Tape Notes · How to
How to make a cassette J-card: sizes, printing and folding
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
A J-card is the folded paper insert in a cassette case. Folded, it makes a J shape: a front panel behind the clear lid, a narrow spine along the hinge, and a short flap that tucks in behind the tape. Making one at home is easy once the sizes are right. This guide covers the measurements, how much music fits on a tape, and how to print, cut and fold a card that slides in first time.
J-card sizes for a standard case
These are the sizes for a standard cassette case (the clear hinged “Norelco” style), and they're the sizes jcard.studio prints at:
- Height: 101.6 mm (4 in) for every panel
- Front: 65.1 mm wide (2.5625 in)
- Spine: 12.7 mm (½ in)
- Flap: 25.4 mm (1 in)
- Total, flat: 103.2 × 101.6 mm
Want room for liner notes or lyrics? A J-card with an inside panel (sometimes called an extra panel) adds a second 65.1 mm panel on the far side of the front. It folds in behind the cover, so its printed side is what you see when you open the case, and the whole card still prints on one side of the paper. Slimline and some older cases use different spines, so if a case looks unusual, measure it before you print.
How much music fits
The number on a blank tape is the total running time in minutes across both sides, so each side gets half:
| Tape | Per side | Total | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| C-46 | 23 min | 46 min | One album, an EP or a demo |
| C-60 | 30 min | 60 min | A classic mixtape, 7–9 songs a side |
| C-90 | 45 min | 90 min | A long mix, or two albums back to back |
Add up each side as you plan it and leave a minute spare, so the last song doesn't get cut off. Longer tapes use thinner tape, which is why C-60 and C-90 are the usual choice for mixtapes (more in our guide to tape lengths).
What goes where
- Front: the title, the artist or who it's for, and the artwork. It's what people see first.
- Spine: the title (and artist), big enough to read on a shelf. On commercial tapes it reads top to bottom.
- Flap: the tracklist, or a short note.
- Inside panel: a dedication at the top, the full tracklist, liner notes or lyrics, and the credits as small print along the bottom.
Printing it at the right size
The most common mistake is the printer shrinking the page. In the print dialog choose Actual size or 100%, never “Fit to page”, and print on A4. Then measure the front panel with a ruler: it should be 65.1 mm wide. Our printing guide goes into paper, settings and fixes in more detail.
- Paper: ordinary 80–100 gsm printer paper works and folds easily. Thin card (about 120–170 gsm) feels more like a shop-bought insert; check what your printer can take.
- Colours: print usually looks a little darker than a screen. If a dark design prints muddy, try one of the lighter colour options (the ink savers).
- Bleed: a print-ready file carries the artwork about 2 mm past the cut line, so a slightly off cut never leaves a white edge.
Cutting and folding
- Let the ink dry for a few minutes.
- Cut along the crop marks with a craft knife and a metal ruler on a cutting mat. Scissors work, but a knife gives straighter edges.
- Score each fold line first: run a dry ballpoint pen or the back of the knife along the ruler. The card then folds crisply instead of cracking.
- Fold along each line so the printed side stays on the outside and the card makes a J. An inside panel folds the same way, tucking in behind the cover.
- Open the case, slide the front behind the clips in the lid, let the spine sit along the hinge, and tuck the flap in behind the tape.
Doesn't fit? If it's too small, the printer scaled the page, so reprint at Actual size. If it bulges, the card may be too thick, or a fold isn't sharp enough. Score it again.
Make yours on jcard.studio
Paste your tracklist, pick one of the looks, and the designer sizes everything for a standard case. The spine reads top to bottom like a shop-bought tape. You can print free with a watermark, or get a print-ready PDF and HD print sheet, with bleed, crop marks and fold marks, with a 24-hour pass. For ideas, see how the looks borrow from J-card design through the decades.
Making a tape? Design a J-card that fits the case.
Start a J-card →Sources
More Tape Notes
- How to look after cassettes: storage, cleaning and fixing a chewed tape
- J-card design through the decades: from blank-tape stripes to rave tape packs
- Dolby noise reduction on cassettes: B, C and S explained
- Reading a blank tape's J-card: MOL, SOL, bias, EQ and “high position”
- How to make a mixtape: choosing, timing and recording a cassette
- C-46, C-60 or C-90? How much music fits on a cassette
- Printing J-cards at home: paper, settings, cutting and folding
- Cassettes for bands and labels: a short-run release guide
- Cassette tape types explained: Type I, II, III and IV
- A short history of the cassette tape