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Jim (and others):
 
The real issue is that most of the plotters you've been referring to use
inkjet technology.  Inkjet "ink" is not waterproof for the simple reason
that nobody seems to have worked out a way to get the waterproof ones
(which have where the pigment component of the "ink" comes in larger
particles) through the jets at a reasonable dot intensity because the
particles are bigger than most desired dot intensities.
 
The ones that use a wax technology or a thermal transfer technology have
a different problem -- the color "cracks" on the folds after a few
years.
 
One thing you might want to investigate is Canon's large format bubble
jet technology which is used for T-shirt printing.  I have shirts that
are more than six years old using this technology which do not appear to
have faded and, even though the technology involves ironing on a plastic
matrix with the color on the back side, the matrix does not appear to
have deteriorated in that period of time.  I dunno about alltime for
library/archive use, though, just a thought.
 
Besides encapsulating the whole sheets, it seems like there's really not
much of a choice.  However, as I see it the encapsulation means that the
maps wind up being stored separately from the "book".  Does lamination
with fabric hinges make any greater sense?
 
HTH.
 
vh
--
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