Type of paper for printing manuals

[+Allan]

Hey,

Does anybody have any experience printing manuals? I've been trying to print a manual on my Epson Stylus Photo R220 with 32lb. 92 brightness paper (a close match of what most of the Atari manuals were printed on) and am not getting great results. Are inkjets just not suited for high gloss paper verses thicker card stock photo paper? My printouts have a lot of bleed verses when I use photo paper or even 8bitclassics label paper? Maybe I need to do these on a laser printer. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Allan

[jbanes]

Are inkjets just not suited for high gloss paper verses thicker card stock photo paper? My printouts have a lot of bleed verses when I use photo paper or even 8bitclassics label paper? Maybe I need to do these on a laser printer. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

You've pretty much answered your own question. Inkjets bleed so much they tend to actually soak the paper. A high quality color laser will produce a LOT better results, though even a color laser won't give you the same quality as a professional printing shop would. (Color lasers intentionally smudge the dots a bit to produce more coverage. Good for proofing, but not generally for a final product.)

 

You might consider visiting your local Kinkos and see if they can help you produce a good looking printout.

[candiru]

You didn't mention what brand of paper you're using, but the Epson printers tend to like the Epson brand photo papers better than other kinds. I've had great luck with Epson photo papers, but the stuff I've used is heavier than what you'd want to print a manual on.

[+Allan]

You didn't mention what brand of paper you're using, but the Epson printers tend to like the Epson brand photo papers better than other kinds. I've had great luck with Epson photo papers, but the stuff I've used is heavier than what you'd want to print a manual on.

 

I'm using HammerMill.

 

Allan

[+Allan]

Are inkjets just not suited for high gloss paper verses thicker card stock photo paper? My printouts have a lot of bleed verses when I use photo paper or even 8bitclassics label paper? Maybe I need to do these on a laser printer. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

You've pretty much answered your own question. Inkjets bleed so much they tend to actually soak the paper. A high quality color laser will produce a LOT better results, though even a color laser won't give you the same quality as a professional printing shop would. (Color lasers intentionally smudge the dots a bit to produce more coverage. Good for proofing, but not generally for a final product.)

 

You might consider visiting your local Kinkos and see if they can help you produce a good looking printout.

 

Yea, I guess your right. It's to bad because stuff comes out great on photo paper with my Epson R220.

 

Hopefully Kinko's (or whoever I go to) doesn't give me a hard time with what I want to print out.

 

Allan

[Dragnerok X]

Hopefully Kinko's (or whoever I go to) doesn't give me a hard time with what I want to print out.

 

Allan

 

How bad could it be? I've had atari-related things reach public level quite often. (a few weeks ago I went to radio shack to buy a male f to female rca connector for my atari - no trouble at all) What are you making!?! An X-man reproduction cartridge?

[+Allan]

Hopefully Kinko's (or whoever I go to) doesn't give me a hard time with what I want to print out.

 

Allan

 

How bad could it be? I've had atari-related things reach public level quite often. (a few weeks ago I went to radio shack to buy a male f to female rca connector for my atari - no trouble at all) What are you making!?! An X-man reproduction cartridge?

 

You'll find out very soon.

 

Allan

[jbanes]

Just keep in mind that you're the customer. If they give you a hard time, threaten to take your business elsewhere. (Even if it's another Kinkos.) Also, if you have a bad experience, consider writing to the management and explaining why you will NOT be coming back. These letters are very powerful, and can often cause businesses to perform complete 180s on customer service.

[Raven1280]

Go to Staples and get some Staples brand glossy photopaper. I use it for my dvd case inserst and it works great. Its thinner than photopaper and stronger than regular paper.

 

Raven

[+Allan]

Go to Staples and get some Staples brand glossy photopaper. I use it for my dvd case inserst and it works great. Its thinner than photopaper and stronger than regular paper.

 

Raven

 

Yea but can you print on both sides?

 

Allan

[shadow460]

When I want a high qualtiy game label, I take the scans to Kinko's. They do look different from the originals, but they look awesome at the same time.

Perhaps they will work for your manuals as well. Since it's a homebrew, though, why follow the Atari mold? If your manuals look a little different, it's because they came from you, another good thrid party developer.