Partially die cut door hangers?

[YourCastle]

My company has been using door hanger paper that's 6up, 12x18, and fully perforated. Since i have a duplo, I'm hoping to find a vendor that sells only the slit and hole perforated.

The lead edge perforated causes my duplo issues. Since i need to order more, i thought I'd ask.

I'll explore editing my duplo program to trim more of the lead, but would just prefer the partial perf, if it exists.On

Thanks!

 

[gregbatch]

Blanks USA 3.5" x 8.5" Door Hanger with bleeds

 

[YourCastle]

Blanks USA 3.5" x 8.5" Door Hanger with bleeds

wow, thanks! exactly what I wanted.

 

[TJPrinter]

Check out these guys too
Door Hangers Archives - Zapco Paper

 

[YourCastle]

Check out these guys too
Door Hangers Archives - Zapco Paper

fantastic. I just placed an order! The paper I am currently using is fragile enough at the perfs that i cannot duplex. I'm hoping this solves that as well as reduced jams in both my printer and duplo

 

[YourCastle]

Check out these guys too
Door Hangers Archives - Zapco Paper

so, I just tried out my new paper!

But their die is wrong.

I just spent a good portion of my day trying to figure this out because I simply assume the paper would produce 8.5" tall hangers. I spent so much time thinking that I had to be wrong and just kept trying to impose print and duplo based on them.

so I'm venting to the only people who could understand me (y'all ... my wife certainly won't understand).

Here's what I emailed to zapco and the pdf...

Hi!

I’m having a problem with this order…

Item #	Description
c5726	Item 200: 6-up 3 2/3" x 8 1/2" Door Hanger with Outer Edge Bleed 12" x 18" Sheet

It appears that the die used is different than the template and description on the website. Please see attached PDF. Page one is a scan of the print/paper with the green and blue colors being the illustrator digital template from the website. The lighter gray is the actual die/perf. The darker blue color is me drawing on the paper with my pen to make sure I know where the perf ends. Magenta color is the distance between angled slit/perf top and the top of the perfed hole. Appears the problem is that the angled slit/perf top is only 0.7” higher than the top of the perfed hole. The website shows the distance is supposed to be 1.125”.

Page two is my layout making the paper work. My version shows the only way it works is to reduce the height of the hanger from 8.5” to 8.1875”.

I just noticed that the order says “c5726”, but the packaging (photo attached) on my paper says “Item 200”. Maybe they’re the same or I received the wrong paper?

So, do I have the wrong paper or is the die off from the website templates?

..................

I'm also posting here just in case I'm wrong and one of you sees my mistake

steve

 

[YourCastle]

good news, zap replied to my email quickly!

bad news is that I felt like I was talking with my ex-wife... flippin'-the-script...

zap: We don’t have an item c5726 where do you show that item

me: it says it on your paperwork

zap: oh, that's the SKU not the Item# (their paperwork says "item#", but whatever)

lol, it was like having an argument with my ex where she refused to acknowledge reality and just chose to make up a new story!

me: ok, sku, is someone on the zap team reviewing my notes?

 

[jwheeler]

so I'm venting to the only people who could understand me (y'all ... my wife certainly won't understand).

So true...I sometimes catch myself explaining the woes of printing or designing that I experienced that day, then realize she has no idea what I'm talking about. However, after listening to me for 16+ years, she can now explain what PMS colors and what bleeds are! And she's awesome enough that she at least acts like she's interested in what I have to say.

I imagine its like when my older brother who is an aerospace engineer starts trying to explain one of his projects with all sorts of technical terms, I get lost - but hey, he's my bro and he's excited about it, so I do my best to listen.

 

[TJPrinter]

Well I guess they figure close is good enough. I’ve run the 4 up door hanger and noticed that the die can be off a bit from one order to the next. I have a template setup for the Duplo too but need to adjust it sometimes. I tell my customers not to get fancy with a circle or arched text around the die because it may not look good. I’ve become more accepting of a lot of issues in this business lately, otherwise I need to be medicated.

 

[YourCastle]

Well I guess they figure close is good enough.

no, i understand bounce. but this appears to be off by 0.5" between the top and bottom holes.

