Choose an Inexpensive Laminator?

I'd like to get a decent but cheap photo and general-purpose
laminator. I was wondering
if anyone had any advice. I saw one for around 80 bucks at Sam's Club.
What should I watch
out for w/r/t transparency of the coating, thermal or adhesive, cost
of supplies, how long it
lasts without degrading the material that's laminated. I guess acid
content is important
for photos.

Any pointers?

TIA!

Mark

"victor" <gmark@svs.com> wrote in message
news:1176877652.826364.133970@y5g2000hsa.googlegro ups.com...
> I'd like to get a decent but cheap photo and general-purpose
> laminator. I was wondering
> if anyone had any advice. I saw one for around 80 bucks at Sam's Club.
> What should I watch
> out for w/r/t transparency of the coating, thermal or adhesive, cost
> of supplies, how long it
> lasts without degrading the material that's laminated. I guess acid
> content is important
> for photos.
>
> Any pointers?
>
> TIA!
>
> Mark
>

If you plan to laminate photos from inkjet printers be careful, the hot
laminate ones can cause problems with the coatings on the inkjet photo
papers. I have had some turn yellow, brown and I have had some bubble. I
don't know what size you need to laminate but if you want to do photos I
recommend on of the heatless laminators like those from Xyron. They are used
by scrapbookers, they don't use any heat, they are easy to use, affordable
(as are the refills) and they are acid free which will help the photos last
longer. http://www.xyron.com. I have the Creative Station 900 and I am happy
with it.

=(8)

On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 23:27:32 -0700, victor wrote:

> I'd like to get a decent but cheap photo and general-purpose laminator.
> I was wondering
> if anyone had any advice. I saw one for around 80 bucks at Sam's Club.
> What should I watch
> out for w/r/t transparency of the coating, thermal or adhesive, cost of
> supplies, how long it
> lasts without degrading the material that's laminated. I guess acid
> content is important
> for photos.
Choose a comparatively low temp laminator (mine is a 'Lami-Mate') and use
the lighter weight laminate 'skins' -usually around 150 microns. I have
some that I laminated acouple of years ago and there has been no visible
deterioration so far.

My laminator was around £20 in Tescos about 3 years ago.

--
Neil
reverse 'r' and'a' - delete 'l' for email

On Apr 18, 3:00 am, Neil Ellwood <cral.elllwo...@btopenworld.com>
wrote:
> On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 23:27:32 -0700, victor wrote:
> > I'd like to get a decent but cheap photo and general-purpose laminator.
> > I was wondering

Okay, from what I've been able to find on the web, the Xyron brand
seems pretty popular, so the next question I've got is whether I
should go with the 900 or the 1200. Prices aren't too far apart -- 80
dollars or 120 dollars for 9 inch or 12 inch capacity. So if I went
with the 1200, is there any downside aside from the initial price?
Like, will I have to buy more expensive or less-available supplies,
such as a 12-inch wide roll all the time, even if I laminate something
much narrower? Or will one of these machines accept any width up to
the maximum?

Thx!

Mark

"victor" <gmark@svs.com> wrote in message
news:1176914906.090632.28420@p77g2000hsh.googlegro ups.com...
> On Apr 18, 3:00 am, Neil Ellwood <cral.elllwo...@btopenworld.com>
> wrote:
>> On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 23:27:32 -0700, victor wrote:
>> > I'd like to get a decent but cheap photo and general-purpose laminator.
>> > I was wondering
>
> Okay, from what I've been able to find on the web, the Xyron brand
> seems pretty popular, so the next question I've got is whether I
> should go with the 900 or the 1200. Prices aren't too far apart -- 80
> dollars or 120 dollars for 9 inch or 12 inch capacity. So if I went
> with the 1200, is there any downside aside from the initial price?
> Like, will I have to buy more expensive or less-available supplies,
> such as a 12-inch wide roll all the time, even if I laminate something
> much narrower? Or will one of these machines accept any width up to
> the maximum?
>
> Thx!
>
> Mark
>

Well, you will always get better refill prices online. So if you order
online to save as much as possible I see no problems getting the refills.
For most people the 900 is about as top of the line as they go. If you don't
think you will ever need 12" then go with the 900 otherwise if you need the
wider go with the 1200.

Locally, the price for the refills is going to be at or near suggested
retail. If you have a good crafts store around I would call and ask what
they have for the refills and what the cost is. I would also ask if the
refills for both units are something they always have in stock.

What it will come down to is do you need 12" capacity or 9" capacity.

=(8)

Neil Ellwood <cral.elllwood2@btopenworld.com> wrote in
newsan.2007.04.18.08.00.07@btopenworld.com:

> On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 23:27:32 -0700, victor wrote:
>
>> I'd like to get a decent but cheap photo and general-purpose laminator.
>> I was wondering
>> if anyone had any advice. I saw one for around 80 bucks at Sam's Club.
>> What should I watch
>> out for w/r/t transparency of the coating, thermal or adhesive, cost of
>> supplies, how long it
>> lasts without degrading the material that's laminated. I guess acid
>> content is important
>> for photos.
> Choose a comparatively low temp laminator (mine is a 'Lami-Mate') and use
> the lighter weight laminate 'skins' -usually around 150 microns. I have
> some that I laminated acouple of years ago and there has been no visible
> deterioration so far.
>
> My laminator was around £20 in Tescos about 3 years ago.
>

£20? I got one from my local lidl a couple of years ago and it only cost me
£10 and it does both hot & cold laminating!

Ï "Sad Fat Git" <fatty@obesity.co.uk> Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
news:Xns9918A6379F7BDxycom@194.117.143.37...
> Neil Ellwood <cral.elllwood2@btopenworld.com> wrote in
> newsan.2007.04.18.08.00.07@btopenworld.com:
>
> > On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 23:27:32 -0700, victor wrote:
> >
> >> I'd like to get a decent but cheap photo and general-purpose laminator.
> >> I was wondering
> >> if anyone had any advice. I saw one for around 80 bucks at Sam's Club.
> >> What should I watch
> >> out for w/r/t transparency of the coating, thermal or adhesive, cost of
> >> supplies, how long it
> >> lasts without degrading the material that's laminated. I guess acid
> >> content is important
> >> for photos.
> > Choose a comparatively low temp laminator (mine is a 'Lami-Mate') and
use
> > the lighter weight laminate 'skins' -usually around 150 microns. I have
> > some that I laminated acouple of years ago and there has been no visible
> > deterioration so far.
> >
> > My laminator was around £20 in Tescos about 3 years ago.
> >
>
> £20? I got one from my local lidl a couple of years ago and it only cost
me
> £10 and it does both hot & cold laminating!
I bought a whole camera from my local lidl which I utterly recommend.7 MP
pentax lens auto focus with auxilliary light video shooting with sound
attaching sound files to photos metal case (!!!) glass protecting the LCD
(!!!)3 x opt zoom many white balance settings and many programms and all
that for 179 euros 36 months guarantee 2 X Li-ion batteries powerful flash
usually shoots at ISO 50 but can go to 400 ISO 512 MB sd card smart charger
pouch strap usb and tv cable ulead photo progr.


--
Tzortzakakis Dimitrios
major in electrical engineering
mechanized infantry reservist
dimtzort AT otenet DOT gr