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Post by chaosisapony on Nov 26, 2017 4:46:39 GMT
For Christmas I purchased my mom an instructional e-book she would really like. It was almost $30 which I think is ridiculous for an ebook but this content really can't be found anywhere else. My mom's not much of a computer person and she doesn't have an e-reader or a tablet. So I bought the book with the intention of having it printed and spiral bound for her (I have a release that allows this to be done so it's all legal).
We have a local Staples store and I figured it'd be super easy to upload and get it done this weekend. Nope! They want $94 to print and spiral bind! I am in absolute shock. I though this would cost maybe $15-$20 tops.
There's one locally owned print shop I am going to check with to see what they would charge but honestly even half that amount is way over my budget for this particular gift. I may be stuck printing it at home and hole punching it and throwing it in a binder for her. It would work, but isn't really the presentation I wanted for a gift.
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Post by beaglemom on Nov 26, 2017 4:54:46 GMT
I would shop around. Unless it needs to be in color that seems really expensive!
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artsydaisy
Full Member
Posts: 464
Jul 1, 2014 4:55:48 GMT
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Post by artsydaisy on Nov 26, 2017 5:00:37 GMT
I haven't priced that stuff out but it does sound expensive! How many pages is it? If you can't find a better deal, you could print it yourself and pay them just to spiral bind it.
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Post by chaosisapony on Nov 26, 2017 5:09:35 GMT
Yes, it's a color job. Each page has a lot of step by step photos and diagrams that are much easier to see in color. It's 188 pages. Staples quoted 11 cents per page in color, plus the binding charge and fee to have them printed back to back. The math doesn't equal what the website wants to charge me. If the local place can't help me I'll just have to print it in black and white.  |
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Deleted
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Nov 1, 2024 15:38:20 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2017 5:15:52 GMT
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Post by chaosisapony on Nov 26, 2017 5:18:55 GMT
Our UPS store is Staples. To double check I entered my zip code and the specs, it priced out the same. Good idea though! Eh scratch that I don't know how to read addresses. The UPS store is in town and my quote is $78. I'm thinking I may just do this in black and white. |
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Post by ihaveonly1l on Nov 26, 2017 5:28:48 GMT
I’d call and talk to a person. I had a book cut and a spiral binding put on and it was $7 for the binding. This was at Office Max but they are similar.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Nov 1, 2024 15:38:20 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2017 5:46:03 GMT
Our UPS store is Staples. To double check I entered my zip code and the specs, it priced out the same. Good idea though! Eh scratch that I don't know how to read addresses. The UPS store is in town and my quote is $78. I'm thinking I may just do this in black and white. If there is more than one store listed, try choosing a different one. Some stores are franchised and each store quoted me a different price. One actually was as high as your original quote! |
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artsydaisy
Full Member
Posts: 464
Jul 1, 2014 4:55:48 GMT
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Post by artsydaisy on Nov 26, 2017 7:36:09 GMT
Wow, keep shopping around. That is quite the markup, and no, the math does not add up AT ALL! Unless the spirals are platinum. Can you contact the store and let them know they are way, way off?
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Post by krys on Nov 26, 2017 7:45:25 GMT
Do you have an HP printer? I posted earlier tonight about HP's Instant Ink. You can print up to 300 full color photo quality prints a month for $9.99/month. Or up to 100 for $4.99/month or 50 for $2.99. I am really excited and had been hearing such good things about it. You can cancel at any time and through November 30th if you sign up you can get 3 free months. It might be an idea for you since you could sign up for a month and print the 300 and then either down grade if you don't normally make a ton of prints or cancel. I am actually asking for a spiral binder for Christmas because I am weird like that  but in the past I have gone to a copy shop and used their spiral binder for free and just bought the coils. I had to do it myself but it was a lot cheaper. Anyway, just some ideas for you. That is a crazy expensive price! In case you are interested here is a link for the 3 free months of HP's Instant Ink. link |
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Deleted
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Nov 1, 2024 15:38:20 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2017 8:22:17 GMT
www.theprintingtrain.com does 10 cent color copies and cheap flat shipping. I've used them for nearly a decade with no issues. They do all sets of printing, including binding like you want.
