laminating machines

[kfeusse]

I am thinking about getting a laminating machine for the library, (I am the librarian) but I don't know enough about them to know what I might want. If anybody here has one, can you please give me some specs that I might want to consider. It doesn't have to be super big...maybe 13-17 inches wide, but I want it to use the rolls, not the pouches so I am not limited to the length I want to cover.  I have a board meeting tonight, so I want to bring some ideas to the meeting.  Thanks so much!  

[DawnM]

Can you look into getting a used one from a school?

When our homeschool group wanted to have a laminating machine for ID cards, I didn't  like the home use options as they didn't support the heavier mm laminating cards, so I found one online (ebay actually) that had been used by a school to laminate ID cards and could fuse up to 10mm width cards.  I think I paid $35 including shipping and it is super heavy duty and a workhorse.  

It looks like they come in 13" roll widths and 27" roll widths, those are the two I can find.  

Edited April 15, 2019 by DawnM

[happi duck]

Could you call some other libraries to ask if they like what they have?

[prairiewindmomma]

I've used the Ledco ones, but in much wider widths. They run around $8-10k. 

For what you're interested in doing, you might look at: https://www.gbc.com/p/laminating/laminating-machines/roll-laminators/ultima-65-thermal-roll-laminator/  Be sure to pick something that uses standard loading rolls of film. Most 25-27" laminators will use a 1" core.