Using Polymer Plate with or without guide?
Hi, I recently bought my Windmill and in a process of learning how to operate it. I have a couple of questions to ask if you don’t mind :)
1. When you use polymer plate, do you normally print with or without guide? Why?
2. If without guide, where should I position the paper on the feed table? Left top or middle?
3. Where should I position the polymer plate on base to get the registration right?
Many thanks
You can run it either way. However if you use guides be sure the guides and pins clear the bottom of the base plate. Printing in the middle is always best if possible
I run a windmill and usually print w/ guides because most of my work requires tight registration. You can go guide-less but you will not achieve tight register. Also when guideless, you don’t really position the paper per-se, as the grippers don’t let go of the paper.
If you haven’t read the manual, it is highly suggested. There is a lot of good info in it.
Good luck.
Thanks guys for your advices. I read the manual many times and understand about print with or without guide but it didn’t tell you about printing with polymer and base. (of course it printed in 1960 :) )
I’ve got 9x12 boxcar base (for windmill) and I wonder if I want to print my business card on A5 or smaller paper. How could I avoid the guide and pins touch the base? Should I add some furniture to the bottom of chase to raise the base up a bit? Do you have any tips for tight register?
Thanks
I usually add some furniture to move my base away from the guide pins. I’ve only ever done cut-to-size business cards once and I did it without guides (1-color job). If I’m using guides, I allow for some space on the paper and plan to trim after.
Lay pins can fall inside the base area so long as there is no plate there and you cut away the packing in that area so as to not mar the base.
Mind your terminology, too, you can’t print with guides on a Windmill (other than the side-guide, of course)! Nickel or brass gauges are used.