Thermal Laminator

Posted by: @ovi4

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Unfortunately none of the attached links work at my end. So, I’m not sure what’s going on there. It says “Google 404 Error. The URL address not found!”

That is interesting, it works for me and I can not go back and edit the post and even tried with my phone.

Maybe Google drive work better.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/18fCfWjj_SxvkOsmq2CAuiWDK4Ql9XvBa/view?usp=sharing, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KcyUY2QglnuTAaWhCbt6D3aT4w1AgNcI/view?usp=sharing, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e9Jm2U5cof_6wUy6bl7yy0SSo_L-2NXT/view?usp=sharing, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1on_LI4Ihil-V7Rx2epMBJ4whNqhPHb_C/view?usp=sharing

@larry_n7luf So, I take to mean that your machine showed up? Have fun using it 🙂

And don’t forget, there are a ton of youtube videos out there of people testing and using Vevor products.

@larry_n7luf Also, for some reason the first 2 links you shared worked fine for me. The second 2 ask for me to request access 😛

@larry_n7luf They work now but only the first 2 for some reason.. As for editing a post I have encountered the same problem. I think the  rules are currently set in such a way that once you wrote a comment the editing time is extremally short after which a comment is archived leaving no chance to edit it I worked out to be maybe 2-4 minutes. As I like to review my own posts after I wrote it and had it published, numerous times I myself have attempted to add or change things to my comments (if I forgot something or misspelled something) but if you go pass that time threshold That’s it. is over! The edit button disappears unlike Patreon where you can still do it.

@larry_n7luf  Great ! Those are made for pcb and lamination if I remember correct . That should make things a lot simpler for pcb transfer. Twisted1 🙂

@twisted1 It did a great job, the only problem the all medal cover the rollors really gets how to the touch.

Larry, I, too, cannot load your pictures, but I think I have found the same laminator on eBay.  It has all the features we need, but if I risk a purchase and have it shipped to Japan I will have to take the chance that it will work on 100V 50Hz.  I can deal with the voltage, just not the frequency very well.  Can I ask if yours has lived up to its advertising?  Thanks.

Bruce

Sorry, didn’t see your latest posts.  Your pictures confirm that the one I found is the same as yours, but I suspect there are two versions of this laminator, both for sale on eBay.  One, like yours, has the potentiometer temperature adjustment and three rocker switches while the other has what looks like a rotary switch for temp adjust and the Forward/Backward & Hot/Cold switches have swapped positions.  I suspect that latter one is older and yours is an updated model.  Yours also costs $10 more.  I will order the newer one and see where it goes.  Thanks for the pics.

Link below for those interested.

Bruce

https://www.ebay.com/itm/315138111072?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-167022-171738-6&mkcid=2&itemid=315138111072&targetid=293946777986&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=1009440&poi=&campaignid=19936488699&mkgroupid=149470745402&rlsatarget=pla-293946777986&abcId=&merchantid=757811585&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAlcyuBhBnEiwAOGZ2S604sZmQQmMwjOS3nKYidGuIhFZXg9lg4kkqzfTWu4tLWT_wlpvRTxoCiDIQAvD_BwE

@kmpres Hello Bruce, so far it has been working great.

I looked and there is no tags on the unit with any data plate or sticker.

So not really knowing what the model I got.

I ordered mine from Amazon here in the states for $74.62 and now seeing the price has dropped again to  $67.99.

So I hope this helps.

Just one warning is that cover over the rollors really get hot to 200+C

@larry_n7luf   Thanks.  I ordered one from eBay for $70.30.  Had to use a reshipper because no vendor would ship it overseas.  The shipping price often doubles the purchase price when customs and tax fees are factored in but that’s the price of fame.  At least I got one that I know will work and I can finally start building some of the projects that I’ve been collecting parts for.

Bruce JS2OLO  (I recently became a Japanese ham.  Now all I need are some lessons on how to use my rig!)

@kmpres Congratulations Bruce JS2OLO, I often have to get my manaul out to make sure if my Kenwood TS-950 SDX is setup right. To bad that you could not get it where you live. 73 de N7LUF

I used “Press-n-Peel” blue transfer paper. Look on youtube for techniques.

