Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I'm sure everyone has their favorite mounts, when it comes to mounting stamps, but this question is not about that.
When it comes to blank stamp pages, in this case White Ace or similar, what do you recommend for "where" the stamps go on the page?
Question 1: Is there a good way to make sure they are in a straight line, level, etc?
I had hoped for some ever so light graph lines as a guide, but no such luck.
Question 2: How many stamps would you recommend per sheet?
I know answers will vary and much of this is up to the page designer with no clear "right" way to do it, but I'm asking for suggestions from you all.
Thank you!
JR
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08:32:09pm
This would be typical design layout for most people:
but make sure you like whatever you design, 'cause it's yours!
As far as getting it straight, use a ruler to measure a distance from top or bottom, on each side of the page. Place an imperceptible pencil dot, then use the ruler horizontally between the dots to act as a baseline while you line up your mounts.
Roy
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We are quick to forget that todays young never learned the basics of creating pages from scratch - they usually have some kind of template to work with rather than starting with a clean piece of blank paper - a typewriter and and inking pen.......
Think I have better examples but this is a page from a 10 page study of St. Vincent George V issues.
Just you, relatively expensive card stock, a typewriter, a bottle of ink and a drawing pen with adjustable nib. And no margin for error. Appreciate what you have..talk nicely to your computer.
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Hi Roy,
Thanks for the tip. I know it seems a bit like "duh!", but it helps to hear how others are doing it.
------------------------------------------------
Hi Webpaper,
Man, I love you! Anyone that is willing to call a 52 year old "young" is my new friend! 
I do remember a day when there were no computers, but I mostly grew up with computers and ironically, I manage an IT department and am well versed in "IT-ness". 
So you hit is on the head, that this is new territory for me. But I'm surrounded by experts here at SOR and for that I am grateful.
Your pages that you created are great! I can really appreciate the difficulty, because believe it or not, I did have to use a manual typewriter for a tiny bit of time in college, so I do understand the pain of it all. And how great computers are!
I bet you have some amazing stamp albums. They really have a great, classic, regal look! Quite impressive.
Thanks for your help and input!
JR
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Hi Johnny:
Regarding the number of stamps per page depends mostly on the size of the stamps, and, also how much descriptive text you want. For standard U.S.commemorative-sized stamps (40mm x 25mm), I put six to nine per page. For U.S. definitive-sized stamps (22mm x 24mm) I place seven to sixteen per page. I used to lay out the frames using a t-square and ruler using a pencil to draw the stamp frames and then overlay the pencil with black ink. In those days I used a typewriter for the text. Now I use a computer program, AlbumGen, which does the work for me. If you hand draw the pages, I suggest laying out the center row first and then the top and bottom rows.
I've always liked White Ace quadrille blanks for my one topical collection and country-specific blanks for my U.S. and Canada collections. Regrettably, White Ace is out of business and blank pages now have to be bought from a secondary market such as eBay.
For my WW collection I just use a 90# acid-free 8 1/2 x 11 paper.
Here are a few examples of pages I have done over the years. First, the hand drawn efforts:
A page of eight Canadian commemoratives:
and a page of 10 stamps, a little overcrowded:
A topical page computer drawn incorporating a souvenir sheet:
A page of Japan definitive-sized stamps:
The last, a page of Mexican commemorative-sized issues:
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Hi FrequentFlyer,
Your response is very helpful, thank you!
I am dealing with exactly the situation that you have with your White Ace Canada pages, except mine are for Folklore.
I am tempted to hand draw because running them through a printer could range from "coming out great" to "a horrible mess", depending on how good I am at laying things out. Plus the hand drawn pages (in my opinion) look very nice if done well, like you have.
Now the good news is:
1) I could get my perspective new page just how I wanted it in AlbumEasy (or something similar)
2) Photocopy my white ace pages so I have some "cheap copies"
3) Send the cheap copies through the printer until I get the layout "just right"
4) Then I could send the White Ace pages through the printer and possibly have a good outcome, assuming the printer doesn't chew them up and spit them out in pieces (a very real possibility!).
Might be a bit harrowing, but might work out well... not sure.
I have some further questions about the merits of AlbumGen and will PM you with these questions if you do not mind?
Thanks again,
JR
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this post
"Your pages that you created are great!"
Hi Johnny Rockets,
Wish I could take credit for them but I am merely a caretaker .... I could never get the hang of inking.
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I would suggest you make some mock ups (actual pages) to see what like. It may be throw awy work. My process is always iterative as you try to resolve possible scenarios to get a practical approach.
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Johnny, if you are going the pen and typewriter route, I'd suggest investing in a small portable drafting board like this one. They are obsolete now, so you may be able to find one used and cheap!
