MyBinding Knowledge Base
What supplies should I have with my laminator?
A laminator is an excellent tool for creating, protecting, and preserving a wide variety ofmaterials. From small ID making machines up to large roll laminators, they can coat just about anything flat and preserve it for years to come. Several tools are available to further enhance your laminating experience. Here are a few essential items you won’t want to be without.
- A workstation or cart. Both will provide a workspace for your laminator and most often are outfitted with casters on the bottom. The casters will allow you to simply roll the machine to wherever it’s needed, whether it’s a different classroom or another office. Either item also clears up your work surfaces by providing a home for your laminator. Both cabinets and workstations offer storage for large rolls of laminating film. Cabinets provide the added benefit of locking so you can secure various items for restricted use.
- Cleaning kit. Laminate adhesive can stick to your machine and have a negative affect on the finished product. A cleaning kit gives you the tools to eliminate the sticky adhesive so your prints come out looking crisp. The average kit includes spray cleaner, a foam pad, and a scouring pad to keep your machine sparkling.
- Slot punch. This is a must if you plan to make ID badges, name tags, or key cards. Slot punches come as hand held or table top machines and can be manual or automatic. For heavy duty punching, automatic is the way to go. Even if you only make the occasional name tag, having a readily accessible slot punch keeps you prepared.
- GBC Pro Clean Roller and PCR Adhesive Pad. This roller removes any particulates that may collect on your print prior to lamination. Simply swipe the device over your materials before you insert them into the machine. Your items will come out free of any tiny specks of dust. Use the adhesive pads to keep the roller free of any airborne particles.
- Pouch carrier. Pouch carriers can be used with almost any laminator. A carrier helps to slow the buildup of adhesive on the rollers. It also virtually eliminates the risk of having the pouch get caught around the rollers. Pouch carriers come in numerous sizes and can be custom cut to your specifications.
- Trimmer/Cutter. Many roll laminators have a cutter built in so you can easily remove your items from the machine. If a cutter isn’t included, you will want to purchase one and keep it handy. This will enable you to quickly remove your items after they’ve finished. Trimmers range from small hand held tools up to large machines designed to work in conjunction with a roll laminator. They come in a variety of sizes to accommodate all models and offer a range of features.
< Over the years, a number of customers have asked me whether they can use twin loop wire with their plastic comb binding machine. These customers often don’t want to have to buy a brand new machine but like the look and feel of twin loop wire binding. However, the answer to their question isn’t as simple as it seems. You see, they actually do make twin loop wire that is designed to work with the plastic comb binding hole pattern. With that said, if you want to use these wires you are going to need a way to close the wires. What is Spiral-O Wire? Let me explain a little bit more…There is a product that we carry called Spiral-O Wire. This wire has 19 loops and is designed to work with the hole pattern from a plastic comb binding machine. Spiral-O Wire is sometimes called Wire Combs or Ibico Wire and was originally designed for use with some of the older Ibico binding machines. A number of the older Ibico plastic comb binding machines also included a twin loop wire closer on the front of them to allow users to use both plastic combs and wire. This 19 loop wire was designed for this purpose. What Equipment is Needed? As the Ibico brand has been phased out by GBC and all of the older Ibico plastic binding machines have been replaced with new models, they no longer have the twin loop wire closer on the front of them. This presents a problem in trying to use these spiral-o wires since you can’t use the wires without a way to close them. One of the only options left is to purchase a Twin Loop wire closer. However, since twin loop wire closers are not incredibly cheap this option usually only appeals to users who have larger electric plastic comb binding machines. Otherwise, it is often advisable to simply buy a low end 3:1 pitch twin loop wire binding machine (the supplies are cheaper). This being said, if you have one of the older Ibico binding machines that has a wire closer included you are in luck. The Spiral-O binding supplies that we carry will work perfectly with your machine and you will be able to use both plastic combs and wire depending on your needs. These Spiral-O binding supplies are available in Black, Silver, White, Blue and Red and in sizes up to 1″ in diameter. If you aren’t sure what type of wire binding supplies that you need to work with your machine simply give us a call. Our trained sales representatives will be glad to help you find the correct supplies for use with your machine.(Read More)
