-
I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...
65" Enduralam dropping?
- Thread starter CheapVehicleWrap
- Start date
Stealth Ryder
New Member
In my opinion they are most all built just alike, I have used an Enduralam for a long time with no problems once I figured out how to load, adjust and use it. I have used other brands as well and they all seem to work the same to me. 26' runs have never been an issue so long as you stay with it to ensure things are going good. Truth is laminating is hard to do and seems to be something that has to be learned, meaning listen to how others get it done.
CheapVehicleWrap
New Member
Never had a problem sticking to the rollers. Yes, I would imagine that it would have to track perfectly after being aligned perfectly to avoid going over the edge and taping the roll together. I was told by some VERY well respected guys that laminating is the easiest of all things to do. They've run complete rolls no problem and not on the absolute best of machines either.
luggnut
New Member
laminating is like anything else as far as you have a learning curve and how your equipment reacts...
same as laying down vinyl.. at first i got bubbles and wrinkles everywhere, i learned what worked for me and what doesn't. my first wrap (or second, third...tenth) was not great either i had to learn to work with the material and the different surfaces.
but once you have it learned the laminator is fairly easy to get predictable results...
i'm not saying that i know for sure you are the problem and it couldn't be a lemon.. i don't know you or what your capabilities are.. just trying to give tips on things i have already learned the hard way. most of the time the problems with my machines (or my entire business for that matter ) are my fault.
same as laying down vinyl.. at first i got bubbles and wrinkles everywhere, i learned what worked for me and what doesn't. my first wrap (or second, third...tenth) was not great either i had to learn to work with the material and the different surfaces.
but once you have it learned the laminator is fairly easy to get predictable results...
i'm not saying that i know for sure you are the problem and it couldn't be a lemon.. i don't know you or what your capabilities are.. just trying to give tips on things i have already learned the hard way. most of the time the problems with my machines (or my entire business for that matter ) are my fault.
Stealth Ryder
New Member
That is an admirable statement, you have earned my respect sir...
Idea Design
New Member
I searched and searched SW for the enduralam set up video and couldn't find it. It looks like they may have gotten rid of the video and replaced it with a setup pdf file.
Listen, not trying to add insult to injury here, but I got the same laminator you did, only in the 53" version. I live in the sticks, and the delivery guy showed up, dropped off my stuff, and drove away.
I was left alone on my island to figure out how to operate all this stuff. Got the printer running to the best of my knowledge at the time, and the laminator, well, I went to SW tech support site, and watched the setup video (after I was done cussing at the shear weight of the damn thing.)
I watched the guy to the roller adjustments, then did that. I watched him load laminate, then did that. I watched how he fed the print to be laminated, then I did that. I feel like I did everything I could do to set up my equipment by myself and with the support staff at SW.
To this day after 100s of yards of printed vinyl, I've never had one print ruined by my laminator. I am confident that I followed the setup instructions to a tee, and my rollers are exactly where they should be, and all works very, very well.
I'll keep hunting for that video. Just like every training video, it's a little cheezy, but lots of good information therein.
Keep your chin up, they work good if they are set up right.
Edited to add: Here is most of the information that was in the video I watched:
http://www.signwarehouse.com/tech-support/Laminator/SW Laminator Set-Up.pdf
Listen, not trying to add insult to injury here, but I got the same laminator you did, only in the 53" version. I live in the sticks, and the delivery guy showed up, dropped off my stuff, and drove away.
I was left alone on my island to figure out how to operate all this stuff. Got the printer running to the best of my knowledge at the time, and the laminator, well, I went to SW tech support site, and watched the setup video (after I was done cussing at the shear weight of the damn thing.)
I watched the guy to the roller adjustments, then did that. I watched him load laminate, then did that. I watched how he fed the print to be laminated, then I did that. I feel like I did everything I could do to set up my equipment by myself and with the support staff at SW.
To this day after 100s of yards of printed vinyl, I've never had one print ruined by my laminator. I am confident that I followed the setup instructions to a tee, and my rollers are exactly where they should be, and all works very, very well.
I'll keep hunting for that video. Just like every training video, it's a little cheezy, but lots of good information therein.
Keep your chin up, they work good if they are set up right.
Edited to add: Here is most of the information that was in the video I watched:
http://www.signwarehouse.com/tech-support/Laminator/SW Laminator Set-Up.pdf
Last edited:
ProWraps
New Member
tension is everything! our tension on our feeder roll, the one that holds the lam, is almost all the way tight.
VERY IMPORTANT! make sure the tension on your take up roll, the one that takes up the backer of the lam, is NOT too tight. you want it so it BARELY keeps up with the lam going into the pressure rollers. too little and the backer will get laminated with the print, too much, and it will put uneven tension on the lam going into the pressure rollers and will cause wrinkles.
when you change out backer rolls, you will need to adjust the backer tension as the roll gets heavier and heavier.
we litteraly are feeding, adjusting, and monitoring through every print we lam. its comical to watch, but it works, and works well.
make sure your speed is set slow to no more than medium. the faster the speed, the more problems that will arise.
also we DO NOT use kraft paper. we have one person feeding and one person catching.
your laminator can and may be not aligned perfectly. ours isnt. but it works fine even without it being adjusted correctly because we know how to feed it and adjust it on the fly.
its like anything else. its a learning curve. a knowledge of what is EXACTLY taking place with all facets of machine will yield an understanding of how it works and what does what.
this is crucial to diagnosing what is going wrong and how to fix it.
your machine is FINE. laminators are by far the hardest machine to operate as its 100% mechanical. there is no hit print and the software, rip, computer will do the rest.
