Paper printing

Procedures

Printing

Terminology

Booklets - a bunch of pages to be folded at the center to make a book.

Signatures - Bunch of folded sheets that become their own section. If you expose the spine of a bound book, you will see multiple signatures. It is created as a multiple of 4. You will also notice a section/signature marking in the first page of each signature. Normally bottom left/right in some printed books.

Advantage in printing with larger sheets

  • can fold and staple if number of pages is small; or can do the same with “signatures”.
  • Consumption of warranty of no. of pages printed is halved
  • Feeding the input tray is halved
  • Taking out pages from output tray is halved
  • To learn this in a hard way. Print 100 copies of a 100 page book. You will get to know how frequently you have to do manual repetitive work with A4. Fed every half an hour and take out every 5-10 mins.

There is no speed advantage - A3 takes twice as long as A4 to print.

Effort cost is not much

  • Just need to do a single cut and you get 2x A4

Grains

Grain direction refers to the alignment of fibers in a sheet of paper.
Paper folds more easily and cleanly when folded parallel to the grain. Folding against the grain can cause the paper to crack or break.

How to Determine Grain Direction

  • The fibers are aligned parallel to the longer side of the paper.
  • Folding Test: Fold a sheet of paper in both directions. The direction that feels easier to fold indicates the grain direction.
  • Curl Test: Moisten the edges of a paper and observe how it curls as it dries. The paper will curl along the grain direction.

Overview

Print 200 pg A5 book with A4 papers -

  • Open the print window and select print to pdf instead of printer and select booklet mode.
  • That will make it a booklet of A4 size with 2 A5 pages in each A4 page. Print it.
  • Fold or cut it in the middle.

Print A5 book with A3 papers

  • Make booklet pdf with A4 paper.
  • Duplicate each A4 sheet in the A3 sheet - so you get 2 copies at once.

Booklet file making

Making booklets

  • momijizukamori js

Stacking copies in a sheet -

  • PdfBooklet
  • Set Don’t compress & Safe mode (slow) in Options -> Output tab
    • Non slow mode mangles the pdf.
  • Select x copies, rows 2, columns 1 in Layout tab

References

Binding

Common types

  • Perfet / Glue Binding

  • Stitch binding

  • Saddle-stitched Binding (Center Stapled)

  • can use a multi hole punch (eg spiral binding) plus good twine to bind books. Simple, fast, long lasting and replaceable.

  • Bind it. Paste the cover.

    • Can make A4 covers and cut the excess book - Since, A4 photo papers are readily available.
      So, book becomes little smaller than A5.

So, for thick books, split the pdf and make multiple booklets then merge it.

Aligning papers

vibrate on the ground, strike a flat wall many times.

Punching

  • Japanese screw punch
  • Awl
  • Common electric drill twists papers and damages surroundings slightly.

Sewing

Don’t pull too tight. Remove excess wax by pull thourgh some paper if needed.

Threads

Unwaxed natural threads (like cotton or linen) can absorb moisture and develop mold or rot. Waxed thread holds knots very well.

  • waxed linen threads
  • waxed polyester thread
  • cotton threads

Waxing - can be waxed by using paraffin or beeswax (contains trace acids).

Pressing

Can use 2 3-inch vices like TW

Can use side cover of cutter(which is actually meant for holding tight pages while cutting) to press the book binding edge after creasing.

I used to press after stapling as well. Paper cover became uneven due to staple marks - kamala nayana

Creasing

May not be needed if pressing.

We first cut then crease. Big printing presses first crease and then cut because they print on A0, A1, A2 etc. sizes.

  • Manual creaser - 10 pg capacity
  • Electric creaser: 1k sheets TW

Printers & their inks

  • Consumer printer:
    • A3 printers print faster
    • Laser printer:
      • Solid powder ink (fades away). 20 to 50 years on acid free paper.
    • Inkjet printer:
      • Dye ink (water soluble). Can last for 5 to 20 years without significant fading on acid free paper.
      • Archival grade Pigment ink (water-proof). 50 to 100 years or more on acid free paper.
  • Enterprise printer:
    • Offset printer:
      • Offset ink:
        • Min. 100 copies
        • Uses aluminium offset plates printed using laser
    • Digital printer:
      • Ink similar to inkjet printer

Offset printing process

Typical workflow -

  • On some sheets (eg. aluminium/ plastic), they can print 1 set of around 32 pages at a time.
  • Then, they use these aluminium sheets with ink to press on paper like rubber stamping.
  • In case of Al - You can recast these sheets a few times for new pages, after which they’re discarded.

