Most accurate way to cut prints?

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connersz

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I do a lot of prints for clients, mostly small ones that I print on A4 sheets the majority of the time.

The issue is that I can never get a consistent cut on the prints. I want all of them to be identical but if you have three 6x4 prints on one page and you cut them manually you will end up with a pile of prints that are all different sizes with some sticking out.

I already have a very big expensive paper cutter but it's still not accurate enough. I wanted to know if there's something better out there like an electronic cutter of some sort.

I can't order the correct size papers for all sizes as there's over 50 and the printers don't allow most of them.
 
Without seeing your cutter it is hard to give precise advice. Basically, you need a hard stop to put the paper against while you cut. Each trimmed piece will then be exactly the same size.
 
john.margetts said:
Without seeing your cutter it is hard to give precise advice. Basically, you need a hard stop to put the paper against while you cut. Each trimmed piece will then be exactly the same size.
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That's only partially true I'm afraid. If you're printing 6x4's you will get three on an A4 sheet meaning that you will need to change the guide position multiple times.
 
I was thinking you would leave the guide position alone and move the paper to suit. If you print the three 6x4 pictures with one edge on the edge of the A4 that should work well.

Another option is to cut the blank A4 into 6x4 pieces with no image to worry about and then print the pictures.
 
Even if you had a programmable printers guillotine, what you want to achieve would be difficult.
cutting the paper to size first is your best hope.
 
john.margetts said:
I was thinking you would leave the guide position alone and move the paper to suit. If you print the three 6x4 pictures with one edge on the edge of the A4 that should work well.

Another option is to cut the blank A4 into 6x4 pieces with no image to worry about and then print the pictures.
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In order to fit three 6x4's on an A4 two need to be portrait and one landscape and what you suggested would only work if you wanted to cut two of the sides off. Anyway it's not just one size of print, it was just an example.

Terrywoodenpic said:
Even if you had a programmable printers guillotine, what you want to achieve would be difficult.
cutting the paper to size first is your best hope.
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It's not going to make it any difference cutting the paper first, it will still be just the same. I also mentioned in my first post that the printers don't allow all the paper sizes.
 
Even a pro high end guillotine will only work if all images are perfectly lined up with plenty of bleed.
A simple scalpel and ruler may be your best option, but if you are doing large quantitys perhaps send them out to a lab, i cannot see a simple fix for this one.
 
There is no way you can achieve what you want with any equipment that is available.
You are going to have to put up with some variation.
or cut the paper first.
Most printers will feed any size stock between 6x4 and a4, and many can cope will roll stock of standard widths.
 
Who is doing the printing? I had assumed you were. Easiest solution would be to only offer A format prints so A6 rather than 6x4 giving four on an A4 sheet.
 
Mitsubishi event printers that I have used neatly trim up each dye sub print after printing.
 
I'm grateful for your suggestions but I think most of you are missing the point. I'm running quite a big operation with multiple printers that can print up to A1 and the issue is not the paper sizes. The issue is that if you print an order of 300 prints of the same size and pile them up you will see how they're not consistently cut, even an imperfection of less than 1mm will be visible. It's good but not good enough.

I'm thinking at the moment my best bet will be to get a 500 sheet automatic guillotine with an automatic or spindle operated back-gauge. I could then trim the two 90 degree edges manually before using the more precise guillotine to perfectly trim the opposing edges. I'm sure this would work well but was hoping for some advice/confirmation from the lab operators on here.
 
Apologies in advance if I'm misunderstanding this, but if you need to produce 300 prints of the same size (eg 6x4) would it not be easier to buy photographic paper already cut to that size rather than try to find a way to cut 6x4 prints from an A4 sheet?

Dave
 
Tringa said:
Apologies in advance if I'm misunderstanding this, but if you need to produce 300 prints of the same size (eg 6x4) would it not be easier to buy photographic paper already cut to that size rather than try to find a way to cut 6x4 prints from an A4 sheet?

Dave
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As I've said about three times now the first problem is that printer profiles don't allow every paper size. There are also no suppliers who offer this amount of paper sizes and even if they did, stocking them all would be an absolute nightmare.

So yes you are misunderstanding this.
 
A programmable printers guillotine will cut a ream at a time. And although they can be st to cut to .1 of a mm in reality they do rely on the skill of the operator in measuring and knocking up the paper. In reality a 1/2 mm is easily achievable with a sharp blade, but you can get over and under cut with a blade that needs sharpening. At my last print shop we used eba 7260 guillotines, but smaller ones are available.
The advantage from your point of view, is that you can record preset programs and call them up instantly.
If your equipment can accurately print in position you could cut them accurately.

one slight additional problem is that stock papers are not always cut accurately to start with. so you must keep to the original grip and lays.

however to cut accurately does need some training and experience in paper handeling.This guillotine will cut down (but not trim the long side)A1 if the 594 side is positioned first,as the blade length is 720mm.
we could litho print up to sra2 but bought paper in sra2 or sra1 depending on the grain direction needed.
For us a run of 500 was an absolute minimum.

One problem with you printing a mix of upright and landscape of the same shot, is that the grain direction and curl will be in the opposite directions. this makes for poor stacking and binding.
 
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connersz said:
As I've said about three times now the first problem is that printer profiles don't allow every paper size. There are also no suppliers who offer this amount of paper sizes and even if they did, stocking them all would be an absolute nightmare.

So yes you are misunderstanding this.
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I think you are trying to offer far too many paper sizes. You say 50 sizes but a combination of all the A sizes and all the Imperial sizes will not give you 50 sizes.
 
If you find a decent printer, they will easily accommodate your requirement, I take it your looking for accuracy in the cut to each copy and can allow slight variation between cut and picture content ?
 
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