Tips for keeping crud off prints when laminating?

are you using the take up on your printer than moving directly to the laminator? if so you shouldn't be getting dust in your prints, how clean is your shop? we have a room dedicated to printing/laminating which is kept cleaner than the rest of the shop (normally) and it has helped tremendously with dust in prints.

 

(I always gently wipe my prints with a soft, lint-free cloth as they are feeding into the laminator, but it STILL happens.)
Use a tack cloth, for picking up sawdust before finishing. A soft lint free cloth just pushes the crap around.

 

Climate control does most of the work, as higher humidity reduces static. Clean work clothes, and a tidy dust-free work environment does the rest...

however, i buy packs of the white gloves from Blain's Farm&Fleet, as they're super cheap and always in stock, to wax-on-wax-off as I feed rolls of print through the laminator. I get perfect laminations without them, but I LOVE having a gloved hand ready to flick-off a piece of debris that happened to jump-onto the roll somewhere between the printer-takeupreel-laminatorloading. As careful as I am, and as clean a room I operate in, it ALWAYS happens. Besides, wiping from center-out, left hand, right hand, repeat, also aids in keeping the web perfectly square as you run the laminator.

 

Another vote for gently wiping with a tack cloth right as it enters the rollers.
Watch humidity and try to laminate when it is highest.
Keep the machine covered religiously when not in use.

 

The blue roller. Available from your suppliers.

 

I think we need one of these. Do you have a manufacturer for these by any chance? Thanks.

 

A swiffer duster works really well and they are cheap.

 

These are made by third parties who mainly provide supplies to those with clean rooms such as laboratories, etc. However...

Drytac - DRS Roller is at least one recognizable name to google.

 

I know what you mean, we keep everything super clean, and then when you look there is STILL a hair or something; and never in the cut border or lead, ALWAYS in the print, its just a random annoyance that happens. I don't think we can do anything more than we are currently... maybe full surgical gear or hazmat suits could help eliminate those fly away strays... Are you having a problem with static?

 

Thank you very much sir! Will get one ordered.

 

As I'm looking at pricing for these $200-$300 "sticky" rollers..........has anyone ever tried lint rollers before?

I definitely feel the OP's pain. We've been mostly printing on clear vinyl and mounting to acrylic for the last couple of weeks.......no matter how clean things look they really aren't.

We would use flashlights pointed across the laminator and tack cloths to wipe everything down, but yet there are still some specs/fibers that make it under the laminate or media. Very frustrating to say the least.

 

I've found that lint rollers are super useful, especially since our shop dog sheds a lot. No idea how she gets any of her hair on the table I work on!

 

The $200 "sticky" roller is the efficient and best tool to use. Take care of it and it could outlast your business to where you can sell it at a premium. Really. Some shops have this tool going on 20+ years and was in use by photo labs long before.

 

https://signs101.com/threads/dust-management-lamination.154627/

We use,
https://www.griotsgarage.com/product/microfiber+car+duster.do?sortby=ourPicks&from=Search

 

I've just got a standard clothes lint roller...

 

Swiffer dusters work well, along with the blue silicon rollers. Probably the cheapest place to get them is Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Ehdis-Anti-s...rds=silicon+tac+rollers&qid=1573092054&sr=8-1

 

We use Swiffers and they do a good job.

 

We use the small Swiffers. Vacuum and wipe down the laminator. Keep laminator covered when not in use.
Exposed laminate is a magnet for crud. I always have a 6"-8" lead on prints to take up the first bit of laminate.
Make sure the floor is clean.

If there's windows vacuum the sills and trim. Clean the top of all flat surfaces, even picture frames.
Don't wear anything fleece.(took a couple ruined prints to figure that one out)
No loose fitting clothing as folds/creases can trap all kinds of stuff.

No one else near the laminator when running prints.