Cutters

See separate page.

Punches

  • Kangaro - Source: TW

Stitchers

Nambind: TW 75k INR in 20266

Setups

High Capacity Automated Best Quality Home Press

Cost estimates including GST:

  • Printer (other brands can also be checked):
    • Epson C879R ₹ 2+ lakh (Including Optional Tray)
    • Epson AM-C4000 ₹ 5.25+ lakh
    • Epson AM-C5000 ₹ 5.5+ lakh
    • Epson AM-C6000 ₹ 6.5+ lakh
    • Epson WF-C21000 ₹ 12.5+ lakh
  • Finisher Epson Saddle Unit-P1 ₹ 5.25+ lakh

Printer Features

  • Document+Photo or Document or Photo Printer
  • High GSM paper input 300+ GSM
  • High ADF input & output capacity 100 sheets
  • High Multi-purpose or Rear tray input capacity 100 sheets
  • Supports Finishers: Saddle Unit, Staple Unit, Booklet Finisher etc.
  • Supports Papers: Gloss Photo, Matt Photo, Gloss Digital, Matt, Digital, Gloss Offset (SBS), Matt Offset (SBS), Uncoated Thick etc.
  • Borderless printing on custom size cover sheets
  • High A3 Duplex Black and Color Same Speed 35 ipm
  • Atleast A1 or A2 or A3+ width
  • Atleast A1 or A2 or A3+ length
  • RAM 8 GB
  • SSD or HDD 320 GB
  • WiFi 5.0 Hz, USB 3.0, WiFi Direct, Web, Ethernet etc. connectivities
  • Duplex Printing A1 or A2 or A3+
  • Duplex Auto Scanning using ADF single pass A1 or A2 or A3+
  • Huge paper input capacity 2,500 A1 or A2 or A3+ or A3 sheets. (Don’t want to feed paper every 30 mins.) A3 capacity is double of A4.
  • Huge paper output capacity 500 A1 or A2 or A3+ sheets
  • Large & water proof pigment (not dye) ink packet input
  • Multiple front cassette paper trays - 4 A1 or A2 or A3+ (500 sheets each)
  • High pages warranty: 30 lakh for 1 year
    • Page warranty does not consider A3, A4 etc. So, for same page warranty, A3 prints double than A4.
  • High Recommended Monthly Duty Cycle
  • Color or Monochrome Inkjet
    • Make sure digital inkjet coated paper (used for book covers, usually acid paper) is supported in your printer. “My pigment ink printer does not support it. Takes a very long time to dry. I use my dye printer for covers and glossy photo paper of A4 size.” - KN
  • Print, Scan, Copy and Fax
  • Auto Document Feeder (ADF) - 150 A1 or A2 or A3+ sheets
  • Digital cut sheet fed Ink Tank Printer
  • Big latest touchscreen color display
  • Memory Card Slot
  • Flash drive support
  • High Resolution
  • Latest release, model and available
  • Xerox or Canon or Epson
  • Long Document Scanning
  • Print does not fade away after few years Print Permanence 100 years

Home mini printing press (kamala-nayanaH)

Actually for preserving ancient texts we need many people to setup mini presses at their home. Once set up cost per page will be very low for preservation needs. While printer is in warranty use costly branded imported inks generally in small bottles. After warranty is over cheap indian inks like (Pro Dot) can be used to lower printing costs.

vishvAsa

Printers

  • epson l15180 - 96k in 2026. Pigment ink, A3 printer. black page cost .13 INR, color 2x.

  • HP Color LaserJet M255-256

  • Hand operated manual stapler - Kangaro Distributor - HD-23L24FL ₹3,000

Kangaro 4 hole Punch

A3 Ream cutter 12.5k 2026.

