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What laminator???

high impact

New Member
Hey everybody...

I really need some guidance here. I am trading in my sp300v for a sp540v and have been using...DON'T LAUGH!!...my sheeter/weeder masking machine for laminating my prints (works perfect by the way). :biggrin:

I am needing a laminator and have heard good and bad about the 54" daige 4. I can't afford to purchase a $7,000 laminator so a under $2000 sounds great to me.

Anybody have any words of wisdom or experience with what you'd recommend?
 

Valentino

New Member
I have the enduralam from SW, which is jsut a rebranded dingtec, I really like it. mine is totally automatic. I have used a seal and it got more bubbles in it then my dingtec.
 

RJ California

New Member
I have the Daige 3 54". I really hated it at first and I wasted alot of laminate and vinyl at first just trying to load it. Now that I've figured out most of it's quirks it works like a champ. I've heard the Daige 4 is more user friendly and now supports 1 man operation with the liner. I am considering a second laminator and I am thinking about the Daige 4 also. I haven't really looked at any of the others because a $7000+ laminator is not in my budget either.
 

RJ California

New Member
Also--
The reason I am considering a second laminator is not because this one is in constant use (I wish), but because I'd like one for cast and one for calendared. Changing laminate rolls in midstream is not much fun and is wasteful, at least on the Daige 3.
 

mike gregson

New Member
Mark,

I have a Roland SP540V and the 54” Daige 3. Like RJ said, you have to figure out the quirks and then it works fine. I would suggest that if you do a lot of laminating you might want to look at one that is more “automatic” to set up and run, even if it costs more. I don’t do a high volume of laminating so I couldn’t justify a $5,000+ machine. Also the extra time required to manually set up the machine isn’t a factor for me most of the time. It’s meant to use with a “sled”, which is basically a piece of 1/8” hardboard that goes through and supports the print and laminate, but the only time I’ve used a sled is the day it was delivered and was being demonstrated. I have developed sort of a technique that lets me just send the print and laminate through and it works fine for me. I hope this information helps.

Mike
 
I just purchased an SP540 and the Daige 4 55" laminator, in fact, I received it Friday. I had never used a laminator before, so this is coming from a complete novice.

I first set the machine up with the 30" laminate. It is pretty easy to load, except for trying to tape the release liner to the top roller because the tape doesn't stick to the liner too well (it shouldn't, right?). I made a couple of 6" sleds, one for 30" and one for 54" material to feed the material through start up. It was pretty easy to get the sled going, as I made sure to adjust each side the same amount. Then, I taped my print to the back of the sled. As the sled passed through, I just re-adjusted each side. Pretty easy, just go about as tight as you can reasonably go (don't get a wrench or anything) as it bottoms out. Then, just push the pedal. I had 8 30"x12' long prints, and did them easily in about 15 minutes. The hardest part was just figuring out the tracking, but after the first couple it was pretty obvious. I just taped all the prints together to go in one long train. So this part worked like a champ.

Now, to the bad part. I loaded the machine with the 54" material. I figured I pretty much mastered this deal by now with all the experience I gained, so I just went ahead with my real print. I did everything the same, ran the sled through, and even a piece of release liner. Everything looked good, I put my print in, then disaster. The laminate started wrinkling from one side, and then it was soon over, ruined my print. I think this has more to do with my set-up error (I would have to believe I did not have it loaded square).

I think the machine is Ok for the money. The stand sucks, I will for sure build a new one. And I think some massaging of the process, by creating some line up marks for the full roll, the laminate and the release liner will aid set up. And then some marks for tracking the print would be of big help as well.

RJ, you wanted me to give you feedback on this thing, so I hope it helps.

Oh, one more thing. The first prints I laminated looked really good, no bubbles or wrinkles at all. There was a tad bit of silvering, but not much, as you have to get really close to see it.

I also ran application tape in it to see how it worked, and that works like a thing of beauty. I would like to buy another machine and just have it set up for that alone.

Jimmy
 

cartoad

New Member
We have a 55inch Diage 3, so we have to use the sled also, we found to get consistent results that a very hard sled was required and use a sheet of plex and a small one for a starter board. We hold the roller down tight to the substrate, or sled and turn the knobs till they touch, then exactly two turns. In the last 6 months only ruined one print (I think we mis adjusted the turn screws). Some very light silvering is a small problem for up close prints but no bubbles. Also on long prints we make sure the print "floats" on the sled so it does not get bunched up.
Hal
 

high impact

New Member
Thanks for the info guys, I think we are going to try the Daige (I know you get what you pay for...) and see how it works for us. If I can use a weeder/sheeter successfully as a laminator I should be able to figure out the Daige. ;-) Stay posted cuz in the next couple of weeks I will give you all an update.

Thanks
 

WYLDGFI

Merchant Member
Instead of using a sled...try some "butcher paper". You get the excess lam on the paper instead of the sled. Protects the rollers better as well. Ive got a Royal Soverign and it works well that way.
 

Replicator

New Member
I have a Daige quickmount II - 38" - Can't stand the frikkin thing, but it's all I got . . . So I live with it !
 

Gene@mpls

New Member
"because the tape doesn't stick to the liner too well (it shouldn't, right?)"

Hi Jimmy- try using 2" clear packaging tape (I use 3M)- as our UK friends
would say- " it works a treat"- which I take to mean very well. Gene:biggrin:
 

ChiknNutz

New Member
I've got the DingTec 60" machine and it works great. I use it for laminating and mounting with ease. It is not all fancy, but maybe that is better since it's pretty easy to setup and use. I paid like $2000 for it, modded it a little, then recently bought a $175 update kit that makes it a bit better. I do wish it had a powered take up for the backing paper, but other than that, it's pretty good. Can't go wrong for the $$$ IMHO.
 

high impact

New Member
Just an update...

I did purchase the 55" Daige. Mistake? I don't know yet.

FYI - The quality of the machine is poor at best...although, I have been using it with no problems with a little learning curve.

One really good thing - I can now use Oracal because it's reverse wound - if you have a Daige and don't know this - I just put a figure 8 in the drive belt to reverse the direction of rotation on the take-up reel. However, I do have to hand roll the take-up reel for the backing by hand about 50% of the time.

Also figured out if you wipe wd-40 on the rear table surface the lam doesn't stick and you can use it without the sleds or paper. This works soooooo much better!!!
 

mediaman

New Member
Daige QM4

Mark,

The easiest way to use Oracal on the Daige, which I love, is to put the lam on the top roll and have the material feed from the TOP of the roll. The liner goes directly to the take-up reel and the lam feeds under the take-up reel and directly over the top silicone roll. Let me know if this makes sense. If not, I'd be happy to talk to you about the correct procedure. No need to change the belt on the Daige. BTW, which model Daige do you have? The Model 4 is a significant improvement over previous incarnations.

Randy
 

high impact

New Member
Yes, it's a brand new daige 4.

Here are some pics of how I'm loading my oracal. Is this not correct? I flipped the belt to make a figure eight to get the take up reel to spin the right direction for the reverse wound oracal.
 

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mediaman

New Member
All the Oracal laminate I've seen is reverse wound. It's hard to tell if yours is reverse wound. You should not have to flip the belt. Just have the lam come off the top of the feed roll with the release liner going directly to the take-up reel. Feel free to call to discuss this.
Randy Carone
Digital Media Manager
Beacon Graphic Systems
800-762-9205 x228
randy@ijsupplies.com
www.beacongraphics.com
 
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