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Old 07-04-2012, 10:06 AM
AndyDuframe AndyDuframe is offline
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How heavy of paper can a printer handle?

I guess I'm assuming that my home printer would choke on anything heavier than 65# card stock. But now that I think about it, I've never really tested that theory.

I realize all printers are different, but what's the heaviest paper you've been able to send through a typical home printer? (the $75 - $150 range).

Also, do any of you send more unconventional materials (something other than paper) through your home printer? Cloth, plastic, etc.?

Thanks!
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Old 07-04-2012, 10:39 AM
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SCEtoAUX SCEtoAUX is offline
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Canon Pixma MG5220.

I have been able to send some heavy weight tag through my printer. That is about the same as 140 lb(253gsm) index. I have sent cloth that has been fused to freezer paper through the printer too. 110 lb index cardstock (199gsm) is used a lot along with 65 lb (175gsm) cover cardstock.
The rear tray is used for those. It provides an L-shaped path which is close to a straight through shot. No problems yet.

It has a cassette for regular printer paper that uses a U-shaped path. I always make sure I select the rear tray when using special papers like the cloth and cardstock, and photo paper.
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Old 07-04-2012, 10:41 AM
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mbauer mbauer is offline
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I use an older Hp Deskjet 1220c printer for 8.5 x 11. It can handle 13 x 19 size sheets as well. Index 100# will work fine, if needing to print on Index 110# or even Tag 125#, the sheet needs modified to go through without hanging up.

Easy fix: Just bend the first 1/4 inch of the sheet slightly up using just you fingers. Then a small angled cut on the left side is all that is needed for the heavy stuff to feed through.

Several printers have been used, the photo ones didn't have trouble with 110#.

For really big prints up to 2ft x 3ft size sheets, the HP Designjet 120c can handle really heavy stuff. Just printed on some cardstock that weighed in at 260 gsm or approximately 160# Index. It starts to have trouble with 175# index, however depends on the brand being used. Some brands are more flexible than others.

Springhill products are strong and less flexible than Wausau Index 110#. Did some testing many years ago and created a chart of various brands of Index 110#.

My signature below has a link for the results and different equivalent weights, laminations etc...

Tried to print on depron foam many years ago. 1mm thick and 0.5mm thick. The 1mm would crinkle and cause wierd lines to apear that wouldn't feed through the printer = good thing. The I tried the 0.5mm and was able to get it to feed and the ink looked great however; the little pinwheels that hold it to the platten (big roller in HP printers) acted like buzz saws and shreded it causing the edges to peel off and jam the printer, took 8-hours to disassemble and clean it all out...Almost ruined my $650 HP 450 c printer.

Best thing to do is get the weight you want and test print!

Mike

Last edited by mbauer; 07-04-2012 at 10:48 AM. Reason: forgot to mention depron
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Old 07-04-2012, 11:36 AM
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Kevin WS Kevin WS is offline
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Be careful - you do not want stuff up your printer and this is really easy to do with the wrong paper.

However, Google the manufacturers Web sites and you should be able to find the spec sizes your printer model will take. Do not exceed this!

With modern larger printers with a bypass or fixed input tray on the side, select the tray as the output in the printer menu. It will then give you a choice of paper types and also thickness - you can generally go easily for a thick paper or card. If you do not have the tray options do not try as you will jam the machine- the normal paper path is too complex for thick paper.

As regards other materials - as a rule no. The processes used by printers use various methods depending on if they are ink or toner, but in every case they are designed to fix the media to paper only.
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Old 07-06-2012, 07:18 AM
John Wagenseil John Wagenseil is offline
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Ink jet printers with L shape paper path (Epson, Canon) can handle thicker or stiffer paper than U shaped paper path printers (HP).
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