You know those envelopes that Federal Express uses for small shipments? Not the stiff cardboard ones, but the soft ones made out of paper that is just about impossible to tear?

Is it possible to buy that paper in letter size or legal size sheets, in small quantities (say 100 pages)?

I am the promoter of the annual Death Ride, a mountain bike race for true lunatics that involves wading (with your bike) through a swamp that can run as much as chin-deep if you don't bypass the deeper holes (like here) and the numbers I made up out of light card stock simply didn't hold up. I'm looking for something more durable that I can print on using a laser printer.

Any ideas?

tanstaafl.

It's called Tyvek. It's a Dupont product. I'm sure you can find it in any form you want. I'm sure the name ``Tyvek'' is a big step in that direction.

According to the Tyvek print-specific web site, you can't laser-print on it, though. That includes photocopying. There's apparently an ink-jet compatible form, but I don't know how well that ink would hold up in those conditions.

Your best bet may be to contact a local printer and see if he can help. If they can do a print run of business cards, I can't see why they couldn't do a print run of a hundred full-size sheets.

I think you're talking about Tyvek envelopes. At least that's what we use in my office. I'm not sure if they just make paper, though.


*edit*
Damn! I waited to long on the submit button! Grrr...

Your best bet may be to contact a local printer and see if he can help

If the only allowable print method is offset, then I'm out of luck because each page printed will be unique -- a different rider number for each page.

I agree with you that ink jet printing would be less than desirable.

Another way I can do it is to print the pages out on card stock, then lay clear contact paper over the faces. I think that would work out to about 5 cents per number getting two numbers per page, figuring the cost of the card stock, the contact paper, and the laser toner, allowing myself a "salary" of about 10 cents an hour, of course. That's do-able.

But, the Tyvek solution would have been a lot more elegant!

tanstaafl.

If you can find the right sort of ink, you could silkscreen it.

There's other printing methods listed on the Tyvek website, some of which I'm not familiar with. Still, you could call a printer and find out what they could do.

get nice custom tee shirts with the Death Ride logo and a number on the back

get nice custom tee shirts with the Death Ride logo and a number on the back


Still the same problem -- how to print each shirt with a different number.

tanstaafl.

get nice custom tee shirts with the Death Ride logo

/me envisionong a logo of consisting of sideways crossed hands on the shirt front (CPR placement guide)

Lots of printers produce Tyvek bibs/numbers for races, but I assume that is way out of budget. Doug needs a printer sponsor.

Still the same problem -- how to print each shirt with a different number

I dunno... How about on each one you pin on a number thats printed on light card stock?

oh wait...

Hmm. Isn't that the name that I keep seeing wrapped around various houses that are under construction/renovation? I'm wondering whether tanstaafl's local hardware store sells it, or whether he knows a friendly builder who would donate some.

You can buy some of the "styles" by the yard here.

Yes it is. I was going to suggest getting some scraps from a construction site but it sounds like the problem would be printing on it.

How about a can of spray paint and stencils

You might try Rite In The Rain. It's waterproof and I just ran a sheet through my laser printer without a hitch. It's not tearproof like Tyvek, but it won't go soggy and I'd imagine it would be strong enough for a race number.

--John

Also consider synthetic substrates such as Teslin. It basically feels like card made out of rubber.

It is tearable, but takes quite a bit of effort as it tends to stretch before breaking. It's completely waterproof, can be litho printed with a rubber-based ink, but not laser printed due to the heat, or inkjet printed as it's not absorbent. Permanent marker and biro do seem to work though.

I've been to several running events where they provide waterproof number signs... They must get those from somewhere...

Marius (

When I've done this, for guide maps, notices etc., I've simply encapsulated an ordinary sheet of paper off my printer.
We have an encapsulating machine at the office, but I would think printers would be able to source someone, also.

If it's just numbers, to put on the back, any shop that deals in the paraphanalia that surrounds horse riding stocks, or can get, numbers on flexible plastic, with holes already punched to tie on. I imagine that any competitive sport would have the same requirement, and stock them

OK, here is a real solution

go here

its printed on Tyvek (it doesn't say it but if you download the .pdf catalog there is more information) and they're $11 for 100 of them.

At a cost of 11c per entrant, with no printing hassles...winner.

Absolutely. And bonus points for attacking the real problem and not getting caught up in idle postulating.

And bonus points for attcking the real problem and not getting caught up in idle postulating.

But this _is_ the off-topic forum.

OK, here is a real solution

Definitely workable, but not what I'm looking for.

Here is a sample of my Death Ride bike numbers... this motif is repeated on the course markers (8.5"x14" flourescent orange signs with black lettering, on aluminum backing plates) and on the surveyors pin flags that are put up throughout the course. On race day there will be more than 100 course markers laid out.

Simplest, low-tech solution will be to just print my numbers on card stock, and then lay strips of filament tape across the top and bottom of each number before I put the mounting holes (for the zip ties) in them. (I stack all the numbers together and use my drill press to make the mounting holes)

[image]why the hell can't I make this work?[/image]

Awww, screw it. Just look at the attachment!

tanstaafl.

jeeeez, so demanding.

Ok, Running Count Racing Numbers seems like a good place to go. They do custom number printing on Tyvec. I called them. You can send them a graphic and they can print numbers in the forground, at a cost of $0.21/each + $18 set up fee (I think you can skip the set up fee if you send them the graphic in the right format, but I'm not sure)

well???

did that link help or what??

did that link help or what??


Yes, thank you.

The Death Ride is over for this year, but I have bookmarked that site for next year.

tanstaafl.

The Death Ride is over for this year

Damnit!

always late! It's my life's story.