KaTbgsu asked:
I need to laminate large patterns for my stained glass class.
Projects are usually 18” by 22” and larger. I have a lot of projects and need to copies of my pattern laminated for each project. What’s the most efficient and wallet friendly way to laminate these patterns???
I need to laminate large patterns for my stained glass class.
Projects are usually 18” by 22” and larger. I have a lot of projects and need to copies of my pattern laminated for each project. What’s the most efficient and wallet friendly way to laminate these patterns???
They need to be water proof and relatively sturdy, is contact paper enough? And is contact paper going to be really hard to deal with when working with large projects?
one last thing, is it possible to laminate newsprint successfully or do i need to put the patterns on sturdier paper first?
thanks,
kat
Tags: Diy, Stained Glass, Wallet
Kat-
There are two types of laminating. Hot and cold. Hot isn’t really going to work for you since you’re watching costs and buying a hot laminator the size you need would set you back a couple of grand. So that leaves cold. I wouldn’t recommend using contact paper for a few reasons. I don’t generally feel it is as clear as it should be, and will be very flimsy when working on something that size.
It sounds like you have a decent amount of work to do, so I would recommend the follwing. Purchase a large roll of cold laminate used in the graphic arts industry. The material will still be tough to work with at the 18×22 size so I would recommend using transfer tape. Transfer tape is a low tack type of masking tape that comes in big rolls. When applied to the entire surface of the laminate, it will give it more body and make it much easier to apply – which you should do using a squeegie. One trip to a local sign or graphics shop and you could probably get everything you need.
To be honest- if this is a one-time deal – it might just make more sense to have everything hot laminated by a professional. It ultimately might be a little more costly, but it will go waaaay faster and less likely to have screw-ups that have to be redone. I know not really the answer you’re looking for, but might be a better idea, thats all.