Pro-Lam Pocket Rocket 12" High Performance Roll Laminator
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Product Description
Product Details
- 12" Wide Laminator
- 3-1/2 Minute Warm Up
- Laminates 1-10.0 Mil / One Side or Two
- Lightening Quick, Sustainable Thermal Response
- Variable Speed Control, Reversible
- Laminates/Mounts To 1/4 " Thick
- Affordable Priced
- 12"dia.+ Film Roll Capacity
- Digital Temperature Read Out
- Cooling Fans, (one set standard,)
- Ultra Duty Welded Steel Stand Standard
- Exclusive Micro Adjustable Slitter Assembly
- The Industry's Most Affordable Professional Grade Laminating Machinery
Item Specifications
- Laminating Width: 4" - 12"
- Speed: Max Mechanical Speed: 18 fpm, Maximum Sustained Lamination Speed: 1.5 Mil @ 275 degrees 15-18 fpm, 3 Mil @250 Degrees 8 fpm
- Laminate: Polyester, Polypropylene, Nylon, vinyl, and other plastics - Thermal or Cold
- Max Film Thickness: 10.0 Mil +
- Max Substrate Thickness: .250 (1/4")
- Cooling Fans: 2 @ 110 CFM ea.
- Warm Up Time: Less Than. 5 min.
- Max Film Roll Dia. 1.5 mil: w/o stand 6", with stand 11"
- Stand: Standard, 3" Mandrels Included
- Gapable rolls: Yes-Front Heat and Rear Pull Rollers
- Temp Control: Solid State - Digital Readout 2 degree hysteresis
- Motor / Speed Control: DC High Torque Gear Motor / Solid State Variable, Both Air Cooled
- Slitters: 2 Micro-Adjustable Included
- Heated Roll Watts: 850 ea 1,700 combined, 5803 BTU's
- Electrical Requirements: 120 Volt 60 Hz 16 Amps/1,900 Watts / Dedicated 20 Amp Circuit
- Dimensions: 23"W x 20"D 16"H -w/o stand 40"H-w/ stand
- Shipping Dimensions 2 Packages: Laminator 18" x 28" x 20" / Stand 23" x 33" x 8"
- Weight: Laminator and Stand 115 lbs
- Shipping Weight: Laminator 67lbs Stand 62lbs
- Manufacturer's Warranty: 1 Year Manufacturer, 3 Month on Rollers
Demonstration Video
How to Use the Pro-Lam Pocket Rocket 1200HP
Before doing anything, you’ll want to make sure that the rollers are separated when the machine is idle.
Ok, now we can turn it on. Next to the power switch is the fan control, if your projects are coming out wavy, the fan helps cool them better to avoid this. To start I’m also going to set the speed to it’s lowest setting.
On the other side, set the temperature. If you don’t know exactly what temperature to use for your film, set it to 200 first. If it doesn’t adhere well, th ... Read More
This is the Pro-Lam Pocket Rocket 1200 HP, a 12 Inch High Performance Roll Laminator!
Before doing anything, you’ll want to make sure that the rollers are separated when the machine is idle.
Ok, now we can turn it on. Next to the power switch is the fan control, if your projects are coming out wavy, the fan helps cool them better to avoid this. To start I’m also going to set the speed to it’s lowest setting.
On the other side, set the temperature. If you don’t know exactly what temperature to use for your film, set it to 200 first. If it doesn’t adhere well, then continue to turn it up until the results look good.
On the table is an edge guide. You can move this to any position, and even angle it certain ways if needed.
Setting up the rolls is pretty easy. Just take the mandrel—the bar that holds the roll—and insert in. Now, the orientation of the roll will be important.
Notice this little black piece. This is what locks the roller in place as the roll tries to rotate.
When we put the roller on, you’ll see it slips right in place.
Most rollers have the adhesive on the inside. We want to make sure that the adhesive side never touches the red heat rollers. When you pull it under the gray bar, if the adhesive side is going to touch the rollers then stop and reinsert the mandrel into the roll the other way around. Otherwise, drape the film over the rollers. Also note that the rollers are heated at this point.
To load a bottom roll, first remove the table. I’ll actually be using a kraft paper roll, though setup is virtually the same. With the roll in place, slip the film—or paper in this case—behind the bottom gray bar and over. Then push the bar into it’s upper position.
Now continue to thread your sheet around. If you’re doing one sided, the sheet should extend past both sides of the top lamination film. You can see how mine overlaps a bit on the side. If you are doing double sided lamination, the rolls should be perfectly aligned on both sides. Now is your one chance to align the rolls.
Ok, so my rolls are adjusted now, and the bottom film(or in this case paper) is now stuck to the top film. So, put the table back in place and take a thicker board, something like chipboard and push it into the heat rollers.
This is also the time to close the rollers back together.
