Paper Choices - There are too many - Call me, the expert

I saw this blog post and I thought this was too good to pass up.  Paper is like buying tires. You can't just say I need tires.  There are too many  options.   Picking the wrong paper can cost you money on a job. That is why I say call me the expert.  951 640 3890. I know what paper should be used when and on what job.  Paper is typically about 60%  to 70% of the cost of a job and if you choose the wrong weight and are competing with someone that knows  their stuff you will always be too high.

Here is a good article on paper. Enjoy then call me!

Choosing the right paper for your print project would be easier if manufacturers would stick to one definition to describe the weight of their product. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case.

Pound – The industry defines pound as the basis weight of a 500-sheet ream of the paper at its basic size. This measurement is often stated using “#,” the pound symbol. For example, 500 sheets of 20# paper weigh 20 pounds.

Point – Point, or caliper point, refers to the thickness of an individual sheet of paper when measured with a micrometer (e.g. 20pt). Papers measured in points are typically “board grade” paper which are slightly lower quality than paper measured in pounds. Thicker papers have higher point designations.

Cover: Cover stocks are heavier, somewhat rigid and not easily folded. These paper types are best for publication covers, business cards, greeting cards, folders, and postcards. They can have coated or uncoated finishes.

 

Paper coating:

Coated – Coated paper has a waxy finish (shiny or matte). Coated papers are available in a gloss, silk (sometimes called satin) or matt finish and are used for projects requiring a fine finish. Coated paper can give the printed piece a classier look. Note: Do not use gloss if your product will be used for note-taking. Gloss finish is very difficult to write on.

Types of coating:

UV Coating: (Ultra Violet): UV coating is a highly protective, ultra-shiny gloss coating. The solvent-free UV coating provides an extremely hard finish that’s chemical and abrasion resistant. It makes details really pop! It can be used on the entire piece or strategically placed on specific areas to make them stand out, such as a logo or photo.

Aqueous-This is a clear water-based coating that is thinner than UV Coating. It provides a medium-gloss surface that deters dirt, fingerprints and scuff marks. It protects pieces such as postcards and brochures as they go through the mail, and business cards as they ride around in people’s pockets.

Coated One Side (C1S) – A cover stock that has a coating on one side and is dull on the reverse side. C1S papers are typically used for products like Holiday Cards or Birthday cards where you want the outside to pop with a glossy finish and for the inside to be writable.

Coated Two Sides (C2S) – A cover stock that has a coating on both sides. This is typically used for flyers, brochures, booklets, and handouts that will not be written on.

Uncoated - This paper has an untreated surface-resulting in a dull and unreflective look. Uncoated paper is typically used for letterhead, envelopes, and notepads. Premium uncoated paper can also be used to provide an earthier, more personal feel for important Invitations, Announcements, and Thank You cards.

The ink used to print your marketing piece will appear differently depending on the finish of your paper.

Gloss – A gloss finish produces a shiny paper surface, such as that you’d find on a photograph. It can make full color images and graphics appear more vibrant and visually appealing. It also protects the ink from fading and moisture. Although images on high-gloss paper look great, the shine makes reading text off the page more difficult.

Satin – A satin finish falls somewhere between gloss and matte. It produces a slight sheen, enhancing full color images and graphics while preserving the readability of text.

Matte – A matte finish produces a smooth yet muted paper surface. It yields a more “artistic” feel to the finished product. Colors appear softer, and text-heavy documents may be easier to read. It also eliminates fingerprints.

Getting Specific:Common Paper types and uses

80# Gloss Text

This is standard glossy paper stock, about as thick as a light magazine cover. The shiny finish provides an excellent opaque base for rich process color printing. This is a very popular stock for brochure printing, catalog Inserts, flyers, posters, etc.

80# Gloss Cover

As a “cover” stock, this paper is stiff, about like a postcard or baseball card. This stock is coated with a glossy finish, making photographs and other images look beautiful. Standard uses: durable, heavy-weight Brochures, Catalog Covers, Product Spec Sheets.

80# Dull/Matte Text

This stock is finely coated with a non-gloss finish. It provides an excellent opaque base for easy to read, crisp typography. Standard Uses: Brochures, Newsletters, Catalog Inserts, and Flyers, etc.

80# Dull/Matte Cover

Most dull/matte cover is a typically around a 9 PT cover stock with a smooth, non-shiny coating. It is well suited for detailed, crisp printing without sacrificing the ability to easily write on the paper. Often selected with the 80# dull/matte text option for inside your catalog or booklet piece.

100# Gloss Text

Similar to the 80# gloss text, but 25% thicker and heavier, for a more substantial feeling piece. Standard uses: Brochures, Information Sheets, Direct mail pieces, Posters, Door Hangers, etc.

