Formatting darn round labels?

[pdevine]

I am trying to format some 2" and 2.5" round labels using Word and EVERYTIME I print them they are off by just a hair. The logo that I'm using fills in the whole circle and then my wording is over top of that. I format my logo to 2" or 2.5" and centered and they are still printing off just a bit. Any suggestions as to what I can do to fix them? TIA Portia

[Crafty1]

i don;t use your software, but with mine, i just turn everything side ways and make it fit the label, by either reducing the font, etc. and print. HTH

[ebcandles]

Try downloading Avery designpro. It works great!

[pdevine]

These are the labels from Planetlabel and I downloaded their template and that is what I'm using, it is in Word format. But it just isn't working for me. They look just fine on screen, but when they print they are about the width of a flat toothpick off. Since my logo is filled with green and blue, they look tacky to me with a bit of a white edge on one side of them. TIA Portia

[DatCandleMaker]

are you using an inkjet printer? They do not pull the paper exactly on each feed so this could be what is causing the problem.

If you enlarge your background to print larger than the actual label it will stop any white area around the edges. You can always print the background first, then run the labels back through the printer to print the actual text on the label.

Also, don't use a pattern that will look off center if they do miss a bit. ie...don't put a solid circle around the edge of the label.

If you can afford a laser printer it will feed the labels more consistently.

Good Luck

Dat

[Beth-VT]

ooo....we've had this discussion lots (unfortunately)...seems to be a reoccuring issue. Try a search on the archives any maybe you can find the link in which this was discussed at some length.

In brief, I'd bet money that the problem is not your design or your software or the printer, it's the die cut of the labels.

Planetlabel, and all the other off brand producers are not 100% accurate and consistent on the die-cuts from batch to batch. The cheap labels are great but this is one of the drawbacks. You may find differences from 100pk. to 100pk., or 10pk to 10pk, even sheet to sheet sometimes. It's probably not noticeable to the eye, but all it takes is a side or top margin (or even spacing) to be off by less than 1/32" to screw things up when the pattern is repeated in rows/columns.

The only thing you can do is accurately measure (with calipers preferably) your margins and seperate your sheets, then you must alter your templates to match. If your software does not allow custom label templates you're pretty much screwed and at the mercy of each sheet

Oh, I have a laser printer, and it makes no difference (well, it's more consistent that an ink-jet, yes) but it does not solve th problem.

[pdevine]

Gosh, I'm starting to get depressed here now,,,LOL Heck, I'm gonna try and turn everything upside down and print them and see what happens. Darnit I've tried everything else......LOL Portia

[RobinInOR]

That's why I stopped using precut rounds and just print on 8x11 plain label and cut them out myself. Takes a bunch of time but at least I don't have that offcenter printing to bother me. Mine was really bad cuz I had printing all around the edge - dumb design

[SatinDucky]

I second getting the Avery Design Pro. It has templates for all teh Avery labels and even though planetlabel's in not exactly the same layout, it will be close. You can edit any template in there. It will make the most tiny adjustmnts in the edit mode. Once you get it set up, you can shift it by a hair which ever way if the next batch of labels is different. HTH

[Darwin]

Calibrate your printer. This happend to me and calibration really helped.

[pdevine]

I will try downloading Avery Design Pro today and see how that goes then and how in the world do you calibrate a printer? Heck, I'm willing to try anything at this point. I have $55 worth of labels on the way,,,,,,,,so,,,,,,,,TIA Portia

[Sndfrddy]

I use 2.5" round labels. I have tried Planetlabel, Avery, and BCN labels. I have tried the avery template, the planetlabel template, printmaster, etc. I also have a different printer now than I used to. I have calibrated the printer. No matter what I did, I was having the same problem as you. I finally re-made my label to not fit entire the entire backround and then you don't notice small differences. I think it's just something with those darn round labels. Wish I could give you positive news but I tried for a long time with many things and that is just what I came up with.

[BruceCarvesWax]

First thing you should do if you have not tried it is to turn the label paper around and feed it from the other side and see how that looks. I have the little 1.25 inch labels that I print and if i load the wrong end in they are off just a little. If I turn them around they will print perfect each time. Have to do this for each packet and when I find out the right side to start in first, I take a pen or marker and make a mark on the whole stack on the end so i Know the right end the next time, this also helps if you get a paper jam and have to take all the paper out lay it somewhere and forget the end that goes in first.

Bruce

[deputy6512]

pdevine...I have this same problem! They first row of labels will be fine, and the rest of the sheet is off. I have started just cutting them myself rather than trying to figure out how off my template is. It is a real pain and I wish it would just work like it is supposed to, but it just won't!

[Darwin]

I will try downloading Avery Design Pro today and see how that goes then and how in the world do you calibrate a printer? Heck, I'm willing to try anything at this point. I have $55 worth of labels on the way,,,,,,,,so,,,,,,,,TIA Portia

Avery Design Pro will have the instructions to calibrate your printer. When you go to print in that program a little button will show up that says "calibrate."

[DonnaGA]

I had this problem & asked for help on the old board.

http://www.candletech.com/cgi-local/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=business;action=display;num=1110575699;start=8#8

I was unable to use word or my Picture It! software. I use non Avery lables (I am using the round labels from Chele's ex) and the label specifications are not the same as the templates I had. I 'partially' solved my problem by using Design Pro and customizing a label template. I can only print 6 labels at a time (1/2 a sheet) or they runoff.

I could print a full page but I wanted my company info on the outside edge of the label.

HTH & good luck,

Donna

edited to add url/link