I have the same issue with shiny tags
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I use aluminum tags as well but last year I 3d printed tags for some grafts. They worked phenomenally. The black lettering is plastic so it will never wear off.
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Those are nice!
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Tree tags. I have used these for years; they are easy to use and hold up to the elements. I put basic information about tree: what, variety, source, and date. The original tag(s) I keep in folder. The “pen” is sharp nail taped to a piece of plastic. Ezy-peezy.
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Wish I can afford 3D printer!
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3D printers are relatively affordable nowadays if you don’t mind their smaller print volumes! My local library offers 3D printing services as well- I believe they charge by weight so it should be a pretty economical option as well in case anyone is interested. I would check their prices but it seems like their website is down right now 
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Harbor Freight has wire works well.
Stainless Steel Lock Wire, 1.00 lb. Coil
Cut metal of your choice (I don’t like the flimsy cans for this anymore). Poke holes. Stamp variety and date. Take soft aluminum wire and bend a loop in one end. Thread on the tag. Curl a loop in the other end for a nail. Stick a nail in the loop. Drive the the nail into the tree near the graft. I like to imagine that the tags, twisting in the wind and glittering in the sun, might help deter birds.
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A metal detector will find buried aluminum tags too.
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No one has cut on their own fingers vith these cane tags? I think I must smooth edges with sandpapper and this is time-consuming. So I use thin foil from aluminium baking dish. Ii cuts into slices with plain scissors and is more safe and quick.
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I like all the tag options mentioned. For myself I like using the thicker aluminum window blinds. One advantage of the thinner metal such as the coke cans is that they can be easily marked with a pen.
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As for me, the thickness of the soda can metal is just right for the balance of the ease of cutting with scissors, strength, pliability, and ease of writing info on it using ball point pen. Most of all, it is free and I can get it quickly. The aluminum food tray I also sometimes use, but they crumple easily that I can’t read out the info written on them after some time.
But all of your suggestions are way better than using a permanent marking pen. I still have aluminum tags of more than 20 years hanging on my trees. The very old ones fell off, but I don’t care as by then I would have intimately known the cultivar already. It is the newly introduced ones that need labeling.
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I tried that with aluminum baking dishes and pie tins. I punched holes with a paper punch. Within a year they had all ripped off and had blown around the orchard. Now I have finally located some aluminum window blinds, which I labeled with Dymo embossed tape. I hope they hold up longer.
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I’d noticed this awhile back, so I took the camera over today when I had to spray. These of course are just pop can tags, but having timber and fields next to the trees (with the resident Squirrel population being over-the-top) I’ve known for awhile I was going to have to go a different direction regarding tags…
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I’ve had the same thing… Even to the point that I can’t read what it was… My brass tags have never been chewed… I’m thinking of spray painting all to black.
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Just wondering: How well do those 3D-printed tags stand up to prolonged exposure to the Sun? I know that the 3D printer gunk is not exactly the same as other plastics used for making bags and such, so perhaps they will last better.
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Speed,
Has you posted the how-to anywhere. Several of us would love to know how and follow your method. Your tags are so easy to read.
Those alumimum tags I use are very hard to read after a few years.
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I do not have any information on long term survivability of these 3D printed tags. I printed them last spring and they have been exposed to the sun and elements for 1 year now. I can tell you that there is no notable difference in visable appearance from the day they were put out a year ago. If I remember I’ll take a few pictures of the year old installed tags in their element when I get home from work tonight. There are dozens of available plastics to use in the 3D printing process in addition to wood infused plastic and carbon fiber. I should do more research on which types of plastics last longest when exposed to UV and water. Obviously we’ve heard for years that many plastics can last forever and they are the reason that so many packaging types are now recyclable. Some plastic on the other hands perform very poorly when exposed to the elements. Just yesterday I was attempting to move a translucent rubbermaid storage container fill with sand that had been outside since last summer and it just broke all to pieces. It had become very brittle and weakened by exposure to the elements.
Tippy, no I have not. I’m not sure how many people here have 3D printers. I know Scott does but I’m not aware of anyone else. I designed the tags in a product by Autodesk called 123D Design. It’s a bit laborious but I really liked the final results. I still have the original design file of the base tag I could provide. The end user would just have add the text if anyone is interested.
The tag that I based mine off of is located at Customizable Round Dog Tag by ridercz - Thingiverse . Although I made my own version I sort of reverse engineered these tags. If you only have a few tags to print these tags are customizable right from Thingiverse.
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Thanks, David. Some of us may try if these kinds of tags can last. I like the fact that it’s easy to spot/read.
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