quality lightweight paper

[artobest]

Hi

Can anybody recommend a high-quality but lightweight (100-140gsm) paper for the Z3200? Preferably matte and acid-free, robust yet easy to fold (it's for covering books).

Any suggestions gratefully received!

Peter

[neile]

I checked my spreadsheet of papers I've tested and the closest I could find is Moab's Entrada Rag papers, but they're 190gsm and 394µm thick. They are matte and 100% cotton though. There may be other options that people can suggest, but that's the closest I know of.

Neil

[artobest]

Thanks Neil

I have the Entrada 190gsm, but it's a little heavy. Something closer in weight to standard copy paper, but with outstanding print qualities, is what I'm after.

Peter

[Ernst Dinkla]

Thanks Neil

I have the Entrada 190gsm, but it's a little heavy. Something closer in weight to standard copy paper, but with outstanding print qualities, is what I'm after.

Peter

170 grams Canson Infinity Mi-Teintes ?    OBA free. Texture embossed.  I think it will be hard to get outstanding print qualities on thinner paper. Like one can not load a lot of ink on thin paper, it is difficult to apply a thicker coating on thin paper.

I have  a 100 grams dual sided, woodfree, lots of OBA, paper but it doesn't print as nice as a similar 190 grams paper.

Book covers below 150 grams are not that handy either.



met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst Dinkla

Dinkla Gallery Canvas Wrap Actions for Photoshop
http://www.pigment-print.com/dinklacanvaswraps/index.html

[artobest]

Book covers below 150 grams are not that handy either.

I want to use the paper like book cloth, to cover hard covers, so it needs to be thin enough to wrap around boards and be folded and glued. I take your point about the ink load on thinner paper. I might have a look at that Mi-Teintes, and in the meantime, see what I can mange with the 190gsm Entrada. When all's said and done, it's not that much heavier than buckram.

Has anyone used proofing paper with good results?

P

[dandeliondigital]

Hi Ernst,
As a fellow HP Z3100 PS user, I have really appreciated your comments and helpful suggestions for nearly these past 3 years. Time flies.

I wonder if you might have an opinion that relates to thinner quality lightweight papers. Back in the days of using my first HP designjet 2500cp PS printer, HP made a dye ink photo glossy paper that I used for a specific job because it was high quality, but thin, and resulted in a a very score-able and fold-able job.

My HP designjet 2500cp PS is history and finding a replacement paper for the HP Z3100 PS is/was not very simple. I needed a paper that accepts pigment inks, is high quality glossy, semi-gloss or matte. A paper that would be durable, would not mind being scored and folded, would lie flat, and that did not have a plastic feel to it. As it stands now the closest thing to filling my needs is to use the HP Proofing Papers. They work, but are still a bit on the "thick side" at around 10-11 mils thick.

Paper weight designations can be somewhat confusing, but in my case what they call "7 mil" usually gives me the best feel and usually the best ability to fold well. The HP proofing papers are all thicker than that and are a bit pricey.

There is a company on the web called BulldogProducts.com that advertised a 7 mil paper about 6 months ago. I got a sample and it was just right, but before I could order it, it's no longer available from them on the web site. I sent them e-mail but never got a reply.

So I was wondering if you had any ideas on this need of mine that might get me to a reliable source of 6 or 7 mil thickness papers suitable for the HPZ pigment inks that would look good, be ready for scoring and folding. Also, it's best if they want to be flat. Some papers just want to be curly and that is problematic for my job.

Whatever that thin photo glossy paper that HP made whose coatings are not compatible with pigment inks (I tried and they lay on top and smear badly), was the best I've found.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks, and so long for now, TOM

170 grams Canson Infinity Mi-Teintes ?    OBA free. Texture embossed.  I think it will be hard to get outstanding print qualities on thinner paper. Like one can not load a lot of ink on thin paper, it is difficult to apply a thicker coating on thin paper.

Dinkla Gallery Canvas Wrap Actions for Photoshop
http://www.pigment-print.com/dinklacanvaswraps/index.html

[Ernst Dinkla]

Paper weight designations can be somewhat confusing, but in my case what they call "7 mil" usually gives me the best feel and usually the best ability to fold well. The HP proofing papers are all thicker than that and are a bit pricey.

There is a company on the web called BulldogProducts.com that advertised a 7 mil paper about 6 months ago. I got a sample and it was just right, but before I could order it, it's no longer available from them on the web site. I sent them e-mail but never got a reply.

So I was wondering if you had any ideas on this need of mine that might get me to a reliable source of 6 or 7 mil thickness papers suitable for the HPZ pigment inks that would look good, be ready for scoring and folding. Also, it's best if they want to be flat. Some papers just want to be curly and that is problematic for my job.

Thanks, and so long for now, TOM

Tom,

I'm searching myself. Sometimes I get the impression we do not know half of what is available. The technical papers, CAD, Proofing etc of HP and third party manufacturers must have qualities like that. I have used the HP Natural Tracing paper, I'm curious about the HP Vellum. There is a FujiFilm Pop Up banner with a pearl white sheen. I would like to try them all.

Sometimes it looks like you never find it. I still have no answer on a good image quality, dual sided, natural white paper of circa 150 grams. Opaque enough to be used in books, scoring and folding possible.  I guess you are looking for that one too. They exist above 200 grams. The Innova Soft Texture Natural White 200 gr/m2 is probably the best answer right now. Some interesting sizes in it.


met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst Dinkla

Dinkla Gallery Canvas Wrap Actions for Photoshop
http://www.pigment-print.com/dinklacanvaswraps/index.html

[artobest]

I'm looking at the Mi-Teintes and I think I've found what I want. Beautiful paper, perhaps a touch heavy in texture for my needs but the book press should take care of that. Thanks!

[dandeliondigital]

Hi Ernst,
Well if I do find it I'll let you know, and if you come across anything please let us know.

You wouldn't by any chance know of a good read that would help me better understand the way they grade/weigh/measure/thickness/judge/name the papers. It's almost as if they don't want you to know.

Also, getting samples is usually not very easy. I've had to buy a lot of letter size page samplers for the HPZ, and here's a secret you probably already know. If you are trying to print a sample sheet out of the HPZ, and for consistency use their built in images, tape a letter size scrap page to the end of your test sheet if you want the HPZ to print the image over the full letter size page, without stopping prematurely. I use scotch magic tape, and be sure to put it almost the entire length of the page. When I put on just a few short pieces I managed to get a paper jam.

I'll have to look into the Innova Soft Texture Natural White 200 gr/m2. I'm using a few of their papers for B&W photography and I really like the results.

Thanks, and so long for now, TOM

[neile]

You wouldn't by any chance know of a good read that would help me better understand the way they grade/weigh/measure/thickness/judge/name the papers. It's almost as if they don't want you to know.

You might find my spreadsheet useful for this. It has 70 different papers all in one list, and I've gone to all the websites to decipher the thickness, weight, sheen, texture, etc. and put it in one central location.

There are certainly some papers missing from the list, but most of the major ones are there.

Neil

[dandeliondigital]

Hi Neil,
Well thank you very much for this. It does sound interesting, and like the solution I was looking for.

I appreciate it.

So long for now, TOM

You might find my spreadsheet useful for this. It has 70 different papers all in one list, and I've gone to all the websites to decipher the thickness, weight, sheen, texture, etc. and put it in one central location.

There are certainly some papers missing from the list, but most of the major ones are there.

Neil