• I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...

Laminator?????????????????

Ragin Cajun

Ragin Cajun

New Member
I am new to the sign business.
At the moment I have a vinyl cutter.

I am getting ready to order a Roland VS 640.

Any suggestions on laminators?

Looks like there is a large price range.

What do I really need?

1) Cold Laminator
2) Cold laminator with heat assist
3) Hot Model

I don't want the cheapest...but I don't need a Cadillac.

What brand is dependable and would suite my needs?

I really don't want to over buy.

Thanks!
 
401Graphics

401Graphics

New Member
Im hearing that these UStech ones are pretty popular on this forum and have a great low price. If my current laminator were to break, I would buy a new US tech.
 
Ragin Cajun

Ragin Cajun

New Member
401Graphics said:
Im hearing that these UStech ones are pretty popular on this forum and have a great low price. If my current laminator were to break, I would buy a new US tech.
Click to expand...

Thank You...I am looking at one of those.

Which model do you suggest?

1) Cold Laminator
2) Cold laminator with heat assist
3) Hot Model
 
401Graphics

401Graphics

New Member
Screen Printer said:
Thank You...I am looking at one of those.

Which model do you suggest?

1) Cold Laminator
2) Cold laminator with heat assist
3) Hot Model
Click to expand...
I cant really answer that, since out of the 3 laminators I have ever used, they were all cold laminators. two were royal sovereign, and my current one is a old GBC Titan that i pick up used for just under a grand. (I believe it used to have heat assist but no longer works)
 
S

Suz

New Member
If you don't have big bucks right now and just want to get something that will work til you have more money, then you may want to consider getting a table top hand-crank. Or buy something used, but try it out first.
 
Ragin Cajun

Ragin Cajun

New Member
Suz said:
If you don't have big bucks right now and just want to get something that will work til you have more money, then you may want to consider getting a table top hand-crank. Or buy something used, but try it out first.
Click to expand...

Oh..No..I don't want a hand crank.

I just don't want to under buy.

I was looking at the USTech

http://www.bestdgi.com/products-coldheat.php

• cold
• cold with heat assist
• hot

Not sure what I needed

I want to buy the right tool for the job ..but not over buy...such as not get the heat..if I don't need heat.

I am trying to figure out the difference in the brands.

US Tech is about 4000 -7000

Seal is up to 20,000

I would like a brand that is dependable.

I don't really see much to break besides a heat element.

Do you actually need heat?

Thanks!
 
Ragin Cajun

Ragin Cajun

New Member
Vinylman said:
You might look at this. A member here on Signs 101.
http://www.signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100815
Click to expand...

I saw that one..it looks nice..the only problem is I am in Louisiana.

If it was nearby I would snap it up in a second.

I am just kind of nervous to get it shipped...not knowing if it will get packed right.

I would not want it damaged...

If I buy new...then I know it will be crated right.

sometimes the savings is not worth the risk

Thanks!
 
anotherdog

anotherdog

New Member
I have never needed heat and I have Rolands. One one or two occasions I have warmed the rollers a little with a heat gun, but all my laminates are cold lam. My own laminator is a Royal Sovereign, but any of the other reviewed name brands would do fine.
 
Ragin Cajun

Ragin Cajun

New Member
anotherdog said:
I have never needed heat and I have Rolands. One one or two occasions I have warmed the rollers a little with a heat gun, but all my laminates are cold lam. My own laminator is a Royal Sovereign, but any of the other reviewed name brands would do fine.
Click to expand...

Thanks!

I just got off the phone with USTech.

They said...

US Idea assembled in China. hmmmmmm

I asked if I need

cold
cold with heat assist
hot.

They said cold...but heat assist would be gooder....hehehehe

Has any one purchased a US tech?

I will check into Royal Sovereign.

Thanks!
 
GP

GP

New Member
We bought the GFP from Advantage and after one year, have been very pleased with the purchase.
 
TSG

TSG

New Member
I have a US Tech (Master Wearhouse) laminator, not the same model, but somewhat similar and had nothing but problems with it about 3 months in to owning it...They are built cheap...And yes, they are built in China. Also, this new one looks to be a rip off of my Seal Base 60...But would imagine it's not built anywhere near as good.

I went and bit the bullet, and purchased a Seal Base 60...Best money I've spent on anything in this business...The Base 60 is around 10-11k....But its bullet proof...If you want to be able to do larger jobs, with longer prints...Spending the money is def. worth it...Don't go cheap on a laminator...I tried early on, and it only cost me money...
 
S

Salmoneye

New Member
I have a US tech, bought it from Tony. If something happened to it I would buy another one the same day. Cold is all you need for sign shop work. I was impressed with the heavy build on this Chinese machine. You can call me or send a PM if you have any questions. Not affiliated with this co in any way, just happy with my purchase. If you wanted to spend more money I would just buy a second US Tech so you didn't have to unspool for mounting or ??? You won't find a negative comment from someone who actually owns one (that I have seen). Take the extra dough and buy another piece of equip.
 
S

Salmoneye

New Member
Ha! As soon as I posted I saw the first negative comment. Mine has been so awesome and I have yet to ruin even one print, not one! What problems have you had with yours?
 
M

MikeH

New Member
Look at LEDCO U.S. made 2 year warrantee. Support for all equipment ever made in the last 40 + years. This thing last and last. And if you need a part you can talk to someone in New York not China.
 
401Graphics

401Graphics

New Member
Just because a laminator eats prints once in a while doesnt mean its crap. My used GBC used to eat prints all the time if it was over 5 feet long. Then I mastered loading the thing and it has never eaten any prints since. I did a full wrap on a 28 foot bus and not once did it eat any of the twenty 8 foot panels. My laminator has been taken apart twice because of my old shop being on the second floor and having tight corners to go around.
Sometimes its user error, not the machine.
 
Terremoto

Terremoto

New Member
Screen Printer said:
• cold
• cold with heat assist
• hot
Click to expand...

Not only do you not need heat you DON'T want heat. If you use the heat it will stretch the laminate and after a bit the laminate will want to revert back to it's original dimensions. Your vinyl will almost surely curl back sometime after it's been applied.

Don't ask how I know this.

Dan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top