Inconsistent print spacing or shifting margins on a new Canon PIXMA G3290—especially when printing precise templates like trading cards—is typically caused by loose physical paper guides, incorrect software scaling settings, or heavy cardstock slipping against the feed rollers.
Physical Feed Troubleshooting
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Loose Paper Guides: Ensure the plastic edge guides in the paper tray are pushed completely snug against the paper stack to prevent twisting.
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Cardstock Roller Slippage: Heavy or thick specialty cardstocks can cause friction rollers to slip momentarily, creating variable top and bottom margins.
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Paper Curl: Flatten thick cardstock completely before printing to keep the leading edge from hitting internal components at an angle.
Software and Driver Setup
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Disable Scaling Options: Set your print dialog settings to Actual Size or 100% rather than "Fit to Page" or "Shrink to Fit".
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Match Media Profiles: Check that the paper size and media type in your software match the exact size and type registered on the printer's LCD screen.
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Turn Off Borderless Expansion: Borderless printing stretches and crops your image slightly; use standard bordered settings with custom manual cutting marks instead.
Printer Maintenance
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Align the Print Head: Run a Manual Print Head Alignment from the printer's utility or maintenance menu to correct factory carriage drift.
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Clean the Feed Rollers: Use the built-in roller cleaning maintenance routine to remove manufacturing dust or paper debris from the friction mechanism.
If you would like to pinpoint the issue further, let me know:
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What software application are you using to send the print job?
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What weight or type of paper (e.g., 110lb cardstock, glossy photo paper) are you currently using?
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Is the spacing drifting vertically (top-to-bottom) or horizontally (left-to-right) across pages?
Danny