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Post by Just Beth on Nov 26, 2017 9:04:21 GMT
Can you print just the color pages with them and print the black and white ones on your own?
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lesley
Drama Llama
My best friend Turriff, desperately missed.
Posts: 7,308 
Location: Scotland, Scotland, Scotland
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Post by lesley on Nov 26, 2017 11:00:13 GMT
At that price, you could get your mum a tablet to read the book on - and do lots more in addition!
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CeeScraps
Pearl Clutcher
~~occupied entertaining my brain~~
Posts: 3,908
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Post by CeeScraps on Nov 26, 2017 14:02:23 GMT
If you print them out then take them back to an office store to have it spiral bound.
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scrappinghappy
Pearl Clutcher
“I’m late, I’m late for a very important date. No time to say “Hello.” Goodbye. I’m late...."
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Post by scrappinghappy on Nov 26, 2017 14:30:40 GMT
A kindle fire is $29 this weekens then you can add even more books for her - win, win!
Or try kinkos. And if you go DIY, use sheet protectors instead of punching holes. You can slip pages in back to back which i prefer to doublesided printing any way
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Post by elaine on Nov 26, 2017 14:47:30 GMT
One of the issues may be that the e-book is actually not formatted for printing. It is formatted for reading on a tablet. To be certain that it will print with everything in the right place and not one photo per page, etc., someone is going to have to go through and check and work with all the formatting.
Also, for binding, the left margin on the odd pages and then the right margin on the even pages needs to be larger - 1.5” - than the other margin,- 1”. There needs to be extra space for the binding so that words aren’t cut off and are legible. It would be easier if you didn’t want double-sided printing because then the only margin that would need to be changed/larger would be the left one consistently. Again, double-sided means the left margin on the front side and the right margin on the back side need to be larger.
Printing an e-book isn’t as easy as it might seem on the face of it.
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Rhondito
Pearl Clutcher
MississipPea
Posts: 4,826
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Post by Rhondito on Nov 26, 2017 16:03:06 GMT
Taking into account what Elaine just said about formatting the margins, what if you just had the pages printed one-sided? Would that bring the cost down?
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ginacivey
Pearl Clutcher
refupea #2 in southeast missouri
Posts: 4,685
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Post by ginacivey on Nov 26, 2017 17:32:34 GMT
capsule wardrobe?
i swear i saw this (maybe even you) in the group
i've seen it printed in booklet style
ends up having four pages on one
so that'll cut the cost by fourth
if it's the document i'm thinking of - it's a pdf
so the ereader is an option
gina
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Post by chaosisapony on Nov 26, 2017 18:24:18 GMT
capsule wardrobe? i swear i saw this (maybe even you) in the group i've seen it printed in booklet style ends up having four pages on one so that'll cut the cost by fourth if it's the document i'm thinking of - it's a pdf so the ereader is an option gina Nope, not me.  The pages are actually formatted perfectly to print at 8 1/2 x 11. I just placed the order doing only the cover in color and the rest in black and white. With the binding, double sided printing, and clear plastic covers the total was $20.44. My mom is ridiculously hard to shop for so I'm really glad to check her gift of the list before December! |
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Post by jcmom04 on Nov 26, 2017 19:43:13 GMT
I print a lot of different things for my practice. I’ve learned as much as I like to do things online... when it comes to this stuff- take it in and talk to a human being. I usually have to email them the document vs upload it so be aware of that. It has saved me a ton being able to physically touch the paper I choose, etc.
Kristin
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but in the past I have gone to a copy shop and used their spiral binder for free and just bought the coils. I had to do it myself but it was a lot cheaper. Anyway, just some ideas for you. That is a crazy expensive price! In case you are interested here is a link for the 3 free months of HP's Instant Ink. 
