efficent computer printing for trail use?

Posted by: the-gr8t-waldo

efficent computer printing for trail use? - 05/06/17 01:11 PM

I'm working on an upcoming trip that has a trail data list/guide. previous outings I just printed them out and was mostly fine with that approach.( even then, I was starting to think about a less paper intensive approach ) But I'm now looking at a considerably longer trip and the paper needed to print this out is starting to bother me. I'd love to print out this list using both sides of each sheet of std 8.5 x 11" paper. trouble is I haven't a clue as to how to set this up. is there a program available that'll work? or does the std. print command allow this to be accomplished without buying anything else? or maybe saving the file and dump it into the hands of one of the many printing shops like office depo?
Posted by: aimless

Re: efficent computer printing for trail use? - 05/06/17 02:53 PM

Your printer must support double-sided printing to make this anything but a pain in the neck. Otherwise, it is a very labor intensive process, where you first print the odd-numbered pages only, then collate them and place them back into the paper feed tray and print the even-numbered pages only on their reverse sides.
Posted by: the-gr8t-waldo

Re: efficent computer printing for trail use? - 05/06/17 03:12 PM

thanks Aimless for the quick reply. I'll have to wait a week to find out if the resident printer can support double sided printing.. aside from that I was assuming that I'd have to double feed the tray to make this work out anyway.
Posted by: wgiles

Re: efficent computer printing for trail use? - 05/06/17 08:54 PM

I haven't seen an ink jet printer that would automatically print both sides. On the other hand, .pdf files can be printed on both sides by selecting that in the print menu and your printer may support printing on both sides, but you will have to turn the paper over and run it through again. When I have to do this, I prefer to print 6 or 10 pages at a time so that a misfeed doesn't throw my paging off too far. I have a wide carriage ink jet printer that I use to print maps, but I only print one map at a time. I can print the other side by flipping the paper over and running it through a second time. Watch that the maps print legibly. Many of my topo maps don't. The contour lines often don't contrast well enough with the background. If you use Caltopo.com, you might see if you can turn shading off. It often looks good on screen, but not on paper. If I'm printing text or black and white, I use a laser printer which will print both sides automatically. If you've got text and graphics, it's a good idea to test the graphics and see that they come out right. Taking it to a commercial printer isn't a bad idea, but it would be a good idea to ask for test prints before printing the whole batch.
Posted by: BrianLe

Re: efficent computer printing for trail use? - 05/07/17 12:52 PM

Look for the printer properties dialogue. Instead of directly saying "double sided", you might see the word "duplex".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duplex_printing

If your printer doesn't support that, then I forget whose post already did a great job of describing the somewhat PITA "all one side, then put the pages back in the printer to do the other sides" approach. If you try this, I strongly suggest that you practice with just a few pages until you get it figured out. I always seem to waste some sheets before I get my head straight w.r.t. what the printer is going to do.

Another thing you might consider doing is to change the default print quality to "high". Prints slower, maybe uses a little more ink (?), but for looking at some of the smaller details on a printed map, you want every bit of resolution that you can get, and particularly sometimes fairly small words written on a map.

Finally, another useful thing for this task is a "guillotine" style paper cutter --- you know, a flat board with a sharp blade along one side of it on a single pin hinge. These can be obtained fairly inexpensively and they even have some that are fairly compact to store. Very useful I find to trim off excess paper. Yes, if you're carrying a big enough load of paper this can even translate to some modest weight savings, but primarily I do it so that 8-1/2 x 11 inch sheets of paper will fit nicely into a gallon ziplock.
I think my wife looked a bit askance when I got one of these, but now it sits in her workroom, as she uses it if anything more than I do for other projects.
Posted by: topshot

Re: efficent computer printing for trail use? - 05/10/17 09:46 PM

Or just take it to Office Depot, etc. It will almost certainly be better quality and more durable (laser vs inkjet). I was surprised how well the ones I've done at Staples resist staining from water droplets.
Posted by: the-gr8t-waldo

Re: efficent computer printing for trail use? - 05/11/17 12:13 PM

I was probably not using the right word to describe my needs/project. a data guide is a list of trail things like water sources,mileage between notable points, and camping locations, etc.. Apart from being legible there's no need for long life. used once and it's only scrap paper until the hike is done a second time. by then given a few years some information most likely will need to be updated anyway. for the record, a few years ago I did visit such printing services, and found the resulting product totally useless ( a topo map)once bitten twice shy.- so I've sorta written them off as a service for me...ymmd



















Posted by: orclwzrd

Re: efficent computer printing for trail use? - 05/11/17 06:35 PM

My office printer does double sided. sometimes you can pick "two up" so that you print 2 small pages landscape side by side.

I usually build a spreadsheet in google sheets or excel and then print that. data sheet with campsites, plans, notes, water, trail crossings, mileage and the like.

john

ps... my office cough donates the prints
Posted by: the-gr8t-waldo

Re: efficent computer printing for trail use? - 05/22/17 05:05 PM

well, finally found a block of time, and knocked this out. it took some time, sweat and aggravation to do it on my home office printer... but double sided by double feeding the stock paper, all on 11 sheets of paper. and as an unexpected bonus, I'm able to trim an additional 2 " off one long side.
Posted by: Gershon

Re: efficent computer printing for trail use? - 05/27/17 08:49 PM

Next time, maybe print them single side and take them to Kinkos or someplace like that. They may have a waterproof paper.
Posted by: billstephenson

Re: efficent computer printing for trail use? - 05/31/17 11:47 PM

Originally Posted By Gershon
Next time, maybe print them single side and take them to Kinkos or someplace like that. They may have a waterproof paper.


Yep. That's what I'd have probably done.

Quote:
found the resulting product totally useless ( a topo map)once bitten twice shy


They probably used a color laser printer and for some reason some of those do a really crappy job on topo maps. I know because I had some printed at a "Quick Print" type place and they really did suck.

But they do great with plain text and the laser print is a lot more water resistant too, so for this job that would have been a good choice.