Five Methods For Trimming Laminated Documents
Laminating documents is easy. Using your pouch laminator or roll laminator you can have your documents laminated in just minutes. However, after your documents come out of the laminator you aren't necessarily done. You may still need to trim your laminated output. This article is designed to help you understand some of the different options for trimming laminated documents. Here are five options...
1. A Rotary Trimmer: Perhaps the most efficient method for trimming laminated documents is to use a rotary trimmer with a sharp blade. Rotary trimmers aren't ideal for cutting large stacks of paper. However, the round cutting wheels are great for trimming laminated documents in a straight line. Trimming with a rotary cutter is fast, easy and your cuts will be straight. However, the blades can become dull and will need to be replaced over time. Additionally, rotary trimmers are not a good option for trimming items that aren't square or rectangular.
2. Zippy Knives: Zippy knives are special tools that are used to trim laminated documents. They work in much the same way as a letter opener does with a fixed razor blade that is safely kept away from fingers. Using your zippy knife you can quickly and easily trim documents out of laminated output. Zippy knifes are great for odd shaped documents and output and are very safe. However, it is much more difficult to cut a perfectly straight line with a zippy knife.
3. Scissors: If you don't have a special trimming device for your laminate you might just want to resort to a pair of scissors. These tend to work especially well for thin laminate. The best method for trimming with a pair of scissors is to begin to cut the laminated material and then slide the scissors through the material. This will give you a more fluid cut line and will be much faster than continually opening and closing the scissors. Again, it is difficult to cut a perfectly straight line with a pair of scissors and they will not always do a great job on thick laminate.
4. A Razor Blade and Straight Edge: The most precise way to cut laminated documents is using a razor blade and a straight edge. With this method you eliminate any problems with the laminated output rolling over as you attempt to cut it. However, this method can be much more time consuming that some of the other methods and requires large spaces with a cutting mat to protect the surface under the items you are cutting. If you choose this method for trimming you need to be very careful that you don't cut yourself or ruin the table or countertop that you are using to cut.
5. An Automated Laminating Trimmer: For the highest volume users, there are actually automated laminate trimmers with flying knives and side slitters. These special trimmers will detect the leading edge of your documents and use sharp razor blades to automatically trim the laminate as it feeds through the device. Automated laminating trimmers such as the GBC Discovery Cutter are difficult to configure and require high speed feeding equipment to pair with. However, for companies who laminate thousands of documents at a time these devices are highly accurate and incredibly productive. As an alternative to a standalone automated trimmer there are a few laminators on the market that have built in trimming. A new laminator from Fujipla (distributed in the United States by Drylam) will actually take letter sized documents, laminate and trim them all in a single step. This type of laminator allows you to essentially "set it and forget it".
These are five different methods that are commonly used for trimming laminated output. Depending on your volume, your budget and the type of materials that you are laminating any one of these options may be a good fit for you. Try them out and see which option will work best for your needs.
Jeff McRitchie is the designer and Director of Marketing for MyBinding.com. He has written over 100 articles on laminators, laminating supplies, binding machines,binding supplies,binding covers,and more.
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