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JUST PURCHASED A WIDE FORMAT INK JET PRINTER I NOW HAVE FOUND OUT I NEED A LAMINATOR SHOULD I BUY A COLD ROLL LAMINATOR OR A WET APPLICATION LAMINATOR. AND WHICH BRAND SHOULD I GO WITH
-------------------- MICHAEL JORDAN JORDAN SIGNS AND GRAPHICS 237 1ST AVE EAST ONEONTA, AL 35121 Posts: 18 | From: ONEONTA, ALABAMA | Registered: Oct 2004
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I use a Daige Quickmount laminator. We have had excellent results with it.
-------------------- Bruce Bowers
DrCAS Custom Lettering and Design Saint Cloud, Minnesota
"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things work out." - Art Linkletter Posts: 6451 | From: Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Registered: Jun 1999
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The Caps lock is usually found just above the left shift key.
A hot laminator, while more expensive to buy is much less expensive to operate plus you always have the option of running cold films should you so desire. If you have any volumn at all the total cost of ownership will be less with a hot laminator over a five year period. I haven't heard much about the liquid laminators, and what little I did hear wasn't all good. Gbc has an interesting (hot) film called accushield which requires no trimming, and Royal Sovereign has a similar product called thinflex.
Seal and GBC are both respected names in laminators, there are other good brands out there as well. Look for a company that manufactures the films as well, there's a pretty steep & expensive learning curve to go through, and a knowledgable support base will save you a lot of grief.
We have a Seal 600d. Mechanically, it's been problem free for over 5 years. We use it for everything from laminating /mounting to laying reflective sheeting on dibond or other substrates.
-------------------- Mike O'Neill
It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value. - Arthur C. Clarke
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Stay FAR FAR away from any machine that claims to do liquid lamination. I have a Daige EZ Glide liquid laminator that I use for a boat anchor when I go fishing, other than that it doubles as a dust collector/paper weight when on land. The Daige Rollaguard liquid is not too bad when applied with a 4" wide foam brush. It flows out nicely and looks like glass. I have to work it in to keep from getting 'fish eyes' sometimes.
Save your money and look at the Applikator 2R from Dupontgraphics.com
EDIT: I bought my EZ GLIDE from machinerunner.com They are only an order house and have their equipment dropped shipped from the manufacturer. If you have a problem you are out of luck. Their sales policy is 'ALL SALES FINAL'.
[ November 04, 2004, 12:45 AM: Message edited by: Jerry VanHorn ]
-------------------- Jerry VanHorn, Pres. Pure Sports Designs, LLC Pro Sign Design / United Wholesale Signs www.prosigndesign.comwww.unitedwholesalesigns.com West Liberty, OH 937-465-0595 866-942-3990 Since 1990 Posts: 925 | From: West :Liberty, OH | Registered: May 2004
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I havae a LEDCO 25" that I bought on EBay and am very happy with it. It has FORWARD and REVERSE (which I have had to use on occassion) and is HOT and Cold. I had wanted one with a foot pedal for those long jobs but the LEdco didn't have it.
The seller on Ebay said that it was in great shape. When I got it, the rollers were all chewed up and was missing a knob. I called the seller and he paid for Ledco to ship new rollers. We had to put them in but when I called Ledco to make arrangements I also ordered the Temp knob. They sent it to me free. When I got it, the package also included the electronics board that the knob fastened on to. I didn't get charged for either.
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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Hiya Michael, Congratulations on your purchase! As you are learning quickly, it's a big step to take financially. The learning curve is an even bigger investment. All the above advise is good. I'll just add this. First, you'll need a laminator that is wide enough to accomodate the maximum width of your prints plus a couple of inches. If you an afford it, get a laminator with heat. Even though all the laminates I use are pressure sensitive, I still use some heat to get the adhesive flowing a little better. Depending on the size of the prints you're making, you'll also want to invest in a couple of tables too. If you can print 60" wide, you'll want 60" wide tables. Other things you may want to consider are a dust remover roller, an 8' rotary trimmer and media storage racks. If you don't have a clean room, you'll probably want to make one. Dust is a killer of equipment and prints.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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Our local printer dealer told me that you would not use hot laminators for anything that goes outdoors because if it got hot the lamination would fail. He said cold only. Is that true?
Sorry I don't have advise for you but maybe this is a necessary question to aid in your search.
-------------------- Amy Brown Life Skills 101 Private Address Posts: 3502 | From: Lake Helen, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2001
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""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3484 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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Hiya Amy, I'm probably wrong, but it sounds like a salesman comment trying to get you to buy pressure sensitive vinyl "Low melt" thermal laminates normally need temperatures of 170* or more to activate the adhesive. I would assume that it could reactivate if it hits 170* again. I think the biggest concern about using thermal laminates outdoors is the substrate you're applying the laminate to. My supplier recommends thermal laminates for paper, not exactly a substrate you would want to use outdoors unless it's encapsulated.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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Ditto to checkers amy, I've been using hot films for over 5 years without failure. There is also a much wider choice of laminating films available in hot than there is in cold.
-------------------- Mike O'Neill
It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value. - Arthur C. Clarke
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