Print at actual size
A stencil is only useful at the size you planned. These steps keep the printed size equal to the size you set in StencilPort.
Rule of thumb: always print at 100% / Actual Size, never "Fit to page" or "Scale to fit", and measure before you transfer.
1. Check your printer once with the calibration sheet
- In StencilPort open Settings → Calibration (or the calibration link in Size & Print) and choose your paper: A4 or US Letter. The calibration sheet is free.
- Print it exactly the way you will print stencils — same printer, same app, same paper.
- Measure the marked ruler lines and the square with a reliable ruler. Enter the measurements in the app.
- If the result is within about 1 mm over 100 mm, you don't need a correction. If your printer is consistently off, save a correction profile and select it explicitly when you prepare an export.
2. Print from StencilPort (AirPrint)
- Prepare the export, then tap Print in the export sheet or project history.
- Choose the printer and the same paper size as your layout (A4 or US Letter).
- StencilPort sends pages at 1:1 without scaling. If the printer reports different paper or a smaller printable area, the app warns you before printing; fix the paper setting instead of shrinking.
- Measure the reference size printed on the page before using the stencil.
3. Print from another app
- PDF (best for size): open it in the printing app and set scale to 100%, Actual Size or None. Turn off "Fit", "Shrink oversized pages" and borderless enlargement.
- PNG: image apps often resize pictures to the page. Set the output size manually to the dimensions shown in StencilPort, or prefer the PDF.
- On a computer, check the print dialog's scale and paper size every time — many drivers remember "Fit to page".
4. Thermal stencil printers
- Use AirPrint if your printer supports it; otherwise share the PDF (or the PNG if the app only accepts images) to the printer's own app.
- In that app choose the paper that matches your layout and set size or scale to original / 100%.
- Print the calibration sheet through the same app once and measure it.
- Some thermal apps apply their own darkness or "stencil" filters — turn those off, the file is already a stencil.
5. Large designs across several pages
- Turn on tiling in Size & Print and set the overlap (5 mm is a good start).
- Print every page at 100%. Pages are labelled by row and column.
- Trim along the cut lines, keeping the overlap on one side.
- Align the registration marks of neighbouring pages and tape them from behind.
- Measure the assembled design against the size you set.
6. Mirroring
StencilPort only mirrors when you turn mirroring on. Many thermal printers and transfer methods already reverse the image — check one test print before mirroring in the app, so the design isn't flipped twice.
7. Artwork that converts best
Clear photos, flash and line drawings work best: the sharper the reference, the better the lines. Hatching adds fine hatching for shading, and Outline keeps to clean contours.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Everything a few percent small | "Fit to page" / shrink to printable area | Set 100% / Actual Size; check paper size |
| Edges cut off | Margin smaller than the printer's printable area | Increase the page margin in Size & Print |
| Wrong size only from one app | That app rescales images | Use the PDF, or set the size manually in that app |
| Consistently 1–2% off everywhere | Printer feed/scale variance | Save and select a calibration profile |
| Design is flipped | Mirrored twice (app + printer) | Turn mirroring off in one place |
Still off? Email support@scalewebops.com with your printer model, the app you printed from, and what you measured.