kamalanayana’s 2025 setup

  • Printer:
    • Epson L15150:
      • Inkjet A3 Duplex Pigment Printer
      • Cost ₹ 68k
      • Warranty 2,00,000 pages
      • Does not support general photo paper
      • Does not support offset coated paper
    • Brother DCP-820DW:
      • Inkjet A4 Duplex Dye Printer
      • Cost ₹ 17.5k
      • Warranty 50,000 pages
      • Supports general photo papers
      • Does not support offset coated paper
  • Normal Paper:
    • A3 75 GSM Century Star:
      • 2,500 sheets/box ₹ 1,960
      • 23.5 kg/box
  • Photo Paper:
    • A4 180 GSM Inkjet KlaauS C1S Gloss:
      • 20 sheets/packet ₹ 50
    • A4 210 GSM Inkjet KlaauS C1S Gloss:
      • 50 sheets/packet ₹ 160
    • A4 180 GSM Inkjet Laminex Gold Digital Prime HD C1S Gloss:
      • 50 sheets/packet ₹ 100
    • A4 180 GSM Inkjet de’Smat klik! Cast Coated C1S Gloss:
      • 20 sheets/packet ₹ 90
      • 50 packets/peti
  • Ink:
    • Epson:
      • BK 008 Pigment 127 mL ₹ 830
        • 1 peti 30 bottles ₹ 24,900 / peti
      • C 008 Pigment 70 mL ₹ 700
      • M 008 Pigment 70 mL ₹ 700
      • Y 008 Pigment 70 mL ₹ 700
    • Brother:
      • BK BTD60 Dye 108.0 mL ₹ 480
      • C BT5000 Dye 48.8 mL ₹ 360
      • M BT5000 Dye 48.8 mL ₹ 360
      • Y BT5000 Dye 48.8 mL ₹ 360
  • Hand operated manual paper creasing or folding machine:
    • A3+ wide (17") ₹8,800
  • Hand operated manual stapler
    • Kangaro Distributor
    • HD-23L24FL ₹3,000
    • Range: 250 mm
    • Max. 210 sheets
    • Supported staples’ sizes 23/6 to 23/24
    • Central Pin Binding with cover max. A3 sheet (A4 book)
    • Weight: 4.5 kg
  • Manual Staples (Kangaro):
    • 23/24-H 10 staples’ sets 1,000 staples ₹ 90
    • 23/20-H 10 staples’ sets 1,000 staples ₹ 80
    • 23/17-H 10 staples’ sets 1,000 staples ₹ 55
    • 23/15-H 10 staples’ sets 1,000 staples ₹ 50
      • 1 dibba 10 dibbi ₹ 460 ₹ 46 / dibbi
    • 23/13-H 10 staples’ sets 1,000 staples ₹ 44
    • 23/10-H 10 staples’ sets 1,000 staples ₹ 42
    • 23/8-H 10 staples’ sets 1,000 staples ₹ 30
      • 1 dibba 20 dibbi ₹ 540 ₹ 27 / dibbi
    • 23/6-H 10 staples’ sets 1,000 staples ₹ 25
    • 24/6-1M 20 staples’ sets 1,000 staples ₹ 15
  • Hand operated manual staple removers:
    • SR-300 Kangaro ₹140
  • Manual Ream cutter (Bright office):
    • A3+ (17") ₹9,800
  • Fevicol (Pidelite):
    • 200 mL ₹90
    • 500 mL ₹180

Other costing

Material cost (2025)

  • Acid paper
    • A4
      • 200 Rs / ream(=500 sheets) or .5 Rs/ sheet. 75 gsm is common.
    • A3
      • 400 Rs / ream
  • Acid free paper
    • JK paper 75GSM - marketed as being “Long lasting and acid-free”. Per Gemini - made from 100% ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free) plantation wood pulp - reduces Lignin much.
    • A4
      • 4-5 INR / sheet (Kirti paper, hubli. 100 GSM. Min. order: 40 kg or 40/(0.06237*.1) = 6413 sheets. )
        • 100% cotton rags. Not tested or certified.
      • 286/500 (JK paper 75GSM, ncbs rate) - about 0.572 / A4
      • 290/500 (West coast paper 75GSM, alkaline)
    • A3
      • 7 INR/ sheet (Kirti paper, hubli, 2025)
      • 513/500 (JK paper 75GSM, ncbs rate )
      • 550/500 (West coast paper 75GSM, alkaline, ncbs rate)
    • letter - 7k / ream online
  • Archival paper
    • A3 4% buffered
      • 27 INR / sheet (sriaurobindopaper.com )

Covers

  • 180 GSM Kraft paper roll 24 inch - 190 Rs in 2026 Source: TW
  • Offset 250-300 GSM papers are cheap. But, can’t print on it using dye, pigment or laser printers.
  • Photo paper
  • Wedding invitation printing paper

Home

  • vishvAsa 2026 -
    • BW A4 sheet (2 pages) - .15 Rs
    • Acid free A4 sheet cost - .5 Rs
    • 100 A4 sheets - 65 Rs
    • 100 A5 sheets - 33 Rs
    • 500 A5 sheets - 165 Rs
  • kamalanayana - On regular paper - ₹ 2,000 (plain paper) + ₹ 2,000 (ink and cover paper) for 2,500 A3 sheets

India printers

  • navbhArat 2025, bengaLUru

    • Pigment ink, acid free paper is available only in bulk for printing 1000 books plus.
    • rates for 30 copies A5 size books 450 pages approx using 80gsm maplitho b/w print , cover in colour 300gsm. Rs 28,900/- + gst - So 1k per copy. (Material cost approx - ₹ 400 for acid paper and ₹ 50-100 for ink.)

