I have a dilemma.

G

Guest

Guest
I don't know if it is okay to put my concern here or not. If it is not I apologize and will go to the right location as soon as someone tells me where that is. I went to the Inkjet forum but wasn't authorized to post there and couldn't find anywhere else in my search. I just got here so I'm a newbie. I'll put my problem here just in case it is all right and if not then maybe someone will steer me right. There didn't seem to be a right place that I could find.

Greetings all;




This is my first posting here so, if you would, please bear with me if I miss a point of protocol or etiquette. I have about a dozen musical CDs in release and out there at most of the major sites. I can't afford going to manufacturers for my printed sleeves. There are so many different sleeves that I need and I don't need hundreds and thousands of each. I have purchased a CD duplicator and now I need a printer. Ink is a big question, given the costs and I am planning on the one hand to purchase what is needed to refill my cartridges from Precision Color and on the other hand it is no problem. What I mean is that I am torn between getting the Canon Pro 100 or the Canon G-4200. I know that the Pro 100 will handle heavier cardstock. I do not know what the limits of the G-4200 are. I have seen where it will print 64# cardstock but I suspect it might well handle 20 or 30 more than that and I will be hand feeding each sheet. I'm not that concerned with quality of image on the sleeve. Adequate is fine with me. My bigger concern is the ease of printing, whether it be 5X5 stock or bigger sheets that I would construct the 5X5 out of. I know it's a lot of work but I have a lot of time.




If the G-4200 will handle cardstock between 80 and 100 I think that is sufficient for making sleeves. I am stunned that in the weeks I have been researching this labor, I cannot find anywhere that someone has detailed the process. I can't find sleeves for printing; meaning sheets of paper designed for this purpose. Some paper, like Red River is very expensive. Surely there is a cheaper alternative? If I can get the G-4200 and it will do the job then I want that because the ink thing is covered. I know I am getting a much better printer with the Pro-100 and it will handle much larger paper formats, allowing me to get several 5X5's out of each sheet. I don't know whether pigment or dye matter in my case.




I have put years into composing my singer songwriter works and I am dedicated to the message that is contained in the songs. I want to try to reach a wider audience now as I don't know how many years I have left, or how much longer my voice and capacity will remain acceptable. I don't mind the work involved. My time is my own now. It's all very confusing. I see where certain Epson and perhaps Brother printers offer me much more facility for what I want to do, like the Workhorse line and such but I am a DEDICATED Canon fan. I Love Canon and want to stick with Canon; whether it is my camcorders or whatever I might have, if Canon makes it, I buy Canon but... sometimes Canon is expensive, like with their inks and paper. This is why I would prefer if the G-4200 would suffice for my needs. I'm not interested in the other G-tank models. I want the high end one.




I don't want to bother with ink refilling of cartridges but I will. From what I hear, it is not difficult and the Pro-100 looks fantastic for so many things and I could do large art photos of the album covers and performance shots for my wall. People say the G-4200 is very noisy and slow. I'm not sure either of those concerns matter to me if it will do the job and print cardstock of a sufficient strength and thickness. For all I know, 64# is thick enough. I will be going to Staples to see if that is the case. I just don't know at the moment. I hope there is someone out there knowledgeable enough about my problem and how to proceed.




If you like Willie Nelson or Bob Dylan, or songs with deep and meaningful lyrics I would be glad to send you a selection as well in repayment for your advice. I don't know if I have overstepped here by saying that or if the mention of ink refill use is unacceptable. If so I apologize. I don't know what the atmosphere is like here. I will certainly adjust to the proper procedures once I know what they are.




So... if you have an awareness of these two printers and how each of them might serve my needs, or any answers to getting less expensive cardstock, or heavy paper, or if there is a manufacturer who makes sleeve templates on the stock I would really appreciate your insight.




Thank you for the time taken in reading this.




Les Visible
 
I think you might be searching about this all wrong. Essentially all you are doing is printing an envelope, which is covered extensively on this forum and others. If you want a windowed sleeve, that will pose more problems. If you don't, then it will make it easier. But search envelope printing in this forum, google, and youtube. Im sure you'll find what you need doing that.
 
Have you talked to a local print shop? Anyone with a digital press should be able to help and do low volumes with no problem. That is the beauty of digital, no need for high quantities to make it worth your while, it is as easy to setup and print 1 sheet as it is 500.

If you want to do the finishing work yourself you could get a price for the prints flat and do whatever it is you need to do on your own. Could save a lot of headaches fighting with printers and trying to find a solution that will work, plus ink costs are pretty high if memory serves me right. Printers might even have something setup for CD sleeves.
 
Disk.com Create your artwork, master the music, capture your soul.. Submit design files and a master disk, and we can very quickly professionally duplicate the CD/DVD's. Hi quality print, trim and build/fill the disk holders. Hi quality inkjet print directly on disk. And even fulfill shipping if you want. Full service, probably for a lot less than you think, for the volumes I think you're talking about. To anywhere in the world. I get the feeling you want to have the experience of doing it yourself. OK. But if you want to focus on the actual product, your creative output, the rest is pretty "old hat" in the biz, normal everyday stuff, and easily handled by us, or any other reputable shop. You never have to think about inks, color shifting, breakdowns etc. Disk.com A bunch of different artworks, total up to a hundred or so. WE can do that.
 
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