Laminating Supplies Continued…

Pouch laminate is small precut pieces of laminate that are designed for smaller items such as photos, tags, letters, signs and badges. Sizes range from that which can hold a business card to those that fit letter size paper. They are convenient for smaller projects and are less messy. A pouch laminator is needed when using pouch laminate.

Hand laminate is another type of laminate that is similar to pouch laminate only it does not require a laminator. In between two sticky layers there is a separator, which is removed. The item is then placed inside. Using your hand, smoothly push the two sides together being careful to keep any air bubbles out.

Both styles of laminate are available with certain modifications, such as one sided only, or with one piece having an adhesive on the back for easy display. Laminate is also available with a UV coating to help keep items from fading.

Laminators

Being that there are two styles of laminate, you can guess that there are different kinds of laminators as well. The two basic kinds are roll laminators, used with roll laminate mentioned above and pouch laminators for use with pouch laminate. Laminators have what is called a throat size. The throat size of the laminator determines what size roll the machine can hold and how large of an object can pass through the machine, or what size pouches will fit.

Roll laminators with a large throat size are better for use with large projects like posters, differing shapes, and multiple objects that need to be done at once. Pouch laminators are more convenient and usually eliminate a lot of the cutting and trimming that can occur with roll laminates. However, roll laminators are quick and efficient and can take less time to complete large projects.

Additional supplies include cleaning kits to help keep the laminator in top working condition. Foam mounting boards provide a sturdy base for the picture, photo or paper and can make any project or presentation look even more professional. Laminators sell for anywhere from about $100 for a very small laminator about a half a foot wide, to thousands of dollars for large roll laminator that can be a few feet wide.

By Jeanne Rongitsch