# Own a Laminator?



## officerripley (Mar 28, 2021)

I'm thinking about getting a laminator for home use, mostly to use to make 2x6 or 7" bookmarks. Does anyone here have one that they're pleased with? If so, I have a coupla questions:

What brand do you have & about how much did it cost?

Would I be able to tape 2 pieces of paper together & laminate the whole thing, or will the laminator's heat melt the tape? (It would just be a small piece of tape so the 2 pieces would line up pretty straight & I heard use tape rather than glue?)

Thanks for any advice.


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## Dana (Mar 28, 2021)

_Hi officerripley...I have a very cheap one made by Burrows which costs around $65 Aussie dollars about $45 American? It does a good job but I have never tried to laminate two pieces of paper. Perhaps you may find some hints here..._


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## Tish (Mar 28, 2021)

I bought an Anko laminator in K-Mart that cost me $30 au the thing works brilliantly.
Paid another $10 for 50 laminating plastic sheets.


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## officerripley (Mar 28, 2021)

Wow, thanks, Dana and Tish; good info! If you don't mind, how wide an opening did you get on yours? The ones I've looked at, the cheapest models come in 9 inches (22 cm) wide; going up to 12 inches (30 cm) wide costs more. If you have the 22 cm wide ones, do they seem to be wide enough? (I'm assuming an A4 laminating sheet would just go in the long way into the 22 cm wide machine?)

Also, do the laminating sheets come in different ml's as to thickness? If so, is there a standard ml? (I'm seeing here that the sheets mostly seem to come in 3 mls. Also here in the States they call them laminating pouches for some reason, lol. )


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## Dana (Mar 28, 2021)

officerripley said:


> Wow, thanks, Dana and Tish; good info! If you don't mind, how wide an opening did you get on yours? The ones I've looked at, the cheapest models come in 9 inches (22 cm) wide; going up to 12 inches (30 cm) wide costs more. If you have the 22 cm wide ones, do they seem to be wide enough? (I'm assuming an A4 laminating sheet would just go in the long way into the 22 cm wide machine?)
> 
> Also, do the laminating sheets come in different ml's as to thickness? If so, is there a standard ml? (I'm seeing here that the sheets mostly seem to come in 3 mls. Also here in the States they call them laminating pouches for some reason, lol. )



_It's called pouches over here too lol. Mine does up to A3 size and the pouches up to 125 microns, hope that helps._


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## Jules (Mar 28, 2021)

I’ve bought sheets and just taken them to Staples to do the laminating.  It was cheap for the little bit I wanted to do.  I did business cards with phone numbers, email, etc to tuck into suitcases, purses, bags while travelling.


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## Tish (Mar 29, 2021)

Mine is an A4 opening


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## officerripley (Mar 29, 2021)

Dana said:


> _It's called pouches over here too lol. Mine does up to A3 size and the pouches up to 125 microns, hope that helps._


Yes, it does help; 125 microns is about 5 mils and I found where I can buy some 5 mil sheets that don't cost much more than the 3 mils, so I'm going for the 5's.


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## Lethe200 (Apr 3, 2021)

Saw a newsflash on the TV local station last night - DON'T laminate your COVID card. Apparently the heat can make the ink "disappear" - and there goes your proof that you were vaccinated on such-and-such a date!


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## officerripley (Apr 3, 2021)

Lethe200 said:


> Saw a newsflash on the TV local station last night - DON'T laminate your COVID card. Apparently the heat can make the ink "disappear" - and there goes your proof that you were vaccinated on such-and-such a date!


Good info, thanks,Lethe!


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