Do you need a large format copier or printer?

[Wildflyer]

Like many of us, I save every RC aircraft plan, I can get my hands on.

Printing them out in a tile format is not much fun, it takes almost as long to tape the pieces of the plan together, as it does to put the pieces of the plane together in some cases.

I just found out that the UPS shipping store near my home can copy or print on 36" wide paper, (maybe even wider) for a VERY reasonable cost. One plan I had copied was 36" X 42", it cost $4.09 including tax.

They can copy, print a PDF from a thumb drive, (and probably a cd) or scan and convert to a PDF and save it to your thumb drive. I believe all were the same cost.

The lady at my UPS store believes most stores have this ability.

[crash_out]

Thanks for the info. I just received some plans, and hated the thought of hacking them up to use as templates. It'll be nice to have them converted to PDF so I can print them off as needed, and can also resize them.

[crxmanpat]

I've been going to Staples for years, and the price is usually about $5 per sheet. They can print on 24"x36". Whenever I create a new design I make sure it will fit on that format. If it doesn't, I'll make a special file that will print on two sheets.

All of my Mini Profile stuff will easily fit on this size, but some of my bigger Simple Build plans won't.

Sure beats printing on Letter and then taping all those sheets together!

[mclarkson]

I go to Office Max / Copy Max. I generally pay $4 or so for plans in the vicinity of 30" x 40".

[dgjessing]

I've got an "E" size (36" wide) HP plotter that quit on me a couple years ago... My new airplane hobby has got me looking into getting it working again . So far all I've done is bought a set of Torx screwdrivers and downloaded the service manual though .

[Bill G]

Originally Posted by Wildflyer

Like many of us, I save every RC aircraft plan, I can get my hands on.

Printing them out in a tile format is not much fun, it takes almost as long to tape the pieces of the plan together, as it does to put the pieces of the plane together in some cases.

I just found out that the UPS shipping store near my home can copy or print on 36" wide paper, (maybe even wider) for a VERY reasonable cost. One plan I had copied was 36" X 42", it cost $4.09 including tax.

They can copy, print a PDF from a thumb drive, (and probably a cd) or scan and convert to a PDF and save it to your thumb drive. I believe all were the same cost.

The lady at my UPS store believes most stores have this ability.

You gotta work that to your advantage. What I've found is that when you finally put the effort into assembling the plan, you feel committed to build the model.

There are good reasons for your UPS store printing service however. I don't mind trimming and taping the sheets together, but the cost of the darn printer ink is a killer! It probably ends up costing as much as having the plan printed at the UPS store. With printing at home, you still end up driving anyways, as you have to drive to WalMart and buy a new ink cartridge after every 3rd or 4th plan. The issue I've heard is that you have to check the plan, before using it when printed by a service. The operator does not always know how to properly print at 100% scale.

[fhhuber]

I go to a local drafting/architecture firm and have plans copied (save original cut the copy apart) and reverse imaged (when it only has the right wing) or printed.

They have 4, 5 and 6 ft X paper roll printers and copiers.