Question Dust management & Lamination

I don't have an answer for ya, but when did my neighbor join this forum ?? He's short, bald and named Brad............... hahahahaaaaaaa

 

I just added a DIY "catch basket" to my printer and laminator because setting up the take-up roll is such a pain in the @ss on this
printer... So 1st thing is to never let your graphics get close to the floor.
I use a swifter deposable duster & that works really well, I have also used painters tac cloths in the past and those work great as well.

 

Alvin Draftsman Duster #2341 to wipe prints before lamination process.

 

What kind of dust are we talking? Dust from other machines or just generally a dusty area?

As mentioned, the key is to not let the graphics touch the floor. We have take-up rolls that work great on our printers, but you can always rig something up. When we go to laminate, just take a roll of shop towels and swipe as it's getting fed through. Longer runs don't even need it, but we still do it.

 

Take up reel + storing prints on a roll helps with most in dust/debris in our spaces. Then I found that using a microfiber as the print slides into the nip catches everything that the static brings in. Then common sense covers the rest: Printer should not share space with any cutting machines. Not a good idea to put printer in room that opens directly to the outside. Stuff like that. One problem that is hard to avoid in a lot of spaces in SoCal: Dropped Ceilings. No real problem. Its just that we are next to one of the busiest streets in the city. Lots of vibration in the building causes bits to fall on occasion.

 

We use Gerson tack cloths in our paint shop, so that's what I use when laminating and printing to clean the material. https://www.gersonco.com/product-category/tack-cloths/

 

yes, dust can be an issue, over the years we have tried many things.

rule of thumb we use
* Clean often
* Try and cancel/remove the static on and around the laminator,

the biggest help we use is a soft duster.
https://www.griotsgarage.com/product/microfiber+car+duster.do?sortby=ourPicks&from=Search
As the prints are being fed into the laminator, someone stands there and wipes them down with the duster

 

My problem was typically static. That can be fought with mopping the floor around you. Also spraying water anywhere around the roll of prints will be then wiping down. Keep away from any electronics or control panel.

 

Going roll to roll with printer then laminator should resolve the issue. Wha printer and laminator are u using?

 

We installed this on our laminator and it made a huge difference. I've got it set up so it just touches the face of the laminate as it comes off the feed roller, connected to ground via screws directly in the chassis:

https://www.fraser-antistatic.com/e...products/product/56-850-850e-anti-static-cord

Beforehand we could have probably powered a small city with the sparks and pops that were coming off the laminator.
Now, near silent running and no-one gets spiky hair when walking past the laminator.

 

https://www.miamisignssupply.com/product/one-pass-dust-removal-rollers/?attribute_pa_pad=9-x-13

Just order this from Miami sign supply. Haven't taken delivery yet. Hope it is the same product. We have used this roller for years. Originally bought from Fellers.https://www.fellers.com/fellers-sho...nd-supplies/set/one-pass-dust-removal-rollers

The price difference is amazing. I order two. I did ask if the price at Miami was just for the pad and was assured it was for the roller and a pad.

Anyway, the One Pass is the way to go if you have someone standing at the laminator quickly passing the roller over the print before it feeds into the laminator.

Air purifier doesn't hurt either.

 

We use tac cloths here in our shop that painters would use for furniture. They have just a bit of a tac to them so if you swipe lightly on your print, then you won't leave residue.

 

I used to work on 2 jobs where at one job i worked alone and used Chinese motorized laminator. I worked alone so it was challenging to laminate rolls of 1m wide. Had to use longer cord for the foot pedal and used a duster, like suggested above, while pedalling .

At the same time i was helping a friend in his photo studio where they were making and selling top notch 2x layer 4mm methacrylate photos with the actual print sandwiched inside using 2 side adhesive film both side of the photo. I am talking about 2mx1m stuff and like that. Super deluxe... Even 1 dust particle was unacceptable as it was magnified by the 4mm thick front. That work was done by at least 2 or 3 very experienced people/ me/ at the same time on a manual laminator 120cm wide. A 3 meter by 1.5 meter table was used and 2x 1.2x2.5 meter pieces x4-5mm to move the lamination on top of them . Each person from each side with very clean hands was cleaning the work just in front of the laminator. There is no other way. Each mistake cost 50-250$ in material from my friends pocket, so take my word on that, we know how to laminate perfectly.

The only thing comparable to that quality look are the gloss sublimated panels i see nowadays, but i still like the methacrylate sandwich better. of course nowadays you can print UV at the back but i am talking about photographic printer, not sign making quality


What i am saying is at the end you can not beat manual and mastering to do sth without dust. And you will need a big table for precision work like that. Automatic laminator does not work for this as one will need a laminator with very hard rubber and very high pressure to sandwich the picture without any bubble.

 

+1 fit roll to roll. We do fairly decent sized runs so usually leave between 1-2’ at the end of a roll so we can have it lying around with no dust getting on the prints before laminating.

we do UV print now so being able to laminate right away does help a bunch.