GhostPrinting
New Member
On digitally printed graphics, can I apply an overlaminate without a laminator?
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Overlaminate without a laminator
- Thread starter GhostPrinting
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VizualVoice
I just learned how to change my title status
Sure, I used a Big Squeegee for a while, and even made myself a second one. Not perfect, but works and doesn't take up any space at all.
GhostPrinting
New Member
Does it require a lot of pressure to adhere? Haven’t used over laminate yet and I am wanting to start.
I would assume that the needed pressure depends a little on the type of laminate adhesive... most I have used use very little pressure to set, but you will see some silvering caused by boundary layers - trapped air, microscopically thin - that will go away in about 24 hours on its own as the adhesive 'cures' (not really the correct term, but hey I just got to work....)
I would think applying with a squeegee would cause a little silvering - but that is okay as it goes away.
I would think applying with a squeegee would cause a little silvering - but that is okay as it goes away.
Geneva Olson
Expert Storyteller
ive never had luck hand laminating anything.
DL Signs
Never go against the family
Get a manual laminator. Tabletop ones range from $100-300-ish, depending on width/ vendor. You can get larger manual or electric ones under a grand. They don't have heat assist, takeup systems, or any of the other goodies, and to be honest, too low quality for full production use, but they do get the job done. They're good starter machines, or for low volume work, some shops get by with just units like these. I have one of the electric ones as a secondary for small jobs when our main laminator is tied up, and to lay vinyl on substrate so I don't risk damaging rollers on our big one.
Stacey K
I like making signs
What Geneva and DL said...exactly what I was going to say and suggest. The Vevor is a great laminator. I think it's 52" and my material is 54" so I just don't print wider than 48" and trim a little bit off. Been doing this for 2 years with no issues. Hand laminating - never had luck with it.
VizualVoice
I just learned how to change my title status
of you're DEFINITELY gonna screw some prints up, BTDT. In fact, probably at least enough to pay for a cheap cold laminator
Rmurray321
New Member
This is what we use, it’s cheap and a bit of a pain in the ass, but overall it’s a winnerGet a manual laminator. Tabletop ones range from $100-300-ish, depending on width/ vendor. You can get larger manual or electric ones under a grand. They don't have heat assist, takeup systems, or any of the other goodies, and to be honest, too low quality for full production use, but they do get the job done. They're good starter machines, or for low volume work, some shops get by with just units like these. I have one of the electric ones as a secondary for small jobs when our main laminator is tied up, and to lay vinyl on substrate so I don't risk damaging rollers on our big one.
We have the 51” version
Black Star
Not A New Member
I use water to laminate. Spray water on the laminate and then roll it over the vinyl and push out all the water.
oas_stickers
New Member
For smaller widths, before I had a cold laminator, I simply used a roll of the same media in a way where as I roll the media roll across the surface it unwinds, putting some downward pressure as I roll it across the table. To my surprise, this worked quite well! So just do the setup as if it was a laminator roller, but using the media roll instead. Hope this makes sense.
DL Signs
Never go against the family
We picked up one of the electric cold ones on wheels, pretty much same guts as the table tops, but with a stand and a feed motor. Started out just to see how well it would mount graphics (had a big order of 4x8 acm panels to mount full graphics to), didn't want to risk damaging rollers on our Seal, or lay them all by hand. It gets a lot more use than I thought it would.
I can lay vinyl on 4x8 sheets with it close to as fast as a flatbed laminator, it's paid for itself so many times over in labor just for that alone. Use it a lot when I'm laminating big jobs, and end up with small rush orders that we get in the middle of them that needs a different lam (always seems to happen). Rather than unload and reload the big laminator over and over, I just run little stuff through that one. A little PITA at times? Yeah, but overall, they get the job done. I use it more without the motor feed than I do with it.
For a small shop starting out, one that doesn't laminate a lot, or doesn't have the budget/ space for a big one, the manual ones are a good, and extremely affordable alternative.
GraphixGirl79
New Member
We used to laminate everything by hand before we got a laminator. We would use a heavier hand roller, yes there would be some silvering but it goes away eventually. Another way we used to do it was with a wet application. No silvering, but you have to make sure you squeegee out ALL the water outwards and away, to keep it from going in behind your piece you are laminating and getting the paper backing wet.