Anyone Use One Of These Manual Laminators?

[jster171]

I use a Roland SP300v for printing and sometimes have a need to laminate the print/decals. My BIG SQUEEGEE is usually my tool of choice, but from time to time, the print is just to large, like 3ft long or more. I am wondering if anyone has this affordable manual laminator that I keep seeing on Amazon? Any feedback would be appreciated.

Amazon.com : OrangeA Cold Laminator Cold Laminating Machine Roll Laminator 25.5 Inch Skidproof Rubber Feet for Sturdy Desktop Use(25.5 Inch) : Office Products

 

[Vinyldog]

They will work. But not very well. The rubber on the rollers gets hard quick. The rollers are also not conical like on a more expensive machine. Still better then nothing.

 

[printhog]

That's the same tech as 3Ms old HSRA street sign laminator.. they sold for $1800 for 4 ft and were the best dang gizmo, even when we got our Orca laminator. We used the thing every day. We took it on site to put graffiti lam on signs at 40 active light rail stations. Laminating in field got the contract.. we were 1/3 the delivery time of the bid and 1/2 the price.. Booyah!

3M fondly loaned us the thing.. and one day three years later they wanted the little love back. I should have bought it. We really do miss it.

For $78 I'll be buying one of those in 5 minutes. Even if the rollers go yecch.. I can get them resurfaced in silicones..

Properly set you can do some neat stuff. But laminating clear over a long run of print... I dunno.



its only a freaking sign!

 

[Bly]

I used something similar before buying a real laminator.
About half the jobs went into the bin.
One thing it taught me was the value of a quality laminator.
Maybe these things are better though.

 

[Bojoz]

I had one very similar..chinese brand ..totally manual, and it worked fine. The one in question can't be that different i'm sure. For the price ..go for it.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

We have the 51" model OrangeA. We used it exclusively for over a year before we got our flatbed application table. We still use it off and on today as it was one of the best $200 investments we made for mounting and short run laminating. Dollar for dollar it can't be beat.

 

[equippaint]

We have 1 i think 36" or close to it and use it everyday. If you line it up right, it can laminate straight on long runs. About the longest we do is about 12'. Id never get rid of it. We have a big squeegee too and dont ever use it except to squeegee on transfer tape every now and again. Weve mounted on aluminum and acm with it too. Just wish they had a 54" one. Had it 2 years in a hot dirty shop and the rollers are fine also.

 

[Johnny Best]

I have a 36" Coda (made in USA) have had it for 20 years or so. When I have small work with different laminate than what I have in my large laminator, I use it, works quick and keeps me from setting up the large one. Great for putting transfer paper on cut vinyl.

 

[ikarasu]

We have a couple of different ones, no idea the brand. We use it for applying sign faces to aluminum, whenever our rolls roller is too busy.

We have some with hard rolls... and some with soft squishy rolls. I don't know how good laminating would be on it... But for this price, it's worth it for applying prints to aluminum/coroplast, if you do that sort of stuff. It's almost as fast as the flatbed applicator, if you're just doing a 1 off sign.

For the price, I'd just give it a try. The cheapest decent laminator for 30" is like 3K... so quite the difference.

Pay a bit more and get the one with 40 close to 5 star reviews. Also shipped by amazon, which means if you don't like it / it doesn't work good, you can usually return it for free.

Amazon.com : Apache AL25P Professional Cold Press Laminator : Office Products

The above is only a 25" laminator. I'm going to presume thats too small... If so, I'd still keep looking for one sold by amazon, and with a lot more than 1-2 reviews.

 

[mnapuran]

Yup... have one of the 25" ones bought to simplify sticking multiple prints when I don't want/need to remove laminate from my good/big laminator Has worked well over the years. Just need to make sure and keep the pressure even

 

[Oroscoe]

I know its hard to spend the money, but a laminator is the way to go. Especially if you have even a fairly regular need to laminate.

 

[JohnBFryJr]

I'll let you know. Mine just came in. Some screws had backed out from the folding side tables. I played with it a little but I think there might be a learning curve.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

 

[TDFcustomSL]

I just ordered one of these today, planning on using it mainly for transfer taping long runs of cut vinyl. I figured for the price it was worth a shot.

 

[printhog]

Just got mine in. Nifty little thing. Seems to work fine. Actually kind of impressed for the price. Put a thin strip of vinyl on each pressure knob to make equal pressure adjustments easier to see. Then add pressure in quarter turn increments using the stripe as a guide.

its only a freaking sign!

 

[D&D Graphx]

I use a Roland SP300v for printing and sometimes have a need to laminate the print/decals. My BIG SQUEEGEE is usually my tool of choice, but from time to time, the print is just to large, like 3ft long or more. I am wondering if anyone has this affordable manual laminator that I keep seeing on Amazon? Any feedback would be appreciated.

Amazon.com : OrangeA Cold Laminator Cold Laminating Machine Roll Laminator 25.5 Inch Skidproof Rubber Feet for Sturdy Desktop Use(25.5 Inch) : Office Products

I have been using the big squeegee for like 8 years. Got from the guy that makes them before they hit sign warehouse. I do 22' long boat wrap prints with it. When you push the laminate down pull the backing paper with one hand and push the tool with the laminate on it at the same time. Pull up on paper a bit to not have suction to the print it will go smother and faster at that point. I print every day almost all day and have no issues with the big squeegee. I do have a 5'x20' table that helps. I bought a 54" roland now with my 30" so had to get the Royal Laminator the 60" big squeegee didnt work will for the 54" Worth the money for sure.

 

[JohnBFryJr]

I had to physically remove the squeegee and application fluid from the table but we have been using this to apply vinyl about a week now. Seems to work fine as long as everything is straight.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

 

[euronymous]

Spent a few years in a traffic sign shop, those manual laminators were the core of the business. Ours were made by some handyman but I'm sure the brand name rollovers are just as good if not better. Probably best for laminating onto rigid substrates though, (.080/mdo/coro). I don't know how fun it would be trying to laminate a print with this kind of system

 

[Merilyn Shallcross]

I use a TLC 12-9/16 Pouch Laminator because of its good speed of lamination as I always in a hurry. However, sometimes hot ones give a real jam, especially with quality. I also heard about the cold laminators and willing to get. In this regard, I am reading laminators' review here. You can also read these reviews as there are both hot and cold laminator reviews are available.

 

[Doc Zoom]

We use ours all the time! Love em!

 

[Greenlight signs]

Seem like it would be heart for application tape.