error: The link to John Norris’s templates goes to Douglas Johnston’s page. Could you please fix it? Thanks.

One thing to note: “Standard” index cards are standard as long as you get them in the US. (Canada as well?) A 3” x 5” is 7.62cm x 12.7cm.

Here in Madrid I use cards that are 6.5cm x 9.5cm. There’s a slightly larger size up which size I’m not sure of and I think is larger than 3” x 5”. I wonder if this or other printers can easily handle these sizes…

I don’t think that should be a problem, Miguel, since, from what I can gather, it handles media as small as 2.13”x3.39” and, in terms or print size, can go up to 8.5” in borderless mode.

I think you’d just need to create a custom page setup that matches your requirements.

Here’s what my page setup looks like right now, FWIW: http://pix.merlinmann.com/iP3000-page-setup.jpg

Exellent! I have no printer right now and my wife has been nagging me to get a photo printer so maybe now’s a good time. Thanks for the heads up.

One nice thing about which I’m envious—the “España” version probably has the cool-ass CD printing enabled. You might want to check before you buy—if not, there might be a Euro-version you can pick up that does have it.

So jealous. :-)

Further note (and maybe this has been noted before), I prefer 4x6 index cards, and therefore my “standard” size is also usually available for photo printers, as 4x6 is generally a standard option (this is not always true if the printer is on a network, but if it’s directly connected via usb, I can always select 4x6). This is true (I believe) because 35mm film always had less cropping at 4x6 (if you wanted 3x5 photos, a great deal of the photo would be cropped). So, this odd characterisic carries over even today, and standard size photo paper tends to be 4x6, even though the standard electronic photo requires that a 4x6 be cropped.

I feel an essay coming on, so I’ll stop myself from yacking on aout this here. For now.

I use a Mac and my Samsung ML-1750 works great. I went to the Samsung website and downloaded the drivers, and it just works.

Love printers that duplex! But will it duplex with a 3x5 card? The duplexing laser and inkjet printers I have tried usually cannot pull the 3x5 card back out of the duplexer because it is too “short.”

But will it duplex with a 3x5 card?

No dice. Just tried and it didn’t work. Spits out cards like watermelon seeds, so it has nothing to “grab on to.”

Cool idea though.

On 6 x 4 printing:

The standard 35mm frame is actually 36mm x 24mm, so a ratio of 3 to 2. So that’s where the standard print size comes from.

Digital cameras (excluding SLRs) use a ratio of 4 to 3 as this matches the tradtional VDU ratio (640 x 480, 800 x 600 etc.). So the basic print size is 6 x 4.5.

So if you choose a print size that doesn’t match these ratios, then the image will either be cropped or stretched. Worth bearing in mind.

Of course, none of this has really anything to do with printing index cards, but does hopefully explain why 6 x 4 is so common.

Merlin, I’ll check on that CD printing. That would make it even more attractive for me.

6 x 4.5

Reminds me of the Mamiya 645 camera which came out a long, long time ago and was revolutionary because it 1) printed perfectly to enlargements and, consequently 2) made more efficient use of 120/220 film. It also sported a number of good lenses, accesories, and one pretty big price tag, but man was it cool. Never was able to purchas one, though.

I digress.

Sorry re: my comment that Samsung ML-1750 works on Mac. I just assumed that 1750 and 1740 were similar models, but as 1740 isn’t officially supported for Mac, while 1750 was (it seems to be no longer produced), perhaps they differ somehow.

An even cheaper option is buying the iP3000 from NewEgg for $64.95+$2.95 shipping. After rebate, your total is $47.90.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16828102153

I’m wondering if this printer will work for 3x5 cards and photos if connected to the USB port on an Airport Express base station? I could connect it directly to my Mac to configure it first and then move it for connecting to the base station. I’d have to research it on the Apple support site anyway but anybody have any quick info on the setup or if it would work?

I’m wondering if this printer will work for 3x5 cards and photos if connected to the USB port on an Airport Express base station

Yep. Works fine for me. I configured it directly, then just did the usual fu (power down printer and Express; power on printer; connect to Express; power on Express). Came right up.

