Pouch laminators protect, stabilize and preserve documents by using cheap and inexpensive laminating film. These useful little machines can be used by anyone and are commonly found in schools, homes, copy shops and other businesses. So which pouch laminator should you use? Have you considered the Banner American PL12A? If not, perhaps you should. Here’s why:

The PL12A is a time tested, widely used pouch laminator. In fact, the PL12A is one of the most popular laminators we offer. This compact laminator is 12-inches wide and can be used to laminate menus, photographs, business cards and more. It is designed for continuous use throughout the day and can be considered an commercial / industrial pouch laminator.

The build quality on the PL12A is really nice. The heating element holds up well over time, the rubber rollers don’t prematurely crack or dry out and the external shell does a good job of preventing injury. If for any reason the laminator needs to be disassembled, the outer shell can be easily removed.

The Banner American PL12A uses a four-roller system. These rollers help evenly distribute heat and pressure, which improves the laminating quality. Many laminators only feature two rollers, which often require multiple passes to finish the job.

The PL12A has an adjustable temperature control, which is nice when using laminating film of varying thicknesses. In fact, the PL12A can easily handle laminating film as thick as 10 mils. This laminator is also available with an optional thermometer for precise temperature control.

One of my favorite features is the separate motor and temperature control. Many laminators only have one button that turns the heat and motor on simultaneously. The PL12A has separate buttons. This allows you to keep the laminator conveniently heated without unnecessarily running the motor. This helps prolong the life of the motor.

One thing I would like to see in the PL12A is some sort of digital readout. This would be more for convenience. The design, however, has been time proven to be user friendly.

I have personally used this laminator many times and have to say that I highly recommend it. You can find the Banner American PL12A pouch laminator here. You can find our entire selection of pouch laminators here.

You may have heard the terms NAP I or NAP II laminating film. This is a term typically used for roll lamination machines. So what type of laminating film does your laminator use and does it really matter?

The term NAP was coined by GBC, who manufactures their own line of laminating machines and film. They will often refer to it is NAP-LAM I and NAP-LAM II. These two different types of film are based on the melt point of the glue.

NAP I film has a higher melting point than NAP II and is the most common type of laminating film used today. This is the most popular laminating film that we offer and typically has a glossy finish. This film is used to laminate posters, maps, signs and other paper documents.

NAP II film has a lower melt point and is less common. This type of film is usually a co-polymer based film and is often referred to as premium laminating film. NAP II laminating film is used for laminating temperature sensitive material. This may include wax-based ink, some types of photographs, inkjet printed material and more.

Most laminators are designed for use with NAP I film. Some laminators, with variable temperature controls, can use both NAP I and NAP II film.

You will find our roll laminating film here. Our most common roll laminating film is our glossy roll film found here.

So you have a project or a job that requires a laminator. So which laminating machine should you use? Is one better than another? There are several different types of laminators out there. I will discuss the most popular models and which ones will work for your laminating job.

There are two main types of laminating machines available. These two styles are commonly referred to as pouch laminators and roll laminators. The finished product, from both laminators, is identical. The biggest difference between these two types of laminators is the way in which they laminate.

Between the two, pouch laminators are generally considered to be ideal for low to medium-volume laminating where roll laminators are considered to be ideal for medium to high-volume laminating. Pouch laminators are generally ideal for smaller items, where roll laminators are ideal for larger items.

Pouch Laminators

Pouch laminating machines use film called laminating pouches. These pouches open, allowing the operator to insert the document. This may be a photograph, a business card or a menu. Once inserted, the laminating pouch is placed in a carrier.

The laminating pouch carrier looks a lot like a manila folder. The carrier’s primary purpose is to assist the pouch in its journey through the laminator. It provides support, prevents jams, distributes heat and keeps the inside of the laminator free from hot glue.

Pouch laminators are more compact and portable than roll laminators. They are generally used on a table or other surface. Unlike a roll laminator, the rollers, heaters and other components are generally hidden under an exterior cover.

Pouch laminators are available as small as four inches wide. These smaller machines are more commonly used for laminating cards, business cards, photographs and other small documents. Most pouch laminators fall within the width range of 9-12 inches. You will find our entire selection of pouch laminating machine here.

Roll Laminators

Roll laminating machines use film called laminating rolls. A roll laminator uses a total of two rolls. One roll is located on top of the machine and the other below. No carrier is required for a roll laminator. Once heated up, the poster or sign can be placed on the feed tray where it is pulled into the roll laminator and laminated.

While roll laminators are generally considered ideal for laminating maps, posters, signs and other large documents, they are also ideal for high-volume laminating of many small items at once. Roll laminators generally take up more space than pouch laminators, weigh more and are generally more of an investment.

Roll laminators generally start off at about 25-inches wide, although smaller versions are available. Roll laminators can get as big as 60-plus inches wide. You will find our entire selection of roll laminating machines here.