Print the circuit on it with a laser printer then just use the wifes iron to transfer image onto the copper board. \

Very easy with great results.

I tried Laser printing on paper, as Mr C recommends but I don’t have a laminator, though I did use the iron and got pretty good results but the 

“Press-n-Peel” blue transfer paper is easy to do if you don’t have a laminator. It gives splendid results with just an iron. Very clean and complete circuit traces.

I bought mine from a guy in BC Canada. Search for lees press-n-peel . (Mr C if this line violates your no advertising rule please delete)

Now the price for 1 8×11 sheet may startle you but its well worth it and it’ll do several projects.

@chris  I bought some Press-n-Peel off eBay a few months ago but haven’t tried it yet.  At $42 for 10 sheets including overseas shipping it didn’t even make me blink.  Then I discovered that my wife doesn’t have an iron, or rather she does but it is old and meant for light duty ironing.  So, sez I, I either buy her a new iron that will probably never be used for clothes or I buy myself a new laminator that will only be used to make PCBs.  At the risk of upsetting domestic bliss I ordered a new laminator, a Vevor like Larry’s.  However, I discovered today that it will cost me twice as much to ship to Japan than it did to buy off of eBay.  Like buying one laminator for the price of three.. Sigh… That made me blink. At least when it arrives I’ll finally have everything I need to make my own PCBs.

@kmpres Shipping really be painful and has stopped me many times.
Yet glad when I did pay for what I wanted.

Just for some fun, I ordered some of the yellow stuff to give it a try, and hope it does not jam up my printer.
I also not sure how it would work for double sided PCB.
I am think the packet style that Mr. Carlson does just may not work.

Here is an option that worked for me:

A couple years ago I bought a used New Precision Technology model NPT1200PRO laminator off of eBay and converted it to be used for toner transfer etching for pcbs and nameplates. I am happy with it.

Pros:

• Electrically I think the beauty of this machine is in its simplicity. Wired to the power button is a temp control that consists of bimetal plates with electrical contacts. Moving the temp control varies the distance between the plates and this determines the cutoff for when the heating element should cycle off and on to maintain the desired temperature. The temperature gets more than hot enough without any modification. Just turn it up and wear gloves.
• At least a couple of years ago these could be had for a very reasonable price. I got mine off of eBay for around $50 US.

Cons:

• I had to do three modifications to the feed patch to be able to use thicker materials like a pcb as opposed to just paper. Here is a quick description about what I did in case it is useful. 
  1. Raising the feed roller.

     The upper feed roller is held in place by a plastic frame and unfortunately will not allow wider media like copper clad boards to fit under it.  My workaround was to split the plastic frame with a medium size wire cutter to free up the roller. I put a double sided copper clad board and a couple sheets of paper under the roller to gauge the new feed height. Then I used some strips of around 1.5 mm (1/16″) thick aluminum about same width of the frame and placed it over the frame area I split. Then I wrapped and twisted some stainless steel wire around both the aluminum strip and the frame to make a splice. I also tried to smush some MG chemicals high temp epoxy in between the wrapped stainless steel wires in case I needed a bit of extra holding power though I do not think that it was that effective. So far the splices have held up fine.

  2. Modifying the roller.

     The splices added a bit of width and rubbed on the top roller as it turned. The roller is covered in a rubberized sleeve material. I used an Exacto knife at each end of the top roller to cut away a small strip of this material. Now there is no rubbing. 

  3. Raising the top of the case.

     The original case design did not have enough clearance to allow the thicker pcb material enough room to exit the laminator.  This was easily fixed. The plastic case consists a top and a bottom piece held together with four self tapping screws. All I had to do was add some tubular plastic standoffs maybe 5mm thick between the top and bottom pieces of the case. I cannot remember precisely if I got new screws or not but I think that there was enough thread to make a secure connection between the top and bottom of the case with the standoffs using the original screws . 

• Smell

  The only other drawback I can think of is that this laminator when in use has a distinctive chlorine plastic smell that some people may not like. For me though it is not unpleasant. This smell brings back memories of elementary school in the 80s walking by the teacher’s workroom. My classmates and myself would know for certain judging by this smell that someone was using the laminator and maybe making something fun and colorful for the classroom. Who knows? Maybe it was the same model.