Nobody will do my printing! (on non-white / non-house stock paper)

Discussion in 'Print Community General Printing Discussion' started by mt_harrison, Apr 15, 2011.

  1. mt_harrison

    mt_harrison New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 2011
    Messages:
    2
    Location:
    Manchester, UK
    HI,

    I have a print job that I would imagine is straightforward. If I owned an A2 printer I could do it at home. I am an architecture student and want to print my entire portfolio (around 50 A2 sheet) onto a decent weight paper that basically isn't white.

    Surprisingly, no single printer in the Greater Manchester area has the ability to do this. It's bizzarre. I think they're so aligned to economy and aren't interested in a student's job even though I will probably become a loyal customer to the place that finally helps me.

    All I want is standard A2 inkjet prints, but onto colourplan 135gsm paper, I can even provide the stock myself.

    Can anybody suggest a printshop that is capable of this?

    Regards,

    Matt.

    P.s sorry for my frustration .
     
  2. Michael4

    Michael4 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2011
    Messages:
    174
    Location:
    Jersey City, NJ (USA)
    I had a similar issue with my graphics portfolio. I had to reduce the size.

    Most printers would opt to due small runs digitally. Since there are no digital printers that can handle that size they would rather turn you down then charge you insane rate it would cost to set up the offset job. (ie Plates, Making color, wash-ups if needed)

    You may want to go down to A3+ (13x19) and you should have no issue finding someone to run this digitally or on a small ABdick press/duplicator
     
  3. mt_harrison

    mt_harrison New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 2011
    Messages:
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    Location:
    Manchester, UK
    Hi Michael,

    Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately scaling down the portfolio is not an option. A1 is the course requirement and I'm already bending the rules here by using A2. The problem is communicating construction details at scales like 1:10 and 1:20 takes up a lot of space!

    Not sure if I get what you mean when you say "there are no digital printers that can handle that size". Surely large format inkjets are digital printers, no? We actually have a bunch of A0 oce colourwave printers at university that accept up to 150gsm paper and would make no trouble of this job. The don't want the hassle of changing the paper though.

    I didn't think I was asking for something that complicated. I've used my old Epson stylus several times to print on A4 Colourplan kraft paper that's twice (260gsm) the weight that I plan to use here and with brilliant results. So why can't the professionals do it?
     
  4. easiprint

    easiprint Member

    Joined:
    Dec 2009
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    Location:
    Cambs, UK
    I think you have hit on the problem already. Many printers are reluctant to change from a paper which they know works well with their machines. Using unknown paper can have repercussions further down the line, like paper dust, etc, which printers may not be willing to risk. There is also the possibility that the paper you supply will result in a poor printed result when printed which looks bad on the printer supplying the work, even though it is not their fault. Even your own university is unwilling to risk that for you. For what it's worth, I would be willing to give it a try, but unfortunately I am in Cambridgeshire, not Manchester so that may be a little to far away. Our large format is an HP, which should be able to do this, we would just ask for a few days to do it as it may require some adjustments during print.
     
  5. rossio

    rossio Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2009
    Messages:
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    Location:
    Baltic Sea,Germany
    Hi,

    perhaps could be an option to ask a reprographic studio. For prepress proofs they need high res printer in A2.
    in pre digit times we proofed by using plates, but it´s over and today to expensive.
     
  6. hankville

    hankville New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 2011
    Messages:
    4
    Location:
    California
    Try to find out if the problem is the print is too big, or if it's on a non-standard sheet (for the shop). If it's the latter, simple ask them to print on whatever the next larger "standard" sheet is and have them trim it to A2 size.
     

  7. Data

    Data Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2010
    Messages:
    121
    Location:
    uk
    Matt i will send you an email of a friend of mine. Only up the road from you

    Give him a call

    Dave
     
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