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Laminator Rolls were accidentally cut......recoat or repair??

MarkH42

New Member
A new employee accidentally cut two long slices into the top rubber roller on our Royal Sovereign cold press laminator. The cut depth seems to be about 1/8" deep and a noticeable line appears on the laminate at that point when we apply laminate with this machine. I am guessing recoating will be upwards of $500 and probably more, so I'm seeing if there may be a "home remedy" we could attempt. I thought about trying to work some sort of silicone adhesive or other material into the groove, then letting it set up and carefully rub/sand away the excess leaving (theoretically) a filled groove. Has anyone attempted a successful repair like this? What does it cost to get one recoated? Thanks in advance for the advice.
 

Dan360

New Member
I've heard of people using silicone to fill gashes in rollers using a squeegee to even it out while it's still wet. Never tried it myself though.
 

Andy D

Active Member
How thick is the rubber on your rollers?
We had the same thing happen on our seal laminator and we took the top roller off and took it to a machining company, they took off 1/8" the roller, and it was like a new roller... But our roller's rubber was about 1/2" thick.
 

MarkH42

New Member
Our rollers are probably about 1/2" thick, so 1/8" could be removed, but this model has notches on the thickness adjustment. There is a notch for laminating, another for .20 - .27 in. thickness, another for .40 - .50 in., etc. Removing 1/8" would probably throw all of these adjustments way off and I wouldn't know how to fix that. Maybe there is an adjustment under there somewhere....... I may try the silicone trick that Dan suggested. I see no downside to trying it at this point.
 
C

ColoPrinthead

Guest
We looked into replacing the top roller on a 64in RS in 2011 and it was over $3K. We patched the small cuts with hot glue and it wasn't to terribly noticeable.
 

Signs 'n' Stuff

New Member
Good Morning Mark
No No No to silicone, it will fail and then subsequent repairs you will not be able to clean out the remnant silicone.
I would consult an adhesive company, but starting with the thought of an isocyanate-based adhesive or a rubber cement. then use heavy duty heat shrink cable wrap ( the thick wall about 3/32 type with heat activated adhesive ) and then skim it back to round either in a linisher or lathe.
This would not work for a hot machine.
Brett
 

dypinc

New Member
We looked into replacing the top roller on a 64in RS in 2011 and it was over $3K. We patched the small cuts with hot glue and it wasn't to terribly noticeable.

A-Korn Roller did a recoat of a Seal Laminator roller a few months back for me for around $1K.
 

AKwrapguy

New Member
A new employee accidentally cut two long slices into the top rubber roller on our Royal Sovereign cold press laminator. The cut depth seems to be about 1/8" deep and a noticeable line appears on the laminate at that point when we apply laminate with this machine. I am guessing recoating will be upwards of $500 and probably more, so I'm seeing if there may be a "home remedy" we could attempt. I thought about trying to work some sort of silicone adhesive or other material into the groove, then letting it set up and carefully rub/sand away the excess leaving (theoretically) a filled groove. Has anyone attempted a successful repair like this? What does it cost to get one recoated? Thanks in advance for the advice.

Not sure if you can, but can you switch it with the bottom roller? This might not be the best solution but at least it would greatly reduce effect, I think the backing of the material should be think enough. I also don't know if you want to use silicone as it's more used to fill gap, which you don't have. You have a cut, so maybe look at adhesive that can deal with the stress of the lamination, so nothing that dry hard.
 

papabud

Lone Wolf
our seal laminator has had a few run ins with knife blades over the years.
we will get a slight line in our jobs. these normally vanishes when you squeegee it on to something.
we choose to live with it since its not a fatal flaw in anything.
if its a line you can live with or that will disappear in the final product. i say dont worry about it
 

BigfishDM

Merchant Member
Well first I would be looking for a NEW employee! That's like the biggest NO-NO ever, don't cut by the rollers!!! You might get lucky enough to find a way to resurface the rollers.
 

ikarasu

Active Member
When I was in training a put a nice cut into the roller when cutting the sheet off the laminator .First and last time.

I still use the knife, but in careful .if it's a cut near the roller I use a $4 Snitty. If someone who's not handling the machine everyday is up helping, they get the Snitty... There's like 50 cuts from the last employee, luckily they're all on the bottom roller so it doesn't affect the laminating. But it still bugs me!

I'd try a hot glue gun .The material is springy enough / flexible, it may work.

The problem is if you.sont get it exact, you're going to have a lump which will leave an even bigger mark. I'd try to resurface it if you have a place that does it locally.
 

player

New Member
Find out the true composition (material) of the roller. Research the best glue. There are very expensive but really high quality glues used in the medical industries for masks and devices etc. Once you find the best glue, use super high magnification and a real small precision applicator to glue the cuts back together. you could mask off the roller to keep them clean.
 

JTBoh

I sell signage and signage accessories.
I stick my finger alongside the blade on an exacto, leaving about an 1/8" blade showing. Rub finger directly along material when held taut.
 

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Solventinkjet

DIY Printer Fixing Guide
I have resurfaced a laminator roller before. It's not that hard and only cost about $100. Call the manufacturer and have them send out a new surface. You will need an air compressor and some soapy water and you will not be able to use it for about 24 hours while it dries out. You basically turn the tube into a balloon and slide it on to the shaft.
 

urban616

New Member
I have resurfaced a laminator roller before. It's not that hard and only cost about $100. Call the manufacturer and have them send out a new surface. You will need an air compressor and some soapy water and you will not be able to use it for about 24 hours while it dries out. You basically turn the tube into a balloon and slide it on to the shaft.
Hey what’s up what does the manufacturer send a whole new roll or just the surface how would you install it removing the old rubber/silicone material or adding on to it I was looking to have a resurface the top roll for a gfp 563th I bought
 

Solventinkjet

DIY Printer Fixing Guide
Hey what’s up what does the manufacturer send a whole new roll or just the surface how would you install it removing the old rubber/silicone material or adding on to it I was looking to have a resurface the top roll for a gfp 563th I bought

Yeah they only sent the rubber outside part and we had to slide it on the metal cylinder.
 

urban616

New Member
Yeah they only sent the rubber outside part and we had to slide it on the metal cylinder.
I got in contact and was curious on how much a new top roller will cost and they quoted me like $2100.00 . So ever since that I been looking at alternative ways to repair it been looking for places that resurface the roller. How much did the the rubber outside cost you. Mine roller is 63” x 4.5”
 
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