Printer Paper Suggestions?

I'm looking for paper to print descriptive inserts for my Vario pages. Most of them will be fully enclosed but some might be in contact with pieces so acid and lignin free is a must. I may also print some album sheets here and there. Thickness is important. I would like a paper at least as thick, if not thicker, than the Scott grid paper.

So far I've been looking at "Wausau Exact Index Cardstock, 92 Brightness, 110 lb, 8.5 x 11 Inches, White" on Amazon as well as "Southworth 100% Cotton Business Paper, 8.5 x 11 Inches, 32 lb, White"

The Wausau offering is about a third the price of the Southworth paper, but I'm wondering if 110 lb is too heavy to feed through a normal laser printer? Is 32 lb the norm when it comes to not having to straight feed the paper?

I know many of you already print your own album pages so any input would be appreciated!

-P.Bear

Hi PandaBear. I'm doing the same thing. I'm using SmartPaper synergy bond, the same paper I use to print my album pages. But for the vario pages I don't think you'd need cardstock since it doesn't need to support any weight. Just as long as it's acid free then there's no concern about yellowing or contaminating the stamps.

Check out this previous link (with other links) to SCF discussions about paper qualities:

https://goscf.com/t/7318&whichpage=1

Personally, I use 65# card stock (acid free & lignin free) for my album pages. Quite often the difference between papers between one weight and another are barely discernable. It will just be important that you keep consistent with using only one weight of paper in each album or binder.

Note that when you are getting into paper "weights", there are distinct differences in numbers based on whether you are buying bond paper, cover stock or card stock.

Thanks all.

James - while I realize cardstock is not really necessary for inserts, the choice of a thicker paper is more of a personal one for me as I feel that thicker paper has more of a quality feel.

Wt1 - checked out your informative link. I'm still wondering what the maximum suggestible thickness is for printers which feed the paper through a 180* bend. Also, on the matter of your advice regarding paper weights, I take it that 1# card stock is thicker than 1# cover stock which is thicker than 1# bond paper. Am I correct?

I run Staples 60lb and 110lb cardstock through my HP1018 laser without any problems. Sure they curl a bit when they come out but they flatten easily.

Just make sure your printer settings are for cardstock, as the increased heat is required otherwise the toner will not fuse properly to the paper.

Edit: The HP1018 goes 180 deg.

Not necessarily. The cover stock and bond papers are different weight measurements and do not necessarily conform to a thinner to thicker page. A simplified summary is at this link:

http://www.paperworks.com/about-paper-weights

Here's another good link:

http://www.thepapermillstore.com/me...ified_11.pdf

In the real world (unless you have access to a printer's source), you are only really looking at bond, cover and card stock as to what is generally available OTC to consumers on the retail level. The other types of papers are generally used by printers and do not usually trickle down to home office use.

As to what paper works best in printers, refer to the owner's manual of the printer you have. The types of paper can vary greatly from brand to brand or model to model.