Comb Bound Documents

You can choose any quantity you like from 1

If you have a very large quantity, i.e. in the thousands, it's worth asking the helpdesk for an alternative litho printed quotation.

These are the size documents that you can choose from:

• A6 - 105 x 148mm
• A5 - 148 x 210mm
• A4 - 210 x 297mm
• A3 - 297 x 420mm

We can do custom sizes where technically possible, but these will cost more. Please have a chat with the helpdesk on 01452 751900 to discuss.

Spirals and wires are pretty flexible, so for most sizes you can have the long edge or the short edge bound. The exception is A3, where you can only have the short edge bound. Combs are more limited, you can only have A4 size and only the long edge bound.

IMPORTANT REMINDER:-

For most documents, when you specify long or short edge it's pretty obvious which one you want us to bind. For instance a portrait orientation document with long edge binding will be bound on the left. A landscape orientation document with long edge binding will be bound at the top. However, it's a really good idea to let us know via the "order notes" which edge you want bound!

These are the colours that we keep in stock:

• clear
• white
• black
• silver grey

There are a huge variety of colours that we can special order in for you. Colours like bright pink, red, several shades of blue and even neon "dayglow" colours. Contact the helpdesk if you'd like a special colour. These do cost a little extra, especially if you only want a small quantity bound and this will add a few days to the lead time.

Clear PVC covers, also known as "acetate" covers can be applied to the front, rear or both front and rear. You can have them instead of card covers, or as well as.

A typical use for these covers is at the front of a report. The report is then printed on normal paper and an embossed heavy card back applied.

We use sturdy 240 micron covers as standard, but can special order thinner material if required. If you need thinner clear PVC covers, please call the helpdesk on 01452 751900.

NOTE:

Clear PVC covers AND thick frosted (polypropylene) covers are not normally used at the same time. However, you can order this combination if you wish, there is no technical reason why not.

Thick frosted covers are high quality covers with a textured and opaque finish. They are suitable for the fronts and / or backs of documents.

Our standard covers are 500 microns (0.5mm) thick. We can special order 800 micron thick covers but this will add a little extra cost and lead time to your order. If you need this option please call the helpdesk on 01452 751900 to discuss.

NOTE:

Clear PVC covers AND thick frosted (polypropylene) covers are not normally used at the same time. However, you can order this combination if you wish, there is no technical reason why not.

Card covers are the most popular option for spiral bound books. These are white card. Once you select this option, you will be able to choose exactly what you need. For instance: you may want 350gsm card covers front and back, with the front cover printed on the outside, blank on the inside, the rear cover blank and both sides of both covers laminated with a matt laminate. That's just an example, you can choose exactly what you want.

You can also mix and match card covers with other options. For example, a printed front card cover and a traditional embossed black rear cover. We've been producing these for many years and try to allow you to select exactly what you need for any given project.

You can choose from:

• 300gsm matt card. A smooth white uncoated board.
• 300gsm matt recycled card. A white uncoated recycled board made from 100% Post Consumer Waste.
• 300 or 350gsm silk card. A coated board, fairly matt and very smooth with a slight sheen.
• 300 or 350gsm gloss card. A coated board, very smooth. If you are not familiar with commercial printing paper, you should note that this is not a high gloss, like a photographic paper for a desktop inkjet printer. It's more of a dull or semi gloss.

You are welcome to samples. Please call the helpdesk on 01452 751900 to discuss.

There is little or no image quality difference between any of the non-recycled paper types. There is a slight reduction in image quality with the recycled paper.

We're sometimes asked about whether you can write easily on these papers. You can write easily on all types with a standard ball point pen. If you want to be able to write with a fountain pen, then we recommend sticking to the matt paper.

All non-recycled paper is good quality branded paper that uses ECF pulp from sustainable and well managed farmed timber. The recycled paper option is made from 100% Post Consumer Waste.

You can request a lighter weight card for your cover, but this is unlikely to be cheaper, unless the order is relatively large.

