Lamination Depot

LD-320B Laminator Review: Professional-Quality Results at an Affordable Price

From identification badges to menus to point-of-purchase displays, a pouch laminator can create a wide array of business materials for organizations of all sizes.  Finding the right pouch laminator for your business means striking the right balance between cost and features - especially in today's economy.  In this post, we take a look at the LD-320B 12" pouch laminator, which pairs professional-level features with a budget-friendly price. 

The Basics

The LD-320B pouch laminator is a thermal pouch laminator that is capable of laminating pouches ranging from 3 - 10 mils in thickness.  It has a 12.6" maximum laminating width, which makes it an excellent choice for letter-, legal-, and menu-sized documents.  In addition to having two heated rollers, the LD-320B also has a set of two cold rollers (which help to dissipate heat after laminating to ensure that your document is flat).  The rollers themselves are coated with silicone, which prevents adhesive residue from sticking to them.  Silicone rollers also help to protect your pouches against scuffs and scratches (often left by heat shoe laminators).

To use the LD-320B laminator, begin by adjusting the digital temperature setting based on the thickness of your pouches.  Once the laminator has reached the proper temperature (approximately 3 - 4 minutes), simply insert the pouch containing your document so that it feeds between the rollers.  The LD-320B has a laminating speed of 25.6" per minute, so it will laminate nearly three letter-sized documents every 60 seconds.  After your laminated document has exited through the back of the machine, allow it to lay flat to cool.  In the case of an accidental misfeed or jam, the LD-320B features a convenient reverse switch that changes the direction of the rollers so that you can remove your document.

 

Benefits of the LD-320B

While the LD-320B has a number of useful features, the most obvious benefit of this specific model is the price.  Though the LD-320B offers the same laminating speed, laminating width, and laminating thickness range as other office- and professional-quality models, this machine retails for less than half of the price of other comparable units.  It is built for durability - featuring a sleek metal casing and metal internal gears - which means that it can stand up to frequent use in an office environment.  Furthermore, the LD-320 includes a one-year warranty for added peace-of-mind.

 

In Review

Pouch laminators make versatile additions to practically every office.  They are compact, easy-to-use, and surprisingly affordable - especially in the case of the LD-320B.  This 12" pouch laminator is capable of laminating full-size menus as well as small identification cards (and everything in-between) in thicknesses ranging from 3 - 10 mils.  It features two heated silicone rollers, two cold rollers (designed to help documents lay flat after lamination), metal casing and gears, a quick, 3 - 4 minute warm-up time, a reverse switch, and an easy-to-adjust digital temperature setting.  Despite being a professional-quality laminator, the LD-320B pouch laminator has a price tag that is less than half of the retail price of comparable models.  If you're looking for a thermal pouch laminator that is durable, powerful, and affordable, then take a closer look at the LD-320B.

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SircleLam HQ-230 Review: A Cost-Effective, Entry-Level Pouch Laminator

Pouch laminators are a great investment for protecting documents of all types, from important company documents and pricelists to favorite photographs and mementos. With a wide array of models available at price points ranging from tens of dollars to thousands, it's important to find the right balance of cost and features that is suited to your specific needs. In this post, we take a closer look at the SircleLam HQ-230, which is a basic and affordable pouch laminator that is ideal for home use.

 

The Basics

The SircleLam HQ-230 is a 9" pouch laminator that is capable of laminating both 3 mil and 5 mil pouches. It features adjustable temperature, and includes a cold setting that allows you to seal self-laminating pouches. The HQ-230 is also capable of laminating photographs, which is one of the reasons that it is a popular model for home and hobby use. To make the laminating process smooth and trouble-free, the HQ-230 has a reverse lever (to aid in clearing jams) and feeds back-to-front. It has two rollers and comes with a one-year warranty.

The HQ-230 laminator utilizes heating plates (as opposed to the heated silicone rollers that are used in more advanced laminators), which is why we recommend using a carrier sheet to help protect your rollers from adhesive build-up. It has a six-minute warm-up time, but because of its plastic outer casing and less powerful motor (as compared to office and professional-level machines), we advise turning off the machine and allowing it to cool completely after each hour of use.

In terms of laminating speed, the HQ-230 is capable of laminating up to 9.85" per minute, which means that it will take more than a minute to laminate a letter-sized pouch. While most home users will find this speed adequate for occasional laminating projects, office and production environments will save a great deal of time by investing in a faster laminator.

 

In Review

At less than $60, the SircleLam HQ-230 is one of the most affordable pouch laminators on the market. It has a number of great features, such as a reverse lever, the capability to laminate photos, and a quick, six-minute warm-up time, despite its very reasonable price point. It has been designed with the home/hobby user in mind, which is why it has a slow laminating speed and is limited to only laminating 3 mil and 5 mil pouches. Though it is not a fit for office use or high-volume production, the HQ-230 is a good choice for people who want to laminate occasionally and are looking to keep their costs low.

