Rolls Roller Questions

[Signout]

We are hoping to add a Rolls Roller to our shop this year, I was hoping I could get some input on a few things.
We have a roll to Roll laminator right now, and use some heat on everything we do except for premask tape, I heard that with the
Rolls Roller a heated roller really isn't necessary - would you agree, or do you think it does?

How durable is the cutting matt on these?

Are they hard to learn how to use? Do I need to pay for the training session on it??

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Split76]

We are hoping to add a Rolls Roller to our shop this year, I was hoping I could get some input on a few things.
We have a roll to Roll laminator right now, and use some heat on everything we do except for premask tape, I heard that with the
Rolls Roller a heated roller really isn't necessary - would you agree, or do you think it does?

How durable is the cutting matt on these?

Are they hard to learn how to use? Do I need to pay for the training session on it??

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

No need to pay for training session. I bought my first rollsroller 2009 and sold my roll to roll heat laminator right away. (rollsroller didn't have heating roll back then). Heat helps, but isn't necessary. If you are on rush, it helps ofcource. I traded rollsroller to CWT last year and I still havent got heating roll..

edit: cutting matt is durable, no need to worry about that. Nothing's gonna last forever

 

[Andy D]

Something I always wanted to know, what do you do if your print you need to mount or laminate is longer than the table?

 

[TSC1985]

Something I always wanted to know, what do you do if your print you need to mount or laminate is longer than the table?

I too would like to know this. We are interested in one but have been doing a lot of long lamination (10'+) lately and I just don't see how it works.

 

[Brian27]

One of the dealers in Denver had a Regular Rolls Roller and a Seal 54 to demo in their place when we were deciding between the two. I got to play with it for about an hour.

You'd need to get the 13' or 17' version. If you stop midway it will leave a line there. The way they were demoing it was by starting in the middle, doing one side, and then doing the other. Basically the way you'd do a large decal. Each time it left a line where they started. I wouldn't exactly call these people experts so maybe it can be done without that line with practice.

They said the mat is very expensive to replace and it's not really something you'd want to use for your cutting surface. I think it's just 3/8" thick PVC. The kind you'd see on freezer flap doors.

Ultimately we went with the Seal because of the Roller's inability to do thick substrates. Unless you start in the middle, which creates a line, you have to start at one end, but it's really hard to climb over the edge of the substrate once the pneumatic roller is engaged. Especially if you're doing a full bleed on the substrate.

It was definitely cool but not $18,000 cool IMHO.

 

[reQ]

Have no idea what line you are talking about. Seen plenty of them and yes, you start in the middle and i never seen any lines left after its done.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Have no idea what line you are talking about. Seen plenty of them and yes, you start in the middle and i never seen any lines left after its done.

I agree, we have a rolls roller and I've never seen a line when using the machine for mounting, I've seen it when laminating, but it has always gone away in a few hours.

 

[Brian27]

I agree, we have a rolls roller and I've never seen a line when using the machine for mounting, I've seen it when laminating, but it has always gone away in a few hours.

Like I said, they didn't seem like professional sign makers and I definitely didn't have a few hours to hang around and see the lines go away. Haha

We considered making our own with aluminum t-slot extrusions. If we ever do I'll be sure to make a parts list and guide for you guys. I'm really surprised someone in the US hasn't started making them already.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

Like I said, they didn't seem like professional sign makers and I definitely didn't have a few hours to hang around and see the lines go away. Haha

We considered making our own with aluminum t-slot extrusions. If we ever do I'll be sure to make a parts list and guide for you guys. I'm really surprised someone in the US hasn't started making them already.

There used to be, it was called Rogue Roller. They are now defunct but it looked like a great machine.

 

[Brian27]

There used to be, it was called Rogue Roller. They are now defunct but it looked like a great machine.

Interesting. Probably not enough of a market in the US alone for a standalone startup to stay afloat but definitely something someone could pull off if they were already set up for manufacturing.

