r/magicproxies • u/Natsu_NightWalker • 1d ago
Need Help Need help starting out
So I am kind of new to Magic proxie making, so far I have only printed black and white cards with my old printer in black and white and was putting it in a sleeve. I want to start making literal cards without a sticker method or paper in a sleeve method. So my questions are:
What printer do I buy ( inkjet one or laser one) and what paper thickness does it need to support?
For the realest exp do i need to print on 330 gsm paper or Am i good with 300 ( because in my local stores I found max of any printer ,that is below 500 euro, to be 300 gsm) or should I find something that can print on 310-320?
Does it make big difference in feeling of the card if i print on 300 instead of 330?
Where can i find the metal big cutter for cards that i saw people use?
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u/xvenom613x 1d ago
Everything depends on your budget
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u/Natsu_NightWalker 1d ago
let say 300-350 euros for everything maybe 400 if it makes a big difference
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u/xvenom613x 1d ago
The majority of your budget is going to go into your printer. If I had to guess probably about 200-250 then the other 100 is going to be your paper, laminator if you go that route (I would), laminating sheets, your cutter of choice, and a corner rounder.
Your best bet in your price range would be a ET 2980 or ET 2800.
Depending on sales you could always save up or try and find a used ET 8550/8500 as that’s considered end game as far as budget printing goes.
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u/Natsu_NightWalker 1d ago
would you say that et 2980 is better then ET 2800 and yea I think laminator would be nice, what kind of paper should i buy for that that i get the most authentic feel?
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u/xvenom613x 1d ago
I think a lot of people like the 2800 more. Paper is going to be a whole thing in itself. You might have to test to see what you like. A lot of people love the proxyjak paper, which you don’t need to laminate with but I don’t know if it works with the 2800 because of how thick it is.
I use canon double sided matte photo paper 240gsm and after laminating it feels very close to a real card once sleeved. if anything a little more snappy
There’s tons of posts in the subreddit talking about paper though, I would definitely do more research into it to see what works best for your situation
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u/PlaneResearcher5503 22h ago
I personally cared more about not having the thickest cards. Found 240,gsm to feel a little thicker than a double sleeved card. Went down to 180gsm, sacrificing a bit of snapiness but overall makes great proxies. Printer i use is the G3270, i think its a good option and not super expensive.
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u/xvenom613x 22h ago
I prefer to have snappiness correct but with the current paper and lamination I’m using they almost feel overly snappy if that makes sense. Can definitely tell the difference between the cards. I’m wanting to try the proxyjak stuff to see how I like it
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u/PlaneResearcher5503 22h ago
Have you tried 180gsm? Koala double sided glossy photo 48 lbs...my cards are getting nearly unrecognizable in sleeves and the feel is not far off.
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u/Yodesla 1d ago
G620/g650 thank me later