Epson 3800 prints CDs & DVDs - REVISED w more 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.
My Epson 3800 prints CDs & DVDs - REVISED with more info and PICTURES
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.
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.
Oct 19, 2009 at 02:09 AM
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