Fold & Score Before?

bpowelldesign
on 18 May 09 (09:53)
Updated 18 May 09 (09:56)

I am just getting started with letterpress and I have set greeting cards as my first goal - simply because they give my practice but I can also use them to send to family and friends. After the learning phase I would be to offer them for sale so I would like to work toward making them sell-able.

Anyway, I am struggling to figure out the cutting/scoring issue.

I use cranes lettra 110lb and my paper cutter cuts near perfect when measuring but after scoring and folding - the card is always a little off.

So my question is - should I be scoring and trimming before and then unfold to run through the press so that I know that the card is the correct folded size?

Or do you just trim a little afterward even though that makes the card a little smaller than the A2 size?

Or do you not worry about it because it is handmade?

Thanks for any tips!
Brandi

eric m
on 18 May 09 (13:19)

your best bet is to score/crease last, after final trim. scoring across the full sheet, then can be adjusted to suit. if you need to score before final trim try to still score across the full sheet. if, this is not possible i usually will cut a “V” into the sheet, to the end of the score. then check the fold. the margin that is not scored is then cut away, removing the unscored part which can “draw” the sheet into a fold different from the final trim. hope this makes sense.

Mike Conway
on 18 May 09 (21:50)

Brandi
Fact is no cutter is as good as a good press. If you cut an inch or two of stock even with a Polar $$$ cutter the top sheet and the bottom will vary. However your crease or score if done with a press and setting the side guide to register the front panel will always fold in the same place. The trick?cheat etc. is simply to make the front larger than the back. to get a 5” front start with a sheet that is about 1/32 less than 10”. If you look at off the shelf cards the back may be as much as 1/8th smaller than the front even the top and bottom taper to ensure the back is hidden.In my shop we produce lots of pocket folders and I even make my dies so the back is slightly smaller than the front. Sadly this is how I often dodge poorly positioned crop marks.
Mike

Mike Conway
on 18 May 09 (21:54)

Brandi
Check youtube 937die thank you card I have a video posted about creasing.
Mike