100# Dull/Matte Text

Thicker and heavier than 80# Dull/Matte text for a more substantial feeling piece. Provides a non-glossy, opaque base for detailed, crisp printing.

100# Uncoated Cover

An option for business cards, rack cards and bookmarks. This is smooth and typically around 14 PT in thickness.

110# Uncoated Matte

This paper is often referred to as card stock. This is a great choice when you want the details on your invitations to look crisp and clear, or when your postcards need to withstand a bit of abuse.

120# Gloss Cover

This has a high quality look. It is a glossy, coated finish to make photographs and other images look beautiful. Aqueous coating can be added for an even more protection and shine.

120# Dull/Matte Cover

This typically has a smooth, non-shiny coating. It is well suited for detailed, crisp printing without sacrificing the ability to easily write on the paper. An excellent choice for Business Cards, Postcards, Note Cards and Greeting Cards.

70# Uncoated Text

This is typically used for stationery, envelopes and newsletters. Many common stationery stocks are not optimized for 4-color printing. This paper feels substantial, and is the best type of uncoated paper stock available for full-color printing.

24# Uncoated and 28# Uncoated

This is a standard stock commonly used for envelopes, also called White Wove. The 28# is thicker and heavier than the 24#.

Magnet Stock or Magnetic Paper

Usually thicker- it should deliver high quality printing with excellent color reproduction and will stick to most metal surfaces. It’s a great choice for business cards, postcards, coupons, calendars, sport schedules, and menus.

Now you know why you specialize in promos and I focus on print.  Confusing as hell right?

You gotta live this stuff to get good at it and for 25 years I have lived print and made almost every possible paper mistake possible, so you don't have to.

Use this as a guide then  when you need a pro call me at 951 640 3890.

Scott Rundle

At Your Service!

Little Boy...Big Success!

I love referrals. They are the life blood of any good business.  Your reputation in life is very important and hard work and great service will earn you many referrals.  In sales you need to treat everyone you meet as your next best friend and always leave them something they can hang their hat on about you.

If you tell them you provide great service, excellent pricing, and super fast turnaround they can't hang their hat on that one as that is a minimum standard for our industry. Who can't get a pen in a day anymore?

With the invention of the PDF and email we don't even need to see a client to present proofs anymore.  Time is of the essence and everyone can deliver fast. Thank God our clients have finally learned or have decent designers that can provide us an eps file and or a pdf. I remember the day I first heard those terms and it wasn't that long ago.

Time flies and business evolves and now is a great time to be in sales.  The good old days were not so grand.  Pagers and no cell phones, cars without air condition and suits and ties.  As I write this I am wearing shorts and a ball cap working from my home office waiting for your phone call. LOL.

I digress.

When I meet a rep for the first time I leave them with something unique that nobody else will tell them based upon the conversation I had with them:

**Call me when you get that tough project that you don't know what to do with.

** I specialize in INK ON ANYTHING!

** I love deadlines as it makes our clients move. The tighter the deadline the better.

** If you need a key chain printed I am not your guy, but if you need a multi-part job that needs to be printed, die cut, packed in a box and shipped to 10 locations in record time I am your guy.

**  I love new projects.  It is what gets me up in the a.m. I can help and I am willing to jump in with two feet.


Then the call comes in and they tell me about a poster they are trying to find that nobody else can help them with. It is printed 4 color process and laminated with dry erase, needs to be packed and sent to 14 locations with dry erase clips and pens in the kit. Oh and by the way this is a calendar and we are already late. How fast can you do it. Record time is the answer and that is what we did for Sara and her client.

My job it to take your job from this:

To this:

Below is a case study on a recent project I did for a rep that sells to the movie industry.

Little Boy is a great movie and the premiere was set for April 24th 2015 I believe. The client needed this box and a special die cut and glued dvd case to be made for the premiere kits that go out for P.R.  In the kit were all sorts of other goodies that I did not provide. But I provided the box and without the box all the other items were useless and the rep would fail.

My client called a box prototype company and asked for a quote. They did not respond at all in three days. So when I got the call time was of the essence and they were already late.  Not to bore you with details, but here are the highpoints of the job.

Client needed a box and DVD case made:

I made a box prototype that day
Sent it to her next day. She approved it.  Made a die, got the art, fixed the art and provided a proof and got it approved. Printed the label, laminated it to corrugated, die cut it and packed it. Then I personally delivered to the client a day ahead of schedule in less than a week.

The DVD case was just as unique. We had to make a die line to fit her size desired, she set art to it, then we proofed it, printed it and die cut and glued it.  We delivered that a day early also.  Since this job was local I personally delivered this to her house and she was blown away.

Now, the questions is what can we do for you?

Life is good!

This is what I want for you!

My phone is on 24/7.    951 640 3890. I promise to call you back if you catch me napping at 2 in the a.m.  I live and breathe to serve and make it happen.  A pat on the back or a nice note means more to me than profit. Exceeding your and your clients expectations on difficult projects is just pure fun for me.



