It turns out that desktop laser machines only go up to 8x5x11 inches in color (most cannot even do legal size in color). Dye sub can do color, but at about $7 per sheet for 11x17. So where can you do your short-run catalogs in full color?

We got lulled in by Epson ads and got their model 1520. It was a disaster. The printer was super cheap, but the ink cost more than the printer and quickly the ink costs became excessive. Color was so-so, with banding. Paper costs were unreasonable as well.

Short-run and print-on-demand digital printing systems are taking over many jobs from the old fashioned print shop with their even more old fashioned printing presses. But how to decide which new equipment to use? Curiously, the answer comes from color copiers.

One thing I was surprised to learn from speaking with executives from several different paper companies is that certain paper types clearly work better in specific printers. And for ink-jet papers, you have to be sure to use the activated side of the paper. Many ink-jet papers are intended to be printed only on one side.

Futura Laser paper, as far as we can tell, is coated equally on both sides. The instruction manual of the Lexmark color laser says not to used coated paper, but they really mean not to use erasable bond. Futura Laser paper feeds perfectly well, indeed it is an outstanding selection for color laser.

But the absolute Rolls Royce color printer for Futura Laser paper is the Xerox DocuColor model 40. This is one of the few color machines (other than a dye sub or other color proofer) which can handle 11x17" size. No desktop color laser can handle 11x17 and most color laser machines cannot even do legal size in color (only in black-and-white). Consolidated Paper has a set of test prints which reveal the professional quality color reproduction of Futura Laser paper when run through a Xerox DocuColor 40 color printer/copier.

Futura Laser papers are acid-free and hence archival quality.