4 Tips about Pocket Folders

It probably comes as no surprise to you that there are trends in the die cutting business just as in any other business. The current trend is for every company in the world to order pocket folders. While folders generally are pretty straightforward from the finisher's point of view, there are a few points that will help ensure that you get a quality job at a reasonable cost.

Tip 1: Discuss Standard Dies

Discuss standard dies with your finisher. We all have them and, if the run is short, the savings of the die cost (usually in the vicinity of $ 150 to $175) can be a big help. Dielines of all of our standards are available for download at www.mhcp/whatever the link will be.com.

Don't worry about standard dies if your runs are over 10,000 pieces. It just doesn't make enough difference in the overall scheme of things to try to talk your designer into a 9" X 12" page size when he really wants an 8 7/8" X 12 1/4" page. This, of course, assumes that your finisher has 9" X 12" as one of his standard page sizes. If he doesn't, you probably should find another finisher - this guy obviously just went into business and money is too tight for you to buy his dies for him.

Tip 2: Drop out Coatings, Varnish and Ink on Glue Areas

We use some pretty aggressive hot melt adhesives in our folder gluers that stick to most inks and coatings, but there are still some instances when the glue is unable to stick. It is best to keep coatings and ink off the glue flaps and the areas where the flaps glue. If you aren't planning to drop out the glue area, be sure your coating or ink is glueable. (Checking with the ink manufacturer, or sending a previously printed piece to your finisher to test can confirm this.)

Don't be one of those printers who forget to add bleed to the outside edge of the page 2 or 3 glue dropout (area to which flap adheres). Most people forget this area, and the end result is you get a white strip beside the glue flap score.

Tip 3: Deciding Where Glue Flaps Should Be

Where are the glue flaps anyway? In order to know where to drop out your varnish, you have to know whether the flaps will be attached to the pockets and will stick to the inside of the pages, or if the flaps will be attached to the pages and will stick to the inside of the pockets.

We prefer the cleaner page edge you get when the glue flap comes off the pockets, but others prefer the somewhat easier insertion of literature if the flap is attached to the page and glues to the inside of the pocket.

If you are running a metallic stock or a coated stock with solid dark coverage and varnish, you should consider using flaps that are attached to the page and stick to the pocket. This will eliminate the problem of the adhesive bleeding through and puckering the front and back pages at the glue areas.

Tip 4: Don't Be Chintzy with the Stock!

Stock that's 8 pt is approaching a minimum for some types of gluers, so be sure to check with your finisher - he might insist on 10 pt. We think that an 8 pt folder just feels too light, and that 9 or 10 pt should be the minimum. The key is to make sure you don't run a sheet so light that your finisher will have to glue by hand.

Regardless of how your flaps are hinged, we invite your input.

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