[Closed] anyone in the printing business?

This is a family member's company: http://www.theprintagency.com/

Friendly, family fun business. Should be able to help

Hi!

Embossing is an expensive job and seems to be getting more expensive as the market for it falls.

These people near Nottingham are good, but not cheap.
http://a14printfinishing.co.uk/

Lot's of printers can't be bothered to handle it now, so you probably need to ring round a few to see who is prepared to.

Also google for Artisan Printers (yes I know!), but there are a few springing up who have bought old Letterpress equipment and are doing this sort of thing. And a lot of embossing is still done on machinery made in the 50s and 60s.

A cheaper solution may be to getting an embossing press and do it themselves if they are just after a seal effect?...
https://www.stampsdirect.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=embossing+press

As above - I don't know of any printers that will emboss in-house, that sort of work is normally sent out to print finishers (beautiful places using years old machinery normally).

You need to find a good quality printers that work with the creative trade (not just your local print shop). Those sort of places will be used to printing all sorts of materials with all sorts of finishing requirements.

I use PlatinumHPL in Harrogate on the increasingly rare time I ever get printed stuff done.

Colour Options in York may also be able to help.

Printing.com but only because I temped for them years ago.

Sadexpunk where are you based? I can recommend someone good in Bristol if that's useful? You mentioned "local"?

Sadexpunk where are you based? I can recommend someone good in Bristol if that’s useful? You mentioned “local”?

lincoln, so nowhere near, thanks.

i'll look into the options above, much appreciated.

if it helps visualise what we're after, this is the embossed logo in the corner, but also running my fingers over the edges, the red and gold frame is all raised a little too, its a very 'textured' certificate. if your pc has a good enough resolution you can probably see the texture of the whole card.

[img] [/img]

These people might be worth a call - there's not much they can't do or can't source...
https://www.johnewright.com/

Might be worth a call too...
https://www.stirlandpaterson.co.uk/

I work in this field although not an expert.

But you might be best self-embossing and then sourcing your printed material (eg. certificates, flyers, letterheads) elsewhere.

I have no direct experience of self-embossing but the firm below is one we have used, based in Lincoln also. And they might be help source your printed material.

https://www.stampsdirect.co.uk/custom-template-embossing-presses.html

if it helps visualise what we’re after, this is the embossed logo in the corner, but also running my fingers over the edges, the red and gold frame is all raised a little too, its a very ‘textured’ certificate.

I have used my UV inkjet printer to make really fancy business cards before - it can do raised/textured printing like you've shown - and there's no limit to the thickness of card you can use (perfect for thick, expensive, textured cardstock!) however it's neither a quick not cheap process!!

that little embossed stamp could easily be done with one of the handheld machines posted earlier I'd have thought. Just having a quick google, I see people have also got decent results using 3d printed or laser-engraved embossing stamps, might have a play around a bit later!

ive also been asked to find a decent printer for home that will print the details onto these certificates, so something that can print on ‘250 gram’ card.

running my fingers over the edges, the red and gold frame is all raised a little too

That could be spot UV, foil or thermographic printing (difficult to tell from your picture).

Looks like the frame has been embossed too - if you zoom in you can just see the fall of the emboss from the printed raised crown.
So, one embossing die creates the blind logo and the frame in a single process. Nice work that - good register - tidy job.

what sort of volume are we talking about? And what is the budget per certificate?

we're talking about a run of 1000 initially. no idea on budget, ive absolutley no idea what he paid previously, hes just asked me to get a quote from over here.

that little embossed stamp could easily be done with one of the handheld machines posted earlier I’d have thought.

probably so, but its the edges that would probably need a professional.

Looks like the frame has been embossed too – if you zoom in you can just see the fall of the emboss from the printed raised crown.

ive just taken another other close-up, you can see the embossing from the other side.

[img] [/img]

So, one embossing die creates the blind logo and the frame in a single process. Nice work that – good register – tidy job.

ive no idea what that means, but he'd be pleased to hear you think its a good job, he likes to do things properly 🙂

a mono laser would be ideal but most top out at 200-ish gsm. Cheapest one that I know of that handles thicker card would be something like an Oki C824 which is about £800. (They are good machines though!)

i was going to say "yes but a mono laser would only do it in black wouldnt it", but then i realised the red would be part of the certificate done by the pro's 😀
i'd say the cost of it would be fine if he identified that it was worth doing them from uk, not sure that it will be tho. my gut feeling is that itll be a lot dearer over here.

ive tried a few of the above places thanks, and am awaiting a few quotes. unfortunately the lincoln place is stamps only, no certificates. thanks tho.

a mono laser would be ideal but most top out at 200-ish gsm. Cheapest one that I know of that handles thicker card would be something like an Oki C824 which is about £800. (They are good machines though!)

been googling and theres some monster machines out there, too big really for a house, theyre more office based. i did look at your Oki C824 suggestion and thought hmmmm that seems a better size, and a 'reasonable' £600+
then i looked at the ink for it, another £400+! pushes it to well over a grand!

like i say, ive no idea what his expectations are, but has anyone got any smaller/cheaper options for 250g card before i hit him with the price?

thanks

Not close by any means, but having worked in print and publishing for nearly forty years, and having seen the work these people turn out, I have no hesitation in recommending them, although they’re in Bath;
https://meticulousink.com/
I have no doubt that they can work from a distance.

