How to print 2-sided business cards on thick cardstock?
Hi everybody!
I wanted to ask for a tutorial on how to print a 2-sided business card on 850 gsm cardstock? I’ve tried printing on one side and it created a nice deep impression with no showthrough on the other side, so I want to try printing on that blank side as well.
Some questions running in my head about this:
- How do I align the design of one side to the other so when I trim it to size, they’re perfect?
- Or do I cut the cards to business card size already before printing?
I have a Heidelberg Windmill 10 x15. I use photopolymer plates.
I’d appreciate photos or links to videos as well, if any!
Thank you :)
The most important thing is to run the side with the least impression first. This would preclude things like work and turn/tumble if running more than one up. If you run a big impression on one side, it will effect how the second side will print. It may even be advantageous to have any strong impression features printed as a third (or fourth) run. If things are really strong, then printing the sides seperately and laminating might be what is needed.
If you are running “commercial” (no guides), then center the form on the mark on the chase (every Heidelberg chase has a feeder center mark on it—that is NOT the center of the chase). It is helpful to have marks and use those to adjust position by moving the paper pile (fiddly).
If you are running to guides, be mindful of the corner you are registering to and keep you gripper margins in mind as you flip the stock. Ruling out the trim on a sheet is helpful for keeping track of where you are and how you need to work the stock to print the second side.
I don’t know gsm. I know pounds and categories (bond, book, text, cardstock, cover, etc.). My gsm-lbs calculator reads 850 gsm is 574 pound paper. Is this correct? What are you printing .. bricks?
Sorry for the really late reply!
mikefrommontana – Thank you for your tips! I haven’t tried it yet but I’ll definitely keep these in mind.
j archibald – I’m not sure about the conversion but this is the paper I’m referring to. I printed on 450 gsm! https://shop.gfsmith.com/wild-white