I'm assuming the die is 6up and not two pieces of 3up that get hand placed in a jig or whatever? If it's 6up on one piece of wood, then the spacing should always be "exact", not a half inch.

I’ve become more accepting of a lot of issues in this business lately, otherwise I need to be medicated.

 

[TJPrinter]

no, i understand bounce. but this appears to be off by 0.5" between the top and bottom holes.

I'm assuming the die is 6up and not two pieces of 3up that get hand placed in a jig or whatever? If it's 6up on one piece of wood, then the spacing should always be "exact", not a half inch.

Their close isn't the same as my close or your close. Or someone forgot to tell someone that the die maker decided to move the rule around.

 

[YourCastle]

Their close isn't the same as my close or your close. Or someone forgot to tell someone that the die maker decided to move the rule around.

i guess their close is like NASA's close?

How NASA Lost a Spacecraft From a Metric Math Mistake | SimScale

 

[TJPrinter]

Maybe I can be a rocket scientist after all.

 

[YourCastle]

I posted a review on the Zapco Paper website, but they did not approve my review, maybe a technical error. I submitted again before I'll contact them.

GOOD:

• Print quality and brightness/white is just as good as my other paper.
• This is the BIG GOOD… NO MORE JAMS! My other door hanger paper is fully perforated around the outside of each of the six hangers. This means that the paper at the perf bends and jams easily both in my printers and my duplo cutter. In addition, the outer edge of my previous door hanger sometimes left the perf edges reducing quality in appearance.

BAD

• The die on these are off. I spent too much time diagnosing why my printers and duplo were not yielding 8.5” tall hangers. Very annoying. Zapco didn’t seem that concerned, disappointing. I had to set up my duplo cutter program to output a larger gutter and can only get 8.25” tall hangers.

UGLY (summary)

• The issues I experienced were disappointing; however, I cannot find a door hanger that is only die cut for the hole and slit. I can no longer use the fully perf ones or I will go crazy. The other option is to have my own paper die cut to proper specs. Over time, this would be slightly cheaper, but my company doesn’t want to pay for the upfront cost of a die.
• The fact that these print and cut so much better means I have a solution.
• You’ll need to adjust your cutting.

Item 200: 6-up 3 2/3" x 8 1/2" Door Hanger with Outer Edge Bleed 12" x 18" Sheet | Zapco Paper

Print Vibrant, Eye-Catching Door Hangers In The Exact Quantities You Need! These door hangers come in yields of 300, 600, or 1500, giving you options to mee ...

www.zapcopaper.com

 

[tngcas]

I posted a review on the Zapco Paper website, but they did not approve my review, maybe a technical error. I submitted again before I'll contact them.

Sounds like there's space in the marketplace for an enterprising print shop that already has the die and an automated die cutter to produce some blank sheets with a more accurate cut pattern and resell them to the rest of us.
Seems like it would be fairly easy work for someone out there to do.

 

[Shawnd]

I wonder if zapco is having issues getting paper that their dies were made for?

 

[YourCastle]

Sounds like there's space in the marketplace for an enterprising print shop that already has the die and an automated die cutter to produce some blank sheets with a more accurate cut pattern and resell them to the rest of us.
Seems like it would be fairly easy work for someone out there to do.

Good idea. If i outsource it, the cost is only +$10/m, plus the cost of the die. If the die cost was free, I'd be happy to pay the extra $10 every two months

I wonder if zapco is having issues getting paper that their dies were made for?

Maybe the die was originally set up for 13x19 and they can only get 12x18?

Because the other option is they simply screwed up?

 

[tngcas]

That or their die is actually half the size and they’re double-striking and that’s why it’s not as accurate.
I’m baffled as to why they don’t appear to care about the accuracy since that’s essential.

 

[YourCastle]

die is actually half the size

i asked, they claim it's full size. i could see double striking if it was foot-to-foot. (unless I'm misinterpreting what you're saying).

I’m baffled as to why they don’t appear to care about the accuracy since that’s essential.

I am too. If I had any other option, I would've gone with another vendor, but their price makes the annoyance worth it, to my COO.

I'm just hoping that none of my agents notice