p.1 #1 · Epson 3800 prints CDs & DVDs - REVISED w more info!
Update 11/12/09:
If you've already read this post, skip down to the bottom to find pictures and discussion of the new and improved (plastic) caddy design as well as cost per print and other info...
I picked up an Epson 3800 recently and absolutely love it! What a great machine! But, the one "feature" that I have wanted for several years was the ability to print on disks. I started thinking about it and worked out a simple caddy system that I could use for the *occasional* disk that I may want to print.
For those of you who are interested, here is the caddy I made (it 'aint pretty but it works):
I should point out that you use the front feed and it actually feeds 90 deg counter clockwise than the picture shown (the arrow in the bottom right corner goes in first).
And here is the photoshop template that I used (contains both the cutout template and the printing template)...
This uses an 11x17 caddy to print up to 6 disks at a time. I realized as I was making it that a 13x19 wouldn't add enough real esatate to add more disks and a 16x20 causes a big feed problem (I think a roller falls into the recesses if it isn't completely filled with disks and causes a major printer error). This 11x17 works great, however.
Basically, you...
1) print the cutout template onto the back side a piece of matte board.
2) cut out the disk holes (I actually cut squares but you could do circles if you had a good circle cutter).
3) glue (I used Super 77) the matte board to a piece of archival (enhanced) matte paper or other backing (so that the disks don't fall through). Another piece of matte board is too thick and paper buckles too easily, so I thought archival matte was a good compromise. I suppose a piece of photo paper would be fine, too, as long as it wasn't too thick.
4) use the printing template by putting 4.8" graphics under the white overlay - I numbered the disk slots so that you can make from 1 to 6. Print on landscape and it all works out just right.
5) print by using the front feed slot as if you were printing on hard board and TURN OFF BORDERLESS.
I realize that some of you will not want to put unintended media into your 3800 and I fully understand. After doing the math, the disk in the caddy comes up to be under 1.5mm thick and has worked great for me. Of course, I don't take any responsibility for what you do with your machine. I hope that this helps someone who wants to add this "feature" to an otherwise spectacular machine...
If anyone has better ideas about the design or materials (the matte board could wear a lot over time), let me know. I'd love to see this turn into something that people could really use.
p.1 #3 · Epson 3800 prints CDs & DVDs - REVISED w more info!
That looks really cool. Thanks for sharing. And nothing against your workmanship, but man, it would be nice if someone or some company made and sold these out of something a bit more substantial. I use my old Epson R200 still for disk printing.
p.1 #4 · Epson 3800 prints CDs & DVDs - REVISED w more info!
Yeah, I completely agree. My mock up is a mockery, for sure. Actually, I was looking into some plastics moulding yesterday and may take a stab at making a better one next month. This could be a nice accessory...
p.1 #9 · Epson 3800 prints CDs & DVDs - REVISED w more info!
Update 11/12/09:
After a couple of weeks of working on this, I finally have a finished product. The matte board was perfectly fine for light use, but I decided that I would definitely want something a little better for permanent use, so...
I created a mold and learned to cast urethane (OK, so I'm a bit of a compulsive over-achiever). So, here is the final product...
If anyone wants more detail, just PM me and I'd be happy to tell you what I know if you have a similar project. This has really opened up some creative doors for future gizmos...
Also, I have 6 of these (varying colors and materials). If anyone is interested in one, PM me and we'll chat. I'd love to make back what I put into all of this and help anyone who doesn't want to go through all the trouble. If you have a studio where you sell files on disk, this could be a SWEET solution.
On my 3800 set to 1440dpi, I print the sheet of disks in about 6 minutes at a total cost of about $.26 (that's less than $.05 a disk). On the plain paper setting and 720dpi, I am getting a 1:30 print job at a total cost of $.06 (that's $.01 a disk). Obviously, they are much lighter, but still of excellent quality. We make a lot of disks and this little thing is going to save me a ton and produce a much higher quality product. It was well worth everything that went into it!!!!!!!!!!
