Printing onto Card

[Jason]

Sorry its not sublimation related, but I was hoping somebody might be able to help.

My wife is looking to print onto card for wedding stationary, can anybody recommend a printed that accepts and works well with quite thick card, and should she go for laser or inkjet.

Thanks in advance for any help

Jason

[WorthDoingRight]

To get large 'weight' paper or card through a printer often is influenced not by whether it is inkjet or laser but by the path the paper takes through the printer. You can get both laser printers and inkjet printers that a straight through path. However unless you are talking about a professional printer most home or personal printers will not cope with anything thicker than 230gsm (maybe 250gsm at a push) - However I would think your wife is probably considering card as closer to 300gsm which like I said is not going to feed through a cheap printer (or not one I know of).

[Renniwano]

If you are looking at just mono laser printing, maybe you could try the HP Laserjet P2035 (which I believe has been replaced by the 2055) which many of my crafting friends have for when they do foiling.. or if you are after colour I believe it's the Oki C3300 Colour Laser printer which on the straight through feed will take up to 350g..

Not sure on inkjets that will take the weight though..

[JSR]

You'll certainly be looking for a printer that has a straight-through paper path. Printers that have paper trays which make the paper curve around a roller to be printed on (many HP printers are like that, as are Brother and Ricoh printers), probably aren't up to doing very thick paper/card. Epson printers used to have a "thick paper lever" that you could adjust for thicker card, but now it's a setting hidden away in the printer driver.

Many laser printers typically don't like very thick card because heat is applied to the paper from the opposite side to the toner. Thick card means the heat can't get through it sufficiently. Some lasers will have a thick paper setting which slows down the process to allow the heat to do its job, but forcing thick card through rollers that are intended for paper can quickly wear down the rollers.

Sometimes it's not just about the weight of the paper but the construction. For instance, Epson's Ultra Glossy Paper is 300gsm and this goes through their inkjets just fine, but they're more flexible than equivalent 300gsm card which would be a struggle.

Some printers, such as the R2400 (or whatever the modern equivalent is), have a special "thick board" straight-through path that will take rigid board up to 1.5mm thick, but this isn't something that's filtered down to entry level printers and is probably overkill for what you're looking for.

Perhaps if you have a local PC World or similar, you could take a piece of card with you and ask them to recommend a model and try it out before you buy.

[Limara]

wouldnt hot foil stamping be more suited to Wedding stationary than a printer?
I have personally printed 240gsm no prolem with epson R200 R220 R265 and r300 BUT anything above 180 you really cant load the paper feed and have to manually feed it.
here are some answers from a craft forum about some model printers, that can handle card I came accross this the other day whilst looking for info about a particular printer and remember seeing it, quite helpful with the models that wont as well!
SX515W multi-function Epson won't take anything beyond about 160 gsm.

I recently gave up on an Epson Printer (DX4400) because it wouldn't take thick card despite being told it would in the shop! I swopped it for a Canon Pixma C560 which prints on 350gsm card no problem at all.

Stylus S21 it needs a helping hand to feed the card through, once it gets a hold of it it's absolutely fine. The card that I'm printing on it is 255gsm, or thereabouts.

I have an A3+ Epson Stylus b1100 printer and have no problem printing onto 300g card

I have an Epson Stylus Photo R360 which takes 300gsm with no problems.

I'd like to report success using an Epson P50 with 250 gsm hammer and linen card. Hurrah!

I use and Epson R285 and use thick card in it with no problems at all. It also takes thick pearlescent card.Chris xx

hope there is something helpful there

[Jimbo]

There's also the method of foiling using toner foil which saves having to make printing plates for stamping.

[Renniwano]

I have a foil master laminating machine.. and used to use the HP Laserjet P2035 for my card.. it is a good way to go if you want that special finish to card.. but you do have to be careful as some textured cards don't hold the toner too well.. therefore not foiling perfectly.. it's definitely trial and error on the type of card..

[Jimbo]

I also have the Foil Master (I'm also in Lincolnshire) I've not used it much and have found that toner from different printers act different.
Jimbo

[Renniwano]

Yeah.. they definitely do.. some toners don't work at all as they are too waxy.. (South Lincs this end..)

[WorthDoingRight]

I have a foil master laminating machine.. and used to use the HP Laserjet P2035 for my card.. it is a good way to go if you want that special finish to card.. but you do have to be careful as some textured cards don't hold the toner too well.. therefore not foiling perfectly.. it's definitely trial and error on the type of card..

Is the proper answer when it fails to say 'foiled again'? :rolleyes: