Digital BW, The Print

For the life of me I can't understand you guys paying that kind of
money for sheet of rag media. To me it is just not even something I
would remotely consider at those prices. I have only had one issue
with using good roll media, and that is flattening the prints
afterwards, and that is certainly no big deal for me. I brush the
media quickly while on the machine with a large drafting brush, and I
have no flaking problems at all anymore. But the key for me was when I
bought the 53" Rototrim paper cutter that will accept the width of the
lare rolls, it costs $700.00. But I got it half price with a teacher
discount. This self sharpening device has been my most loyal friend
for 5 years and is still like new. 

As a matter of fact for roll paper I am using the very thick
Hahnemuhle Museum Etching rag now at 350 gsm and the 9600 cuts through
it completely just fine. Even the old 7000 scores is so well I just
tear it off very easily, however usually what I do in a print run is
stroke the edges of each print in PS with a thin grey line and take
them to the Rototrim all at once with a number of prints on that roll.
I couldn't imagine sitting here feeding a sheet at a time like a robot
all day. I'd rather be in the other room watching a DVD or or working
on the drum scaner or another printer. What I would really like to
have is one of those mechanized roll up devices for the bottom of the
printer that would allow you to print a half a roll or more at a time
out of a good rip. Now that would make me money while I sleep. I do
all my proofing of many things at once and evaluate all that way
before the final output.

John