If you need to protect and preserve important
documents, one of the best ways to do so is by running them through a
pouch laminator. One such device is the GBC Creative Laminator, a fairly
compact device that is perfect for home, office, and school use.
If you need to protect and preserve important
documents, one of the best ways to do so is by running them through a
pouch laminator. One such device is the GBC Creative Laminator, a fairly
compact device that's perfect for home, office, and school use. This
machine has a 9-inch feed opening so it can be used to laminate a
variety of documents that are letter-sized or smaller such as business
cards, marketing materials, and so on. Here is a step-by-step guide to
using the Creative Laminator:
To start,
plug this device in and turn it on. The Creative Laminator needs about 6
minutes to warm up, so you might want to turn it on ahead of time. This
machine only has one temperature setting so you don't need to adjust
any settings which is nice and convenient.
Now
it's time to select a laminating pouch for your document. This
laminator can handle pouches that are either 3 or 5 mil thick. You
should choose a pouch that's slightly larger than your document so that
it will be completely encapsulated. If you want, you can trim away
excess film once the laminated item has cooled off.
You
need to use a carrier when using the Creative Laminator. The carrier
will prevent adhesive from gumming up the interior of your machine. It
also protects the document from heat and it reduces the risk of pouch
jams. Center your item in the carrier and place it in the machine's feed
opening. The folded edge needs to go in first.
Once
your document is placed in the feed opening, the Creative Laminator
will begin laminating automatically. It takes about a minute to laminate
a letter-sized document so you won't have to wait very long. When the
item comes out of the machine, place it aside and let it cool off.
Keep
in mind that this device is meant to laminate documents and photographs
only. You should never use it to laminate three-dimensional items
including kids' artwork that's decorated with glitter. Laminating
anything other than documents and photographs will eventually damage the
machine. If that happens, you'll either need to repair or replace your
machine, which can be expensive. This laminator does have a 1-year
warranty although you hopefully won't need to use it.
Repeat
the above steps if you have any other documents to laminate. When
you're done, turn off the Creative Laminator to protect the motor and
conserve power.
Using the
GBC Creative Laminator is easy, as you can see. The most important thing
to remember is to use a carrier whenever you laminate your materials.
Unless you use a carrier, adhesive will build up inside the machine
which can damage essential parts and potentially cause more pouch jams.
As long as you use a carrier, you'll find it quick and easy to laminate
your important documents.
Jeff McRitchie is the Vice-President of Marketing for MyBinding.com.
He regularly writes articles, reviews, and blog posts on topics related
to bookbinding, laminating, paper shredding, and office equipment. More
than 2,500 of his reviews have been published in thousands of locations
on the Internet. If you're looking for information about pouch laminators, his articles are a great place to start.