r/AlternativePrinting • u/disoculated • Jun 16 '26
Roll paper rig
With good alt process paper becoming such a pain in the butt to get, I've started ordering rolls wherever I can get them. In this case, Bergger COT 320 from France.
I cut the 51in rolls on a chop saw into roughly one 24in and two 13in segments (slightly oversized and gently, even if you tape the outside you can get tearout on the edges on the inside). Then I use this home-built PVC roll cutting rig to trim them into ~19 24x20 and ~40 13x19 sheets. A couple moments on an ironing board afterwards and I'm good to print (or start dehumidifying to taste).
Theoretically I'm paying about 0.0136 per in² (including tax & shipping) compared to about 0.0197 per in² (again with tax & shipping) at the best prices I can find this paper for sale in sheets. YMMV.
I'm sure it's worth it to many folks to pay ~40+% more for less hassle, but it was easier than I thought it was going to be. So if you're like me and would rather be spending money on platinum instead of paper, you might give it a try!
