Hey there, I've made some fantastic looking prints from my older HP 940c
color inkjet many times in the past.
What I would always use is Glossy paper.
Questions:
8 x 10: Why is it so darn hard to find? (or am I looking in the wrong
places?)
8 1/2 x 11 Frames: Why are they also so hard to find?
Easier to print on 8.5 x 11 paper, that way even if your printer isn't
'borderless', you can still get the full size out of it (most printers
can print at least 8 x 10, though it will probably not be 'centered'.
I agree with another poster about using an x-acto knife and a steel
ruler (there are 'aluminum' drafting rulers that are meant to be used
with an x-acto knife, but ten to one you will most likely cut the
ruler itself - they're useless. And I can't find one locally that's
made out of /steel/ that has the same features (is flat against the
paper, has rubber feet that are recessed so they do not prevent the
edge from touching the paper, has a finger guard so it's harder to
take your fingertips off with the knife). Most steel ones like
Westcott have a /big/ corkboard non-skid surface on one side, which
makes it hard to line up against an edge since the ruler itself is not
flush with the paper. I usually flip one of these upside-down to use
it. If you wanted to be fancy, you could get a board and glue two
dowels to it that are narrower than the ruler, and brace the ruler
against it in order to prevent it from slipping at all (I have a heavy
grip, and using a ruler upside-down tends to move it). I've considered
trying to hack together a ruler like the aluminum drafting ones with a
steel edge. Even the most expensive rotary cutters I've worked with
(such as those used in big print shops) cannot cut precisely on a line
the same way a ruler can. A problem with this is that a ruler might
smear or damage a photo - try cutting put a sheet of thin paper on top
of it and leave only a little bit of the edge of the photo you're
trimming exposed. You should try cutting from the outer edge
(unprinted space) but this is not always convenient.
As you might gather, I don't care if I'm using either size, just as long as
I can frame it.
Try looking for frames at an office supply store or trophy store
rather than a framing store. You're more likely to find 'certificate
frames' that will fit a letter sized sheet of paper (if you're in the
US).
On another note: When I've printed on glossy, I've found that the ink can
smear when water is applied to it. Are there better inks these days for the
newer printers? or better papers to avoid this smearing?
With my recent trials of bumper sticker printing (don't ask), I've
found there is nearly NO way to prevent inkjet ink from smearing with
the least bit of dampness. Epson DuraBrite and HP Vivera are supposed
to be 'tougher', but... just try your best not to get them wet.
Sprays, etc, will help if you get a few drops on by accident and wipe
it off quickly, but ink is water soluable, whether pigment or dye. HP
Advance 'regular' paper is supposed to be pretty water resistant. It's
really all a matter of just what you're planning on /doing/ with them.
No print will last underwater. With DuraBrite and good paper, it might
survive a spill.
As for universal photo paper, I've found Kodak really doesn't work too
well (it seems to be engineered towards certain printers, and
generally gets 'sticky' with others), but I do like the Office Depot
Professional Photo Paper (in the black and white box). I've never
tried their Regular or Premium (red and blue boxes) ones. It seems to
have the best compatability over a wide range of printers. Office Max
I've never been thrilled with, but the Staples ones seem to work well
too. Office Depot often puts these on buy-one-get-one sales.
I AM thinking about finally investing in a new printer but apart from all
the many obvious things to keep in mind, the above items are at the
forefront right now.
Thanks in advance for insight, info and whatever else.
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