Running your documents through a pouch laminator
is one of the best ways to make them more durable. Pouch laminators are
suitable for home, office, and school use, and there are many to choose
from. If you are interested in getting one, there are five important
things to think about when choosing your device. Here they are:
Running your documents through a pouch
laminator is one of the best ways to make them more durable. Pouch
laminators are suitable for home, office, and school use, and there are
many to choose from. If you're interested in getting one, there are five
important things to think about when choosing your device. Here they
are:
The size of your documents.
The size of your documents is extremely important. If your items are
too large for your laminator, you won't be able to do anything with
them. Therefore, you need to choose a machine that has a large enough
feed opening to accommodate your materials. Feed openings can range from
about 4" in width to more than 20". In general, it's a good idea to get
a slightly larger laminator than you think you need. That way, you'll
be ready for just about anything.
What you're going to be laminating.
You need to consider what you're going to laminate. This is important
because some materials can be damaged when you run them through a hot
machine. These materials include photographs and ink-jet printouts. If
you're going to be working with these types of things, you'll want to
look for a machine with a cold lamination setting so they won't get
damaged. Also, you should consider whether you want to use mounting
boards or not. Not all machines can handle these supplies, so it's an
important feature to look for.
Laminating pouch thickness.
Laminating pouches range in thickness from about 3 to 10 mil. (A mil is
the equivalent of 0.001 of an inch.) The thicker pouches offer a lot of
protection so your documents can be handled more often. Most machines
are able to handle pouches that are 5 mil but not every laminator can
handle the thicker pouches. Therefore, you'll have to be sure the
machine you choose can handle the pouches you want to use.
Any desired special features.
Many of the pouch laminators on the market have special features that
can be really helpful. For example, some devices feature silicone
rollers. These rollers will smoothly laminate your documents so that
they'll look great. Many devices have a reverse mode so you can quickly
deal with pouch jams. And there are devices with adjustable speed and
temperature settings so you'll have total control over the process. Some
laminators even have the ability to shut off automatically which can
help prolong the life of the motor.
Your preferred brand name.
Pouch laminators are made by a number of manufacturers including
Fellowes, GBC, Akiles, Royal Sovereign, and ProLam. Each one of these
companies manufactures terrific machines that work well and can help you
make your documents look great. They also come with good warranties so
you can have peace of mind.
Choosing
a pouch laminator that's right for you is a snap as long as you know
what to look for and what to think about beforehand. Now that you know
what you need to consider, you're totally prepared to make the right
choice. Good luck!
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.
