Does anyone use a cold laminator to apply mask film?

[Team Valhalla]

Is this a viable option?

Graphics are being done on a Roland SP-300V. We're doing mostly heat transfers, 6" X 2" usually 100 to 150 pcs at a time, but want to also play with stickers and such.

Thanks in advance.

Steven

 

[Replicator]

I'm sorry, but I just don't see it . . .

I can mask a stretch as long as my table [12-feet] in under 20-30 seconds, my laminator is no where near that fast.

 

[Case]

cold laminator works great with applying application tape, you can run for miles... No problems with it here....

case

 

[animenick65]

Works great. I love doing that for 30" roles of vinyl. Not sure how slow your laminator is Rep, but my laminator does it faster and more bubble free than I ever could.

 

[GB2]

I'm with Rep...if you only have one laminator and you'd have to unload your laminate, load your transfer tape, calibrate the machine for transfer tape, run the job, unload your transfer tape, load your laminate back, recalibrate the machine for laminate....I think that is just nuts, especially for something so easy as applying transfer tape. I would only consider such a thing if you were applying larger width than 30" transfer tape and/or you were only using the laminator for that purpose or you had such volume of transfer tape to apply that it made it worth the effort.

 

[cgsigns_jamie]

I use my laminator to apply transfer tape all the time (probably use it more for that then I do for laminate).

Takes all of 2 minutes to load the machine and I'm ready to go.

99% of the vinyl I mask is 48", so the laminator is the best tool for the job. If the vinyl is 30" or smaller gets done by hand.

 

[Team Valhalla]

Can I ask what brand or where you got your laminator?

Steven

 

[cgsigns_jamie]

I have a 55" Royal Sovereign RSC-1400c

I got it from Sign Supply in Orlando, FL

 

[thewood]

I'm with Rep...if you only have one laminator and you'd have to unload your laminate, load your transfer tape, calibrate the machine for transfer tape, run the job, unload your transfer tape, load your laminate back, recalibrate the machine for laminate....

Wrong, wrong, wrong. I don't use a supply reel on my laminator. I simply cut the lam to fit the graphic and run it through the laminator. So, using the laminator to apply transfer tape doesn't require unloading, loading or calibrating anything. In fact, applying transfer tape is quicker and easier than applying laminate since it doesn't require pre-cutting of the film. I just start 6 inches or so of the transfer tape by hand and let her rip.

 

[Team Valhalla]

Does anyone use this... www.therotator.net?

Steven

 

[GB2]

Wrong, wrong, wrong. I don't use a supply reel on my laminator. I simply cut the lam to fit the graphic and run it through the laminator. So, using the laminator to apply transfer tape doesn't require unloading, loading or calibrating anything. In fact, applying transfer tape is quicker and easier than applying laminate since it doesn't require pre-cutting of the film. I just start 6 inches or so of the transfer tape by hand and let her rip.

So are you saying that you usually just laminate small pieces and therefore don't load a roll of laminate in the machine? If you don't load the roll of transfer tape in the machine prior to letting her rip, what do you do with the roll when it's ripping? I'm not familiar with those processes, I keep full rolls of laminate webbed in my machine and I typically am laminating 20' to 150' at a time. I know there are many ways you can use a laminator so I guess depending on your individual circumstances, the answer to the question is that it will be easier for some than for others.

 

[Artildawn]

Short answer is yes.

Long answer, for smaller/normal stuff it's faster by hand (given the set up time). If you have a large format, large volume job then you might consider it.

 

[ZsVinylInc]

I have a 55" Royal Sovereign RSC-1400c as well and use it all of the time to apply mask. We us so many different sizes of laminate that most of the time we don't even thread our machine we just cut it to size unless we are running a really really long run of it. Usually the mask is on it more times then a roll of lam.

 

[thewood]

If you don't load the roll of transfer tape in the machine prior to letting her rip, what do you do with the roll when it's ripping?

Here's how I apply transfer tape using the laminator. The magenta represents the vinyl, and the green is the transfer tape.

 

[digitalwoodshop]

That picture was helpful. I have been doing it on a pole above the laminator....

Thanks,

AL

 

[peewee the pinstriper]

Does anyone use this... www.therotator.net?

Steven

yes and swear by it.. best thingy i ever got..