Push the forward button to start the rollers and turn up the speed a bit. Don’t go to fast because we’re making sure it’s all set up properly.
In the back are two black rollers. Your guide board can easily miss these, so make sure to guide it between them to continue to grab and pull the film through.
My film is now set and ready for some real projects. Next, I’m going to set up the edge trimmers. They work like any X-Acto knife blade. Put the blades in and lower it down, but not through the project yet. Run one of your projects through, but pause it when it gets to the blades. There are several ways to adjust the blades. On the right is a little ball point. Bring the handle all the way over this, and the knives with cut through your projects.
Now I’m ready for all my projects. Which I’m using the edge guide to keep them consistent.
On the back you’ll see it come out slit on the two sides.
And since my example here is singled sided, you’ll also see that the project is in fact separate from the bottom paper—for a one sided lamination.
When you’re done, cut off the roll, to which you’ll then have to continue to trim your projects with a rolling trimmer, or a guillotine cutter.
If you’re getting a lot of static on your finished product, use this funky looking copper wire. It rubs on the projects as they come out the machine, and collects the static.
And these top knobs—don’t touch those! This label is very clear about that since your rollers are already perfectly aligned.
Another pointer—these adjusters should not be tight—just a tiny bit for minimal tension. If your projects are curling too much then adjust these until it comes out better.
Setting Up the Pro-Lam 1200HP
Within the stand box you’ll find all of your smaller supplies, this includes pieces for the actual machine.
Here we have the stand, and the roller mandrels.
All the smaller pieces are individually wrapped, and most pieces are kept together.
I’ll be following along with the provided setup instructions. Screw on the wheel, and do so on both sides. The wheels this machine came with did not screw in all the way as the instructions show, and that’s ok, they are different ... Read More
In this video we’ll be setting up the Pro-Lam Pocket Rocket 1200HP. We’ll start with the stand.
Within the stand box you’ll find all of your smaller supplies, this includes pieces for the actual machine.
Here we have the stand, and the roller mandrels.
All the smaller pieces are individually wrapped, and most pieces are kept together.
I’ll be following along with the provided setup instructions. Screw on the wheel, and do so on both sides. The wheels this machine came with did not screw in all the way as the instructions show, and that’s ok, they are different.
Next locate the bar that has the two holes at the end. Screw this part to one of the wheel bases.
Wheel be using the small washer, the medium washer and the long black screws. Put the small washer on first, then the larger one like so. Then screw them in. You’ll need a 3/16 inch hex key for these—which is not provided. Screw them on, but don’t over tighten them. Put both sides together; the orientation does not matter at this point.
Now take the small middle bar and attach it to one of the legs, using the same screws and washers.
With one side attached, now we need to attach the other side. But, one side has holes and the other doesn’t. Make sure to align these holes with each other. With them aligned, now I can screw them on.
At the top we’ll use the smaller black screws. Do notice that there is no threading in the bar. So when we put the next pieces down, make sure the holes are facing out, and screw it in place from the other inside portion.
Next is the roll holders. They should point up, and the and should be oriented with the edge on the inside portion.
For the most part, the base is finished and we’re going to put the machine on now.
Remove it from the box and place it on top. This will be easiest with two people, though it is mostly light enough for one person to cary.
On the bottom are small extrusions that align with the holes on the base. They should fit all the way in. Right now you can still see some light, but then you can see it fit in all the way.
The use the silver screws with a washer to secure the machine to the base on the four corners.
If the machine does not fit all the way in, loosen some of the base screws and try fitting it on again. Then the screws again.
Now take the mandrel and put it in place on the stand. On the left side, this gab should be from 3/16 of an inch to 1/8 of an inch. If it is more than that, we will make some adjustments.
First loosen the larger black screws. Then using a 3/32, tighten some of the smaller black screws already on the piece. Screwing them in right will skew the piece enough to close the gap a little bit more.\
For the top film holder, find the one that has this extra bolt and ball point on it. This goes on the right side, with the ball point facing the inside. Screw it in place. Now at this point, when the black lever come down, it should be flush with the bolt, so only tighten it to a point where this happens.
And the other side is self explanatory.
Lastly we’ll screw on the black handle on the right side. Now we are ready to begin laminating!
Staff Review
Pro-Lam Pocket Rocket 12" High Performance Roll Laminator Review
It can be difficult choosing the right commercial-grade roll laminator, especially if you want a machine that has a lot of special features. If you've been hunting for such a device, you should really check out the Pro-Lam Pocket Rocket Roll Laminator. Here's what you need to know about it, as well as what kind of grade it deserves.
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The Pocket Rocket is a great machine to use if you need to laminate items of varying widths. This device has a maximum laminating width of 12 inches, so you'll be able to laminate small items (photos, name badges) as well as documents that have been printed on letter-sized paper (8.5" x 11"). Since this is a roll laminator, you'll be able to laminate long items such as banners.