VERY IMPORTANT! make sure the tension on your take up roll, the one that takes up the backer of the lam, is NOT too tight. you want it so it BARELY keeps up with the lam going into the pressure rollers. too little and the backer will get laminated with the print, too much, and it will put uneven tension on the lam going into the pressure rollers and will cause wrinkles.
when you change out backer rolls, you will need to adjust the backer tension as the roll gets heavier and heavier.
we litteraly are feeding, adjusting, and monitoring through every print we lam. its comical to watch, but it works, and works well.
make sure your speed is set slow to no more than medium. the faster the speed, the more problems that will arise.
also we DO NOT use kraft paper. we have one person feeding and one person catching.
your laminator can and may be not aligned perfectly. ours isnt. but it works fine even without it being adjusted correctly because we know how to feed it and adjust it on the fly.
its like anything else. its a learning curve. a knowledge of what is EXACTLY taking place with all facets of machine will yield an understanding of how it works and what does what.
this is crucial to diagnosing what is going wrong and how to fix it.
your machine is FINE. laminators are by far the hardest machine to operate as its 100% mechanical. there is no hit print and the software, rip, computer will do the rest.
ProWraps
New Member
backer roll as described in my post is what im refering to as the roll that takes up the backer paper.
also as mentioned, we have someone catching the print coming out. the lam wont stick to the tray or the roller if someone is holding the print and walking backwards with it.
the enduralam is a great piece of machinery. its simplicity and lack of complex heaters, etc, will show it working long after the lifespan of many of the other complex more expensive machines. they are workhorses of the lam industry and are bascially bulletproof.
i have a shop here in town that purchased one after their other high end machine because its easier to use, and is die hard. they use it as a mounting machine and love it to death, as we do ours.
bells, whistles, and frills are not what its meant for. which is reflected in its price point.
also as mentioned, we have someone catching the print coming out. the lam wont stick to the tray or the roller if someone is holding the print and walking backwards with it.
the enduralam is a great piece of machinery. its simplicity and lack of complex heaters, etc, will show it working long after the lifespan of many of the other complex more expensive machines. they are workhorses of the lam industry and are bascially bulletproof.
i have a shop here in town that purchased one after their other high end machine because its easier to use, and is die hard. they use it as a mounting machine and love it to death, as we do ours.
bells, whistles, and frills are not what its meant for. which is reflected in its price point.
CheapVehicleWrap
New Member
Prowraps, thanks! FINALLY some actual feedback on this machine!
ok so I'm gathering that:
a) one person can not run this machine
b) constant adjustment is necessary throughout the entire laminating process.
c) The final takeup roll is basically useless, unless maybe if you're using craft paper. I wonder what a compete roll of vinyl, laminate and craft paper even looks like. An oak tree perhaps? I guess I'll never see one anyhow.
ok so I'm gathering that:
a) one person can not run this machine
b) constant adjustment is necessary throughout the entire laminating process.
c) The final takeup roll is basically useless, unless maybe if you're using craft paper. I wonder what a compete roll of vinyl, laminate and craft paper even looks like. An oak tree perhaps? I guess I'll never see one anyhow.
PC Signs
New Member
We run many 50 yard rolls every day on ours for four years now, we can also walk away with confidence that nothing will go wrong. This is a great machine, yours may have been dropped already. Tension is very important, we had to dry the oil off of the cork pads in the tension knobs to get good pressure, after that it worked great. You should also check the screws that hold the feed table, if they are loose it will create problems.
ProWraps
New Member
funny isnt it. so simple, so important. i hope this thread helps the OP. i dont sell laminators, so i didnt want my posts to sound like a sales pitch. its just a great, SIMPLE machine that will last a sign shops lifetime.
CheapVehicleWrap
New Member
"yours may have been dropped already" LOL
Thanks guys! Corks and screws too. Will check those.
PC: Is the "lam feed" is the one you needed the extra tension on by cleaning oil of mostly?
Thanks guys! Corks and screws too. Will check those.
PC: Is the "lam feed" is the one you needed the extra tension on by cleaning oil of mostly?
PC Signs
New Member
We dried all of the cork pads, you can always lower the tension by keeping it loose, however I beleive the more tension on the lam feed and the media feed, the better it works, a print will straighten itself out with enough tension applied.
Do not underestimate the importance of the chrome bar at the front of the media feed table, I recomend reverse winding because it protects the prints and causes a much sharper angle around the bar at the front of the feed table. The bar must be parallel to the rollers, check the screws under the feed table.
One last but very important thing, make sure the print is wound flush on the sides, flat on the sides like when it comes out of the box. If you don't do this the print is going to move left and right as you laminate, this is very bad unless you like wrinkles.
Do not underestimate the importance of the chrome bar at the front of the media feed table, I recomend reverse winding because it protects the prints and causes a much sharper angle around the bar at the front of the feed table. The bar must be parallel to the rollers, check the screws under the feed table.
One last but very important thing, make sure the print is wound flush on the sides, flat on the sides like when it comes out of the box. If you don't do this the print is going to move left and right as you laminate, this is very bad unless you like wrinkles.
Sticky Signs
New Member
First of all, you'll never get anything laminated properly if you're setting it up and going for lunch. Lamination is an art and the laminator MUST have a babysitter while in use. I've been running various laminators for about 11 years. Making sure everything is properly calibrated is key however you do have to get a feel for the whole process. If you are still having issues after the machine has been calibrated, it's most likely operator error. Try, try and try again.