2 days of Preps 6.1 training

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

Like I said, been doing it awhile. The trick is to use a 32nd ruler. If you have a 16th, you will have to guess, or split the difference between 16ths. I don't like doing that, so I made the company get me a 32nd ruler. Sometimes I wish I had a 64th ruler.

It sounds like we work similar with this
have you ever seen a ruler made from film?
it's so precise and you can see through it
I will check and see if I still have some
if not maybe Born can hook us up
they have them where he works or they use to.

Yeah, I have a MM ruler I built in Freehand and made a film pos out of. It was for the Pressman, but I use it occasionally.

[t-pat]

Really, I get them kicked back when they are not BALLS on! I mean EXACTLY on the dot. AS a matter of fact, the other operators aren't allowed to do them anymore. Only me. I don't do anything different except make all my measurement precise. I don't do anything half-ass.

Must be some seriously anal converters, we work with 6 different ones and I do them the same, not measuring to anything beyond 1/16". I do 90% of them here too, and about 50% of them at my last place.

If you saw how they're making them you would want to kill them for being so picky, it's like stone age tech, like a Misomex.

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

Yeah, here it is... 4 up.

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

Really, I get them kicked back when they are not BALLS on! I mean EXACTLY on the dot. AS a matter of fact, the other operators aren't allowed to do them anymore. Only me. I don't do anything different except make all my measurement precise. I don't do anything half-ass.

Must be some seriously anal converters, we work with 6 different ones and I do them the same, not measuring to anything beyond 1/16". I do 90% of them here too, and about 50% of them at my last place.

If you saw how they're making them you would want to kill them for being so picky, it's like stone age tech, like a Misomex.

I know. It's pretty ridiculous, but they got all the print shops in town doing it this way. Some choose to fight the manual way, others just don't get it, but in the end, if your dots aren't lined up... you're doing it over. I just hate how everything on their end is hand done, while we are trying to match that digitally. Time to grow up.


We have another up and coming convertor starting to rear it's head... they seem to be a little more technologically advanced. We'll see.

[Joe]

Yeah, here it is... 4 up.

I had some of those but our ECRM imagesetter would stretch it every time. It was better if you output it across the drum but it never would output it at exactly 100%. No imagesetter to try it on now.

[t-pat]

I mean, get samples of converted envelopes that you laid out. See if they're even within 1/16 tolerance. Maybe ONE of them will be, but I doubt it.

Maybe they cut us slack because we're printing their jobs for them, not only sending in our jobs and just using them for converting. who knows.

I feel for you. I used to sweat it at my last job (runs were in the 10s of millions, not here thankfully) and take an hour to do one. Now I take 15 minutes and everyone is satisfied.

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

Yeah, here it is... 4 up.

I had some of those but our ECRM imagesetter would stretch it every time. It was better if you output it across the drum but it never would output it at exactly 100%. No imagesetter to try it on now.

Yeah. I ran into that. I have a 90 degree version, too JUST for that situation. Of course, they are worthless now, so does it even matter? :laugh:

[Joe]

We could output it to clear film on the inkjet. I know the measurements would be a mess then.  :laugh:

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

We could output it to clear film on the inkjet. I know the measurements would be a mess then.  :laugh:

Yeah, and don't spill anything on it.

[Farabomb]

I've never had a converter kick anything back but I still do the layout as exact as I can. I don't get it down to RCH tolerances but 1/16 is enough. Some of the "samples" I've gotten back have been not even close to the cut down proofs I provide but if the customer is happy that is all the really matters.

Am I the only one that enjoys cutting down a nice complex die job?

[Tracy]

no your not the only crazy one here! :laugh:

[David]

We get the hand drawn ones as well. But, we always work from the left side and the tail of the sheet for measurements.
Most envelope converters have what is known as a "breakout". This is the distance between the cuts of two nested envelopes. This is for when they cut out one envelope next to another, the thin strip of paper that is left will tear, or breakaway. Usually the distance is either 1/4" or 3/32". They keep the same distance to the left and tail of the sheet.
So, all you really need to do it to start at the left/tail position, come in 3/32 in both directions and work your way across the sheet. The press Guide side and the gripper are usually where the excess falls and the dimensions aren't that critical.
We always send a flat inkjet to the converter after we impose it so they can verify the positioning.
We've never had one kicked back yet. Unless the paper size changes or there is a problem with bleeds or whatever.

[gnubler]

no your not the only crazy one here! :laugh:

Ditto. It's prepress.

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

We get the hand drawn ones as well. But, we always work from the left side and the tail of the sheet for measurements.
Most envelope converters have what is known as a "breakout". This is the distance between the cuts of two nested envelopes. This is for when they cut out one envelope next to another, the thin strip of paper that is left will tear, or breakaway. Usually the distance is either 1/4" or 3/32". They keep the same distance to the left and tail of the sheet.
So, all you really need to do it to start at the left/tail position, come in 3/32 in both directions and work your way across the sheet. The press Guide side and the gripper are usually where the excess falls and the dimensions aren't that critical.
We always send a flat inkjet to the converter after we impose it so they can verify the positioning.
We've never had one kicked back yet. Unless the paper size changes or there is a problem with bleeds or whatever.

I had problems measuring from the tail and hitting, I started going from the gripper about a year ago, even though it really is against the rules. Plus, the more complex the art, say one with full bleeds... the pickier my convertor is.

[t-pat]

Kodak's initial response to my overlap/no bleed problem:

****
I believe you are looking for Bleed to Bleed Snap Preferences. Open your Preps 6 Preferences and you will see Snap options on the lower left side. Choose the type of snapping to apply for dragging and dropping pages:
       
        •        Trim to trim (default): The trim edges touch, and any inner bleed margins are automatically removed.
        •        Bleed to bleed: The inner bleed margins are automatically adjusted to half their original width.
        •        Gutters: When you specify the horizontal and vertical distances, any overlapping bleed margins are automatically adjusted to split the width equally.
***

Unfortunately, it did not do anything to fix the problem although these are neat things to have control over.