Business card plates
I am trying to create my first plate for BoxCar, and I am really uncertain about what it should look like.
I have a C&P 12 x 18, and do not know how many cards I should design for - do I create a plate using the same business card repeatedly, or should I make it for only one at a time? Do you include registration marks? How far apart should I space the cards?
Any help at all would be appreciated - I would LOVE it if someone would be kind enough to post a picture of what a file might look like for them, that they would send off to BoxCar. I would love the visual!!
It depends on many factors as follows ask yourself these questions
how many colours
how many do you need
do you have a cutter
what size sheet are you good at feeding
Is the job going to be run often or one time only
does the image bleed off the paper
how much is your budget for the plate
can you register 2nd/3rd colours without crops
The answers will tell you what to do
I don’t use boxcar I use KDS in scar Ont a PDF works saving as outline for platemaker is advised
I was kind of just wondering in the general sense Mike.. I will have a decent cutter in the next couple of weeks.
I don’t know what size I am good at yet, I was hoping to be able to do at least a half sheet of 8.5 by 11 paper.
I will be doing runs of 250 - 500 at a time.
Budget is not a huge concern for plates, as I am charging clients the cost of the plates in their initial set up fee.
I didn’t know if the image should bleed off the paper, or if it is easier to register additional colors without crops - that was what I was hoping you folks could answer. :)
Thanks for the referral to KDS, I will look into that!
If plate cost is not an issue you can run 4 up on 5.5x8.5 butted or with gutters if the print bleeds off the finished card. Also registration and trimming is easier with crop marks. Tip no crops run the job square(not crooked) make a transparency from a pdf with all colours to aid in registration.
when i run business cards i buy 8-1/2 x 11 card stock and cut it to 3-1/2 x 8-1/2 you get 12 out of a sheet with almost no waste. Mike Conway’s advice is always great, if you are running multiple colors or bleeds you should run them 5.5x8.5 with crop marks like Mike said. Looked at your site and saw the move of your press, good job. A 12x18 is a really nice press, your work is very nice, you should do well. When feeding these presses remember to stand straight at the press and never, never, never reach for a misfeed sheet, you can always get more paper, but fingers are hard to come by. Good Luck Dick G.
Thank you so much, both of you! This is exactly the sort of help I was looking for.
Thanks for the kudos Dick, I appreciate it.