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This machine can perform both cold and hot lamination so you'll be able to use both pressure-sensitive and thermal laminating film. The film can be made of almost any plastic you wish to use including nylon, vinyl, and polypropylene, and it can be up to 10 mil thick. You can do either one- or two-sided lamination depending on what your document needs.
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The rolls of film you use with this device can be up to 11 inches in diameter if you're using the enclosed stand. (More on the stand in a moment.) If you choose not to use the stand, the rolls can be up to 6 inches wide.
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The Pocket Rocket is compatible with mounting boards that are up to 0.25" thick.
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Since the Pocket Rocket can process pressure-sensitive film, you'll be able to laminate items that could be damaged by heat. This includes documents that have been printed with ink-jet ink.
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This device is easy to set up and you can have it assembled in just a few minutes. When you're ready to use it, you'll only need to wait about 3 or 4 minutes until it's completely warmed up and ready to go. It also laminates quickly and can laminate a maximum of 17 feet of material in just one minute.
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The Pocket Rocket has 2 cooling fans so it will cool off properly before it shuts down completely. The fans will help keep the unit in great shape.
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For ease of use, this machine has a digital temperature readout and controls that are within easy reach. It has 2 built-in slitters that are adjustable. However, there is no foot pedal so you'll have to use your hands during the entire laminating process.
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If you're worried about finding room for this device, rest easy. It only measures 23" (width) x 20" (depth) x 16" (height). Plus, it comes with a stand so you won't need to make room for it on your work surface. The stand even has casters so you can move the device around easily despite the entire thing weighing over 100 pounds.
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The Pocket Rocket's rollers are covered by a 3-month warranty. The entire machine is covered for a year.
Final grade: A-. Basically, if you need a commercial-grade roll laminator, it would be hard to do better than the Pro-Lam Pocket Rocket. This device just about has it all since it can process both thermal and pressure-sensitive film as well as mounting boards. It's pretty easy to use and it will do the job quickly. Plus, it's not too big and it even comes with a stand. All it needs is a foot pedal and it would be just about perfect. Foot pedal notwithstanding, if you need a roll laminator, this product should definitely be at the top of your shopping list.
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Other Details
Variations:
The PL-1200hp 12" laminator is designed specifically to meet the needs of the vast majority of users employing sheet fed printers as nearly all output has one dimension under 12". The PL-1200 is a carefully designed and appointed commercial laminating system capable of consistently rendering professional performance and superb finish quality. Whether you need to laminate thin film on one side for a paper or plastic book cover, run a thousand menus with 3 mil. or encapsulate 10 mil. ID badges or signs, the PL-1200 is up to the task. The PL-1200 is equally content running polyester, nylon, polypropylene vinyl films and other plastic films. The standard PL-1200 includes a stand, two side slitters and 3" mandrels. A table top version is also available. Accessories such as extra slitter heads, stand wheels, liner take-up winder and extra mandrels are available to meet the special needs of some customers.
Warm Up Time:
Most laminators in this price category take from 15 to 20 minutes to warm up, some even longer. In fact we know of no other laminator in any class that comes close to the exclusive heated roll technology used by this machine. A lengthy warm up time often results in machines being energized all day long. When left on for extended periods, not only is the laminator trying to heat the room, the air conditioning system is trying to cool it. The warm up time of a laminator is indicative of its ability to replace heat in the laminating cycle. Laminate and the material being laminated draws heat away from the rollers. A fast warm up time equates to higher and more predictable performance levels. Rapid and accurate thermal response and controllability is necessary for the best possible finish and maximum yield. It also makes the operators job much easier. The PL-1200 is capable of maintaining a temperature range of just a couple of degrees from set point. Few if any machines in or even near the price range of the PL-1200 are capable of coming close to this temperature accuracy. Having to guess what an unstable temperature control system is going to do next is extremely difficult to predict, resulting in a poor quality finished product due to over and under heating. When you or a customer needs a job laminated in a hurry, the PL-1200 is up to the task because of the fast warm up time and high performance envelope of the machine.
