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You have a new laminator or perhaps picked up used one along the way. Chances are it came with a good supply of laminating film. However, since you have discovered the many wonderful uses for a laminator, you*ve run out and it*s time to replenish your supply. Here are some tips for making sure you get the right product for your machine.

Finding the Right Replacement Film

1. You can replace your film with the exact product supplied by the manufacturer. That is always a safe bet.

2. When purchasing online, be sure to have the exact make and model number of your laminating machine. There are some standard sizes for sheets and rolls of laminating film, but they are not universally used by every machine.

3. Measure the feed area of the laminator if you are unable to locate the model number on your unit.

You can also type in the style in an online search and compare it to pictures found on most website. Then you will be able to compare the packaging with the product you need.

The Right Size for the Job

Laminating films also come in different thickness levels to protect at different levels. Your laminator should be able to accept cardboard, so it can also take the thicker laminating films.

To further save money on your laminating, you can group jobs together and run them as a continuous project. The roll style laminators and films are perfect for this type of job. Also several IDs or business cards can run through a letter sized laminator at once.

Machine Free Laminating Films

There are films that are self adhesive and don*t even require the heat of a laminating machine.

These seals can be just as durable, but take a bit more skill and patience in applying them.

For example, a certificate or document that needs to be protected would be laid out on a flat surface. A backing would be removed from the film and then the film itself would be laid over the paper. It is necessary to start at one end and smooth the plastic film as you go to remove wrinkles and air bubbles. It can be extremely difficult to do this your self and not have the paper move from under the film as you are applying it. Also once the film is stuck, it is difficult to lift and smooth out, although you usually get a couple of tries before it is stuck for good!

If you do more than a couple of laminating projects a month, it is probably a wise investment to save your time and sanity to go with a laminating machine. The laminating films are affordable especially if you stock up on your supplies all at once. Online, you can also often get free shipping of your laminating films with minimal order requirements.

Laminating film is the one essential office supply today. Laminators are ranking in importance right up there with other office equipment such as the copy machine and even office furniture!