[DXBase] Re: Ink Jet Printing Suggestions

Mon, 3 Mar 2003 11:54:36 -0800

Hi Art -
The leaders in affordable photo printing these days are generally
considered to be Canon and Epson. Both have some fine printers.
Canon is currently the undisputed Speed King. Epson has the best
claims on print life, at least with their big 2200 model.
I have done a lot of photo printing with my (now 2 or 3 year old)
Epson 870, and I recently started printing QSLs. It should be
noted that my goal in QSL printing was small-volume, high-quality
photo QSLs, not high-volume, low-quality QSLs. (This orientation
would run contrary to printing QSL cards out of a logging program;
but you might want to print BOTH quality cards and bulk cards.)
Here is the short form of what I've learned to date:
1. Home QSL printing CAN be done, and done well.
2. Every micro-perf "card stock" I've seen to date is crappy.
 Some of the micro-perf stocks might work OK for bulk cards,
 IF you aren't trying to print photos, and if you don't mind a non-
 standard card size.
3. For quality photo cards, I use Epson Double-Sided Matte Paper,
 which I highly recommend. This paper has the best longevity
 you can get with (common) ink jet papers; and it should also work
 just fine with Canon printers. My only complaint with it is that
 it's somewhat difficult to write on (not a problem if you use labels).
4. I print cards four to a sheet, and I cut them out with an ordinary,
 office-type paper cutter. A key trick I learned with the Epson
 870 is to tell it that I'm using legal length paper; this reduces
 the bottom margin enough to allow printing standard card sizes
 four to a sheet.
5. On the software side, I do my card layouts with PhotoShop
 Elements 2, which is excellent for text and layers; and
 I use PaintShop Pro 7 for printing.
Good luck and 73...
----- Original Message -----
> Message: 5
> Reply-To: "Art Searle" <[email protected]>
> From: "Art Searle" <[email protected]>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Subject: Re: [DXBase] Printing cards with ink jet printers??
> Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2003 11:25:10 -0500
>> Hi Garth and the Group,
>> > I use Cannon BJC-6000 and print directly on card stock 4x6 and QSL Cards
> that are preprinted 3.5 x 5.5 in size. I print more than 1000 cards a
month
> as a QSL MGR.
> >
> > 73 Garth VE3HO
>> And a thankless job QSL MGR is. I don't know how you do it. I hate labor
> intensive QSLing. That is why I also go directly to card but I use the
8.5"
> by 11" per sheets with 4 3.5" by 5.5" cards per sheet. I'm have trouble
> even feeding paper through my Canon BJC-8200. It's been repaired twice.
I
> need a new printer. Any suggestions on a printer that will both feed
cards
> and print photo quality prints at a decent rate? I'm working towards a
> retirement career in bird photography. I'm thinking a good borderless
> printer would do the trick.
>> BTW I think I sent you a QSL by mistake. I sent you a card for P40T on
160
> meters from Feb 2003 and have since learned you're on May 2001. Oh well.
>> 73,
> Art
> W2NRA
> www.birdsandbeacons.com/portfolio/photos.htm
> www.w2nra.com
>