A few recommended pouch laminators:

• Banner American PL12A 12″ Pouch Laminator
• Banner American PL100 Pouch Laminator
• Banner American Wonderlam PL135 13-1/2″ Pouch Laminator

A few recommended roll laminators:

• Banner American Easy Lam School Budget Roll Laminator
• Tahsin TCC2700 Roll Laminator
• Banner American EasyLam II 27″ Roll Laminator

Whether you are laminating a simple photograph, or need to laminate a large banner, laminating machines are handy machines to have around.

Fellowes is well known for making a wide variety of paper shredders, but did you know they make laminators too? One of Fellowes most popular pouch laminators is the Cosmic CL-95 personal pouch laminator. This laminator is capable of laminating documents up to 9 ½-inches wide, which means it is capable of handling standard 8 ½ x 11-inch paper. So is this the right laminator for you?

Let’s break down this laminator. First of all, it weighs about 6.6 pounds, which means it isn’t terribly heavy and can be carried around from one place to another without any problems. It also includes a handle. This means the Fellowes Cosmic CL-95 can easily be used in the office as well as at home.

This laminator isn’t going to break any records for speed, taking about one minute to laminate a sheet of paper. This shouldn’t be an issue, however, if you are only laminating a few documents throughout the day. I definitely wouldn’t rate this as a high-volume laminator. For the price you can’t really complain.

From the minute you plug in the CL-95, it takes about five minutes to completely warm up. This isn’t too bad. It uses HeatGuard technology as well, which means you shouldn’t have to worry about being burned while using this laminator.

The biggest pro that I have found with the Fellowes Cosmic CL-95 is that it has a release lever that disengages the rollers for easy re-positioning of material. If you have ever experienced a jam in a pouch laminator you’ll understand why this is so nice.

The biggest con I have with this laminator is that it can only used lamination pouches up to 3 mils thick. Most laminators can handle at least a 5 mil thick pouch. The thinner 3 mil pouches can be difficult to find as most smaller pouches are only available in 5, 7 and 10 mil thicknesses. The higher the mil (thousandths of an inch), the thicker the pouch.

My overall conclusion with the Fellowes Cosmic CL-95 is that it is good for low-volume lamination, but if the budget is there, another laminator may provide you with more flexibility. You will find our Fellowes Cosmic CL-95 personal pouch laminator here.

Good Alternatives to the Fellowes Cosmic CL-95:

• Sircle HQ-230 9″ Pouch Laminator
• Banner American PL100 Pouch Laminator
• Sircle HQ-330 13″ Pouch Laminator
• Sircle SG-230 9″ Pouch Laminator

Our entire selection of pouch laminators can be found here.

So you’re on a budget, the money and funds aren’t available, yet you desperately need a roll laminator. A few years ago I would have told you “sorry,” but not anymore. With the introduction of the Easy-Lam School Budget roll laminator, this is no longer an issue. In the 10 years I have been in this industry, I have never seen a roll laminator this affordable.

Banner American has been around for years and are known for making some of the best laminators we sell. They make the popular PL12A pouch laminator and the Easy-Lam series of roll laminators. This new roll laminator is a chip off the old block.

So are there any sacrifices made with this new low-cost roll laminator? There are a couple, but none that will affect most schools, print shops and other businesses. The laminator is fairly simple in its design. It is a little slower than most roll laminators and it can only handle film up to 3 mils thick. It can still be used to laminate posters, signs and maps, but is not designed for high-volume use.

Overall I will have to say that I am pleased with the quality of the Easy-Lam School Budget. The film is turning out well and the pictures I have laminated look great. I haven’t heard of any quality issues or returns with regards to this laminator.

If you need a roll laminator and are strapped for cash, I would seriously consider getting this laminator. You can find our Banner American Easy-Lam School Budget roll laminator here.

So you’re laminator is heated up and ready to go, but the results aren’t turning out exactly the way you had hoped. Don’t worry, you’re not alone in this. We get calls from customers on a regular basis with laminating woes. Luckily most laminating issues can be quickly resolved by making a few simple adjustments to your laminator. Here are some of the most common issues we see on a daily basis:

My lamination film ends up cloudy.

Cloudy film is very common in thermal laminating film and is almost always a result of the laminator being too cold. The cloudiness in the film is un-melted glue. Turning up the heat on your laminator will almost always fix this. In rare cases, this can be a result of using old film.

My lamination film has ripples and waves in it.

Ripples and waves are caused by either too much heat or bad silicon rollers. If you notice waves in your laminating film, turn down the heat and see if that fixes the problem. Although rare, this can be caused by warped or damaged rollers in which case you will need to speak with our Service Technician at 1-800-658-8788 x129.

My laminating film ends up with bubbles in it.

Bubbles are almost always caused by excessive heat. Bubbles are caused when the glue gets so hot that it actually boils. This can be quickly fixed by turning down the heat on your laminator.

Can laminating film get old?

The effectiveness of laminating film can diminish with age. One sign your film is getting too old is cloudiness in the film after it has been laminated. Laminating film, however, has a shelf life of several years. Need new film? You can find our pouch laminating film here and our roll laminating film here.