Film Capabilities:
The PL-1200 is capable of laminating films less than 1 mil thick thru 10 mils---even thicker films are possible but not commonly utilized. This laminator can laminate both thermal and pressure sensitive films (cold). All PLS laminators are capable of laminating polyester, polypropylene, nylon, vinyl, and even less common materials. Many laminating professionals and even some laminating film manufacturers have a common comment; "If it can't be laminated on a PLS machine, it can't be laminated." There are three laminating processes. Two-sided (encapsulation), one-side laminating, and mounting and/or laminating. All Pro-Lam machines are capable of doing these processes with equal perfection. A common application of the PL-1200hp is one-side laminating for book covers. These are commonly printed, utilizing an inkjet or laser printer, on cover stock. For the best one-side results we recommend nylon laminates. For one-side applications, nylon based films are mandatory to ensure the flattest possible finished product. Laminates other than nylon can cause severe curling, warping or "window-shading". Our machines are the most accommodating in their ability to laminate a myriad of substrates using a seemingly endless array of films. Some substrates have a coating that renders lamination either difficult or impossible. For these difficult applications we will be happy to help you find solutions to your lamination needs. Our technical department can advise you on substrate/film combinations that are known to work well. If you have applications that we are not familiar with, we can test them for you. Nearly all commonly used printers and copiers are compatible with the laminating process. We only need to make sure we combine the substrate with the appropriate laminate.
Thermal Response:
Considering thermal response characteristics, Pro-Lam heated roll laminators are possibly the fastest laminators in existence. This makes these laminators incomparable to others near and beyond the price range.
Motor Control:
Every Pro-Lam Laminator is equipped with an American made, high torque DC gear reduction motor and an infinitely variable solid state motor controller, both of which are heat sinked, air cooled, and feature electronic reverse. The drive train includes hardened steel gears, sprockets and drive chain. This robust industrial configuration is common to all Pro-Lam laminators. They do not utilize plastic drive components, cheap AC motors , or integrated electronics.
Laminate--Mount--Encapsulate:
The PL1200hp is capable of laminating and mounting on one side or two using 1 mil through 10 mil films on materials up to 1/4" thick. Due to the extremely rapid thermal response of their exclusive laminating rollers, PLS laminators are perfectly suited for mounting or laminating, short runs or long. This unique thermal response is only one of the features that set PLS laminators apart from the rest that use heated rollers. Many other laminator manufactures produce laminators that "run out" of heat after a few turns of the rollers, sometimes only a couple of feet. The PL1200HP offers rollers that are not only designed to produce consistent and perfect thermal output they actually get "used to" the project that they are working on.
Value:
Pro-Lam laminators are some of the finest laminating machines in the world. The PL-1200hp (pocket rocket), like all Pro-Lam machines, is composed of a unique combination of exclusive design, innovative patented technology, state of the art manufacturing techniques and high quality components. These features and others combine to make Pro-Lam laminators and related equipment the best value on the market today.
Film Capacity:
The film roll capacity of the Pro-Lam laminators is often described as "huge". The standard roll diameter is about 11" on a laminator with slitters and stand. Without slitters, the capacity is approximately 12". Lower mandrel capacity is 22" when used with a stand. When a laminator is sold as a table top model (without stand) its film capacity is about 6", due to the placement of the lower film roll under the feed table. If only one sided lamination is desired the upper position of a table top model is 11" dia. roll of film . Keep in mind when ordering film that a large film roll may weigh a considerable amount.
Approximate film roll diameter vs. length
| Thickness | 6"dia, 3" core | 11" dia, 3" core | 6" dia, 1" core |
| 1.2 mil | 1,200' | 5,800' ( over a mile!!) | 1,800 |
| 1.7 mil | 850' | 4,000' | 1,300 |
| 3.0 mil | 500' | 2,300' | 757' |
| 5.0 mil | 300' | 1,400' | 450 |
| 10.0mil | 150' | 700' | 200' |
1 mil = .001 inch / / dia = diameter
Temperature Control:
Every Pro-Lam laminator features a digital display, a solid-state temperature control, and solid state relay that is isolated, heat sinked and air cooled. In conjunction with a temperature sensor that is located just below the surface of our laminating rollers these components are capable of a temperature hysteresis within several degrees. Don't let the simplicity of the control knob on our machines fool you. We use an analog input for our digital temperature control interface, this provides even casual operators a certain "feel" that is often associated with their stove at home. The truth is, the operation is just that simple. The digital display indicates the temperature of the laminating surface. This provides important feedback to the operator and is accurate to within 1 degree.
Cooling:
Laminating film cooling on the PL-1200hp laminator is achieved with two high performance 110 cfm axial fans. Cooling fans allow higher process speeds and provide for a better laminate finish. The PL 1200 hp and other Series II Laminators provide cooling for all critical electronic components utilizing these cooling fans. This practice is common in all high quality industrial equipment designs.
Adjustable Side Slitters:
Our exclusive micro-adjustable slitters are regarded by virtually all who use them as the finest in-line slitters available. The side slitters on this unit are: micro adjustable, offer quick set, overload release, blade angle adjustment, quick change blades and use standard number 11 blades. The unique blade angle adjustment allows for a perfect edge cut without curl. The slitting process takes place over the cooling fans. This cools the blade preventing build-up of adhesive on the blade. These slitters are standard with every PLS 12" and 27" high performance laminators and as an option for every laminator we make. This system allows for a minimum cut as narrow as 3".
