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[lovemotionstory]

i need advice, but it's not like the other posts, this is about printers!

what kind of printer do you think i should get for my project? i am having trouble deciding.

if you can't point me to a specific printer, at least tell me whether you think i should go with ink or laser.

Comments

[jrcorn]

I don't have anything intelligent to add, but I can't stop laughing.

When you said 'laser' did you have your pinky at the corner of your mouth?

[lovemotionstory]

aw, why don't you have anything?

i totally had no pinkies near my mouth, young man.

[archmage]

Did you at least toss air quotes?

[lovemotionstory]

no... geez!

you guys are silly.

[xknot_myselfx]

Abso-freakin'-lutely go for a laser printer! Beautiful quality.

Although, I have this certain affinity for the inkjet printers, now. They are of comparible quality and I think ink is cheaper than toner. I would go for a Lexmark inkjet.

How exciting about your books! I wish I could get off my lazy duff and finish my stories....

[xknot_myselfx]

Also...Lulu might be a possible option? Maybe?

[lovemotionstory]

that sight doesn't have a way to make books for really young children (in other words, more babyproof books). also, i am really into the idea of making it myself.

[xknot_myselfx]

This is true - and I suppose I already knew you were going to make it all yourself, hand-made. :)

I think this is a really awesome idea. I can't wait to see the finished book! I may have to buy a few copies from you (I have a load of friends with new babies)!!! :)

[quixotesco]

have you looked into printing services instead of getting one? depends on how many you are going to print, but my guess is it would be cheaper and higher-quality to rent this service than to reproduce it at home.

[lovemotionstory]

you'd be surprised what a person can do at home..

i'd really like to do these myself, being as there's some assembly that will be involved to make them baby-proof. they're not intended to be plain ol' paperbacks.

i will print whatever i get the demand for, i plant to make ten or so at a time, making more as i sell what's been made.

[quixotesco]

Coo'. I haven't done the math, I'm just guessing from years of being a tight-wad.

[lovemotionstory]

i'd say that if i were making a book for older children, maybe it would be cheaper to send it off.. but since the first two i've finished are alphabet rhyming books intended for young children, i am going to be printing, laminating and then binding with plastic rings.

[anartperson]

You should go with an HP or Canon printer. Lexmark has the best prices, but they don't last as long or print as well. So, you get what you pay for. Canon is usually cheaper than HP, and the ink too, but the ink doesn't usually last as long. We have three HP printers in our house, and they are great. Now if you are going to be printing on heavier stock paper, you should probably get an inkjet. Lasers use a lot of heat, and are a lot faster than inkjet, so they curl thick paper, and often times don't allow paper thicker than 65 lb. So basically I recommend an HP, we have this one: http://www.shopping.hp.com/store/product/product_detail/Q7058A%2523ABA?jumpid=in_r329_search/C8973A_pdp/d7360_Q7058A... )

[another1stkiss]

Avoid HP printers at all costs.

That's the only useful advice I have, really, since I only print something about once every other month (and usually get roxychan to do it for me at work). I have a certain affinity for Epson printer, but have no explanation for that other than that my first printer was an Epson (dot matrix ftw) and they just "feel" solid to me.

[another1stkiss]

Reading the comment below, perhaps my post could be qualified by saying "Avoid CHEAP HP printers at all cost." Their higher-end printers might be great for all I know, but calling their cheap ones disposable would be charitable.

I think to a certain extent, you get what you pay for--buy a cheap printer and you're not gonna have a good experience. Drop some coin and you'll probably have a better experience. Immerse yourself in Amazon customer reviews and the like.

Also pay a lot of attention to how much ink for the printer costs, and how many pages they claim you can get out of it, and factor those into your decision.

[zind4gi]

I really love the Canon Pixma printers. I bought one for my parents. So good and some of them do duplex printing. I have an Epson R300 series which I love too but I like the Canon better. Only problem is that I needed a printer that prints directly onto DVDs (i hate those label stickers so this was important to me). Unfortunately, only Epson did that. I would have gone with HP as their Vivera inks are really good, but it's expensive. I don't recall if HP started using individual colors or a single cartridge that uses 3 colors in one (problem here is that if one color runs out the rest are useless). So overall, my vote is Canon Pixma line and their inks are good and affordable plus you can visually see how much ink you have left vs the others which are solid color ink cartridges that rely on a computer chip to tell you how much ink is left.

ooo, thanks!

[lovemotionstory]

which canon prixma printer is your ultimate top pick? do you have a top pick for epson and hp?

Re: ooo, thanks!

[zind4gi]

I've lost track of the model numbers but basically any 6 color Canon Pixma is good. They have different price points, but you don't really need all the bells and whistles. I like 6 colors though because then you have a seperate ink for some colors instead of having to combine the ink from two different ink carts to get that same color. 8 color is the best but probably a $$$ waster unless you are running some kind of business. For epson, the R300 series (anything) is good. Some of the printers, if you choose so, have a little LCD screen on them and that's cool, but I don't use mine at all. I end up downloading the pics from my camera to my PC and touch it up thereby defeating the purpose of the LCD screen which allows you to stick the dig cam memory card directly to the printer without having a computer involved. Again, I think this really only gets used some of the time and is probably not worth the extra money.