Help laminating cards

  • Thread starter Thread starter John Pilger
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J

John Pilger

I'm making wallet size ID cards by printing the info from a data base
8 up on a letter size sheet. I then run them through a laminating
machine. I next cut them apart so that I end up with 8 small cards,
each one a plastic/paper/plastic sandwich. They turn out looking
great but I find that carrying one around for a couple of weeks it
tends to delaminate slightly.

I'd like to forestay this and have thought of applying a small stream
of glue to each of the four edges to seal them. To work best, I'd
like to know which glue is best to adhere to the plastic in the pouch
or not interact chemically with it. I tried their 800 nbr but the
best they could come up with was to put double stick tape in the
separation.

John
 
I'm making wallet size ID cards by printing the info from a data base
8 up on a letter size sheet.  I then run them through a laminating
machine.  I next cut them apart so that I end up with 8 small cards,
each one a plastic/paper/plastic sandwich.  They turn out looking
great but I find that carrying one around for a couple of weeks it
tends to delaminate slightly.

I'd like to forestay this and have thought of applying a small stream
of glue to each of the four edges to seal them.  To work best, I'd
like to know which glue is best to adhere to the plastic in the pouch
or not interact chemically with it.  I tried their 800 nbr but the
best they could come up with was to put double stick tape in the
separation.

John
Click to expand...

The secret is to cut so you have two pieces of the clear material
stuck together at the edges for at least 1/8".
This keeps the think paper edge from being exposed.
If you are already doing this than you need better stuff
 
The secret is to cut so you have two pieces of the clear material
stuck together at the edges for at least 1/8".
This keeps the think paper edge from being exposed.
If you are already doing this than you need better stuff
Click to expand...

To clarify, you have to cut the cards first and then laminate so the
clear laminate has a border around the card that does not leave an
exposed paper edge that will degrade. I can make my own individual
cards with wide clear tape on both sides and they never come apart.
Kids can play with them all day long and not destroy them.
 
To clarify, you have to cut the cards first and then laminate so the
clear laminate has a border around the card that does not leave an
exposed paper edge that will degrade. I can make my own individual
cards with wide clear tape on both sides and they never come apart.
Kids can play with them all day long and not destroy them.
Click to expand...

I'm already aware of this technique. That's fine if you have a few to
do. I have a few hundred and I'm trying to develope something faster.
 
John Pilger said:
I'm making wallet size ID cards by printing the info from a data base
8 up on a letter size sheet. I then run them through a laminating
machine. I next cut them apart so that I end up with 8 small cards,
each one a plastic/paper/plastic sandwich. They turn out looking
great but I find that carrying one around for a couple of weeks it
tends to delaminate slightly.
Click to expand...

John-

Pre-perforated business card sheets fit luggage tag and ID Badge
laminating pouches, but those won't fit your wallet!

I've ended up obtaining credit-card-size (2 1/8" X 3 3/8") thermal
laminating pouches. It is necessary to cut the paper prior to
laminating, so there is a margin between the edges of the paper and the
edges of the pouch.

Even with the margin, there is a limit to how much wear and abuse they
can stand. Use of thicker paper or card stock helps a little.

The only better method I'm aware of, is to use printable credit card
blanks. This could become quite expensive, with special materials and a
special printer required.

Fred
 
John-

Pre-perforated business card sheets fit luggage tag and ID Badge
laminating pouches, but those won't fit your wallet!

I've ended up obtaining credit-card-size (2 1/8" X 3 3/8") thermal
laminating pouches.  It is necessary to cut the paper prior to
laminating, so there is a margin between the edges of the paper and the
edges of the pouch.

Even with the margin, there is a limit to how much wear and abuse they
can stand.  Use of thicker paper or card stock helps a little.

The only better method I'm aware of, is to use printable credit card
blanks.  This could become quite expensive, with special materials and a
special printer required.

Fred
Click to expand...

Thanks for all your comments. But since I'm a 77 year old cheapskate
with time on the various parts of my anatomy, I'll probably end up
printing then cutting and stuffing ever so carefully into the pockets
to leave suitable space before laminating. My biggest worry is
keeping them in position while feeding into the machine. The final
cutting will be more difficult since they are unlikely to line up
properly.

John
 
I'm already aware of this technique. That's fine if you have a few to
do. I have a few hundred and I'm trying to develope something faster.
Click to expand...

Would it not be faster to print onto a material that does
not require lamination?
 
There are several things you can do to lessen delamination of the nature
you wrote about

I'm assuming you are using a hot laminate.

1) It's a real pain, bit the best way to laminate with hot laminate is
to laminate each card with space around it so the laminate glue comes
directly in contact with the same on the front, in other words, the two
laminate sheets contact each other all the way around the card, such
that there is a small border of laminate only around the card.

Yes, its' a pain.

2) use a paper or card stock that is well integrated so it doesn't tend
to separate, split or peel

3) My compromise is to do as you do, gang print, laminate, cut apart,
and then send each cut unit through the laminator a second time,
sandwiched between two pieces of appropriate paper. What happens is a
small amount of the glue on the edges remelts and "seals" the edges down
pretty well. There may be a small amount of this glue bleeding out and
it can stick slightly on that paper. I replace that cover paper fairly
regularly to keep the excess glue from ending up on the laminate surfaces.

Art



If you are interested in issues surrounding e-waste,
I invite you to enter the discussion at my blog:

http://e-trashtalk.spaces.live.com/
 
Don Phillipson said:
Would it not be faster to print onto a material that does
not require lamination?
Click to expand...

FASTER = Yes

TOUGHER = No

There are at least 2 types of laminating.

- One using self-stick

- One using laminator (heating and pressing 2 sheets together.
 
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