File :-(, x, )
HowdoIprinted Mankip
Okay, so, after losing my primary way of printing out models, I decided to try kinkos. I figured, "How much can printing out 2 pages on my own fucking paper cost, really?"
FUCK. I go there, ask if they'd let me print out on my own cardstock. They said yes. They want to charge me 2 bucks PER IMAGE to fucking convert to PDF files. So I do this at home, yada yada. I bring it back another day, they won't print it out for me, and say instead to use the self-service station. Which is not what the first guy said. 3 minutes on that bitch ended up costing me a couple bucks with no printing, then they ended up charging me 5 bucks for the sentry papercraft, printed not on cardstock, but on fucking glossy thin paper, and in the wrong dimensions.
So 2 questions: how do you guys get quality prints? The printer I have access to sucks, and kinkos is a ripoff. Like, can someone recommend me a good printer that isn't an arm and a leg?
And part 2: Those who have done the sentry papercraft from tf2, how the fuck did you print that sucker out? Like, the reference model can sit on a laptop taking up a decent amount of space, but it prints out to be tiny.
>> Kamical
you can find decent printers for less than $40 at Walmart or Target. you don't need anything fancy for papercrafting. i bought my HP Deskjet 3930 for $35 over 2 years ago from Target. i use a lower quality setting to save on ink for sometimes.
>> Anonymous
I have a HP 3845 and it has a rather good printing quality. Since it's an old model you should find one really cheap.
>> Octo
As an ex-Target "Team Member", more specifically the Entertainment & Electronics Manager) I can give a little input on this matter.

Every month or so, we rotated stock and a new printer model would appear on the adjacency. The old model would be placed on clearance, starting at about 15-30% off. The best buys are generally around the first of the month, but sometimes the Price Change team (old ladies) are too fucking slow to price the pallet of printers sitting in the back. That's right, we would have full pallets of Lexmark and HP printers just sitting back there waiting to be ticketed. But fear not, as this is good news for you, the "Guest". The longer they sit back there, the less time they have on the floor before the next markdown, 50%.

I went through 3 printers while working there, and never paid more than $30 for them. Of course, our selection wasn't as great as a Best Buy or Office Max/Depot, and out printers were all of rather crappy quality. Also, there's usually ink on clearance on one of the back endcaps, if you look hard enough.

Just make friends with the Electronics guys, they lack social skills just like you guys, and are always willing to show off how powerful they are by giving you "choice" information. (ie. when to show up for Wiis, Transformers, new games, TVs, etc)
>> Storm
>>182418

ACK! The Competition. LoL! I'm an Ex-WalMart Electronics Department Manager. Our Rotation was a little slower, typically every 3-4 months, but we followed pretty much the same procedure.

In all honesty though, I picked up an HP 1410 Printer/Scanner/Copier 2 years ago at Christmas. It was our "Blitz" Black Friday item, but I got it 24 hours after I put my remaining stock of 19 on clearance. (Store manager made employees wait for customers to get first shot at clearance... only fair really)

Buying Ink and LARGE packages of cardstock has been my only expense. I'm also pretty handy with electronics and mechanics, so every so often, I take off part of the case, and lube my printer with a light oil (made for a paper shredder, Ironically)

But ya, like Octo said, make friends with the folks in your local electronics department, they can be very helpful. (like looking up the in transit report for inventory, and finding that 20 Wii's will be in on tomorrows truck, and said truck should arrive at the store between 3 and 5 pm)
>> Bump
this bump brought to you by more activity than PO has seen in the last year.
>> Anonymous !!jG6ZvayWdrD
If they didn't print my pics at Kinkos the way I wanted them there's no way I'd pay em for it.

I work for a Tradeshow company. we do Conventions among other things and we have to have banners and signs made. If they printed the dimensions wrong or on the materials I wouldn't pay em for it.
>> dai
>>182642

haha, just don't ask to take the paper anyways. I hated customers who complained about something going horribly wrong from what they wanted, demanding a refund, and then saying "I still need these for my meeting!".

You take it then you still pay, that's valuable paper, ink, and company time bundled up in that 30-pound box sitting on the counter.
>> Anonymous
Print that shit out at school.
>> Anonymous !!jG6ZvayWdrD
Never asked to keep the screwed up copies they made. I usually threw it away right in front of the manager saying that they need to do again but this time RIGHT!
>> Anonymous
if they screw up my prints, I dont pay. they print them again. simple.
>> Anonymous
i work at a hilton. our business center has a Ricoh c 400dn laser printer that I abuse regularly. the print quality is amazing, but for an $850 printer, it better be.
>> Anonymous
bump