FAQ

pindotpress_FAQ_animationFAQ

pindot answers your frequently asked questions (FAQ)!

What is your turnaround time?

It depends on:
a) Type and complexity of project

For example, single-sided prints that are only one or two colours only require a single pass through the machine; therefore, they are the fastest jobs. More than two colours requires additional passes through the machine. Because the soy ink needs time to dry, there needs to be a waiting period for drying, and so the project will take longer. The drying time is variable and is dependent on factors like area of ink coverage and even the weather!!

Double-sided projects also take longer than single-sided projects because there needs to be drying time between printing Side A and Side B. The riso is not a duplex machine, so all double-sided jobs require manually flipping over the sheets and re-running it through the machine. Then, the zine needs to be collated, assembled, and trimmed.

So, imagine a postcard that is 4 colours on one side and two colours on the other side. The printing process will be: print Side B two colours, then wait for it to dry. Print Side A two colours, then wait for it to dry. Then, print Side A’s other two colours, then wait for it to dry. Finally, cut/trim if necessary.

b) Whether it’s a really busy time, like if it’s close to a zine fair or a con

We encourage you to communicate with us about your deadlines. If you are planning to print something for a zine fair or a con, we may have jobs lined up, and we will give you a fairly accurate estimate of the turnaround. More importantly, we will communicate with you ASAP if there are any issues. The earlier you can give us your files, the higher the chances are that you will receive your prints on time and in just the way you want them.

c) EXP level of client

If you’ve worked with riso before and especially if you have worked with us before, you probably already know how to set up your files properly, so there will be fewer issues, and it should go faster.

Can we bring our own papers?

Short answer is Yes.

We carry a limited variety of papers on hand, so if you would like to bring your own papers because we don’t stock them, we’ll run them through. Just a couple caveats:
– they have to be uncoated (unlike those super smooth glossy papers they use for laser printers like in UPS/Staples, etc) because they need to be able to take ink.
– we can’t guarantee that it’ll work, or that it’ll work the way you want it to

This being said, here’s a list of papers that clients have brought us that have worked fine:
– Canson Mi-Teintes papers (great colours, textured, and a nice middle weight of 98#/160 gsm)
– Canson XL Recycled Bristol with the “two distinct bright white surfaces, one smooth and one textured”. This is a heavy card that is 96 lb or 260 g. This weight pushes the limits of the machine, so we had a few jams on about 20% of the number of prints.