posted
I am in the mental laminator wars with myself!
I have looked at the daige, and I know that it needs a sled - limited space is my issue and what if I wanted to do a larger print one day then my board allows?
What are my options for a laminator that doesn't require a sled? Do the Seal 44's require a sled? I want something 2-4k if possible, but that is all I really want to spend.
I will be doing a lot of stickers with this and will be branching off into banners since I will feel confident they can last if their laminated. I currently run a soljet sc-500 so I want something large 42+
Avoiding a sled is my issue, but the cost is also an issue! What are my options and your experiences?
Thanks!
Nathan.
-------------------- Nathan Ferguson Posts: 8 | From: West Virginia | Registered: Dec 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have a 60" GBC "Arctic Titan"... but I'm too new at using it to offer any knowledge, & besides mine costs about 5K & is bigger then you need. What I'm posting for is to ask...
What's a sled?
I remember Mike O. & Fergie (a couple a Canadians around here pretty much all the time) comparing notes on laminating techniques & I think the term sled came up, but as a jimmy-rigged way of eliminating the need for Kraft paper if I remember right, so I didn't really understand that then, but now that I have used mine a bit... maybe I can learn something on this thread too
posted
I will be laminating a lot of 54" x 39" prints. How do you guys get past the problem of laminating a peice that is larger then the sled?
I don't know "if" I will ever need to do this, but it will be nice to know a technique if it came down to it. I dont have a ton of space, so keeping a long sled laying around wouldn't be the best option!
I think I am going to bite the bullet and buy a 54" daige from beacon - it is $1895 for the stand, laminator and footswitch, if anyone knows a better deal, please let me know!
Thanks!
-------------------- Nathan Ferguson Posts: 8 | From: West Virginia | Registered: Dec 2002
| IP: Logged |
First, it is used to prevent laminate that is wider than the piece to be laminated from sticking to the laminator as it is fed throught the machine. In your case, the "sled" needs to be larger than the 54"x39" piece you are laminating.
The other use for the "sled" is to simply help pull the vinyl through straight and evenly through the machine during setup.
I use a lot of 13" laminate to laminate my Edge prints which are on 15" perforated vinyl stock. In this case, the sled only serves to help during setup.
Yesterday, I used the laminator to apply 48" wide vinyl to some 42"x84" aluminum. If I were using a sled, it would require a pretty large sled. Since I didn't have the room, I put some of the silicone impregnated carrier paper across the aluminum platform on the exit side of the laminator which allowed the excess vinyl to slide across and not gum anything up.
posted
Nathan, I don't have a daige, so you can take this advice with a grain of salt.
I know at least two people that have bought one and sent it back immediately, calling it a total piece of crap and not worth the money. I also talked to alot of suppliers when I was looking for my laminator that admitted almost everyone that bought daiges were looking forward to upgrading as soon as possible. One even admitted that he hated selling them, because he almost always got calls back complaining about them. I did have a few on this board tell me they used them and that they served the purpose fine for what they needed them to do.
My advice would be that if there is any way you can afford it, step up to a more user-friendly model.
Suelynn
-------------------- "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -George Eliot
Suelynn Sedor Sedor Signs Carnduff, SK Canada Posts: 2863 | From: Carnduff, SK Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
We bought our laminator in 1996, and use a sled occasionally.
Our "sled" is a 5' x 10' sheet of 6 mil sintra that cost about $100. We use it as Glenn described, but often get lazy and don't use it at all.
If we are applying an adhesive from the top roller instead of a laminate, the sled prevents the adhesive from sticking to the bottom roller.
The film you are applying will almost always be larger than the print. This lets you apply film to the full print plus a bleed for trimming. You'll notice films come in 38" and 50" widths to apply to 36" and 48" rolls of media.
If you are applying the adhesive on the bottom (more common) and a laminate on top, they will adhere to each other not the roller, so a sled isn't used.
This got long winded, but a guess we only use a sled about 5% of the time, and the sled itself is big enough and cheap enough to have around just in case.
-------------------- Paul Luszcz Zebra Visuals 27 Water Street Plymouth, MA 02360 508 746-9200 paul@zebravisuals.com Posts: 483 | From: 27 Water Street, Plymouth, MA 02360 | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have the 54" daige and its used strictly for mounting purposes only. In the past two years we have been using it, the motor has been replaced under warantee three times from burning up. I've replaced the silicon rollers only once I think.
When I first bought it we used the sled technique alot. Its a pain in the gluteous max for sure. But if you have a limited budget then make the best of what you can afford.
-------------------- Bob Stephens Skywatch Signs Zephyrhills, FL
posted
I bought a used 54" Daige for a good price, with the foot pedal. Now they have the electric back up roller. Mine doesn't have that feature. I have to hand roll it. Kind of tricky but it can be done. It took awhile to learn how to use it. Lately I don't use it as much, but it does come in handy for mounting and certain applications. lately I go to a friend who also does digital prints and have them laminate certain projects because they have a much better laminator. If you have the cliental to justify your cost, I would buy a better one. Or find someone who has a good one. That will save you some money till you get rolling.
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
I also have the 54" Daige. The price was right, but it's pretty awkward to use. Makes me nervous everytime, and I hate having to use a sled. Anything over 8' for me with this machine seems impossible.
Mine pops the belt off the take-up reel after about 6 feet, so anymore I just cut the amount of laminate needed for the job and run it through as a sheet.
I've even built a stand and added a bottom roll holder for bottom laminate for encapsulation, but the bottom roller is too soft to keep the wrinkles out.
It's ok for smaller jobs like you mentioned above, but if you've ever used a good laminator you will probably be dissapointed.
Works fine for mounting...and if I ever get a better one that's what it will be used for.
-------------------- Ace Graphics & Printing Camdenton, MO. USA
Printer-friendly view of this topic