This will allow you to tape down your paper, and draw perfectly straight lines. I'd also use it to line up mounts, I see way to many crooked mounts in people's pictures.
Otherwise, computer generated may be the way to go. Aside from Album Easy and other available tools for stamp collectors, I'd suggest Microsoft Publisher and second, Powerpoint. That would allow you to create what you need, and once you have a few layouts, you can copy and modify for future pages.
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"
1) I could get my perspective new page just how I wanted it in AlbumEasy (or something similar)
2) Photocopy my white ace pages so I have some "cheap copies"
3) Send the cheap copies through the printer until I get the layout "just right"
4) Then I could send the White Ace pages through the printer and possibly have a good outcome, assuming the printer doesn't chew them up and spit them out in pieces (a very real possibility!)."
Johnny:
I have done exactly what you outline in #2 through #4. I have a template for vertical spacing from the printed headers to where I want my portion of the page to start. Re: photocopying the White Ace pages, that works, but there is a caveat. The photocopied pages may be a few millimeters off at the top of the page and subsequent spacing will also be off below where the printed portion of the page begins. You will just have to experiment a little to get a good template.
Also printing card stock can throw the vertical spacing off as well. I don't like to run card stock through my printer because of potential spacing and alignment problems. My printer is cheap, however, approximately $50, a HP Deskjet 2652. Maybe a better quality printer eliminates paper feed problems. Others who print on card stock paper may post and let us know what printers work best with heavy weight papers.
Besides being time consuming, the biggest problem with hand drawing frames is adding the text. Typewriters don't right justify and vertical spacing for the text is sometimes difficult as well. Then, who can even find a typewriter these days. Hand lettering is an option, but it takes practice and an amount of penmanship skill that I sure don't have.
Despite the printer problems, making one's pages for topical and world wide collections is the only way to go, in my opinion.
Don FF
Login to Like
this post
Hi all,
I'm sure everyone has their favorite mounts, when it comes to mounting stamps, but this question is not about that.
When it comes to blank stamp pages, in this case White Ace or similar, what do you recommend for "where" the stamps go on the page?
Question 1: Is there a good way to make sure they are in a straight line, level, etc?
I had hoped for some ever so light graph lines as a guide, but no such luck.
Question 2: How many stamps would you recommend per sheet?
I know answers will vary and much of this is up to the page designer with no clear "right" way to do it, but I'm asking for suggestions from you all.
Thank you!
JR
Login to Like
this post
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20 Jan 2020
08:32:09pm
re: Blank White Ace Album Pages - Best way to mount stamps?
This would be typical design layout for most people:
but make sure you like whatever you design, 'cause it's yours!
As far as getting it straight, use a ruler to measure a distance from top or bottom, on each side of the page. Place an imperceptible pencil dot, then use the ruler horizontally between the dots to act as a baseline while you line up your mounts.
Roy
Login to Like
this post
re: Blank White Ace Album Pages - Best way to mount stamps?
We are quick to forget that todays young never learned the basics of creating pages from scratch - they usually have some kind of template to work with rather than starting with a clean piece of blank paper - a typewriter and and inking pen.......
Think I have better examples but this is a page from a 10 page study of St. Vincent George V issues.
Just you, relatively expensive card stock, a typewriter, a bottle of ink and a drawing pen with adjustable nib. And no margin for error. Appreciate what you have..talk nicely to your computer.
Login to Like
this post
re: Blank White Ace Album Pages - Best way to mount stamps?
Hi Roy,
Thanks for the tip. I know it seems a bit like "duh!", but it helps to hear how others are doing it.
------------------------------------------------
Hi Webpaper,
Man, I love you! Anyone that is willing to call a 52 year old "young" is my new friend!
I do remember a day when there were no computers, but I mostly grew up with computers and ironically, I manage an IT department and am well versed in "IT-ness".
So you hit is on the head, that this is new territory for me. But I'm surrounded by experts here at SOR and for that I am grateful.
Your pages that you created are great! I can really appreciate the difficulty, because believe it or not, I did have to use a manual typewriter for a tiny bit of time in college, so I do understand the pain of it all. And how great computers are!
I bet you have some amazing stamp albums. They really have a great, classic, regal look! Quite impressive.
Thanks for your help and input!
JR
Login to Like
this post
re: Blank White Ace Album Pages - Best way to mount stamps?
