I had someone recently ask me if it is possible to laminate a sheet of card stock or paper that has already been folded. This was in relation to restaurant menus, but can be applied to many other projects. The answer is fairly short and simple.

You can laminate paper that has already been folded, but you probably won’t be happy with the results. This is because the crease in folded paper creates an uneven surface. While this surface can be laminated, air will often get trapped under the lamination film and the end result will be pretty ugly.

Standard copy paper may come out just fine, but card stock is where you run into the biggest problems. This isn’t to say it will always turn out bad, but I can’t make any promises. The uneven ridge created by the fold is hard for the laminator to flatten out.

If you need to fold something that is laminated, I recommend using a paper scoring machine. These machines, sometimes called creasers, will crease the paper down the middle, making it easy to fold. The end result looks great.

So in relation to menus, I highly recommend laminating them first and then scoring them. You will be happy with the results.

You can find our laminators here and our paper scoring machines here. Still have questions about laminating and folding paper? Contact one of our specialists at 1-800-658-8788 or post your question in a comment.

Have a great day!

Are you in need of a compact, durable and commercial-quality pouch laminator that can be used to laminate ID cards, business cards and other material? One pouch laminating machine you may want to consider using is the Banner American PL4A pouch laminator. I have used this laminator and this is my review.

Banner American, the people who make the PL4A, have been making laminators for years now. In fact, the actual design of the PL4A has been around since I started working for ABC Office 10 years ago. The design has been tried and tested. Customer complaints are nil.

The Banner American PL4A is a 3 ¾-inch wide pouch laminator primarily designed to laminate photo ID cards, luggage tags, business cards, photographs and other documents. Not only does the PL4A do this quickly, it does it well.

The PL4A utilizes a four roller system, which is really nice (and uncommon) for a laminator this small.  Four rollers, versus two, more evenly distributes heat and pressure. This means fewer bubbles, ripples and cloudy results.

The PL4A is capable of using laminating film up to 10 mils thick. This is the thickest film that we sell. This means you can laminate documents using 3, 5, 7 and 10 mil film.

The adjustable temperature, located on the bottom of the machine, makes it possible to get the perfect temperature for the item you are laminating. The PL4A is even available in a version called the PL4AT that includes a built in thermometer for precision.

Another nice feature about the PL4A is that it has separate motor and temperature controls. This means you can keep the PL4A fully warmed without having the motor running. Laminators that use one single switch for heat and motor often suffer premature motor issues.

One thing I would like to see in the PL4A is more digital controls. The PL4A is very analog with switches and dials. This is more of a wish than a complaint. Of course the PL4A is a solid machine and as the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This is probably the case with the PL4A.

I have to say that the PL4A, after having used it for years, is probably my favorite pouch laminator in the four-inch range. It simply works well, very well.

You can find the Banner American PL4A pouch laminator here. You can find our entire selection of pouch laminators here.

So I was recently on Yahoo’s home page and noticed an article titled “12 alternative uses for coffee filters” found here. That got me to thinking. What are some of the oddest things our customers have done with the products we sell? I have had customers tell me some pretty interesting uses for laminating film.  Here’s what I have come up with.

Top 9 Alternative Uses For Laminating Film

1. Markerboards – Laminating film has a glossy surface that can be easily written on by marker board markers. Laminate a white sheet of paper, stick a magnet on the back and you have a fridge whiteboard.
2. Placemats – I have had people tell me that they have made (and sold) placemats for eating by simply printing a picture and laminating it with a 12 x 18 sheet of film.
3. Coasters - Laminating film is waterproof and will easily protect a table from a cold cup or beverage.
4. Luggage Tags – This one is done all the time. Get a luggage-size pouch and use it as a luggage tag. You can even get luggage-tag size pouches that already have a slot punched for a strap.
5. Bookmarks – This one is pretty popular. Laminate a photograph or a piece of artwork, cut it down into a rectangular shape and use it as a bookmark. I have even had people put a hole punch in the corner and tie a piece of ribbon to it.
6. Cutting Mats – Need a cutting mat? Laminate a sheet of card stock or a poly sheet using a 10 mil pouch and you have an instant cutting mat.
7. Flower Preservation – I have had people put flower specimens in lamination film and laminate it. This is often done for preservation, scrapbooking or for making cards.
8. Funnels – Because laminating film is waterproof, you can easily laminate a sheet of paper and roll it up into a funnel. It’s cheap, temporary and disposable.
9. Snow Scrapers – This one is pushing it, but I have had people tell me that a good 10 mil laminated pouch makes a great snow scraper. This is about as effective as using a credit card.

You can find our entire selection of laminating machines and film 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.

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 laminators come in all shapes and sizes. If you have ever read our laminator guide (found here), you will know that laminators come in different sizes, with different amounts of rollers and different features. Finding the best laminator can be difficult, and nobody wants to buy a laminator that will die a few months later.

We have been selling laminators since 1980, and have received a lot of feedback during the last few years regarding reliable laminators. We have taken this data and feedback and have compiled a list of highly reliable and durable pouch laminators that shouldn’t give you a headache.

Some laminators are not featured in this list because we haven’t had them online long enough to tell whether or not they are “list worthy” (Sircle and Fellowes). As part of an effort to offer you, the customer, the best product, we try to remove unreliable laminators (and products) from our site if the don’t meat our quality guidelines. With that in mind, here is our list of the top seven pouch laminators according to our customers.

Top 7 Best Pouch Laminators

1. Banner American PL12A Pouch Laminator
2. Banner American PL4A Pouch Laminator
3. Banner American PL135-4 Pouch Laminator
4. Tahsin TCC-330 Pouch Laminator
5. Akiles Pro-Lam 100 Pouch Laminator
6. Akiles Pro-Lam Plus 330 Pouch Laminator
7. Big Mouth Pouch Laminator

When looking for lamination film, you have probably noticed the term mil come up. Lamination film is often available in 1.5, 3, 5, 7 and 10-mil thickness. Logically it would seem the higher the number the thicker the film. That would be correct. But what does the term mil stand for?

Mil comes from the Latin mille, which means a thousand. One mil, in lamination measurement terms, is a thousandth of an inch. Your standard credit card is 30-mils thick, which equals out to be 0.03-inches thick.

If you like to use pouch laminators, you may think that a 10-mil pouch is 0.010 inches thick. That would be incorrect. It is a bit of a trick question. Lamination pouches, when labeled 3, 5, 7 or 10 mils thick, are actually referring to one side of the lamination pouch (total of two sides). Combining both sides of the lamination pouch, the thickness is doubled. A 10 mil lamination pouch is actually a total of 20 mils thick once laminated, not counting the paper, photograph or card being laminated.

Roll lamination film, on the other hand, is a little less confusing. When you buy a roll of 5-mil film, you get a 5-mil roll. Remember, however, that roll laminators use two rolls of film to laminate a poster, map or whatever you need. Using a 5-mil roll on the top and a 5-mil roll on the bottom would be a total of 10 mils of film. Simple math.

Getting back to pouch laminators, you may have ordered a box of 7-mil lamination pouches and noticed on the box that it says 2/5. Yes, 2+5 does equal 7, but what does it mean? That number is letting you know that the pouch consists of 2 mils laminate glue and 5 mils of hard plastic, giving you the total of 7. This isn’t always labeled on the box, but often is.

You can read more about laminators and lamination by reading our lamination guide here: http://www.abcoffice.com/laminating_guide.htm.

Good luck laminating!