TomHackett Loc: Kingston, New York

For a recent project, I needed to make several 20" x 30" prints. I purchased two rolls of Hahnemühle Bamboo paper, each 24" wide by 39' long, and brought them to a local lab where I had my images printed on them. The project required one entire role and just a few feet of the second.

I do not expect to need to print anything this large anytime soon. Meanwhile, I have a printer at home that will support up to 13" wide rolls. (I could arrange two 12" wide images side-by-side and have the lab print them on the 24" roll, but I have more immediate control, and it is less expensive, to print them on my own printer.)

Has anyone tried to cut a roll of paper along its width? Did you use a kitchen knife, an ax, a bow saw or something else? How did it all turn out? Any advice for me?

Thanks,
Tom

It is very difficult to cut a roll of paper without a proper industrial paper slitter. At Delmar Studios, a defunct lab I used to work for, we slit 5600' master rolls of 40" wide Kodak professional portrait papers into many different size rolls. But we had a very large, very expensive slitter in a special darkroom that allowed us to do it cleanly, plus two Kodak-trained technicians who slit the paper. We used several tractor-trailer truckloads of those master rolls each Fall.

The biggest concern is paper dust from the cut edge of the paper. Just sawing the roll in half will tear the paper fibers roughly, and the resulting dust poses a hazard to your print heads. That's why slitters are involved.

You might contact a local paper distributor to see if they could slit the roll for you, or know someone who could.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Chalk Line and a skill-saw!! OR.. use a drywall square which is 4' and a razor blade... single edge with holder, blood is hard to remove from the paper.
Lowes: 48-in Lightweight Blue Wallboard Square $14

Tjohn Loc: Inverness, FL formerly Arivaca, AZ

Make sure they are all absolutely oil free. 48" ruler at Harbor Freight for $4.99.
But I wouldn't do it.

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

I would be tempted to use my trusty Powermatic 66 table saw. Done similar before, but the edge *may* be a little wonky...so leave a border and trim accordingly! ;0) But I'd prolly just cut individual lengths and use the straightedge and sharp knife...you don't *have* to keep the roll, eh?

TomHackett Loc: Kingston, New York

That's a worthwhile thought.

Lucian Loc: From Wales, living in Ohio

Is the printing side on a large roll the inside or the outside of the paper roll?