Braille Labeler

Imagine not having to wonder if you're about to open a can of chili beans when you really wanted tomato sauce. Taking some of the guesswork out of your day can be very rewarding, and that's exactly what learning how to use a handy device, like a braille labeler, can do for you.

The label tape has a sticky back, so it can be used to create quick braille labels for household items, such as canned goods, cleaning products, file folders. Hey, you name it.

So let's jump in and get started. First, just pick up your labeler and get familiar with it. Notice the circular dial with braille on it. Grip the dial around the edge and try turning it. Notice how it clicks as it rotates.

All right, hold the labeler's handle with the dial end away from you and the braille facing up. Now just place it on a table. Yeah, this is the position you'll use to load the label tape into your labeler. Now on the top of the end of the handle closest to you, you should be able to feel a slight indentation. Locate the indentation and then just use your thumb to pull it up and open.

Okay, the well inside the handle is where you'll place the label tape roll. You'll need to hold the tape roll so the end of the tape is pointing away from you and toward the braille dial. Pull out about three inches or so of the label tape from the roll, and then just place the roll into the open well. Next, feed the loose end of the label tape between the plastic guides at the end of the open handle that's closest to the dial. The lower guide has ridges that you can feel, so when the tape is sliding on top of those ridges, you'll know it's in the right place. Keep feeding the tape on through the guide until you feel it sticking out from a hole located right at the six o'clock position just inside the dial. This'll be the starting point of your first label.

All right, now you can go ahead and close the handle cover down tightly. Once it snaps into place, it's ready to use. Now you can turn the dial until the letter, the number or symbol you want is right at the six o'clock position. Whatever you selected should now be lined up with a notch in the top of the handle nearest the dial.

Okay, you're ready to create or emboss your letter onto the tape. You'll want to squeeze the handle firmly and then release it. Then, simply turn the dial so that the next letter is lined up at the starting point. Again, you'll give it a good hard squeeze and then release. Then, just repeat the same process for all of the letters in the word you want.

When you want to create blank spaces or advance the tape, just squeeze the handle lightly until a click is heard and then just release. A word of caution though, be careful not to squeeze too hard. Otherwise, you may get a symbol instead of a blank space.

All right, when you're finished embossing the letters you want, it's time to cut the tape. To do this, you'll turn the dial until the cut symbol is in the start point. The cut symbol may be a scissors symbol or a little square shape that you should be able to feel. To make sure you get a good cut, you'll want to squeeze the handle pretty hard and then release.

Okay, to remove your braille label from the labeler, advance the tape three spaces by clicking lightly three times. Then, just pull the cut tape to remove it from the labeler. If your label isn't embossed clearly, that probably means the handle wasn't squeezed hard enough, and that's okay. Just try it again and squeeze a bit harder next time.

Once you have the label you want, just peel the back off of it, and hey, there you go. It's ready to stick to whatever you put it on. If the rest of the tape starts pulling out when an embossed label is removed, well, that means that the handle wasn't squeezed hard enough to cut the tape completely. So just give it a harder squeeze. Also, when you reach the end of the tape roll, you may need to open the handle and take out the remaining tape to remove your last embossed label. All right, you're ready to make your next label. Now the only time you'll open a can of chili is when you get a taste for it.

As always, contact a learning expert if you have any questions or if you have your own tips to share. Of course, as with anything new, give yourself time, patience and practice, and you'll get there.