(TL,DR Version at bottom)
At work, I have to deal with four copy, carbon-less, multi-part forms. Each one requires four different addresses on it. One of the addresses never changes and two of them change maybe every two-three years. I have a self inking stamp for my company address (the one that never changes) and had stamps for the two that only change every couple years (the destination and carrier.) The two that change have recently changed, forcing me to hand write two addresses fifty-three times and stamping my company name two hundred and twelve times. While ordering two new stamps, it occurred to me that I can’t be the first with this problem. My Google-Fu turned up nothing so I’m hoping the Teeming Masses know; Is there a device that can stamp the top original with enough force to transfer the “stamp” through to the other three copies?
(TL,DR) I currently have to hand write multi-part forms. Is there a device that can stamp the top original with enough force to transfer the “stamp” through to the other three copies?
Typewriter?
Old dot-matrix printer that used a ribbon?
You’re correct that either could be used, but “stamp” would be a lot easier to explain/justify on an expense report. I haven’t seen either under $150 either in a long time. In addition, the dot matrix would have to be compatible with Windows 7.
Also, the forms are not “multi-feed.”
Maybe an old programmable IBM Selectric though…HHhhmmmmmm.
Thank you for the suggestions though.
An embosser, maybe? … how about a special extra-deep stamp? Reach out to a stamp-making place. It does sound like an old problem.
When you say carbon-less forms, I assume you mean that special stuff where writing on the top page gets transferred to the rest.
Great idea, like the stamps notaries use. Or used to use.
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On reading this, my first thought is: “Why are you stamping data that never changes in the first place? Just have it printed onto the forms.” Ordering a new batch of forms every other year or so has to be less expensive than either the stamps or your time stamping them.
Timewinder has the real question here.
But possibly some kind of metal plate embossing system would work. Something like the old addressograph systems that were once used for mailing lists.
I am guessing that the original forms are not produced by the OP’s employer. I was (wrongly) under the impression that this kind of stationery has disappeared along with Fax machines, manual typewriters and clay slates. The paper is costly and the copies do not last very long.
Maybe he could contact whoever sends him the forms to find out if there is a better way. If they were sent to him as a pdf, he could auto-complete that part and print the completed forms ready to return.
This is one of the last relevant uses for letterpressand Linotype in the commercial printing world. When I lived in Seattle, I knew a couple guys who did well ‘crash printing’ fixed data onto NCR forms. Might only cost a couple hundred bucks if you needed a thousand or so done.
OK, I had to do this myself, though it’s been a few years. I just used a self-inking stamp and stamped each page (flipping them quickly). It wasn’t a perfect solution, but it saved time. It might have taken me 30 seconds to write our address on the top page, but I could stamp all three pages (in my case) in less than 10 seconds. Plus, I could choose which stamp I needed, depending on the shipping destination. In some cases, I had to sign or initial all three sheets anyway.
Yes, that’s what I mean.
Not necessary for GQ, but to inform, best explanation I can give. I work for an international company that sales, services, and installs…widgets. Part of our service is taking the customer’s old widgets and sending them to an appropriate recycling center.
These forms keep track of where we got what widgets from. They have spaces for the customer address and a customer signature, my company’s address and the shipper’s (me) signature, the address of the carrier taking them to recycling and the truck driver’s signature, and the address of the recycling center and their representatives’ signature when processed. Also, a place for the quantity and type of widget. Customer gets the top copy with just description and their own address and signature when they’re picked up. I fill out the other addresses and keep the second copy after the truck driver and I have signed in our spaces when they’re shipped out. Truck driver takes the other two copies. Recycling rep signs the last two copies and puts on their EPA Assigned Authorized Number. They keep one and send the final copy back to us. That’s the how and why of these forms.
As for why we don’t get them printed in advance. My techs cover five states. If the scrap material comes from State A, it gets sent to Facility 1 which uses Carrier X to take it to Recycling Center 10. The next day, the same techs will be in State B and the widgets get taken to Facility 2 that uses Carrier Y to go to Recycling Center 11. Clear as mud, eh?
That’s actually what made me ask this. For the last three years, we used the same carrier and recycling center. I had stamps made for those. We recently changed and, until I order new stamps, I have to hand write everything. While looking into stamps, I wondered if there was something that could do all my copies at one time per form.
The last time I had to do something similar (and it’s been years), I had a metal stamp that slammed down pretty hard. It went through at least one layer, but I don’t know if it would do 4. I second the notion of asking the stamp manufacturer if they have a ready made solution. I looked around briefly online, and I found metal stamp sets, but they didn’t seem exactly right. I think it’s likely there is something appropriate if one looks in the right place.
So you just want to fill out multi-part form on a carbonless copy paper. A dot matrix printer is the standard way to do this.
Also, it’s not too hard to find a 1990s typewriter on eBay, one of those you could program with a couple of lines of text.
Those pages are designed for the amount of pressure that a human exerts on the point of a pen. With a whole stamp, the contact area would be much higher, and hence the pressure much lower. You’d probably need, not only a hard (metal?) stamp, but a lot more force behind it: Maybe putting the stamp in place and then hitting it with a hammer, or something like that.
Another possible solution occurs to me. Could you print sets of self-adhesive labels with the addresses etc, and just stick them on in the appropriate places?