For anyone that is interested, I just checked the box from our last order and the current paper we’ve been using Finch Fine Ultra Smooth in 100# Text (148 gsm) in Soft White: http://www.finchpaper.com/stock-guide
Since 25x38 is a standard paper size for paper suppliers, our supplier receives it in cartons of 750 sheets. Each 25x38 sheet can be cut to produce exactly 8 sheets of 9.5x12.5 without any waste so our orders are in multiples of 6,000 (750 * 8), which our supplier boxes up 2,000 per box. I’m not the one who places the order, but there are about 20 of us that buy in as needed. He usually places an order every 6-8 months and I would assume a typical order is 30,000 sheets or so.
It’s just about perfect IMO for parts bound accordion style, but obviously way too heavy for spiral/ring binding.
I agree that 28 pound works OK in most situations, either for bound scores or for standalone parts. So does the 60 ‘cardstock’ that I use. It isn’t really card-like, more just a really stiff thick paper, a bit denser than regular paper. In actual weight, if it were considered paper, it would be about the equivalent of 29 or 30. It stands up very well as parts, but yet is flexible enough to bind well and not too heavy. Unfortunately though it is not available in buff. I have to use white, even for parts.
As to sourcing, the nearest paper supplier is over 100 miles away and I don’t buy in sufficient quantity to justify delivery, so I have to buy from a printer and pick it up myself.
Doesn’t really matter what you argue when you’re wrong — as you are in this case.
(lasers print faster, have better ink efficiency therefore lower cost per page etc)
Once upon a time, that was true, also. There are printers from Epson and Brother that cost less per page using any calculation you care to make. Some of the industrial laser printers are faster.
Times have changed. Making empirical pronouncements without doing your homework is bad enough but, when you double down on those giving incorrect info without doing some homework first, makes you look bad. These subjects are easy to research but you need to click on another screen and do it before giving us the latest nonsense.
I think everyone should appreciate that for many years the business model of the inkjet world was to basically give away the printers and to charge a fortune for the inks. That has changed radically now because a “compatible ink” industry has emerged. I have been using compatible ink cartridges for my Brother inkjet for the past 3 years with zero problems. My cost per page is very low. When you look at total cost per page (factoring in the cost of the printer and other supplies like drums), my costs are half what they would be with a laser printer.
That might be different if I were printing 2000 pages a month.
And as you observed, the industry is moving to very economical “tank” configurations for the inks. The cost of inkjet printers has gone up a little to compensate, but not that much really. The economics have shifted toward inkjets in a very big way. Laser printer makers are now putting most of their attention on larger, high-volume printers and color lasers.