Printing Avery clear labels

[Tom Bick]

It’s that time of year and the thoughts are towards designing some different labels for the fancy jars I have bought this year and thinking about the clear labels from Avery as I like their design tools.

The thing is, most of the clear labels they do are for laser printers and I was wondering if anyone has had good results printing the labels with an inkjet printer or was it a disaster.

 

[Dishmop]

It’s that time of year and the thoughts are towards designing some different labels for the fancy jars I have bought this year and thinking about the clear labels from Avery as I like their design tools.

The thing is, most of the clear labels they do are for laser printers and I was wondering if anyone has had good results printing the labels with an inkjet printer or was it a disaster.

I have printed on Letraset clear film with inkjet, but as with any inkjet printing it still smudges. It does get less likely to smudge with age, bit I dont think you are going to have that option.
It has crossed my mind lately that with all this talk about labels and previous mention of anti tamper labels......why not shrink wrap the jars and then the labels wont smudge (pre sale) and there is no need for anti tamper labels.....

 

[Tom Bick]

Thanks Dishmop I have never had a problem with my cheap as chips inkjet printer smudging on paper labels and even put jars through a dishwasher and the label comes through intact and non the worse for the experience but then a sort of plastic film is different in many ways.

 

[Russel]

You could buy one of these Dell colour lasers for £90 or if successful with the inkjet spray the label with scentless hair lacquer. Just a thought.

 

[itma]

It’s that time of year and the thoughts are towards designing some different labels for the fancy jars I have bought this year and thinking about the clear labels from Avery as I like their design tools.

The thing is, most of the clear labels they do are for laser printers and I was wondering if anyone has had good results printing the labels with an inkjet printer or was it a disaster.

Clear labels aren't paper … so an ordinary inkjet isn't going to do a great job.

However, a brand new b&w laser can be pretty cheap these days. Here is a Dell for £37.15 (inc VAT) http://cpc.farnell.com/dell/210-403...?whydiditmatch=clone&matchedProduct=CS2581965
I'm seriously considering going almost £90 for a wifi networkable colour laser http://www.ebuyer.com/433141-dell-c1760nw-wireless-colour-laser-printer-210-41094 (partly because my £30 used eBay HP mono networkable double-sided printing laser is getting a touch old - it still works fine but is so old that it isn't supported for printing from my tablet …)
BTW perfectly satisfactory laser toners for these can be found cheaply on eBay.

Inkjets are a right pain compared to a laser …

 

[Tom Bick]

Cheers Thanks for the replies I suppose I could stretch to a new laser printer but if similar to my inkjet the printer is cheap but it loves cartridges and they are the true cost. So one more question are laser printers more expensive when it comes down to the ink.

 

[Dishmop]

I bought some sample sheets of labels the other week.
Used the laser to print on them.
Tested for smudging...........and the label tore..Too porous and not gloss finished.

 

[sladdergoo]

Avery labels

I have not used the clear ones but I use the white Video Face jobs ( L7671 ) with an HP 5220 I J printer. I use the Avery " Design & Print on Line " thingy & get good results but you have to fiddle about to get good registration ie the design doesn't always centre on the labels.

 

[itma]

... So one more question are laser printers more expensive when it comes down to the ink.

If you insist on branded "toner" powder (not ink), the price can look expensive (big ticket) but will give you thousands of pages - making each page cheaper than inkjet.
Also, toner doesn't dry up -- laser is actually a better bet for occasional and highly intermittent printing. No wastage!
"Compatible" toners can be very cheap - and shouldn't be able to damage your printer (which can happen with some inkjets and rubbish ink). The set of 4 individual colour toners for the colour laser I indicated above can be had for under £25 on eBay. Which is pretty reasonable, IMHO.

 

[Dishmop]

You could buy one of these Dell colour lasers for £90 or if successful with the inkjet spray the label with scentless hair lacquer. Just a thought.

The injet ink sealer is not excacty cheap.. I always use the clear laquer as used for car paint jobs... Doesnt smell so bad as the other stuff either......

or....you can rub the work over with a smear of cooking oil on cotton wool..

Dont laugh...it really does work...

 

[itma]

I have not used the clear ones but I use the white Video Face jobs ( L7671 ) with an HP 5220 I J printer. I use the Avery " Design & Print on Line " thingy & get good results but you have to fiddle about to get good registration ie the design doesn't always centre on the labels.

