Making Your Own Book

This is the fun part where you try a new paper and get to beat your head against the wall. First off, I've never been crazy about matte paper. You know that. Now how nice it was with my Silver Rag or Luster etc. where I could just go into Monochrome Advanced Mode, a couple of tests, and I was in business. So I can't go into Monochrome mode with Matte Paper and Photo Black Ink. So right away I'm into trying to either fool the printer; or a new setup with a profile. This is where you begin to eat up money on tests.

I think the problem is that you need to use matte black ink to get d-max with this paper; and actually the profiles I see are for MK ink. So - am I going to switch to MK ink on the 4800 for a book. No.

However - all is not lost. I'm going to setup the 2200 with MK and use a profile for that and see if it's doable. Ugh.

I suspect that today will be a day to go backwards.

11:05 A.M.

I switched to matte black ink on the 2200, downloaded a profile from Booksmart for this paper, did the setup for using the profile and turning off color management in the driver etc. The results are okay. But there is the usual color shift you get with the 2200 as you move the print from incandescent to daylight.

I can get rid of the shift by hooking up my ImagePrint software - but I'm just not crazy about the smooth matte look. Never have been. The overall look is similar to what you'd get with Enhanced Matte etc. Nothing spectacular. Not compared to what I'm used to with Silver Rag or even with Luster on the 4800.

Honestly - at this point - I want to use the paper stock that I like. I think I'm going to look for some other method of assembly. I will sacrifice having double-sided printing if I can get the paper I like, and if the book can lie somewhat flat when opened. I want to do some smudge tests with the Silver Rag. BTW - nobody even has Silver Rag right now and there is no ETA. And I'm down to my last roll.

12:00 p.m.

I'm going to wait for the BreezeKit that I ordered which lets you use your own papers and supplies the cover and adhesive and clips - before I waste any more money.

3:45 p.m.

I'm going to say one other crazy thing. For under $800 you can simply buy two machines that will do a "perfect binding" with glue for a hard cover book. The binder and a crimper. Don't think I'm nuts but this is a real possibility right now but I'm going to have to look into it more carefully. These produce "real" hardcover / softcover books.

5:20

Here's one more link about making your own perfect bound book featuring the gigabooks press (scroll to bottom). I mean, basically, you're talking about $300 startup for making your own perfect-bound books. Of course I doubt if you're going to produce hundreds this way - but if you get to that point - you're ready to have them bound by someone else.

6:33

And there are dual side semi-gloss inkjet papers out there. One from Moab looks promising.