Choosing the Right Laminating Trimmer for Your Needs

Laminating your documents is easy whether you have a pouch or roll laminator. It's also a great way to protect important materials so they'll be able to withstand a lot of use. However, sometimes you'll want to trim away excess laminate to make your documents look their best. For that, you need an appropriate trimmer. Here are three things you need to consider in order to choose the one that's right for you:

1. Shape. The shape of your documents is definitely something you should consider when choosing a trimmer. If you work with a lot of square or rectangular documents, a rotary trimmer is an excellent choice. These cutters come in a number of sizes and cut perfectly straight lines. On the other hand, scissors or Zippy knives are the way to go if you work with oddly shaped materials.
2. Thickness. You'll want to think about the thickness of your documents when deciding on a trimmer. Thinner materials laminated with 1.5 mil film can be hard to cut with a rotary or guillotine trimmer. In that case, you should either use scissors, Zippy knives, or a straight edge and craft knife. Rotary trimmers will work with a lot of documents although things will get tricky if your materials are really thick or if you're working with mounting boards. Boards should be cut with either a board or mat cutter.
3. Size. Finally, size is always an important consideration especially if your items tend to be large. If that's the case, a wide-format guillotine or rotary trimmer is a great choice. You might also choose an automated laminating trimmer. Just keep in mind that you'll need adequate space to store whichever type of trimmer you choose.

In order to choose the right trimmer for your laminated documents, you'll need to consider the shape, thickness, and size of your materials. By keeping these things in mind, you'll find the trimmer that's just right for your needs. Good luck!

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Written by Jeff McRitchie
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