Are the Daige Quickmounts really that bad?

[os101king]

I've read pros and cons, and I really don't want to step into another $6-8K worth of machinery right now if I can get away with $2k. Let me start by saying I have a short temper for malfunctioning machines, but a small bottom line at the moment as well. I would be laminating 8'x48" prints, maybe 2 or three a week as well as some random pieces. Does anyone think I can get away with a Daige or should I just man up and buy Royal Sov or Seal?

 

[speedmedia]

I am with you on this buddy... I have been looking at a Daige to do some laminating of wraps and the like, we just don't seem to have enough business to spend $8-10,000 on a new laminator especially with how everything is going in Michigan, might just sell of everything go back to design and outsource printing/installing all together.

Thanks,
Kurt Dietrich
Speed Media

 

[javila]

We have a quickmount 4 here. It does it's job. It's a great mounter, laminating is kinda iffy. Our bottom roller has a high spot on it, so a few times the laminating doesn't go well if you don't use a sled.

If I could go back, I'd save up a few more dollars and but a "true" laminator.

 

[os101king]

That's my quandary. I would be using it MOSTLY for laminating rather than mounting..... so far that's 1 vote against.

I'm in Jersey and although I'm busy, it's how it is EVERYWHERE that W. has had a hand in shaping the economy. We got a LONG road to travel to dig ourselves out. IF we can.

So far I'm focused on the Royal Sovereign RSC-1400C. Cold lam, 55". Anybody have one?

 

[Techman]

its junk

 

[Gene@mpls]

We have a RS 42"- it's solid and I can run 2-3 rolls of laminate thru it between
screwups. And the screwups are generally mine.

 

[WVB]

A lot of people have been praising this "Big Squeegee" for laminating...

 

[LittleSnakey]

We did alot of tire kicking at the Atlanta show and ended up buying the Aplikator from Sign Works. We wheeled it right off the show floor and into the truck. The royal soveriegn and seal were definately the top of the line but were alot more than the Aplikator. It is working well for us and was $4300

 

[Signmaster1]

We bought one from a company outta china I think, It's called a Ding Tec
BU-1660zj, It has 2 front mount feed reels one rear finished material take up reel and the laminat is reel mounted and has a take up real for the laminate backing great machine at around $4800 took about 3 weeks to get it here, No heater though but who cares it doesn't show silvering

 

[njsigns]

I have a Daige and I personally think it's fine. I do agree it laminates better when you use a sled. I just use a piece of coroplast as a sled mainly because it was closest to me, and had fine results, so I stuck with it. I've talked to others who use a sheet of Excel board (or the like) as a sled. I get no bubbles or silvering.

I don't regret my investment.

Gene

 

[os101king]

We did alot of tire kicking at the Atlanta show and ended up buying the Aplikator from Sign Works. We wheeled it right off the show floor and into the truck. The royal soveriegn and seal were definately the top of the line but were alot more than the Aplikator. It is working well for us and was $4300

I can't find any suppliers named "Sign Works"... where were they located? All I can find online for the AppliKator is a brochure from the manuf. and Sign Technologies selling one from Austrailia. Think the cost diff would get eaten with that kinda shipping! AAARGH. I can't find anyone in the US offering the Applikator..... suggestions?

 

[os101king]

I have a Daige and I personally think it's fine. I do agree it laminates better when you use a sled. I just use a piece of coroplast as a sled mainly because it was closest to me, and had fine results, so I stuck with it. I've talked to others who use a sheet of Excel board (or the like) as a sled. I get no bubbles or silvering.

I don't regret my investment.

Gene

Hmm. I have a 19'x18' shop. Coroplast actually provides a firm enough sled to produce perfect laminations? Any others using Daige with a sled?

 

[os101king]

A lot of people have been praising this "Big Squeegee" for laminating...

Not to knock it (reference my "short temper" condition, but I can't seem to reliably mount big prints on substrate let alone perfect laminations. I am not that talented, where I can see it's not impossible, I need machine assistance and PERFECT results... I'm buying one to move my Jetski wrap line ahead and these products need to be #10.

 

[njsigns]

Hmm. I have a 19'x18' shop. Coroplast actually provides a firm enough sled to produce perfect laminations? Any others using Daige with a sled?

Coroplast has been firm enough to produce a "perfect" bubble free finish. If I had some sort of compressed PVC board sitting right next to me I probably would have tried that, but coroplast was right there and it worked out fine, so I stuck with it.

I too am in a relatively small shop (actually yours sound a little bigger) - I keep my laminator against the wall when not in use, then roll it out to the center of the room for laminating. It has worked out rather well for me. I think I ruined a total of 2 prints before I tried a sled, but since then it's been great. I have no patience for malfunctioning machines myself, which is why I immediately moved to a sled rather than try to figure out how to laminate properly without one.

Gene

 

[LittleSnakey]

OS,
They were located in NJ. I will look up there contact info tonight.
Here is a link to the model we bought.
http://www.emseal.com.au/Products/Lamintors_Machinery_applikator2r.htm
Hope this helps a little.
Paul

I can't find any suppliers named "Sign Works"... where were they located? All I can find online for the AppliKator is a brochure from the manuf. and Sign Technologies selling one from Austrailia. Think the cost diff would get eaten with that kinda shipping! AAARGH. I can't find anyone in the US offering the Applikator..... suggestions?

 

[LittleSnakey]

Sorry.
We bought it from Sign Supplies in NJ

http://www.signsupplyusa.com/

Good luck

 

[cajun312]

It's not junk if you know how to use it.....I have mine inbetween two eight foot work tables the same height as the laminator table, I always use a 3mm pvc sled, I can do 10 prints with no problem by myself, I use Oracal reverse wound laminate. I've used over 500' of lam in the last three months and haven't screwed up a print yet. I'm sure the more expensive laminators can do long runs better and work better without a sled but for the money I'm happy....mine is the 38" version quickmount 4

Mark

 

[Tparkin]

I thought my QM4 was junk until I posted that on here and was contacted by a guy that is apparently fairly high ranking w/ Daige. Within 5 minutes on the phone he had it working like a champ and has done so since. Basically, operator error and poor training by the distributor that "set it up." I've bashed it in the past but now it works as required.

 

[os101king]

Hmm. I have to say there aren't any used Daige models on Ebay... usually a good sign. GRS here in Jersey told me $5100 for a Royal Sov 1400... I need one but I need to be able to pay my bills as well..... still on the fence, here. I checked SignSupply and only found Royal or the "house" brand that they call "ProLam". They show a pic and it's nothing like the Applikator. Which model do you have, the 2 or 4?

Tparkin, can you put me in touch with this Daige cat? Might sway me to buy that unit, especially if he can explain how to use it correctly....

 

[WVB]

Have you looked at the EndurLAM Laminator's..?