Laminator Issues

[chrisberry]

I am having some difficulties with my laminator. It's an older USI model unknown we only use with cold laminate. The problem I am having is where that the carrier paper is feeding into the pinch rollers gets pulled and wrinkled. A photo is attached below. It gets even worse as I use it, especially with narrower prints. If I laminate a 36" wide print, I have to pull it taut at the outfeed (to keep the paper from slipping and going back into the outfeed rollers), and the wrinking stays at a minimum. I am constantly having to cut it free and re-load it. It will stay smooth for a little bit, but ends up getting wrinkled within minutes. This is not a huge problem except for on occasion, the print I am laminating will get lifted up by it and cause a crease in the print, thereby ruining it.

I am pretty sure there is a half round piece missing from the front where the paper feeds over the edge of the table. I don't know if this is causing the problem or not. I can lift up very slightly on the right side of the paper roll and it helps a little, but doesn't fix it. I also have no core adaptors for the paper roll...have if jury-rigged. It holds pretty well, but could this also be causing issues? The paper does sometimes skew to the side...sometimes so bad it has to be stopped, cut, and re-aligned.

Any thoughts? All help is appreciated.

 

[chrisberry]

Well, I figured it out. I had learned how to load this from a previous employee. He was doing it wrong to begin with. After I found the manual online, I immediately saw that the paper goes UNDER the table, not over it. Duhhh.

It helps to read the manual from time to time.

 

[Kyle Blue]

Sorry, I just saw this post. I was going to say that it looked like it was loaded wrong.

 

[omgsideburns]

i took this picture to show how close i ran my laminator to the end of the roll yesterday, but it might help show the setup a little too. Mine is a GBC though.

 

[SignaramaFL]

Well im having a similar issue with my Seal 62 Ultra C, I have been using the same Vinyl (3M IJ35C-10) and the same laminate BriteLine Gloss (Grimco's house brand) for 6 months. And I have never had an issue, now I'm having it where the vinyl is getting snagged in the left hand corner. I have unloaded and reloaded about 3 times, and still the same issue!!! any help is much appreciated.

 

[WrapperX]

i took this picture to show how close i ran my laminator to the end of the roll yesterday, but it might help show the setup a little too. Mine is a GBC though.

I've run the laminate down to just a few inches of extra when laminating before. It feels really good when you estimate it to be exactly right.

But it REALLY sucks when you underestimate and you run out of Lam a few inches SHY of finishing a print.

 

[MikePro]

just throwing it out there, but i have never had to use carrier paper... i get at most 1/4" of laminate "drift" sometimes, but as long as you get it started right, there's no need to worry about it sticking to the rollers.

 

[WrapperX]

just throwing it out there, but i have never had to use carrier paper... i get at most 1/4" of laminate "drift" sometimes, but as long as you get it started right, there's no need to worry about it sticking to the rollers.

+1 on that.

I try to have a few different size roles of lam as well. make sure you have rolls that match your print vinyl. If you buy a 36/38" roll of print. Carry a 36/38" roll of lam. this will eliminate the constant use liner paper.