  • DS graphics 2026 - mysUru

    • 378 pages B&W in 70 gsm maplitho paper, Laser Printout, 300 gsm art card digital printing for coverpage (front & back), lamination, Stitch with Perfet Binding
      • Paperback 272/copy (200 copies), 780 / copy (30 copies)
      • Case binding 300/copy (200 copies), 850/ copy (30 copies)

  • rAghavendra vAgartha, bengaLUru 202601

    • 426 pgs B&W, laser on common acid free paper.
      • paperback - 266 / copy (30 copies)
      • hardback - 333/ copy (30 copies)
    • Offset printing, with pigment ink, available only for 300+ copies. This involves plate making and then printing, also to set the prints ready there is a certain amount of wastage involved - which exceeds 30 copies.

  • For an avg. 400 pg A5 book, tAra-prakAshana quoted around 600 Rs per copy (pigment ink on acid free paper).

  • https://pothi.com/ 2026 - 387 / copy for 50 copies.

Mass quantity
  • If you see these bengali book publishers, they publish on thin paper and sell 7-800 page books home-delivered for free at 150-200 rs. Eg: TW These are printed in 10,000 copies at a time. Very low quality paper & ink

USA

  • lulu
  • Mohan KV and Shreevatsa published sadAswada there in 2014 (PB, HC). (“excellent results in the US and bad ones in India”).
विश्वास-टिप्पनी

Enquiries

https://vishvasa.github.io/book-pub/vedAH_yajuH/ApastambaH/dharma-sUtram-en/dharma-sUtram-en_a5.pdf

Price for 30 copies

  • paper cover, gum binding
  • paper cover, stitch binding
  • hard cover, stitch binding

Acid free paper to be used, like https://www.jkpaper.com/jk-copier (jk copier Premium). Pigment ink to be used.

Request quote from printer -

What is the cost per copy to publish https://vishvasa.github.io/book-pub/rAmAnujIyam/yAmunaH/Agama-prAmANyam/Agama-prAmANyam_a5.pdf on ACID FREE PAPER with PIGMENT INK?

Note: Don’t want ordinary paper and powder ink.

Glossary

Full Forms

  • GSM Grams per Square Meter
  • SBS Solid Bleached Sulphate
  • SBB Solid Bleached Board
  • C1S Coated 1 Side
  • C2S Coated 2 Sides
  • APP Asia Pulp & Paper
  • pt points
  • mic micron
  • px pixel
  • ipm images per minute
  • ppm pages per minute

Extra Details

  • 1 mm 5.7 px (for 144 DPI of MS Paint)
  • 1 pharma 32 pages of A5 size
  • Max. custom page width in A4 printer 215.9 mm
  • Resin Coated (RC) Inkjet Photo Paper Fully water proof
  • Cast Coated (CC) Inkjet Photo Paper Partially water proof
  • 8.5" wide A4 width and A5 length
  • 13" wide A3 width and A4 length
  • 17" wide A2 width and A3 length
  • Thickness Unit Conversions:
    • 1 mic 0.001 mm
    • 1 pt 0.001"
  • Paper Types:
    • Normal Paper NA
    • Digital Paper Gloss & Matt
    • Photo Paper Gloss & Matt
    • Offset Paper Gloss & Matt
  • Paper Thickness Uncoated:
    • 70 GSM 90-100 mic = 0.09-0.10 mm
    • 210 GSM 250 mic = 0.25 mm
    • 250 GSM mic = 0. mm
    • 300 GSM 350 mic = 0.35 mm
  • Paper Counting & Weight:
    • 250 GSM A3+ C2S Gloss 1 peti 7 packets 700 sheets 28 kg
    • 70 GSM A4:
      • 1 quire 25 sheets 110 g 0.25 cm
      • 1 ream 20 quire 500 sheets 2.2 kg 5 cm
      • 1 bundle 2 reams 40 quire 1,000 sheets 4.2 kg 10 cm
      • 1 bale 5 bundles 10 reams 200 quire 5,000 sheets 22 kg 50 cm
  • Paper Sizes:
    • A3 297 mm x 420 mm 11.7" x 16.6"
    • A4 210 mm x 297 mm 8.3" x 11.7"
    • A5 148 mm x 210 mm 5.8" x 8.3"