Alternative to laminated card?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Fred McKenzie
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Fred McKenzie

I was asked if it was possible to laminate club membership cards. Of
course it is, but commonly available lamination pouches are longer than
a typical credit card, and won't fit in your wallet.

So, why not print on actual credit card stock? Has anyone done this?
Can it be done at a reasonable cost?

I have done a preliminary web search, but equipment I found is quite
expensive for a small club to consider.

Fred
 
Hi!

Brother sells a line of film-based heatless laminators. These will work on a
wide variety of objects with unusual sizes. I have used one to make labels
for equipment. It has always worked well for me, although there is sometimes
a large amount of "wasted" film. These have an integrated electric cutter,
but if that won't work, trimming it on a paper cutter or with conventional
scissors certainly would.

William
 
Fred said:
I was asked if it was possible to laminate club membership cards. Of
course it is, but commonly available lamination pouches are longer than
a typical credit card, and won't fit in your wallet.

So, why not print on actual credit card stock? Has anyone done this?
Can it be done at a reasonable cost?
Click to expand...

It is done, for the purposes of security ID cards (door swipe and the like).
I have done a preliminary web search, but equipment I found is quite
expensive for a small club to consider.
Click to expand...

Quite possibly, given the niche market. Last place I worked had maybe 2 such
printers (not big) for an employee force of 1000's. The manufacturers know
this, so I would not be surprised if such a specialist printer were vastly
marked up.

Tim
 
Tim S said:
Fred McKenzie wrote:
Click to expand...
It is done, for the purposes of security ID cards (door swipe and the
like).

Quite possibly, given the niche market. Last place I worked had maybe 2
such
printers (not big) for an employee force of 1000's. The manufacturers know
this, so I would not be surprised if such a specialist printer were vastly
marked up.
Click to expand...

It is not so much the printers as the special ink that is an issue. To
print directly on plastic typically takes solvent based inks which are
rather specialized and have various handling issues.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging
 
"William R. Walsh"
Brother sells a line of film-based heatless laminators. These will work on a
wide variety of objects with unusual sizes. I have used one to make labels
for equipment. It has always worked well for me, although there is sometimes
a large amount of "wasted" film. These have an integrated electric cutter,
but if that won't work, trimming it on a paper cutter or with conventional
scissors certainly would.
Click to expand...

Thanks to all for your comments. It seems unlikely I'd find a
reasonable credit card printer unless it was on the surplus market.

This Brother printer sounds interesting, although I don't have a high
opinion of "heatless" lamination systems. Ones I've tried in the past,
the top and bottom layers would slide in opposite directions over time.
If I find one in a store, perhaps they will demonstrate it.

I already have a heated laminator. The smallest ready-made pouches I've
found, were designed for a 2" X 3.5" business card. They provide a 1/8"
margin around the business card, and are about 3/8" longer than a credit
card. I recently bought a "corner rounder" at the local office supply
store, and plan to try trimming one of the pouches for a smaller card.

Fred
 
It is not so much the printers as the special ink that is an issue. To
print directly on plastic typically takes solvent based inks which are
rather specialized and have various handling issues.
Click to expand...

So, how do inkjets print on CD's and DVD's?
I would have thought that researching card blanks
and DVD inkjet printers might be fruitful, then
looking for a compatible spray varnish to add
durability and seal the image.
 
Fred said:
"William R. Walsh"


Thanks to all for your comments. It seems unlikely I'd find a
reasonable credit card printer unless it was on the surplus market.

This Brother printer sounds interesting, although I don't have a high
opinion of "heatless" lamination systems. Ones I've tried in the past,
the top and bottom layers would slide in opposite directions over time.
If I find one in a store, perhaps they will demonstrate it.

I already have a heated laminator. The smallest ready-made pouches I've
found, were designed for a 2" X 3.5" business card. They provide a 1/8"
margin around the business card, and are about 3/8" longer than a credit
card. I recently bought a "corner rounder" at the local office supply
store, and plan to try trimming one of the pouches for a smaller card.

Fred
Click to expand...

the trick is to trim and then run through the laminator again.

Makes the glue stick and gets the air out.

--

Rev. G.G. Willikers
(Founder, Custodian & Janitor of the Shrine of HOoMSJ)


"Sir, I am unaware of any such activity or operation - nor would
I be disposed to discuss such an operation if it did in
fact exist, sir."
 
Tim S said:
Special coating - slightly porous I would guess - it feels that way.
Click to expand...

Why didn't I think of that. I have an Epson R220 printer that came with
an adapter to print on CDs. The adapter has an additional adapter with
a cut-out that is slightly larger than a credit card. I think I should
look for the R220 instruction manual!

I checked Thoss's UK reference, and also found a US company that sells
the credit-card sized pouches.

Fred
 
I was asked if it was possible to laminate club membership cards. Of
course it is, but commonly available lamination pouches are longer than
a typical credit card, and won't fit in your wallet.

So, why not print on actual credit card stock? Has anyone done this?
Can it be done at a reasonable cost?

I have done a preliminary web search, but equipment I found is quite
expensive for a small club to consider.

Fred
Click to expand...

Office Depot sells a kit for 'ID cards' where you print on clear
plastic, sort of like transparencies, then 'adhere' them,
ink-side-down, to a plastic card of credit card thickness (it has a
slot cut out to affix a badge clip). I had pretty good results with
these to make 'gift certificates' for my business, though the slot
doesn't look so great when you don't want to use it as an ID badge.

The other suggestion would be to buy Avery 'Waterproof' labels (comes
in half-sheet size) and print the card out onto them, then adhere the
label to a sheet of acrylic and score/snap it out. Rounding the
corners might be a problem though.

--

http://www.FenrirOnline.com

Computer services, custom metal etching,
arts, crafts, and much more.
 
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