VersaLam 1300 Review: A Compact Roll Laminator That's Big on Features

While pouch laminators have been the preferred choice for laminating small documents for many years, a growing number of organizations have been replacing their pouch laminators with compact roll laminators. With sizes from 12" - 13" wide, these office-friendly laminators utilize bulk film rolls instead of pre-cut laminating pouches, which can reduce your supply costs. In this post, we take a closer look at the Tamerica VersaLam 1300 - a heavy-duty 13" roll laminator that can mount, laminate up to 10 mil, and even perform single-sided lamination.

The Basics

The VersaLam 1300 from Tamerica is a 13" roll laminator that is capable of laminating with film thicknesses ranging from 1.5 to 10 mil. Unlike other comparably-sized roll laminators, the VersaLam has a 3" core (using core adapters included along with the standard 1" mandrel), which allows it to use larger film rolls (up to 500') and a greater variety of film types. Many professional-quality films are only available with a 3" core, making the VersaLam 1300 the only 13" laminator able to use specialty films like DIGIKote, Super-Lam, and nylon laminating film. Though its laminating speed is a modest 4' per minute, it can mount up to 3/16", has high-quality heated silicone rollers, includes a rolling metal stand, and has a one-year warranty.

Furthermore, the VersaLam 1300 can perform both two-sided and single-sided lamination. It is equipped with decurling bars, which counteract the curling tendencies of documents that are only laminated on one side to help ensure a flat finished product. It also has an independent on/off switch for the bottom roller, so that the heat can be turned off during single-sided lamination.

 

In Review

Small roll laminators (with a laminating width of 13" or less) are growing in popularity with schools, copy centers, churches, offices, and even home users, because they have lower supply costs compared with pouch laminators and can often increase output speed (since the documents can simply be fed into the machine instead of being manually inserted into pouches). While there are a number of quality, entry-level machines in this size, there are very few professional-level machines. The VersaLam 1300 is capable of laminating using films up to 10 mil thick, can utilize rolls with both 1" and 3" core sizes, mounts up to 3/16" thick, and includes a heavy-duty, rolling, metal stand. It is also able to perform single-sided and double-sided lamination, thanks to built-in decurling bars and an independent heating switch for the bottom roller.

Though the VersaLam 1300 may be too large of an investment for small offices, it is by far the most affordable machine on the market when it comes to single-sided lamination. It is also the only 13" machine that uses heated silicone rollers instead of heat shoes (which tend to leave small scratches in the film as it passes over them). If you're looking for a robust roll laminator that is packed with features but doesn't occupy a lot of space, then you'll definitely want to consider the VersaLam 1300.

An Overview of Single-Sided Lamination

Single-sided lamination has a variety of applications, ranging from book covers and posters to photographic prints and maps. While many people think that single-sided lamination can be achieved by simply loading only one roll of film onto a standard, two-sided laminator, the fact is that one-sided lamination is a unique process that requires specially-designed film and equipment. In this post, we take a closer look at single-sided lamination to learn what separates it from double-sided thermal lamination.

 

The Basics

When you use a laminator for two-sided lamination, each of the sides is applying tension to the laminated document. Since the two sides apply tension in opposing directions, your document will lay flat. Because documents laminated on only one side aren't able to rely on the opposing tensions in order to keep the document from curling, specialized laminating film must be used in conjunction with a single-sided laminator in order to counteract the curl. Single-sided laminating machines feature decurling bars (also called "anti-curling bars"), which the laminated documents feed through before they exit the machine. These bars help to flatten out any minor curls that occur during lamination, and are found exclusively on single-sided laminating machines.

 

Nylon "Lay-Flat" Laminating Film

Also called "lay-flat" laminating film, nylon laminating film is specifically designed for single-sided applications. The adhesive used on lay-flat laminating film has a lower melting temperature than the adhesive used on standard laminating film (210-230 degrees F compared to 290 degrees F), which helps to reduce curling. Nylon also shrinks less during cooling than polyester, which is yet another feature designed to reduce curls in your laminated documents. Nylon laminating film is water-, oil-, acid-, and alkali-resistant, can be foil-stamped, printed, or glued, and can even be die cut. It is most commonly sold in a 1.2 mil thickness and on a 3" core, with widths varying between 12.5" and 19.5".