In Print


Scott Rundle
Print Concierge

IT IS IN THE CAN!... TURN $5. BUCKS INTO 100 BUCKS FOR YOUR NON-PROFIT CLIENTS

My definition is of "It is in the can"  comes  from the film industry not prison. Prison is where you go when it is not in the can.

In the can to me means.  I got you covered. Whatever you need it is all wrapped up. Shooting has been done and we are off the movies.

It means, I start to work and you stop worrying. If I say I am going to do something by a certain time consider it in the can.

That leads me the main part of this story.  A high level rep working for a huge Promotional Products company sent out an email saying he had looked on Sage and asked around but could not find a good vendor to provide his client with a Paint Can Piggy Bank.

A great video for you to learn more about the opportunity.

I just so happened to be at a trade show that day and past the paint can vendor, who had all sorts of cans on display.

I put two and two together and figured I could help him out.   I have never ever said no to client request for help and that has lead me down some interesting roads with more open roads than dead ends.

Well, you say what is so hard about a pint pain can decorated and has a slot for the money in the top.

It wasn't hard to figure it out, but I had not figured it out before I gave him the quote:

So here is how it rolled: the mfr said he could help find a person to die cut the lid.  Then all of the sudden he could not. Oh, crap keep looking.  Then I asked a McGiver friend of mine and he said use a high speed dremel.  Easy enough in my mind, so I spent 30 bucks on bits that would work. Then I went to my die cutter friend and he made a die and we tried it and it absolutely butchered the the can lid and did not work.

Then I got an email from another friend asking for help. I knew his dad has a metal spinning shop and they might have a way to get this done. He even does the Academy Awards. How could we go wrong.

Well, he solved the problem and how. And they look perfect.

Your cost for this pint size paint can is below: These  are net prices:

250 = $4.90 per can
500 = $4.50 per can
1000 = $4.25 per can
2500 = $4.00 per can

This includes: A pint size paint can, lid with slot in it, gloss label 4 color applied to can, repacking. Shipping is addl.

Ships 250 per case.

For more information give Scott Rundle a call at 951 640 3890.

More info on the paint can piggy bank!

A bit about me!

Wow, how pretentious you must be thinking.

You came to get some ideas and now this guy Scott just wants to talk about himself.

I think if I can get you through the next few paragraphs you will see the investment in time was worth it for you.

My name is Scott Rundle and I am a from the trenches and am a  print, problem solving machine.  I came from where you live now.  I started out selling printing 25 years ago and didn't know jack nothing about nothing.  By charlie hustle and some luck I started landing accounts and selling all sort of 4 color printing. Then I got sweet talked by a city slicker who said I could come to his company and make more money.  I was getting a 50% commission raise. I could not wait to spend that money.  He came to me 9 days after I followed him to the new company and said he was leaving for a new company. I was soo soo ticked off.

Little did I know the company had a terrible 4 color department and I lost many a client very quickly. Remember 100% of nothing is nothing. Learned that twice now in my life. I digress.

But they did manufacture forms, labels, 4 color, quick run stuff and also were a part of ASI.  Remember the big book  before logo mall. Wow, you could never find anything you were looking for but found everything you were not looking for.

I learned a lot about printing anything and everything the client was asking for.  I  hated printing inside as it took so long and cost too much, so much I became the buy out king.  If  someone needed something and they did not know where to go they came to me. If I did not know I would find someone who did and I learned even more.

Well I got fired one day and started my journey called All Source. My tagline has been for years.

Whatever you need... Whenever you need it!

I have never turned down a request to make something happen. Sometimes the impossible is possible and sometimes it is still impossible.

But one thing everyone learns when the impossible becomes possible it also might become more expensive.  Adding in couriers, air freight etc. all adds up.

So my new title is Print Concierge and I am at your service.  

Send me your wild and crazy ideas that your clients need.  Make them up to set yourself apart. I know printing and I know how to make it happen.  The more parts, the more complicated the project the better.

If you need business cards  go to your local guy. If you need die cut and foiled Presentation Folder with a capacity spine and one of a kind die cutting come to me.  

All in truth here:  I don't own any equipment, I don't have a plant, I have a few direct clients that I have had for years and now they are house accounts. But I do have a mad set of skills to pull multi part jobs together in record time and make you look like a hero to your clients.  I will protect your clients and your interest and never share anything but great ideas and never a clients name. Your willingness to trust me to make it happen is greatly appreciated.

My goal is to serve you and to help you make money and to make your clients happy.  Let's do it and have some fun in the process.

Feel free to call me up pick my brain, ask for a quote or get to know me.  

I am based in California and know how to get it done all  over the USA.

Scott Rundle

Scottrundle1@gmail.com

951 640 3890  Direct line and I answer my phone.