Is 80lb heavy enough?

I REALLY just wanna print out a few dex. >< I'm VERY frustrated, I want to actually SEE a deck in my HAND so I have an idea I want to try. I was looking at blank cards, & they are 80lb weight - is that too light? I will prob varnish rather than laminate, I'm thinking, IF I can do it without smearing...

It depends. Are you talking about 80 lb card stock, or 80 lb cover stock?

Cover is slightly heavier than card.

It can be all right, though personally I find it a little too thin (if you aren't using lamination)

Try for 100 lb (or 110)...it gives a better feel and flex.

Heavier than that, and you will find that your home printer doesn't like it.
(I am using 120 cover and my laser printer keeps getting it jammed in the roller!)

How do you varnish?

I tried once.

I tried brushing on a polyurethane varnish with a brush. It smeered the print.

I tried getting them sprayed, it was a better effect, but an unbelievable amount of trouble.

So I laminated.

What's the right way to do it?

I spray. I've done it & had good results, actually. It depends upon the type you use. I use Windsor & Newton matte artist varnish.

Chronata said:

It depends. Are you talking about 80 lb card stock, or 80 lb cover stock?

Cover is slightly heavier than card.

It can be all right, though personally I find it a little too thin (if you aren't using lamination)

Try for 100 lb (or 110)...it gives a better feel and flex.

Heavier than that, and you will find that your home printer doesn't like it.
(I am using 120 cover and my laser printer keeps getting it jammed in the roller!)

Click to expand...

Far as I know it's just plain card. Yeah, I was afraid of that - I'll have to look for 100lb pre-cut cards.

blackroseivy said:

I spray. I've done it & had good results, actually. It depends upon the type you use. I use Windsor & Newton matte artist varnish.

Click to expand...

We used cellulose car lacquer out of a spray gun.
We had to do it in the garden and I had all these sheets of cards attached to bits of string and tied to a frame...
It was quite good fun for an afternoon messing about, but in the end it wasn't worth the hassle for all the ones I had to do.

Nice effect, cards stayed flexible, just so much trouble, and it made the card slightly transparent, and I couldn't use thicker card because it wouldn't go through the printer properly.

I'm afraid I can't say what weight card this was as it was ages ago, and anyway it wouldn't mean anything.
Sadly we have been metricated and it was in gsm (whatever that means!).

So I laminated, and although it made the cards sort of plasticy it did make them thicker, which was good.

You have to watch out for the difference between card and index card too...there is a slight difference in texture and feel between those too.

My best advice...try to get samples for yourself so you can feel it first.

Don't take my word...because I have known to get more than a little insane when it comes to card stock weight!

At the OfficeMax and the Staples around here, there are different products.
and you can also request paper samples from their printing departments too...which might be different than what they sell on the shelves.

At Staples you can buy a ream of 250 sheets of 110 lb card stock (8 1/2 x 11)...and it's great stuff.

And remember to test the weight and feel of the size of the final cards too. Because you might think a full sheet feels flimsy, but when you cut it to card size it can feel heavier.

Ah - thanx so much for the tips, very useful.

I have to do my shopping online, more's the pity; however, I trust Staples & Dick Blick for the most part. I will go to Staples & seek out the card-stock you mention, Chronata.

I was kinda hoping for pre-scored, but I don't think THAT'S gonna happen - & of course the ever-growing popularity of the trading-card concept has a great card-stock that is TOO SMALL. *sigh* Alas...

Have you tried http://www.plaincards.com/

I haven't, but will probably order some samples some day.

tarotmama said:

Have you tried http://www.plaincards.com/

I haven't, but will probably order some samples some day.

Click to expand...

I have their software program they sell, to print cards. It's real simple & now they offer tarot size along with the regular card size.
I keep telling myself I'm going buy their sheets of cards to print on.

Barbara