 

Problems with Using Your Two-Sided Laminator for Single-Sided Lamination

Aside from the curling issues mentioned earlier in this post, there are a number of problems that can occur when a two-sided laminator is used for single-sided lamination. If you load only one roll of film onto your laminator, any excess film that extends past the width of your document will leave adhesive residue behind on the other roller (which can even cause the film to wrap around the roller entirely - a messy and time-consuming clean-up). When you have film loaded onto both sides, the film on the bottom protects the bottom roller from the excess film on the top roller, and vice versa. Furthermore, nylon laminating film is sold on a 3" core, while most non-commercial laminators use 1" core film. As a result, most double-sided thermal laminators aren't capable of using the lay-flat film required for single-sided lamination.

 

In Review

Single-sided lamination is popular in a number of industries, because it protects one side of a document while leaving the other side bare for additional processes (such as book-binding or mounting). Contrary to popular belief, single-sided lamination is actually a distinct and separate process from two-sided lamination, and requires the use of specialized nylon laminating film and a single-sided laminator. If you have a need to perform single-sided lamination on a regular basis, then investing in the proper equipment and supplies is a must, because using a double-sided laminator will not give you the results that you are looking for (and can ultimately cause damage to your machine).

SmartLoad 12 Review: A Compact, Easy-to-Load Roll Laminator

Roll laminators are great for laminating large posters and display materials or bulk runs of documents, but what about users that just run documents 12" wide or smaller? In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the SmartLoad 12, which is the perfect size for laminating letter-sized documents and costs about half as much as other comparable roll laminators.

 

The Basics

Nearly all roll laminators are thermal, which means that they utilize heat to seal the edges of the laminate film and fuse the layers together. Depending on the machine, the heat is applied by either heated rollers or heat shoes, which are long, flat, aluminum plates. Regardless of the type of heating element, all laminating machines utilize rollers to help ensure secure adhesion, eliminate air bubbles and move documents through the machine.

 

Benefits of the SmartLoad 12

The SmartLoad 12 laminator has three primary benefits – cost, size, and ease of use. With many roll laminators costing in the thousands, the SmartLoad 12 has a reasonable price point of less than $400. The SmartLoad 12 laminator is designed to be compact, so it is small enough to fit in any environment (and it weighs only 30 lbs.). Loading and threading film onto most roll laminators can be somewhat difficult, but the SmartLoad 12 has an innovative "smart load" design that significantly reduces the film loading time while preventing the user from loading the film upside down. There's no mandrel to load the roll onto – just snap the SmartLoad film roll into the machine and thread the film through the rollers.

 

The SmartLoad 12 has a maximum laminating width of 12", which makes it a perfect choice for individuals and organizations that laminated letter-, legal-, and menu-sized documents. It has a fixed laminating speed of 3' per minute, and a quick warm-up time of only one minute. It uses a heat shoe, and features an adjustable temperature that enables it to laminate films ranging from 1.7 mils thick to 10 mils thick. The SmartLoad 12 also includes a convenient built-in horizontal trimmer and feed alignment guide, as well as a one-year warranty.

 

In Review

The SmartLoad 12 roll laminator is a small machine that's packed with big features. It may be limited to laminating documents 12" wide or less, but with a fast warm-up time, built-in trimmer, innovative film loading system, affordable price point, and one-year warranty, it's one of the most attractive small format roll laminators on the market. If you frequently laminate letter-, legal-, or menu-sized documents, then be sure to take a look at the SmartLoad 12.

Pouch Laminator Review: The LA-5000 & LA-5000T Laminating Machines

In an effort to reduce costs and improve efficiency, a growing number of businesses are bringing their laminating projects in-house. Pouch laminators are the most popular style of machine for office use, because they are extremely easy to use and take up very little space.  There are a wide range of pouch laminators currently on the market, but not all models can stand up to the demands of high-volume, all-day use. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the LA-5000 pouch laminator series, which is durable enough to handle daily use at a price that can fit into nearly every budget.

The Basics

Pouch laminators are designed to work with pre-cut laminating pouches. They use heat to melt the adhesive lining of the pouch, creating a protective seal around the document. Laminating with a pouch laminator is easy – simply allow your laminator to reach the proper temperature, align your document within the laminating pouch, and insert it into the machine. The rollers inside the machine will feed the pouch through at the correct speed, and your finished document will be released at the back of the laminator.

 

Benefits of the LA-5000 Series

There are two laminators in the LA-5000 series – the LA-5000 and the LA-5000T. Both models have metal casings, convenient stand-by modes to reduce excess motor and roller wear, accommodate 5-10 mil laminating pouches up to 4” wide, and are capable of laminating photographs. The only distinction between the two models is that the LA-5000T includes an external thermometer to help the user ensure proper laminating temperature. An internal thermometer controls the temperature on both models, so the external thermometer on the LA-5000T will not allow the user to make adjustments to the temperature, but it does provide visual assurance that the machine has reached the optimum laminating temperature.