You can choose from:

• colour outside, blank inside
• colour both sides
• colour outside, B&W inside
• B&W both sides

You can choose from:

• no printing (blank)
• colour outside, blank inside
• colour both sides
• colour outside, B&W inside
• B&W both sides

You can choose from:

• gloss laminate outside
• gloss laminate both sides
• matt laminate outside
• matt laminate both sides

You are welcome to samples. Please call the helpdesk on 01452 751900 to discuss.

You can choose from:

• none
• Leather pattern, black
• Leather pattern, white

Embossed back covers are not normally mixed with any other type of back cover, however you can order this with other cover options if you wish.

We can special order some other colours and embossing patterns but this will add a little extra cost and lead time to your order. To discuss this option please call the helpdesk on 01452 751900.

You can choose from:

• all B&W standard quality
• mixture of colour & HiQ B&W
• all colour

All colour and mixed printing is done on a high quality digital colour press. All B&W standard quality printing is done on a high speed production B&W printer at 2400x2400dpi. The standard B&W quality is also excellent, giving crisp text and graphics and photographs at 150lpi.

You are welcome to samples. Please call the helpdesk on 01452 751900 to discuss.

NOTE:

If you have any blank pages, for example before the start of a chapter, you must count the blank page as a black&white page.

Nearly all of the time, you'll want both sides of the inner sheets of paper (leaves in the document) printed. That's the way documents normally are, so that's the default! If you want a blank page anywhere, well just go right ahead and insert a blank page where you want it and count it as one B&W page in your page count.

Once in a while a customer wants single sided printing and that's where this handy dandy option comes in. Choose SINGLE sided printing and ALL of your leaves will be printed on the FRONT and left blank on the back. If you select SINGLE sided printing, there's no need to insert blank pages (except if you want a blank FRONT as well as a blank back).

The number of B&W pages in your document.

NOTES:

• This is pages, not sheets. For example: a book with 100 sheets of paper inside (leaves) is a 200 page book.
• If you have any blank pages, for example before the start of a chapter, you must count the blank page as a black&white page.

The number of colour pages in your document.

NOTES:

• This is pages, not sheets. For example: a book with 100 sheets of paper inside (leaves) is a 200 page book.
• If you have any blank pages, for example before the start of a chapter, you must count the blank page as a black&white page.

You can choose from a wide variety of paper for your inner pages.

Matt paper. A smooth white uncoated paper. Quite a bright white.

Matt recycled paper. A white uncoated recycled paper made from 100% Post Consumer Waste.

Silk paper. A coated paper, fairly matt and very smooth with a slight sheen.

Gloss paper. A coated paper, very smooth. If you are not familiar with commercial printing paper, you should note that this is not a high gloss, like a photographic paper for a desktop inkjet printer. It's more of a dull or semi gloss.

NOTES:

• You can't mix and match the paper within the document as standard. If this is something that you would like to do, please call the helpdesk on 01452 751900. Be aware that this will add some cost to your job.
• The recycled paper is not the same paper as the off white recycled paper that is an option with softback or hardback book printing. If you want that as an option, please call the helpdesk on 01452 751900 to discuss.
• You are welcome to samples. Please call the helpdesk on 01452 751900 to discuss.
• There is little or no image quality difference between any of the non-recycled paper types. There is a slight reduction in image quality with the recycled paper.
• We're sometimes asked about whether you can write easily on these papers. You can write easily on all types with a standard ball point pen. If you want to be able to write with a fountain pen, then we recommend sticking to the matt paper.
• All non-recycled paper is good quality branded paper that uses ECF pulp from sustainable and well managed farmed timber. The recycled paper option is made from 100% Post Consumer Waste.

You can choose from:

• white tab dividers in either 5 tab sets or 10 part sets.
• rainbow colours tab dividers in 5 part sets.
• rainbow colours tab dividers in 5 part sets.
• white dividers with plastic reinforced tabs in either 5 tab sets or 10 part sets.

We print in black and white on the tabs inclusive in the price. You need to give us the tab text separately.

If you need a different option, please call the helpdesk on 01452 751900 for a chat.

PDF (online soft proof). This is a technical process to check that your artwork is printable and to prepare it for printing as far as possible. We aim to provide your soft proof within 4 working hours and you will get an email notification that it is ready.

