How to roll a print for shipping

[pcgpcg]

When shipping a print in a cardboard tube, assuming the ink side of the print will be covered with a piece of acid-free paper (in case it ends up getting stored awhile) to protect it, should the ink side be on the outside of the roll or the inside?

[disneytoy]

I'd prefer rolled in, but becausue of the natural bend of paper on a roll I roll fae out and slip in a plastic cleave.

[Landscapes]

I think if you mess with the curl, and hence roll the paper so that ink is on the inside, you have to make sure to really protest the beginning of the print as I think that first leading edge will dig into the paper that is rolled around it.  It will have a tendency to roll the other way, and I wonder if it can leave a tiny indent on the paper.  For this reason, it is much easier to roll the paper in the same direction of the curve that is already in the paper, but this does of course mean the ink is on the outside, and therefore you must have paper covering the entire print before you roll it up.

[pcgpcg]

Thank you.  I'll roll with the ink out.

[Alan Goldhammer]

I've shipped about a 100 prints rolled with the ink side facing in using a sheet of acid free interleaving paper for protection.  I have not heard from anyone about print problems upon receipt.  I do use 4 inch diameter tubes which provide sufficient space so the print is not rolled too tightly.  Biggest print sent is 17x25.

Alan

[hugowolf]

I've shipped about a 100 prints rolled with the ink side facing in using a sheet of acid free interleaving paper for protection.  I have not heard from anyone about print problems upon receipt.  I do use 4 inch diameter tubes which provide sufficient space so the print is not rolled too tightly.  Biggest print sent is 17x25.

That is fine if you are printing on sheets. Roll paper comes with the coated side out, it would be counterproductive to roll it the other way.

[Richard.Wills]

When shipping more than a couple of prints, we'll often wrap the prints around the core of an old box of paper, using tissue paper, then wrap this in bubble-wrap, then into the paper box. Hahnemuhle and Canson boxes are useful, as they open down the length, as opposed to Epson, Innova or Harman, which tend to open at he ends.

Depending on the size of the prints and the roll box, we may include the plastic ends which support the roll, or may exclude the actual tube core.

Prints always rolled face out, to match the original roll paper. For prints on HPR, we'll tend to not put more than 6 40x60" prints in one box. As a 44" paper box is over normal (UK) shipping sizes, we'd rather tape two boxes together, and take the small extra weight cost, than risk damaging the prints.

[hugowolf]

... Hahnemuhle and Canson boxes are useful, as they open down the length, as opposed to Epson, Innova or Harman, which tend to open at he ends.

... sometimes. I just disposed of a 36" Canson box that opened at the ends.

Brian A

[Alan Goldhammer]

That is fine if you are printing on sheets. Roll paper comes with the coated side out, it would be counterproductive to roll it the other way.

Only roll I've had is Museo Silver Rag and that comes with the coated side inward.  Maybe that's the exception to the rule and these were the 17x25 prints that I shipped (cut from a roll before printing as the 3880 does not take roll paper).

[Richard.Wills]

Only roll I've had is Museo Silver Rag and that comes with the coated side inward.

That's interesting to know: I can't see how you would load a coated inward roll into one of the Canon machines, without taking the paper through a very severely winding path. Even on our old (but still running daily!) 9800, the paper would have to go through a 90degree bend to load.

Fortunately for me, MSR is rather expensive here in the UK, so I won't need to deal with that challenge.

[hugowolf]

Only roll I've had is Museo Silver Rag and that comes with the coated side inward.  Maybe that's the exception to the rule and these were the 17x25 prints that I shipped (cut from a roll before printing as the 3880 does not take roll paper).

That is really odd. It wouldn't work on any roll feed printer, Epson, Canon, or HP, unless you rewound it onto another spool with the coated side out.

Brian A

[Alan Goldhammer]

That is really odd. It wouldn't work on any roll feed printer, Epson, Canon, or HP, unless you rewound it onto another spool with the coated side out.

Brian A

Hmmmm, perhaps I'm wrong.  I'll need to check as I haven't had to use the roll in over a year.