 

The LA-5000 series laminators are built to withstand high-volume use. Unlike many home or small office laminators that have a plastic casing, the metal casing on these machines allows them to be run continuously without requiring cooling periods. They have a robust laminating speed of 33” per minute, which is nearly 50% faster than other comparably priced models. One of the most unique features of this series is the five-year limited warranty, which is five times as long as other laminators in the same category. Though you will likely never have to use it, the extra long warranty period provides added piece of mind for organizations looking to invest in a new pouch laminating machine.

 

In Review

Pouch laminators are a simple and inexpensive way to bring laminating capabilities into your home or office. There are many great pouch laminating machines available on the market, but not all models are suitable for high-volume use. The LA-5000 series machines provide an ideal balance between performance and price, beating out many other comparably priced models in both speed and durability. The LA-5000T gives users the added ability to see an accurate machine temperature at any time, but won’t allow them to make any adjustments since the machine’s temperature is controlled internally. Whether you invest in the LA-5000 or the LA-5000T, you won’t be disappointed with either of these versatile and powerful models.

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Extra Savings on Overstocked Products!

Have you been looking for the best deals on binding and laminating supplies? Then you'll definitely want to check out Lamination Depot's clearance section! From deals on overstocked products to savings on recently discontinued items, you'll find a wide selection of products at prices that are impossible to beat. New items are being added often, so be sure to visit our clearance area frequently to take advantage of these special offers before they are gone! These limited-time deals are only available while supplies last.

Troubleshooting Common Laminating Problems

Whether you’re new to laminating or have been using a laminator for years, troubleshooting common lamination problems can seem confusing. Luckily, most issues can be solved relatively easily, as long as you know how to properly recognize the symptoms. Below is a list of some of the most frequently encountered laminating problems, and tips on how to remedy them.

 

My laminating pouch appears cloudy, even after going through the machine.

All laminating pouches have a slightly cloudy appearance before they are sealed, since the adhesive has not been thermally activated. If you have run the pouch through your pouch laminator and it still has a milky look to it, it is most likely an indication that the laminating temperature is set too low. For laminators that have adjustable temperature settings, simply increase the temperature in small increments until the cloudiness disappears. If you own a machine that does not allow you to adjust the temperature, then you are probably using a pouch that is thicker than recommended by the manufacturer, which is why it is not heating properly. Refer to the owner’s manual for additional information.

 

The edges of my pouches aren’t sealing, or there are bubbles that don’t adhere in the center.

Like cloudiness, improper sealing is most often a sign of not enough heat. Try slowly increasing the temperature until the pouch achieves a uniform seal. Poor adhesion and delamination can also occur if you are laminating documents that were printed on a laser or inkjet printer. These documents can be particularly difficult to stick to if there is heavy ink coverage and may require the use of a “photo” quality laminator.

 

My document looks wavy after being laminated.

When a laminating pouch has a rippled appearance after being run through the machine, it probably means that the heat is set too high. If you own a machine with adjustable temperature, back the heat down incrementally until the waviness disappears. If you’re using a machine without that option, then you are most likely using a pouch that is too thin for that machine to laminate properly, or you may be require to use a carrier sheet. Refer to the owner’s manual for additional information.

 

When I run the pouch through the machine, adhesive squeezes out from the edges.

Oozing adhesive is another sign of excessive heat. To prevent this from happening, reduce the temperature and run a sample pouch. Repeat this process until the adhesive remains within the pouch and still achieves a proper seal. Depending on the specifications of your machine, you may also want to try using a carrier sheet to help prevent any adhesive from sticking to your rollers.

 

The edges of my pouch come unsealed after I trim away the excess.

We recommend that you leave a 1/8” border around your document in order to maintain a proper seal. Trimming away more than that may result in some or all of the edges becoming exposed to moisture or humidity. When this occurs, the paper absorbs the moisture and causes the lamination adhesive to release, or delaminate.

 

My rollers have residual adhesive stuck to them.

Lamination Depot offers a Roller Cleaning Kit that contains special cleaner and abrasive pads that will remove adhesive build-up without hardening or damaging your rollers.

 

My documents laminate perfectly when I run them through my machine without using a carrier sheet, however they don’t seal properly when I try to use one.

Since carrier sheets add a barrier between the heating element and the laminate film, you’ll need to increase the temperature to ensure that the proper amount of heat makes it through the carrier and onto the film. Conversely, if you are accustomed to laminating with a carrier and need to laminate without one for some reason, you’ll want to turn the heat down since the heating elements will be making direct contact with the film instead of passing through a carrier beforehand. See our website for a recommended temperature guide.