UTILITIES
FAQ'S
General
Is there a difference between a Book Publisher & Book Manufacturer?
Publishers traditionally pay the writer for the manuscript while self publishing companies take the writers raw manuscripts, edit and layout text, design cover and typically produce smaller quantities of books, price could be several thousand dollars for 100 books. Book manufactures such as Hignell Book Printing take your print ready files and recommend the best production method for the quantity required.
What do I need to know when looking for a book printer?
Quantity, type of stock, digital files accepted, binding (See our quote form for more information) . How long has the printer been in business, their production methods, knowledge of sales and client support team, easy to work with, can they help reduce your costs. etc.. Printing is a very competitive business where the survivors are all low cost producers so the only way to reduce the selling price is to reduce overall value (quality and level of service, product quality in terms of material and construction methods). Be watchful of the low initial estimate and the undisclosed additional costs-what do the books cost when they arrive on your doorstep. Get more than you paid for with Hignell Book Printing.
Who will look after my special project?
We know authors and publishers don't actually print books, they create lasting memories. At Hignell Book Printing we want to be a part of that creation. After your initial consultation with one of our sales professionals you will be provided a quote, once the quote is accepted and returned, you will be assigned to Client Services. They will be your eyes and ears while we produce your special project. They will inform you when proofs have been sent, and when your book has shipped.
Aren't all books the same?
No, not all books and book manufactures are equal. Hignell Book Printing uses the best quality inks and papers to make sure your book lasts throughout the years.
File Preparation & Proofing
How should I send in my files?
Your quote will be based on trouble free PDF files unless otherwise specified. We do accept native files in Indesign, Quark, Pagemaker and Photoshop for both Mac & PC platforms for a small additional charge. When sending in application files the customer will receive and sign off on a proof.
What are PDF's? - Are they better?
Locked PDF's (Portable document file) shows the pages, size, font style etc. as they will print and many customers have now decided they no longer need a proof.
What resolution do I need for photos?
We recommend 300 dpi
What about bar codes?
When supplying barcodes they must be in black only. If you would like us to create your barcode we will need to know which kind - EAN with price undetermined or EAN with USD price or EAN with CDN price, or ISBN with no price.
Do I need a ISBN number?
ISBN numbers are required if you want to sell your books in book stores and be a listed title, for more information on ISBN numbers in Canada go to www.collectionscanada.ca
What happens if my files aren't trouble-free?
In order to reduce the cost of spoilage and/or mistakes ending up in the finished product we try and find these mistakes before you receive your proof. Our standard policy, which is the quickest and least expensive is to make all repairs that take less than 1 hour at our rate (see pricing menu). Alternatively you can fix and re-submit your files which will be scheduled and pre-flighted again (see pricing menu).
How long will it take for my proof?
It takes approximately 5 working days to produce proofs from trouble-free files, and 1-2 days shipping via Fed-ex or UPS to most destinations in North America.
Do I need a color proof from Hignell?
We provide digital color proofs that are calibrated to our presses to simulate what your cover will look like when printed. Since other devices are not calibrated to our presses we would not be able to provide any assurance of similarity to a customer supplied proof.
Will cover look exactly like the proof I received from Hignell?
Your finished cover will look very similar but will not be an exact match. Although lamination does not change the color it does change the way light is reflected and will affect reds more than other colors. Thousands of books per year and hundreds of returning customers says you can tell a book manufacturer by their covers.
Production
What paper is available?
For the cover we use a 10pt C1S stock which means it is coated on one side. This is required to produce quality 4 color process. For text you can choose from a 50 or 60 lb offset or 100% post consumer recycled, 55 lb. environmentally friendly paper. For other stock options we can provide you with information on the print quality, pricing and delivery specifics that you are looking for.
What cover protection do you offer?
Our standard cover comes with film lamination in either gloss or matte which helps protect the cover image and the overall durability of the cover.
Are there different types of lamination?
Lamination comes in a variety of grades, thickness, breathability, adhesiveness and application equipment. We use only the best non-curl laminates on state of the art equipment and have worked with several manufactures to develop a special lamination for covers produced on our digital press. All our laminations have been extensively tested by us to ensure that they endure wear and do not peel off.
