What's the best way to get bulk bought paper (HP etc.) with lines?

Must one print them himself, or is there another way?

Much obliged,

Jonathan

No responses? Well, I'm no expert, but my method has been to take a ream of "good" paper to work and use the big behemoth copier/printer. Fused toner is much more water-resistant than most inkjet inks - not that fountain pen ink would smear them, but rain, spills, etc. could.

The other option I can think of is looking around for a small print shop, if they haven't all gone out of business. They should be able to set up whatever you'd like, in a range of techniques. I remember having some invitations printed out on store-bought note cards; this was years ago, but the price was minimal for the quality received. It's worth looking around.

Barring that, a large copy/print shop should be able to do reams at a time, though I couldn't speak for price. I'd hope they offer a bulk discount...

Or perhaps an XXXXF nib and a drafting rule ?

Best,
Jon

Another way is to just forget the lines on the paper and use a writing guide beneath the blank page. This way you make one template and people are amazed at how nice you line up your writing.

Kurt

But what do you do if you're using a heavy paper? Like the 32# HP laser or a heavyweight handmade? I'm sure it would probably show with a lightbox (and I have considered constructing one!) but that seems a bit extreme.

I've had a bit of this same problem. So far I'm just printing out pages with faint blue lines and "living with it."

I use slightly lighter paper with a guide sheet beneath, and another, folded sheet across the page which both helps me to keep straight and protects the paper from 'skin oils'.

I think if I wrote a letter on lined paper my late mother would arrange for me to be struck by lightning

The only problem I find with printed guide sheets is that the ink from the lines may transfer to the backside of your paper. Kind of a dead giveaway when you turn the page over and see faint splotches of lines.

I finally gave up, especially with my thick-paper journals, and decided that slowing down and lots of practice is the way to go. Learned that observing HDoug's handwriting samples and his own comments about how he practiced.

If you go the copier/laser printer route and you have a stack of them, the toner actually has some thickness and when stacked together it is noticeable...

I just use the plain paper now and eyeball it!

I made a template and I use it with Hammermill 28lb and it works great. See if it suits your needs, its posted somewhere on this site.

I've never seen anything like that and I find it hard to see how that would ever occur.

The Clairefontaine writing pad I got comes with one (no lines on the backside of the paper, no smudging), the only problem it has is the lines aren't dark enough and I have trouble seeing them through the paper (the HP 32# you enablers talked me in to is even tougher :). I figure to go over it with Noodler's bulletproof black, I figure that won't come off (and I can swipe it with a paper towel first to make sure). Easy enough for anyone to carefully make their own with the advantage they get to pick their own line width.

RoseHawke,

I regularly use HP 32lb paper with a guide underneath. I recommend going to incompetech.com and creating your own graph/guide paper. You can set the distance between lines, line thickness, etc.

--Lorie

Would just basic black be the best color for the lines of an "under the page" guide sheet? I made several varieties/versions with my graphics program (Paint Shop Pro, at which I am an accomplished user,) but still having a bit of a problem seeing the lines through the sheet. Perhaps if I made the lines wider and darker it would help. I'll do a bit of experimenting. Of course it doesn't help that I have to wear reading glasses these days!

If you use a lightbox.. as for tracing or sorting slides...you can easily see lines behind the #32 lb HP...Greg

I've been making my guides with word processing software. I make the lines black and thick. I can see them well enough through 32# HP paper.

I've used a lightbox on occasion. There's a small one that I found on ebay - about $20.00 total cost. Slightly larger than clipboard size, so just right for writing. I've seen them in Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc. No assembly or major cost required. I prefer to print lines on HP paper though. Too much lightbox work gives me a headache.

Oh? I am speaking of the ink from the guide lines page transfering to the back of the page you are writing on. I guess your printer ink is better than my printer ink. It happens.


edit for clarity

I've always just used a ruler and a pen. I should invest in a printer.


Just kidding

Buy a good quality laid paper. It has the lines embossed in the fabric of the paper. Is made to do what you want in a subtle way that does not require printing. Most high quality paper brands have them. Strathmore, Neenah, etc. have them. Paper is way higher quality and you can see the lines if you want or ignor if you don't. JD

This printable lined paper generator has worked for me.
http://www.incompetech.com/graphpaper/

This float your boat (Clairefontaine brushed vellum 90g paper. Single & double sheets. Lined/Loose sheets)?
http://www.nota-bene.ca/cgi-bin/online/storepro.php

Hi Cindy,

I have been surprised to find that bright-to-royal blue seems to be the most visible through the paper. I thought black would be, but not so.

I do recommend the site at incompetech. You just put in the specs you want, including line thickness, and it generates a .pdf file for you. Super easy!

--Lorie

DiY Planner here has templates in .pdf format from 3x5" up to letter/A4.

With HP Laser 32#, you cannot see a ruled sheet placed beneith.

I'm printing ruled sheets as-needed on my Epson photo printer, which is waterproof and archival. I have no problem with them getting in the way of the FP ink.

I don't know if a small copy place could do better. I think doing better would require lithography and spot color.

I like being able to change the design as I improve it. For work, I may add title blocks for example. Also I can adjust the line spacing to match the characteristics of the pen/ink, and just make a few sheets at a time. As for speed, it's not like I have to wait around for it to finish, and it doesn't use a lot of printer ink.

--John

To view through, alternating color stripes might be better than lines at the boundaries. You will see the line where the color band changes far better than a thin line. E.g. instead of thin lines 9mm apart, make 9mm wide lines spaced 18mm apart.

Another idea is to use a sheet that has perforated holes (you can buy a little wheel that perfs as you roll it). Put that over the sheet and dust it with pencil dust made for that purpose. When done, erase with rubber.


--John

I printed some sheets with my laser, I think 0.2mm wide lines, 80 or 100% Black. Works just fine, looks like the stuff you can buy
from e.g. Filofax. Very elegant thin lines.

If you go the guide behind the paper route: Traditionally these were very popular here in Austria, at least up until
20 or 30 years ago. The usual form was the following (for A4), of course without the ad at the bottom:

http://www.pagro.at/download/DnldAbenteuer..._A4_liniert.pdf

The really fat lines work quite well. Print with a laser, so it does not rub off. Should
work fine through most 70 or 80g papers.

HTH
/ralph