My laminator is jammed, what do I do?

First off, don’t use scissors or a screwdriver to try and fish out the paper as this can damage internal components. If your laminator has a reverse button, try using it. This will often safely back out the film. In worst-case scenarios, the cover of the laminator may need to be removed to gain access to the jammed film.

If you are still experiencing issues, even after trying these tips, feel free to call our Service & Repair Department at 1-800-658-8788 x129. You may also contact our Service and Repair Department by filling out this form.

So you’re in the market for lamination film, but don’t know exactly what to get. Well, you’ve stumbled upon the right place. I can help you out with that. Once you learn the laminating film ropes, it shouldn’t be too hard to isolate exactly what you need. I will be discussing the most common type of lamination film referred to as thermal or hot lamination. Here are a few questions you will want to ask yourself prior to purchasing laminating film.

What type of laminator do you have?

The two main types of laminators are pouch and roll laminators. To see an example of what these look like, you will find pouch laminators here and roll laminators here.

Both types of laminators use different types of film. Pouch laminators use “folder-like” pouches that open up and allow you to place your document inside. Roll laminators use two separate rolls of film to laminate a document, using a top and a bottom roll.

Both of these laminators use heat to activate the glue. Once warm, the glue sticks to the document. The glue is designed to stick to documents without damaging them. After the glue cools down, it is clear and transparent.

What type of film would you like to use?

The most common type of laminating film is clear glossy film. This film has a shiny clear finish and looks great. The second most common type of film is matte lamination film. Matte film has a dull finish and does not reflect light like the glossy film.

Additional types of film include UV film and low melt film. UV film blocks out ultraviolet rays from the sun and prevents fading (for outdoor use). Low melt film uses glue that requires less heat to activate. Low melt film is good for temperature sensitive documents.

What thickness of film does your laminator use?

The thickness of laminating film, in the U.S., is referred to as a mil. A mil is a thousandth of an inch. The higher the number, the thicker the film. Most pouch and roll laminators can handle film up to 5 mils thick. If you would like to use 7 or 10 mil film, you will need to reference your machine’s manual to see if this is an option.

Where can you find laminating film?

You can find our pouch laminating film here and our roll laminating film here.

Still have questions? Call us at 1-800-658-8788 or post a comment here.

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Bienvenidos a ABC Office, donde se encuentran las mejores maquinas de oficina. Estamos felizes de anunciar que ya podemos ayudarles en español por telefono o e-mail.

Estamos en el processo de traducir mas información en español. Mientras traducimos paginas a español, puede ver nuestra compañia completamente en español con la ayuda de Google. Haga click aqui para ver nuestra pagina en español.

Estos son unos de los productos que ofrecemos:

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Tiene preguntas? Nos puede llamar con sus preguntas maquinarias de oficina (en español) por telefono a 1-800-658-8788. Que tenga un buen dia!

In need of a gift for your mother, but have run out of ideas? No worries. We have a few great gift ideas that our customers, and some of our employees, have used to put a smile on mom’s face for Mother’s Day. Here are just a few of those ideas:

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas:

Laminators: Laminators are always popular with mothers who like to collect photos of children or grandchildren. Laminators can be used to protect and preserve photographs. Consider the Sircle HQ-230 (found here) or the Fellowes EXL 45-2 (found here).

Paper Cutters: Paper cutters are very popular with mothers who like to scrapbook, cut photographs and create crafts. Carl brand cutters are especially popular (found here). Our Carl RT-200 is especially popular (found here).

Emergency Preparedness Kits: With all the earthquakes occurring throughout the world today, you can never be too safe. Let your mother know how much you love her by getting her a 72-hour kit. You can found all our 72-hour kits here.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Pouch laminating sheets, often referred to as lamination pouches, are used to laminate business cards, menus, photographs and more. These sheets of lamination film come in a variety of different sizes and thicknesses. So what thickness should you look for when laminating documents? This article will go into detail about hot laminating film.

Mil Thickness – The mil thickness is the thickness of the pouch itself measured in thousandths of an inch. Laminating pouches typically come in 5, 7 and 10 mil thicknesses. A 5-mil pouch is a total of 10 mils thick, with each side of the pouch being 5 mils. This means a 7-mil pouch is in fact a 14-mil pouch laminated (7 & 7) and a 10-mil pouch is in fact a 20-mil pouch laminated (10 & 10).

To get an idea on how thick a 20 mil pouch is, a credit card is 30 mils thick. Five-mil pouches are typically used for surface protection, a 7-mil pouch is used for surface protection and support and a 10-mil pouch is used for surface protection, maximum rigidity and support.

Most of our customers purchase 5 mil pouches. This is due in part because they cost less, but also because most people only require the finish and protection a 5-mil pouch provides.

Keep in mind, however, that the thickness of the pouch doesn’t take into account the thickness of the item you are laminating. If you are laminating thick card stock, you may only want a 5-mil pouch. If you are laminating very thin paper, you may want to go with something a little thicker.

You can find our entire selection of pouch laminating sheets here.