Hi Johnny:
Regarding the number of stamps per page depends mostly on the size of the stamps, and, also how much descriptive text you want. For standard U.S.commemorative-sized stamps (40mm x 25mm), I put six to nine per page. For U.S. definitive-sized stamps (22mm x 24mm) I place seven to sixteen per page. I used to lay out the frames using a t-square and ruler using a pencil to draw the stamp frames and then overlay the pencil with black ink. In those days I used a typewriter for the text. Now I use a computer program, AlbumGen, which does the work for me. If you hand draw the pages, I suggest laying out the center row first and then the top and bottom rows.
I've always liked White Ace quadrille blanks for my one topical collection and country-specific blanks for my U.S. and Canada collections. Regrettably, White Ace is out of business and blank pages now have to be bought from a secondary market such as eBay.
For my WW collection I just use a 90# acid-free 8 1/2 x 11 paper.
Here are a few examples of pages I have done over the years. First, the hand drawn efforts:
A page of eight Canadian commemoratives:
and a page of 10 stamps, a little overcrowded:
A topical page computer drawn incorporating a souvenir sheet:
A page of Japan definitive-sized stamps:
The last, a page of Mexican commemorative-sized issues:
Login to Like
this post
re: Blank White Ace Album Pages - Best way to mount stamps?
Hi FrequentFlyer,
Your response is very helpful, thank you!
I am dealing with exactly the situation that you have with your White Ace Canada pages, except mine are for Folklore.
I am tempted to hand draw because running them through a printer could range from "coming out great" to "a horrible mess", depending on how good I am at laying things out. Plus the hand drawn pages (in my opinion) look very nice if done well, like you have.
Now the good news is:
1) I could get my perspective new page just how I wanted it in AlbumEasy (or something similar)
2) Photocopy my white ace pages so I have some "cheap copies"
3) Send the cheap copies through the printer until I get the layout "just right"
4) Then I could send the White Ace pages through the printer and possibly have a good outcome, assuming the printer doesn't chew them up and spit them out in pieces (a very real possibility!).
Might be a bit harrowing, but might work out well... not sure.
I have some further questions about the merits of AlbumGen and will PM you with these questions if you do not mind?
Thanks again,
JR
Login to Like
this post
re: Blank White Ace Album Pages - Best way to mount stamps?
"Your pages that you created are great!"
Hi Johnny Rockets,
Wish I could take credit for them but I am merely a caretaker .... I could never get the hang of inking.
Login to Like
this post
re: Blank White Ace Album Pages - Best way to mount stamps?
I would suggest you make some mock ups (actual pages) to see what like. It may be throw awy work. My process is always iterative as you try to resolve possible scenarios to get a practical approach.
Login to Like
this post
Approvals
re: Blank White Ace Album Pages - Best way to mount stamps?
Johnny, if you are going the pen and typewriter route, I'd suggest investing in a small portable drafting board like this one. They are obsolete now, so you may be able to find one used and cheap!
This will allow you to tape down your paper, and draw perfectly straight lines. I'd also use it to line up mounts, I see way to many crooked mounts in people's pictures.
Otherwise, computer generated may be the way to go. Aside from Album Easy and other available tools for stamp collectors, I'd suggest Microsoft Publisher and second, Powerpoint. That would allow you to create what you need, and once you have a few layouts, you can copy and modify for future pages.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Blank White Ace Album Pages - Best way to mount stamps?
"
1) I could get my perspective new page just how I wanted it in AlbumEasy (or something similar)
2) Photocopy my white ace pages so I have some "cheap copies"
3) Send the cheap copies through the printer until I get the layout "just right"
4) Then I could send the White Ace pages through the printer and possibly have a good outcome, assuming the printer doesn't chew them up and spit them out in pieces (a very real possibility!)."
Johnny:
I have done exactly what you outline in #2 through #4. I have a template for vertical spacing from the printed headers to where I want my portion of the page to start. Re: photocopying the White Ace pages, that works, but there is a caveat. The photocopied pages may be a few millimeters off at the top of the page and subsequent spacing will also be off below where the printed portion of the page begins. You will just have to experiment a little to get a good template.
Also printing card stock can throw the vertical spacing off as well. I don't like to run card stock through my printer because of potential spacing and alignment problems. My printer is cheap, however, approximately $50, a HP Deskjet 2652. Maybe a better quality printer eliminates paper feed problems. Others who print on card stock paper may post and let us know what printers work best with heavy weight papers.
Besides being time consuming, the biggest problem with hand drawing frames is adding the text. Typewriters don't right justify and vertical spacing for the text is sometimes difficult as well. Then, who can even find a typewriter these days. Hand lettering is an option, but it takes practice and an amount of penmanship skill that I sure don't have.
Despite the printer problems, making one's pages for topical and world wide collections is the only way to go, in my opinion.
Don FF
Login to Like
this post