I also forgot to mention we were laminating black UV prints which is probably why we got noticeable lines in the center. Im sure applying vinyl is much more forgiving.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Like I said, they didn't seem like professional sign makers and I definitely didn't have a few hours to hang around and see the lines go away. Haha

We considered making our own with aluminum t-slot extrusions. If we ever do I'll be sure to make a parts list and guide for you guys. I'm really surprised someone in the US hasn't started making them already.

I considered making my own, but in the end I figured that if I have enough work to need an application table, than I don't have enough time to make one.

when I priced it out I was looking at around $5,000 in T-Slot, another $1500 for a roller, plus about $1000 for the hydraulics, plus around 40-80 hours to put it together and fine tune it, in the end I opted to buy one

 

[Brian27]

I considered making my own, but in the end I figured that if I have enough work to need an application table, than I don't have enough time to make one.

when I priced it out I was looking at around $5,000 in T-Slot, another $1500 for a roller, plus about $1000 for the hydraulics, plus around 40-80 hours to put it together and fine tune it, in the end I opted to buy one

Holy crap. Is that t-slot gold plated? We get 2.5" t-slot for about $9 a foot. $5000 could make you a table that's like 30' long. Haha

 

[CanuckSigns]

Holy crap. Is that t-slot gold plated? We get 2.5" t-slot for about $9 a foot. $5000 could make you a table that's like 30' long. Haha

Canada eh

 

[ExecuPrintGS]

I considered making my own, but in the end I figured that if I have enough work to need an application table, than I don't have enough time to make one.

when I priced it out I was looking at around $5,000 in T-Slot, another $1500 for a roller, plus about $1000 for the hydraulics, plus around 40-80 hours to put it together and fine tune it, in the end I opted to buy one

Where did you find a roller for an application like this?
We have looked for large rubber rollers for a few other applications and have never been able to locate a good source

 

[dypinc]

One of the dealers in Denver had a Regular Rolls Roller and a Seal 54 to demo in their place when we were deciding between the two. I got to play with it for about an hour.

You'd need to get the 13' or 17' version. If you stop midway it will leave a line there. The way they were demoing it was by starting in the middle, doing one side, and then doing the other. Basically the way you'd do a large decal. Each time it left a line where they started. I wouldn't exactly call these people experts so maybe it can be done without that line with practice.

They said the mat is very expensive to replace and it's not really something you'd want to use for your cutting surface. I think it's just 3/8" thick PVC. The kind you'd see on freezer flap doors.

Ultimately we went with the Seal because of the Roller's inability to do thick substrates. Unless you start in the middle, which creates a line, you have to start at one end, but it's really hard to climb over the edge of the substrate once the pneumatic roller is engaged. Especially if you're doing a full bleed on the substrate.

It was definitely cool but not $18,000 cool IMHO.

I often wondered what these flatbed laminators cost given that they are so limited compared to roll to roll laminators.

Interesting comment about the line in the middle. But, this is how I do signs on our double roll to roll laminator and never see lines in the middle. Must be operator error.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Where did you find a roller for an application like this?
We have looked for large rubber rollers for a few other applications and have never been able to locate a good source

from a cheap chinese laminator, buy it for parts

 

[Brian27]

Where did you find a roller for an application like this?
We have looked for large rubber rollers for a few other applications and have never been able to locate a good source

Google "Offset printing rollers"
That should narrow your search a bit.

 

[ExecuPrintGS]

from a cheap chinese laminator, buy it for parts

That is what we had come to for a conclusion also

Google "Offset printing rollers"
That should narrow your search a bit.

thanks

 

[reQ]

6k for flatbed applicator imported from China. Same stuff buy 1/3 of the price. ZSIGNS imported one year or two ago and still happy with it.

 

[Chad.]

I can't get information from Rolls Rollers to save my life. I called in December and got a voicemail that stated he was out of the country for 10 days. I followed up 10 days ago with a phone call and email. Have yet to receive pricing or info to my inbox. He did call stating email issues with exchange server out of Sweden, but that was a week ago. Guess it's time to look for an alternative solution ...