Mistral Laminator

[Russell Huffer]

Owen,

Not a clue about Mistral but the advice I was given when I was looking to buy a new laminator was get the biggest diameter rollers you can.

I bought a 1.6 M Easymount hot top roller as the rollers on this are 140m/m diameter.

I had a 1040 GMP laminater before this and the two are worlds apart but the GMP rollers where only 50m/m and any creases in the laminate would ruin the print unless i run at a high tension, with the easymount once running the large rollers smooth the creases out and i reduce the tension in the laminate to almost zero resulting in curl free prints.

Regards

Russell.

[Owen Lees]

Hi.

I am using a Seal Image 400s now, which is a really nice laminator – but way too small and making life incredibly difficult.

Oo

[Russell Huffer]

I came from the exhibition world into the vinyl world and one thing i found very strange about laminating vinyl is the you use the same size laminate.
When I rpoduced exhibtion graphics final sizes 646 – 800m/m wide i used 914 Opaljet and 880m/m laminate, this just used to feed out the back of the laminater onto the bench, when i started doing vinyl i use metermark and they do MD5 760 1370 and 1600 wide, the matching laminate is the same width, the problem this caused me was that when the laminate ran off the edge of the vinyl it would stick to the bench the whole lot would stop moving aqnd wrap round the rollers.
I used to pay extra to get vinyl slit down to 1250 but then at signUK i noticed you can get a take up rolloer for my easymount best £150.00 ever spent. if you laminate on your own load it onto the take up roller and this pulls it through perfectly.

If looking to do MD5 /MD7 at 1370 or 1600 wide my advis etoyou is get a laminater with a powered take up roller.

Regards

Russell.

[Owen Lees]

Yeah or get someone to grab the print and hold it 🙂

Looks like no-ones got a Mistral laminator, ho-hum I had probably better go and demo it.

Oo

[Denis Lelong]

Hi Owen,

Did you get a demo of the Mistral laminator?
I’m quite curious about it as we have to replace a Neschen and we are hesitating between the kala 1650 or a seal 62 base.
The kala seems more complete for the price but I’m reluctant to go for it without having info from previous users…