That means that, literally, just by calling a paper a different designation, the weight of the paper changes!
Neenah has a nice little chart that demonstrates this. Simply put, some papers are denser than others. That means that two different papers with the same basis weight can have drastically different thicknesses. There is one consistent way to measure and discuss the thickness of a paper: caliper.
The thickness of paper is measured in thousandths of an inch. While we do not sell letterpress paper here at Boxcar Press, we do have some nifty tips to help navigate your way through the sea of paper possibilities for your next letterpress printing project. Most letterpress papers are uncoated paper stock a paper with no gloss or shininess to it. Most papers come in ivory or a shade or two of white from a bright white to a natural white.
A traditional 1-ply paper is usually lb or gsm. A traditional 2-ply paper is usually lb or gsm. In comparison, printer copy paper for a copier or at-home inkjet printer is usually 20lb or 54gsm. We have compiled a list of papers for your musing and contemplation. Note that these prices do not include shipping costs and are current pricing for the items themselves at the time of this post. General directory of sample packs: visit the following sites for a wide variety of papers and envelopes.
There are major factors that influence what paper to use for a certain project. Factors may include: budget, thickness of paper for impression depth ability, impression aesthetic, and overall aesthetic. Determine what your projects needs are and research your paper to fit those needs. Once the general design process and aesthetic requirements of a project have been established paper selection is a process of elimination that can be broken down into simple factors.
The paper needs to feed through the press, provide a consistent printing surface, and receive ink readily. Presses that are hand fed offer more alternatives for sheet handling than those that are automatically fed. Also, cylinder presses require the ability of the intended paper to adhere to the curve of the cylinder during printing while a platen press can receive paper which has little ability to flex. A paper with a pronounced deckle would present feeding and registration issues as the sheet edge is inconsistently defined.
A paper with inclusions such as bark or other plant materials alter the compressibility of the sheet and could damage type or plates. Will the paper need to be thick and soft to allow for deep impression? What paper finishing steps, such as scoring, folding, and cutting, are planned? Is the paper available in the sheet sizes and grain orientations needed for printing your form?
This will further eliminate a large number of papers and begin to narrow the options. Physical samples are the best tool here, technical information from the paper manufacturer on the intended uses is also helpful. Determine the best number of press ready sheets to be gotten out of the parent sheet.
Is there a similar paper available that may yield more press sheets? Using the above factors, a small group of aesthetically and practically applicable papers to choose from can be gathered from samples and presented to the client for selection or be deliberated over by the printer. Keeping detailed notes on the pros and cons of various paper types, their behavior on press, and samples from print work can also add to your paper knowledge library and expedite future selections.
Paper should be stored flat for any length of time in a well ventilated, average humidity environment, carefully wrapped in an acid free kraft paper. Wrapping paper with a high acid content coming in direct contact with paper can discolor acid free paper if left for longer periods of time.
After any conversion work, unless put into immediate use, press sheets should be again wrapped and brought into the pressroom and unwrapped only when presswork is about to begin.
Limit handling as much as possible, and then only with clean hands. It's reliable, durable, and takes one of the best letterpress impressions that we've seen. Its thicker duplexed weight is great for double-sided business cards, or anyone desiring a substantially thick card or invite. Neenah also provides a matching thinner text weight for letterheads, writing stationery and envelopes.
For colored papers, we most often recommend the many colors of Colorplan , which is an all wood pulp paper as opposed to cotton and is much more rigid and dense We use Colorplan for our Colophon Card.
Because it's more compressed, the impression depth is considerably more subtle. The paper we use is just as intentional as any other ingredient in our process. Understandably, we romanticize about the printmaking process , the old letterpress machines, and craftsmanship that's involved in producing letterpress printed work.
Sometimes, the paper flies under the radar and doesn't get the credit it deserves. At Hoban Cards, we're continually excited to experiment with new papers and sing the praise of the specialty paper industry. We not only love writing about letterpress, typography, and design — we're printers ourselves!
We've chosen to carry on the tradition of letterpress printing by offering beautifully pre-designed cards at affordable prices. Close search. An close up at the texture of house paper, Neenah Cotton.
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