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Subject: Hotline Cy s Newsletter: Puzzles

Crouser Report OnLine February 11, 1996 Hotline Cy will be presenting his Helen s Hotline seminar in Houston on February 22nd and during Sunbelt Graphics in Atlanta, March 7-9th. For further details, Email Cy Stapleton at hotlinecy@aol.com. Complete 96 schedule is found at the end of this report.

The Crouser Report OnLine welcomes Hotline Cy Stapleton s Hotline Newsletter. Cy has traced and tracked many of the obvious and obscure items printers need from throughout the world. This is the first in an occasional series distributed by the Crouser Report OnLine. If you have an inquiry or wish more information on the database, message him at HotlineCy@aol.com.

The purpose of this newsletter is to expand on some of the unusual requests that I receive and hopefully get some input from subscribers. These are the types of things that are too lengthy to respond to in a Hotline column. There will be no schedule as such. As I come across something I think is interesting or if one of you come up with something you would like to share or have addressed, I will do another newsletter. It s free.

At the end of the year I will combine all of these files into an electronic book that can be downloaded from PrinterNet s free access area and the Printers Internet bookstore at PrintUSA http://www.printusa.com.

First of all, I would like to explain just how Hotline works. I will receive as many as 100 inquiries each day from printers across the country. It is impossible for me to do all of the legwork on each of these inquiries. Except for the truly obscure inquiries I am limited to going through the Hotline database (BFP) and searching out prospective vendors that have either noted in their Vendor Data Form that they produce a certain product or service, or those that most probably have the capability. If not, they may well be able to point the reader to someone else. As an example, in the below inquiry my first suggestion was Thomas Diecutters because they sell diecutting equipment, do trade diecutting, and have a diecutting school. That would be a good starting point for the following reader. The alternative solution was just what I hope is reasonable logic. I broke the job down into its various components and tried to come up with an idea of what type of company might produce that product.

Pzzled Over Puzzles:
I had a most interesting inquiry from a Hotline reader recently. He had a requirement for 1,000 4-color puzzles that are 4 x 6 and cut into between 90 and 100 pieces. It had to be laminated before it was diecut. The reader was looking for a source.

I searched the Hotline database and no one showed that they were able to diecut anything that large.

How would you handle such an inquiry? My response was as follows:

First of all I would contact Thomas Diecutters at 616-243-0100. They appear to be on the leading edge of that industry.

If I was unable to get any satisfaction there (or even if I were I would check alternatives) I would contact a company that specializes in making cartons or diecutting gaskets for the diecutting part of the job. They have very large diecutting equipment. A carton company would probably be the most economical because their diecutting doesn t have to be as critical as does that of a gasket company. Both would have the capability of producing relatively inexpensive steel rule dies.

Getting the 4 x 6 pieces printed would not be a big problem - expensive, but not impossible. I have several printers in the Hotline database who have 77 or larger presses and this type of a job could even be printed in 2 sections on a smaller press. The 4-color printed pieces could be glued to the backing board by any large bindery that has a 48 or larger gluing capacity, then laminated by anyone who was capable of laminating one side - probably a cold laminating using something on the order of GBC s 60 Rotobond.

Does this seem like a reasonable approach? How about your ideas? Economical Color Separations: Another question that comes up on a regular basis is where to get really economical color separations. There are lots of places to get them but there are also some creative ways of purchasing them. Let s say you have a brochure with a half dozen 2 x 3 color photos on it and your customer gives you either the negatives or prints. You take the negatives or prints to a top quality local photofinishing house and have them make prints for you that are scaled so that they will all scale at the same percentage when reduced. Let s say you will need each photo shot at 33%. Cut a piece of Index stock to whatever size is required and place your six photos on the index stock about 1 apart. Then get a sheet of Format clipart that is filled with registration marks and put one of those registration marks on the index stock at each of the 4 corners of each photo. Then send the index stock to someone like Photoengraving (813-253-3427) and tell them you want one 8.5 x 11 color sep with color key. Shoot your copy at 33% (or whatever) Your cost for the sep and key will be $39.95. When it comes back, simply cut the six photos apart and you will have six color separations with registration marks that cost you less than 6.75 each. Unconventional? You bet it is, but I have been using this process on certain jobs for many years. The last one was for a brochure for one of my renaissance festival customers. It had about 12 color photos on it. The printer I jobbed it out to gave me a special price of $45 per separation plus stripping and color key. I told him I would furnish the seps and color key but he could do the stripping. My cost - about $5 per sep and color key.

If anyone has any other really unusual jobs they have put together in the past or are working on at this time, let s see if between us we can come up with a creative way of handling it.

Til next time, God bless you and yours...cy

1996 Schedule for Helene s Hotline For further details, Email Cy Stapleton at hotlinecy@aol.com

Happy Trails...Tom Crouser

Crouser & Associates - Helping Printers Prosper Since 1985

Crouser & Associates Performance Group program includes two on-site evaluations by Tom Crouser each year along with two group meetings. Management training is held during the group meetings along with participation in a meeting with non-competing printers. Join others who have decided to run their business instead of the business running them. Reply to by Email to Tom Crouser for more detailed information or call Clark Workman at (304) 342-5100. Or fax (304) 342-5187 or contact crouser@ibm.net.

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Date inserted: Saturday, February 17, 1996 2:24:27 PM

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