The printer utility only seems to work on a direct USB connection, but that could definitely be pilot error. Other than that it works like a dream so far. (Printed about 14 drafts of this from the Living Room watching C.S.I. last night. :) )

Hooray! My purchase has now been justified!

Seriously, though. This is the first printer I’ve bought since 1991, and I love it.

The Brother HL-1440, my personal favorite, can actually be had for $95 refurbished: HL-1440 on Amazon.com

and can easily be found new for under $150.

The real cost savings is in the long term through. Inkjet ink is a fortune while laser toner is incredibly cheap when you consider how many pages you get out of it.

One addition to my previous comment. When I picked my HL-1440 up last december it was $100 for a new unit so I find it strange it costs more now. So, i checked it out and it’s because the unit has been discontinued. It looks like on the low end they now offer the HL-2040: http://www.brother-usa.com/printer/printerdetailAREA=PRINTER_1&PRODUCTID=HL2040.aspx

I can’t verify that this handles index cards just as well. Anyone out there have one of these things?

Looks like it can be had for $90 at amazon after rebate: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007IFVJK/qid=1119976464/sr=8-1/ref=pdbbsur_1/002-3507231-2872824?v=glance&s=electronics&n=507846

I’ve got an iP4000, and generally love it, but I’m not able to get it to print 3x5 without cutting off the slightest bit on the left margins. For instance, the checkboxes on Doug’s templates are missing their left side.

I’m on Tiger — any suggestions from people? I’ve set up a custom paper size of 3x5, and set the margins to 0, but it keeps leaving too much room….

Mark: maybe try setting the Page Setup to 95% or so. You can also do a custom page setup with Canon’s default margins (the left one is 0.13” on mine).

That help?

Reportedly due to patent reasons (a/k/a “cheapness???)

Actually, it is due to ‘patent reasons’, in the sense that Seiko (now part of Epson) holds the US patent on direct-to-CD printing, and so Epson is the only printer line that has this feature in the US.

KISS. Don’t pop for another printer and less desk space just buy Avery 5388 stock with 3 index cards per sheet and use your current printer. (Avery 5386 for ones with Rolodex notches.)

I’m not sure that’s the best bargain from my standpoint, Norman. That makes it about $16 to create 150 index cards (not including the time needed to create custom templates, if you need them). For the price of 5 of those Avery packs you could own the printer outright and use standard $0.06 index cards.

Still, in an equipment-constrained environment, it’s certainly one option, for sure. Avery products have saved my butt numerous times. :)

I just got an ip1500. It looks like it can not print on 3x5 cards, or at least so says Canon tech support. So it looks like this one is out….

Marc: according to these two comments the iP1500 does work quite well:

http://www.43folders.com/2005/06/lastcallprint.html#c6420951 http://www.43folders.com/2005/06/lastcallprint.html#c6421075

Maybe Eric or Matt might have a suggestion.

Sorry you’re having problems—let me know how it goes.

Thanks. Even though I made it sound like it, I hadn’t completely given up. Thanks for the two links to comments too. I don’t know how I missed them when I did my search earlier.

Thanks for the printer tip! I bought the Pixma 4000 the other day, at the local office supply store it was only marginally more expensive than the 3000. Since I live in Europe, it comes with CD printing enabled. I hooked it up this morning and printed out some pictures and I am very happy with the print quality. Later I will try to create a custom 3x5 page and print customs cards for my Hipster PDA!

The printer is now working. Thanks Merlin. And also thanks to both Eric and Matt for their help. (formerly Marc…)

“Page Setup can be kind of a pain.”

I’ve just received my new ip3000 printer and I’m finding that printing out on Index Cards is indeed a bit of a pain.

Any change that you could post screen shots of your Custom Layouts for index card printing?

I noticed that you had an ‘Index 2’, ‘index cards, nomarg’ custom types in your earlier screen shot.

http://pix.merlinmann.com/iP3000-page-setup.jpg

This help, Rob?

http://junk.merlinmann.com/ic-setup.jpg