One of the best ways to make your documents last
longer is to laminate them with a pouch or roll laminator. The
laminating film will protect your documents from over-handling and
they'll be water resistant and tear-proof. Laminating is generally easy
but there are some tips and tricks you can use to speed up the process
and make your documents stand out. Take a look at them:
One of the best ways to make your documents
last longer is to laminate them with a pouch or roll laminator. The
laminating film will protect your documents from over-handling and
they'll be water-resistant and tear-proof. Laminating is generally easy
but there are some tips and tricks you can use to speed up the process
and make your documents stand out. Take a look at them:
Use a carrier. First
of all, you should always use a carrier when operating a pouch
laminator. By placing your document in a carrier and running it through
the laminator, you'll prevent adhesive from leaking out of the pouch.
This reduces jams and extends the life of your machine.
Consider self-sealing laminating pouches.
Even if you have a pouch or roll laminator at hand, you should keep a
supply of self-sealing laminating pouches. These pouches are just as
good as regular laminating pouches and film, plus you don't need a
machine to use them. This can be handy if your laminator is on the fritz
or you don't want to wait for it to warm up.
Give matte pouches a try.
Most laminating pouches are glossy. While this can make your documents
more eye-catching, sometimes a matte finish is what your work needs.
Luckily, there are matte pouches you can try out. These pouches will
work perfectly with your pouch laminator and they're available in
various sizes. Also, you'll be able to write on the matte surface, so
these pouches are great for documents that will be used again and again.
Trim excess film.
After your document is laminated, you might notice that there is too
much film surrounding it. In that event, you can trim away the excess
film with a rotary trimmer, a guillotine cutter, or a pair of scissors.
Trimming the film will make your document will look more professional.
Just be careful so you don't cut yourself.
Use colored pouches.
Do you want people to pay more attention to your documents and
photographs? If so, using colored pouches is a great way to make it
happen. There are a number of colors available including green, blue,
and yellow.
Let the machine warm up ahead of time.
A lot of laminators need several minutes to warm up. If this is the
case with your machine, turn it on in advance while you work on other
projects. This will help you save a little bit of time during a busy
workday.
Consider cold lamination.
Many of today's laminators have the ability to do cold lamination. If
your machine can do this, you should give it a try. Some items can be
damaged during hot lamination (such as ink-jet printouts) and there's
always a chance any document could be marred by heat marks. So make use
of that cold setting.
Laminating
is easy but the tips and tricks in this article will help you get the
most out of your laminator. Give them a try today!
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 lamination, his articles are a great place to start.
