Double sided printing - anyone using it?

[Malcolm_Stewart]

I note from some TV adds that double sided printing is now getting more affordable, and as this probably involves more handling of the paper, and perhaps bending it around rollers (to get to the other side), I'm wondering how good these machines are. I used to have a perfectly usable laser printer, until its rollers stopped gripping the paper, and that I believe was caused by the paper's dressing getting embedded into the surface of the rollers. Washing and scrubbing with detergent/brush didn't improve matters, so that was the end of that printer.
My ink jet printers use a much straighter path, but these too show the same problems after being used for some time. Envelope printing is often the first to indicate that slippage is taking place, when it didn't when the printer was new.

[beejaybee]

I don't have any issues with double sided printing, using ordinary 80 gsm copier paper, on my (Brother) laser printer - despite the contorted paper path.

My Epson R800 (with a paper path which is very close to straight) does however leave nasty roller marks on the "first printed" side if DS printing is attempted, and there is also a tendency to get black marks on the edge of the paper. Not that it matters much for photo use, as photo papers are only coated on one side.

I have lots of star charts which have been printed double sided and then laminated for use outside. If one seed needs to be (or would be better) printed in colour, I print that side on the Epson then print the back on the laser. If both sides need to be in colour, I print two sheets single sided on the Epson, place them bac to back and laminate as one piece. Of course the colour printing in this case is diagram rather than photo quality.

[velocette]

I have an HP Photosmart C310a and often use double sided printing on 'new-sheets' with both text and photos and have found no problems at all apart from the ginormous cost of inks. Although the printer itself works well It more to run than my car and will be the last HP item I buy.

[PeteRob]

I would always use duplex, saves paper, for normal print. Some printers advertising duplex do lack the mechanicals to turn the paper round so you may have to feed it twice. An unnecessary statement, but there is a wide readership, this doesn 't work for photoprinting where one side of the paper is uncoated. An awful mess results.

ps all my duplex has been on laser printers and only occasionally tried it on my ink jet printer which required a refeed by which time ink is dry.

[MickLL]

one side of the paper is uncoated

You can, of course, buy double sided paper for photo printing. Useful for calendars etc.

MickLL