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Ive decided I need a Laminator so was on amazon.ca looking. Can anyone help me out please? want to do a set of punches as well as pages of charts etc. I'm so confused with all the choices
so questions I have are:
1. what is hot or cold laminators, which do you have and why?
2. Some good brands please?
3. Pouches... do I need to get according to which brand of laminator? or do generics or any brands work good?
4. can they be cut after laminating to save on pouches? what size pouches do you use for what stuffs? do I need special trimmer for this?
any help would be so appreciated! Thanks for reading this
1. what is hot or cold laminators, which do you have and why? Cold lamination is applying sticky sided plastic contact paper to both sides of paper. I have a Xyron that can do that, but it's rather expensive for the cartridge - just too dated. I ordered from Amazon the under $25 Royal Sovereign heat laminator that Jennifer McGuire recommended in her best tools video. It's a lot cheaper than many others. Cheaper and heat lamination just sticks better. 2. Some good brands please? Royal Sovereign works fine: on/off switch, cold/heat option switch - simple. I haven't had a jamb yet. 3. Pouches... do I need to get according to which brand of laminator? or do generics or any brands work good? I'm sticking with the Avery letter size: ca. $12 for 100 pouches. Last time I ordered, the Amazon brand appeared to be more expensive. Other sizes are sold, but they are pricey, in my opinion - just easier to work with having only one size on hand. 4. can they be cut after laminating to save on pouches? what size pouches do you use for what stuffs? do I need special trimmer for this? You can trim with scissors, leave a margin of your choice, whatever.
I bought the Scotch Thermal Laminator TL902 a couple of years ago from Amazon.ca and a 100 pk of the AmazonBasic thermal Pouches 8.9 x 11.4 inches. I don't use it that often but really like it when I do and have had no problems using the Amazon pouches in the Scotch laminator. I did watch Amazon quite awhile for the best price -- they seem to have it on sale every so often -- and I got it for about 1/2 off. I have laminated 3-4 different cards in one pouch and have used a craft knife to cut them apart; have not used a trimmer.
I, too, have the Royal Sovereign laminator. Great machine, and reasonable. It will do either hot or cold, but I always do hot.
I buy my pouches at Sams Club here, and I don't know if you have that option. They are also Royal Sovereign, sized for 8.5 x 11 paper. I will continue to use them because I know that they are safe for me to put my stamps on in storage pouches.
Don't know if my brand is available in the US, it's a Lamimate by Dahle. That said, it's a totally basic laminator, just on/off switch, no various heat settings, one single speed. And it does the job perfectly. I originally bought it to laminate cardstock to make my own stamp storage sheets, after I bought some online and realised thats all they were- laminated cardstock.
Now, I use it as well for hot foiling, and it works perfectly for that too.
I also buy my laminating pouches from Amazon, in a 100 pack, so again nothing fancy.
I've even used ones I bought in a local Pound store.
Not sure what you mean by saving pouches by cutting after laminating? Any part of the pouch that doesn't have cardstock in it will stick together, so it's just waste.
I believe you can buy pouches in different sizes, but if I need them smaller I just cut down after laminating.
No special trimmer needed, I just trim down with my Tonic Guillotine.
I have only laminated UK A5 sheets of card and I slot 2 into each pouch, leaving a gap between the 2. I try to keep them as straight as possible to make trimming them down easier. (I use my large xcut guillotine - the one like the tonic/tim holtz one)
I have been able to use a corner chopper on the laminate after heating but I have seen a tip if you want to hole punch thru both laminate and what's inside. Hole punch what you're laminating first.
Michael's carries the Scotch brand 8.5" x 11" laminating sheets. The sheets were not with scrapbooking, but near the kids toy section in the store here. I had a 60% off coupon and it made them very reasonable. I don't remember if it was a box of 50 or 100 (I can't get to them them right now to check), but I do remember that it was a great buy.
I followed Diane's lead and got the Royal Sovereign laminator (on Amazon.ca the one I have is the "Amazon's Choice" one). I also use the Royal Sovereign pouches (on Amazon.ca they are SCR-003). Prices appear to be higher than on the US Amazon site...
That’s not the laminator that I use - my Scotch 901 was recalled but I still use it. (No fires reported.) It’s not heavily used or I’d take part in the recall.
I use Scotch pouches, maybe more expensive than others but I bought boxes of various sizes long ago, still tons and they work very well.
looking for a laminator on amazon.ca... help?
