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Laminator

 

What types of laminators are available? 

We offer a large format laminator for larger projects and a small laminator that takes pre-made pouches. 

How much does it cost to laminate a page?

  • Small laminator: $0.15 per pouch, 8 ½” x 11” or 3.5 x 5.5”. 
    • Purchase laminator pouches from the circulation desk before using the small laminator  
  • Large laminator: $0.50 per linear foot. 
    • Pay for the amount you laminated at the circulation desk after you’ve used the machine. 

We accept CatCash, regular cash, and checks. 

What kinds of things can I laminate?

The laminators are designed for paper and can laminate materials as thick as cardstock. No natural materials, such as leaves, flowers, sticks, etc., should be used in either laminator. 

What's the biggest thing I can laminate?

The large laminator has a maximum width of 26. The small laminator uses pre-sized pouches with a maximum width of 8 ½“ 

Instructions

Preparation for using the small laminator:

  1. Purchase the pouches you need at the circulation desk.
  2. Turn on the laminator and let it warm for 1-2 minutes. When it is ready to use, the light will turn green. 
  3. Make sure the thickness is set to 3 mil (instead of 5 mil). 

How to laminate:

  1. Place your project inside the laminating pouch. Center your item(s) inside the pouch, checking that you leave a 1/8” laminate margin around the edges on each side for best sealing results. Tip: trim your project AFTER lamination.  
  2. Place the sealed end into the machine first, with the open end following. Check to make sure the pouch lines up to the opening to prevent uneven or angled feed through. Remove any objects that could get in the way of your project as it exits the machine 
  3. The laminated item will automatically exit the outlet of the machine. Do not pull the pouch through the laminator. If the pouch does not feed correctly or jams, push the pouch reverse button located on the control panel to reverse the pouch back out of the laminator.  
  4. Remove the pouch after it has stopped moving and allow to cool on a flat surface. Use caution, your project may be hot when exiting the machine.  
  5. It may be necessary to run thicker items through the machine twice to completely seal the pouch.
  6. Please remember to turn the laminator off when you are finished.

Preparation for using the large laminator:

  1. Contact the Circulation desk to set up an appointment. We accept walk-ins, but you must wait at least 20 minutes until the laminator is warm. 
  2. At the Circulation desk, tell them your name and appointment time, and someone will assist you. 

How to laminate:

  1. Press the Start Button.
  2. Allow a couple of inches of film to feed through the machine. 
  3. Place your document on the bed of the laminator, on the inside of the black slider bar. 
  4. Move your document forward until its edge presses against the top roll of the film. The machine will automatically pull your project through. 
  5. Press the Stop/Reverse Button after the document has been fully laminated and cleared by at least a couple of inches. 
  6. On the back of the laminator (the long side with no buttons), use the blue handheld cutter to glide/ cut film, pressing the edge against the bottom metal backing as a guide. There will be extra film before and after the laminated piece. 

Important Notes:

  • Look at the back of the unit (the long side with no buttons) to ensure the laminated document does not curl around and feed back inside the machine.  Very long documents could jam the machine. 
  • Keep work within the range of the black slider bar to ensure that your entire project is laminated. 
  • Leave space between multiple documents to prevent them from overlapping as they are fed through the laminator. 
  • Make sure the project you want to laminate is no more than 26 on its short side. 

 

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