How to make Imposed item same all the way around?

[AP90]

Ok guys, I'm going to try and explain this the best I can. First off, I'm pretty new to the whole graphic design and digital print world, so sorry if this is a question that is pretty amateur or easy.

Im designing a flyer right now that is a half letter size (4.25x11). Just like any printer, in order to maximize profit, I would like to run these on 11x17 sheets and cut them down. My problem is that 2 of the flyers from each sheet will have white borders on 3 sides and 2 will have top and bottom borders. The client is fine with the white border, so I am wondering how I can make it so that each flyer will have equal white around each one. Am I just going to have to play around with the size of the flyer, is this a bleed or gutter design, or can I do this when imposing (using impose wizard). Or am I going to have to full bleed trim every flyer so there is no white?

Thanks for the help in advance guys.

 

[PDL]

Personally I would fix the files (your only have 4) to the correct size, trim, and borders. Would take a lot less time than tweaking your imposition, your trim marks will be correct, and should you have to reprint or repurpose these files later you are good to go. IMHO.

 

[rich apollo]

It sounds like a couple of these will need bleed. 11x17 is too small to accommodate the bleed running more than one on a sheet.

Is this being run on a production device, or are you trying to output on a laser printer?

 

[G Oliver]

Is there a technical reason you're fixed on the 11x17 sheet? If not, I would recommend printing on a 12x18 sheet (a common, standard, and affordable size in the digital world) which would allow for a bleed on all four sides.

One side note -- as a designer, you should rarely, if ever, be doing your own imposition. If you're a one man print-shop, it might be different, but if not, imposition should be left to an operator who knows the production environment.

 

[AP90]

Thanks for the responses guys. To answer G Oliver's post, yes I am a 1 man print shop. I usually don't even do the designing, but when business comes your way, you take what you can get. Especially since this is a new client and will lead to many more jobs. And sorry if I seemed fixed on 11x17, that is not an issue to go larger. I was just throwing that out there.

And someone asked if this was a production or laser machine. Well ill just answer with what I have, because some consider it production and others consider it a glorified copy machine lol. I have a Xerox C75 with fiery free flow.

 

[oxburger]

What program are you doing your design in? I would just set up a 4.25 x 11 page with .25" guides around the edges and make sure your work stops at those guides. Or, if you can talk the customer into a slightly smaller size, say 4 x 10.75, then you could bleed files to your hearts content.