Viable laminator sled ideas?

[dsstrainer]

I'm looking into buying a laminator and I would be doing single-sided lamination.
I know I can use kraft paper on one side and laminate on top to do this. Or I can use a carrier sled which is likely the preferred method. But oddly, carrier sleds aren't a popular retail item from what I've seen. Nobody seems to make them.

Many people say just use a foamcore board or silicone film but I would like something that's more resilient and reusable. Surprised they don't just sell more rigid silicone coated sleds outright.

So I had some ideas to make my own. I've read other people's methods and they seem limited as well.

So my 3 ideas.
1. Buy a silicone baking mat which is 100% silicone and somehow adhere that to a more rigid acrylic or wood panel and use that as a sled. The silicone is self healing so when I cut the excess off, it shouldn't hurt the mat. I also won't be going hotter than the plexiglass supports with my heat-assisted laminator.
2. Buy a vinyl cutting mat. The polyethylene mat seems like it isn't overly adhering to my laminate so it should peel off quite easily. But may not handle the heat as well from the laminator.
3. Buy a simple piece of hardboard and some silicone spray and just spray the board and let it dry. Should do the trick I think.

There must be some practical way to do this.

 

[De.signs Nanaimo]

I use coro, just use it over and over until it gets too thick with laminate, then cut another piece.

 

[iPrintStuff]

You know that roll of backing paper you get from the roll of laminate you’ve just finished? Use that.

 

[dsstrainer]

You know that roll of backing paper you get from the roll of laminate you’ve just finished? Use that.

I like that idea but I guess I'm imaging this scenario where I laminate, then I will need to trim the excess off, so i would be cutting into the coro or into the liner so it would get cut up.
I was pushing for this cutting mat idea or the silicone baking mat idea because they self-heal

 

[White Haus]

We also use a coroplast sled. Make it 65" x 12" or so, and use it until it gets too thick to shove through the rollers.

We've been doing it this way since we got our laminator 12ish years ago. The "tech" tried telling us we had to buy and use GBC craft paper under all prints. Not so much.

 

[iPrintStuff]

For single sided we used to just load a roll of lam, a roll of paper and then throw prints in between.

The Coro would be a good idea for small runs I guess.

 

[CCampbell]

The sleds I make are just some thinner foamboard or pvc. Send that threw the laminator using a roll of adhesive and wrapping the leading and back edge with the adhesive. The adhesive release liner is already silicone treated so nothing will stick to the release and will adhesive will stick to your substrate. then you can always re-apply adhesive if you cut into the paper too much.

 

[Humble PM]

We've got a load of sizes of dibond that we use for laminating. When the release film is on, it allows you to tack the front edge of the laminate in place, then remove the laminated printed print. Without the protective film, the laminate takes slightly more time to remove. Just did 40 24x36 today, and started looking at roll to roll aqueous (we're photographic print), and a roll to roll laminator to replace the Drytac Jeytmounter.

When there is a stack of same size prints to laminate, I'll apply brown parcel tape around the border of the print area - makes a good release film (just have to remember to remove it before too long, as after a while the tape won't remove cleanly). Drytac/Hotpress training, for the arts market only talks about using sleds. 41" laminate on 44" paper, I can run with the rollers in contact, but I'm missing a source and take up reel, so it's mainly cut sheets only.

 

[rjssigns]

I run 30lb kraft paper off the lower feed roll. Been doing that since day one. Allows me to run any size graphic without worrying about laminate sticking to the roller.
Some folks hate this others like it. YMMV
BTW Only time I use a sled is when I'm running out of laminate and can't waste anything.

 

[2B]

I've never understood the sled concept.
Is it a matter of avoiding waste as much as possible, so printing something around 12" long on just 12" worth of material, lopping that off as close to the edge as possible, then only laminating that little area?
Full disclosure, I run a hp 570, so waste is built into the start of the print already...

For us, it allows for quicker and easier alignment

we use 040 alum that is true and squared, placed equal marks, tape the vinyl to the sled on the marks
This way when loaded we start straight

Once done, remove the lamination from the sled and repeat