Cold Laminators

[Peter De Smidt]

I have a Seal 210mx for smaller prints, but I'm considering making some 20x50" panos from 8x10 negatives. The negatives will be scanned and printed digitally with a diy carbon-based pigment ink set on cotton paper. I've tried the t-hinge method, and it's ok, but I don't like the waviness that can ultimately result. So, for my low volumn, perhaps a few prints a year, anyone have thoughts on something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Apache-AL25P-Professional-Press-Laminator/dp/B0012UKM78/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=02VDHCGVPB8TWJ9EJ9NH Other suggestion welcome!

[Drew Wiley]

Hmm... never seen one of those. It's certainly inexpensive. The cheapest motorized one with actual silicone rollers is made by Daige, around ten times that price.

[Peter De Smidt]

Hi Drew, Yeah, I know. I also know your opinion on inexpensive tools. :) Alas, anything much more expensive, at least at the current time, would mean not doing it.

[Drew Wiley]

For little stuff I just use a rubber formica roller. The problem with some of these simple hand-cranked things is that they might work for something like 3M repositionable adhesive, but with permanent acrylic adhesives, everything has to feed exactly. The smallest amt of mistracking and it's ruined. And I honestly can't
say in this case.

[Peter De Smidt]

Fair enough. For things 16x20 and smaller, I use a dry mount press. I don't sell my work. Occasionally, I frame a piece and hang it on the wall. As such, framing a bigger piece is a very expensive proposition.