Also, I can print anywhere from 1 to 6, so I don't always have to fill the tray. I just use the photoshop template and keep whatever I'm not printing white. Thsi is SO MUCH BETTER than the 1 disk at a time solutions!
Thanks for looking!!!!!!!!!
Shawn
PS - printing costs estimated using $50/80ml which is what I get my ink for locally. YMMV.
p.1 #10 · Epson 3800 prints CDs & DVDs - REVISED w more info!
Oh, and this caddy should work for anyone with a 3880 / 4800 / 4880 etc or other printers that can accept media up to 2.5mm thick. Although Epson states that the 3800 series take up to 1.5mm, the WIDEST platen gap setting takes the head up to 3.5mm, well outside of the thickness of the caddy (which varies from 2mm to 2.5mm). And, since the caddy is a rigid plastic (and not as prone to warping as paper due to it's hardness), there shouldn't be any head strike issues.
Here's Epson's platen gap settings in case anyone is interested...
p.1 #12 · Epson 3800 prints CDs & DVDs - REVISED w more info!
Update 11/16/08:
A crushing defeat...
After doing the most recent firmware upgrade and moving to the new 6.5 driver (in XP and Win 7), Eapson has pulled the rug out from under my feet. The platen gap setting for "widest" has been completely removed. ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
So, the widest setting is now "wider" and gaps the platen to 2.1mm - too thin to safely send through the plastic caddies. I'm sure an injection molding system could probably get them down to 1.5mm (the safe zone), but I can't do that in my kitchen. Well, at least not with my wife looking. Dangit!
I retooled and reconsidered and went back to the matteboard with some workflow changes that yielded much improved results with greater accuracy and repeatibility. So, the good news is that I'm back in business as far as being able to print disks but am still longing for the added durability of plastic.
p.1 #13 · Epson 3800 prints CDs & DVDs - REVISED w more info!
Shawn, I am running Windows 7 and just checked my printer, it still has narrow, standard, wide, wider and widest. So, I am good to go with your aqua template.
p.1 #15 · Epson 3800 prints CDs & DVDs - REVISED w more info!
Tim-cool beans, it'll be in the mail shortly.
Yeah, XFBO, I wondered the same so I bought a planer to test it with. Unfortunately, it pulls the caddy up and into the blades and obliderates it. 2 lost their lives valiantly in the testing process (and yet the wood I put through came out mostly unscathed). The planer is going back today...
p.1 #16 · Epson 3800 prints CDs & DVDs - REVISED w more info!
Sounds like the planer blade "hogs in" to the work. You might solve that by slowing the tool speed down and slowing down the feed rate also. Much as you would do when machining brass or similar metal. I had that kind of trouble when trying to machine nylon for a project.
p.1 #17 · Epson 3800 prints CDs & DVDs - REVISED w more info!
I think what you need is a wide belt sander we had one in our shop [woodworking millwork shop] that would sand to 1/1000 of an inch and up to 4' wide any length. this would not tear up, even the most delicate of materials , you may have to put in on top of a backing if it's not rigid enough to feed properly by it's self.
Just thought I would share this .
Randall
p.1 #18 · Epson 3800 prints CDs & DVDs - REVISED w more info!
Randall,
I had that same thought. I've run out of time recently, so I plan to re-visit this in a couple of months. I went back to the matteboard version with a few minor revisions -
1) I'm using a circle cutter on a drill press to cut the holes (highly accurate and repeatable)
2) Overspraying the entire thing with clear spray enamel once it's glued. That does a great job of keeping it in good shape.
3) new template that perfectly mirrors itself so that it doesn't matter which direction I feed it.
p.1 #20 · Epson 3800 prints CDs & DVDs - REVISED w more info!
When I get home, I'll upload the new one in place of the one that's there.
One thing to consider is that it's still best to load it the same way each time, even though it is a theoretical mirror. If your hole is off even 1mm, then it really makes things difficult to align when flipped. So, as a general rule, that is not a useful function.