I follow these guys on Instagram appear decent. https://lostheritage.co.uk/

In terms of printing on it, it’ll go through a xerox just depends if the owner of said xerox wants to do it. I assume digital presses up from xerox can handle that with ease.

I’d not want to buy the embossed paper and use a home printer. Although I assume he’s printing the certificates ad hoc.

Some print places might hold the embossed paper and print ad hoc for him at a price per certificate. Remember to include wastage if he’s supplying the stock.

I’d question the value of the job, could easily come in at £5 per certificate. We get certificates digitally printed on nice card I’m sure the chap said they are £3 each.

Can you humor me with the price once quoted. Obviously keep the names to yourself. Not that I’m really laughing as there are loads of processes there.

Actually look at the spot UV mentioned above. Very different but looks good and perhaps more modern. Again though not very cheap.

thanks. ive just contacted the above two companies and will await replies.

Can you humor me with the price once quoted.

certainly. only one quote back in so far from all of the above, and that was £580 for a run of 1000 blanks, so 58p a certificate. seems cheap enough but will obviously have to add the cost of printing the personal details and sending out in card-backed envelopes.

only one quote back in so far from all of the above, and that was £580 for a run of 1000 blanks

So what was the specification for that print? Would be interested to see what they are proposing to do for £580.

So what was the specification for that print?

the info given to them by me was cream, textured 250g card, same pictures sent to them as above ^^^ and theyve quoted on it being "It looks like the reverse embossing is actually from where the front has been foiled and this is a stamped through on the back- can you confirm?"

the quote mentions it being 'PDF-Print-PDF proof reqd, 210mm X297mm, digitally printed, full colour both sides, 250g conqueror oyster laid, foil blocked in gold to face (border around certificate), packed in boxes of max 12kg, and delivery included'. subject to VAT and sight of the certificate in the flesh if agreed to go ahead.

does that mean much to you? you dont see any pitfalls?

thanks

the quote mentions it being ‘PDF-Print-PDF proof reqd, 210mm X297mm, digitally printed, full colour both sides, 250g conqueror oyster laid, foil blocked in gold to face (border around certificate), packed in boxes of max 12kg, and delivery included’. subject to VAT and sight of the certificate in the flesh if agreed to go ahead.

That sounds pretty standard. I would possibly ask for a sample as well.

It is a while since I have specified print like that but I do question 'It looks like the reverse embossing is actually from where the front has been foiled and this is a stamped through on the back' as foiling doesn't leave such a deep impression, although foiling in itself will give a nice finish (the question being if you want the embossed finish like on the original). Also bear in mind that 'gold' foil could be be any manner of 'gold' colour so you might want to get a sample.

Also, your original pic shows gold and red bordering - with that spec you will get flat red print and shiny gold metallic foil for the gold part but your second picture shows that both the gold and red have the same 'embossed' finish.

Price-wise I struggle to have an opinion on as it is some time since I have specified print but I would say it is there or thereabouts.

but your second picture shows that both the gold and red have the same ’embossed’ finish.

I would say it wasn’t gold at all but a CMYK printed yellowy-brown colour!

Very possibly, but the second picture shows it has some kind of emboss effect so I was working under the same assumption as the printer that it has had a finish applied (such as foiling) but the printer had only specified gold foiling, not gold and red so the results would be different to the original.

Also, your original pic shows gold and red bordering – with that spec you will get flat red print and shiny gold metallic foil for the gold part but your second picture shows that both the gold and red have the same ’embossed’ finish.

what would i do without you chaps! good spot 😀
questioned it and oops, we forgot to quote for the embossing, new quote is now £696 plus vat. id still be happy with 70p per certificate i think, i've had another quote in at £1460 plus vat. "220grm Stonemarque high white card, blind embossed" which doesnt seem to be the 250g that i asked for, but ne'er mind, no point following it up if the price is prohibitive anyway.
if it means anything to you, theyve also put on the quote.......
"This is quoted from printing digitally so the gold would be made out of the four colours we print.
If you wanted a true gold print (this would be a flat colour and not bright/foiled)
We would need to litho print them which changes the price to £1865.00 + vat."

thanks, keep up the good work 🙂

getting a fair few quotes in now, they all seem to be averaging just under the grand mark for the embossed certificates.

i really need to get this printer bottomed out tho, a decent colour printer than can cope with printing details onto 250g card.

apart from the £1000 jobbie above ^^^ would anyone have any recommendations please?

cheers

Two good friends of mine have just bought what you need as an old school addition to their well equipped printing business, not commissioned yet but I'm looking forward to seeing it running

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im not sure that would fit on the desk 😀

i contacted a printer business, they recommended two, for different reasons.

Canon PIXMA iX6850. cheapest I could find that prints colour onto 250g card. Im told there may be a slight ink weep onto textured card, but that it should only be noticeable under a magnifying glass.

or......Canon Pro 300. higher quality printing (pro standard) that doesn’t have any 'ink weep'. Comes at a big price increase tho and cheaper one may well be perfectly adequate for printing on certificates.

thanks for your help. quotes are in and being considered.

RustyNissanPrairie - great little presses. My dad had 2 of those back in the 70s - I really miss the clackety-clack of a printing press. It's all digital at my end of the market now and the sound of a Xerox isn't quite the same! 🙂