and tape get separated, you can match them up again.
Label style examples
Classic Studio — Dark background with high-contrast text. Matches the look of 1970s studio tape boxes.
Light Archive — Clean white background with subtle borders. Good for library and archive collections where readability under low light matters.
Minimal Grid — A grid-based layout with thin lines separating fields. Works well when you need to hand-write additional information later.
Common questions
Can I save my labels for later?
This page does not store your data on a server. You can save the label as a PDF using your browser's "Save as PDF" print destination. That gives you a file you can reprint anytime. We are considering a local-storage feature that would let you keep a list of recent labels in your browser.
What if my printer cuts off the edges?
Most home printers have a small unprintable margin around the page. The label is designed with a 0.25 inch internal margin to accommodate this. If you still see clipping, reduce the scale to 95% in your print settings. Always run a test on plain paper before using your good cardstock.
Are these labels historically accurate?
The layouts are based on common studio and broadcast tape box labels from the 1960s through the 1980s. We studied examples from Ampex, Scotch, and BASF documentation. The fonts are modern system fonts that approximate the look of the originals. For museum-grade reproductions, you may want to source period-correct typefaces separately.
Can I use this for cassette or DAT labels?
The current label size is designed for open-reel tape boxes. You can scale the print output down for cassette J-cards, but the proportions may not match perfectly. A dedicated cassette label option is on our roadmap.