Welcome to MyBinding How To videos.
Today's question, how to use a laminator.
Even though there are plenty of different
styles and types and makes of laminators on
the market today, there are a few basic things
to understand just how a laminator works.
For this demonstration, we'll be using the
ProLam Ultra by Akiles.
This is a higher end laminator but it will
help us to understand all the parts and the
process of lamination.
First off are the materials.
Not only what you're laminating, but also
laminating pouches.
Laminating pouches are prolific, they are
everywhere.
And most machines use only these to laminate.
Since laminating pouches are made from very
long lengths to very short lengths, you'll
need to consider what size you'll need and
make sure that your laminating machine is
wide enough to accommodate that pouch.
And then there's pouch thickness, depending
on what you're laminating and what kind of
protection you want.
Laminating pouches are made from 3 to 14mil
in thickness.
Fourteen is pretty thick and not all machines
can handle all thicknesses of pouches.
Some laminators automatically adjust their
heat according to the pouch that you're using.
Many laminators, you need to make those selections
yourself according to thickness or temperature
as well as speed of the rollers in the processing.
Reference charts are generally available right
on the machine itself.
Once your selections are made and all your
materials are inside the laminating pouches
nice and even, the crease end of the laminating
pouch goes into the throat of the machine
first.
Always wait for your document to be completely
finished and to come out the back of the machine.
Then remove it and place it flat on a flat
surface so it can cool correctly.
All sizes are done the same way.
Nice and even margins, the crease end in first,
and remove from the back.
Although manual machines are more difficult
to learn at first, they have the advantage
of being able to make adjustments in the middle
of a lamination or in the middle of a project
at any point.
It's that simple.
That's how to use a laminator.
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