The PDF that you submit has a pre-flight check carried out and a number of automatic corrections may also be made if necessary. The resulting soft proof is a PDF that is viewable through your admin area of the web site. It is very important that you carefully review your soft proof and the pre-flight report that we send to you.

Your first soft proof is included in the price of your order, but if you find that you need to make alterations and resubmit your artwork, we will charge £5.00 for each additional soft proof. Please contact the helpdesk to arrange payment if you need additional proofs.

Remember, this is a technical file check, we don't proof read or check your design!

If you want a hard copy proof, please call the helpdesk on 01452 751900 to discuss the options

These are working days to print. Our standard print service is 4 working days to print. You can pay a slight premium if you want your order on the faster 2 day to print service and a little less if you can wait for 7 working days before it's printed.

Please remember to add transit (delivery) time to this and remember that these are working days to print and do not include weekends or bank holidays.

Unless you approve your order by 10am, the day that you approve your proof does not count in the time to print.

We cannot schedule your job to print until you have approved your proof. If you do not have a credit account with us, you will also need to pay for your job before we can schedule your job to print

Delivery is normally the next working day AFTER the job is printed. If you want a Saturday delivery, call the helpdesk to get that cost added to your order. We classify Monday-Friday as working days, Bank Holidays are not working days.

Fill in the full postcode of where this is being sent to so that we can work out a price and whether we deliver to this area. You'll fill in the full delivery address later once you've placed your order.

You must upload your file as a PDF.

Please make sure that you read the artwork preparation guide before sending us your artwork.

If you need help with your artwork, we have experienced artworkers and very reasonable rates. Please call the helpdesk on 01452 751900 for a chat to discuss this.

If you get stuck, call 01452 751900, we are always happy to help with your order. Remember - you may have to scroll down to see all the page contents!

Step 1:

Choose the options that you want using by filling in the "Instant Quote" form.

If you don't understand any of the options, click on the big "i" ("information") icon next to the option. This will display help and further information about that option.

Once you have set the options you need, click on the "Calculate Price" button. Your price and a complete summary of the options you have chosen are displayed in the "Quote" area. You can change the options and do this as many times as you need.

Step 2:

Once you are happy with your quote, you are ready to add that item to your basket.

To add an item to your basket, click on the buy button. This adds the right quantity, with all the right options to your basket. You can add more items, delete items, or completely empty your basket as required.

When one or more products are in your basket, you can order them by clicking on the place order button. You must be registered and logged in before you can place an order. Don't worry if you are not already registered or logged in, your basket will be kept safe while you do this.

You can register by clicking on the Register button at the top of the page or by selecting this option from the main menu. The Registration process takes only a couple of minutes. There is a video tutorial in the HELP > TUTORIALS section to help if you get stuck. Use the main menu to find this, or click here to go straight there (this link moves you to a a new page).

Just click on the "i" (information) icon right next to the question.

During normal business hours call 01452 751900 and then select 1 for the help desk or email the helpdesk at helpdesk@inkylittlefingers.co.uk

Certainly! Please call the helpdesk on 01452 751900.

Our samples are Inky branded, we don't print samples free of charge from your artwork.

Please take a look at our Books & Manuals General Information page. That describes the different types, with photos and what they are primarily used for.

This product page is for digitally printed products. We use the latest generation digital presses to produce excellent products and you are welcome to request a sample by calling the helpdesk. If you require very large quantities, we also print in house using lithographic technology and this can be cheaper for very large quantities. Please call the helpdesk for a chat if this sounds like an option that you would like to discuss.

You need to send us a PDF, but please read the artwork preparation guide (link on the right hand side towards the top of this page) for full details.

For an overview of the order process, click on the "help getting started" link below the big blue question mark button.

Once you've placed your order and we've received your artwork, we'll give it a basic check over. If there's a major problem, for example it's in the wrong format, or we need to crop it to make it fit, then we'll contact you and discuss how we can fix the problem. Otherwise your order will be scheduled to print as soon as it's paid for.

Take a look at the menu on the left hand side (or the home page for a list) and that will tell you what our "standard" products are. If what you want isn't there, just give the helpdesk a ring. We'll let you know if we can do it, and give you a quote.

Just call or email the helpdesk for a chat.