Text
What is so hard about printing black?
We taking printing black very seriously and use only the best vegetable oil based ink. Not only is this environmentally friendly, our special blend of Black ink is designed to produce rich solid blacks while keeping a crisp dot on offset stock. We run to tight quality standards to maintain consistent ink levels throughout your book.
What do printers mean by sheet size?
This is the size of the sheet that goes through the press. Typically runs of 500 or more are printed offset, on the larger sheet size of 25 x 38 which allows for 32 6 x 9 pages per form. These forms are then folded down which makes for a much stronger book once bound.
Does the press make a difference?
Text printed on a high quality large press is more consistent with much better half tone and dot gain control. Books that are printed on a web press can be bound against grain making the text at the spine somewhat wavy. Our operators have over 20 years experience specializing in printing black.
Binding
Are there different types of perfect binding?
Yes. We choose to bind using a method called notch perfect which knocks out small sections on each folded form that allows the glue to penetrate fully. This method is much stronger than if the spines are ground flat yielding a very square spine but you are often left with a book that is more like a scratch pad. Our books do not fall apart. In fact we once had a customer freeze one of our books then shoot it around with a hockey stick to ensure his guide book would be tough enough.
What type of glue do you use?
We use hot melt glue that is heated for maximum absorption into the text and cover stock for maximum strength.
What makes some covers difficult to open?
Covers can be difficult to open if they have not been hinge scored. We score twice on the spine and front & back hinge so the book opens on a nice clean line.
How do you get the outside edges so smooth?
We trim our books on three sides using 3 knife trimmers. To provide clean edges we keep our knives sharp and trim books in small lifts.
Delivery & Shipping
How long does it take to produce my books?
Production takes approximately 15 working days. This is 5 days to get a proof from trouble free files and 10 days once we have received your signed proof back. Alternate arrangements can be made with one of our sales professionals for special situations.
How long will shipping take?
As a guideline shipping is 4-6 working days anywhere in the continental US or Canada. Quicker shipping times can be arranged at an additional cost. There are less expensive freight companies but we use only nationally recognized carriers that have proven to be reliable.
Is freight included in my price?
Your price will include delivery to one destination with dock level loading. Should you require the driver to lower your books to the ground or unload the books by hand we need to know this prior to delivery to avoid delays and to let you know if there will be additional charges.
What about shipping to the United States?
Shipping to the USA is not a problem just provide us with your Social Security Number or your Federal Tax number. All books being shipped into the USA must have Printed in Canada on the inside cover or copyright page.
Pricing
What is my standard price based on?
All pricing is based on you supplying two trouble free PDF files, [one for text and one for cover], one set of text proofs and one digital color proof, delivery of proofs, delivery of finished books to one location.
What if I cannot supply PDF files?
If you supply native files we will convert them to PDF's for production efficiency and extra charges will apply (see price list). Should problems arise with your native files the least expensive and quickest way is to allow our trained professionals to fix them. If you wish to have one of our technical support people help you prepare your files just provide us with your credit card and they will bill you on an hourly basis.
How do I pay?
Our standard terms are 50% with order and 50% plus overs and alterations before the books are shipped. Credit card payments are accepted for an additional 2% administration fee.
Are estimates free?
Your first round of estimate options is free. To keep our administrative costs down estimate changes may be approximated by sales until a final configuration is known at which time you would receive a final estimate. Should you wish to use our sales and estimating department to plan your project each estimate will be billed at $25 and will be credited to you when you place your order with us.
Offset or Digital production?
Since we offer both production solutions we will choose the best solution to fit your project.
What are overs and unders?
Since each book we manufacture is a one of kind project getting the exact amount ordered is not possible. Our standard is to produce within 5-10% of the quantity ordered. Overs are sold and unders are credited at a reduced unit cost. Our objective is to never have unders so please expect to have 5-10% overs added to your final bill.
What can I do to keep my costs down and get my books on time?
Supply trouble free files, with no changes to proof or product specifications with shipping as quoted.
PRINT 101
Print is not always as simple as it sounds, so we've put together a toolbox of information to streamline the process. Simply complete the form below to access these great resources.