The clear labels are plastic - wet ink designed for paper won't stay put on plastic.

Registration.
Avery DesignPro (on the Mac at least) has a "calibrate printer" 'wizard' to determine (and use) the correct offsets for your individual printer.
HOWEVER, if the alignment is inconsistent from one page to another, that indicates a printer problem (likely the paper pickup rollers are worn down or glazed smooth and slipping slightly).

As mentioned previously on another thread, I actually use Avery-clone labels from Ryman, and they work nicely in my antique HP Laserjet 2300dn. Registration stays consistently accurate.

 

[Tom Bick]

If you insist on branded "toner" powder (not ink), the price can look expensive (big ticket) but will give you thousands of pages - making each page cheaper than inkjet.
Also, toner doesn't dry up -- laser is actually a better bet for occasional and highly intermittent printing. No wastage!
"Compatible" toners can be very cheap - and shouldn't be able to damage your printer (which can happen with some inkjets and rubbish ink). The set of 4 individual colour toners for the colour laser I indicated above can be had for under £25 on eBay. Which is pretty reasonable, IMHO.

Thanks itma thats great and shows my lack of understanding with laser printing. I am working with someone this next week or two and he loves everything techno and I bet he has a good laser printer I could try it out before making the plunge or even borrow his printer as he owes me a few

 

[BeeJayBee]

@ Tom.

Ditto, almost, what itma said earlier.

We bought a Lexmark MS310dn mono laser printer from ebuyer. Reckons something like 1,500 sheets from one toner cartridge. It's a bit more expensive than the one itma suggested, but we chose it because it has a network connection. http://www.ebuyer.com/415287-lexmark-ms310dn-33ppm-a4-mono-laser-printer-35s0132

Bought both Avery (front of jar) and non-avery (back of jar) labels from a local stationer, who provided the avery code. Downloaded Avery Design Pro, which is a pain to use but does work, and ended up with some nice looking labels. There was no need to calibrate the printer, just made sure the paper was central to the guides.

I had, previously, tried the same Avery front labels with an inkjet and tested them with moisture (wet fingers) and the ink smudged. It didn't run or smudge with the laser print.

 

[Tom Bick]

Thanks BeeJoyful that's a great help. I am going to play with a friends laser printer at first before deciding to splash the cash he also has a dedicated label printer but somehow I don't think that will link up easily with the Avery tools.

 

[itma]

Thanks BeeJoyful that's a great help. I am going to play with a friends laser printer at first before deciding to splash the cash he also has a dedicated label printer but somehow I don't think that will link up easily with the Avery tools.

Likely to be a thermal printer which might be fine for address labels, but really not for 'permanent' jar labels.

 

[Nige.Coll]

I used microsoft publisher for my clear labels it worked out well.
Think I might have to design some more as my summer honey won't contrast against the labels aswell as the OSR honey did.

I used a non avery label and had to make my own template that was annoying lol.
Took longer to make the template than the label.
One thing I noticed was buying 500 labels cost me £2.50 more than buying 100.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Just a quick 'heads up' -

I saw some clear labels in WHS earlier today and thought I might buy some to try them out. I think they were these, although they were cheaper in the shop.

Tucked away in tiny print on the back of the packet were instructions saying they should only be used with mono inkjet, and are not suitable for laser printers.

I presume this only applies to the WHS own-brand labels, and not the Avery ones.

 

[Dishmop]

Tucked away in tiny print on the back of the packet were instructions saying they should only be used with mono inkjet, and are not suitable for laser printers.

Due to the heat from the printer..

but why mono injet??? unless they mean the label printers which probably use dye and not ink.

 

[bontbee]

I have used Avery clear laser labels, in a laser printer - unfortunately it didn't work. Tried a few times, on different settings, but the label surface seemed to partially "melt". I have meant to take it up with Avery, to see if they can suggest what I am doing wrong, but haven't got round to it yet...

 

[Dishmop]

I have used Avery clear laser labels, in a laser printer - unfortunately it didn't work. Tried a few times, on different settings, but the label surface seemed to partially "melt". I have meant to take it up with Avery, to see if they can suggest what I am doing wrong, but haven't got round to it yet...

What you are doing wrong is stuffing a plastic film into a machine that generates heat.

....have you never noticed that printed paper is hot when it comes out of a laser printer....