Thermoplastic coating over paper

Hi, I am curious about using thermoplastic for a clear thick coating
over paper in a bezel. Has anyone had experience with this stuff?

Sarah

Sarah,

Maybe you could consider passing the paper through a commercial
laminator.

These sandwich the paper between two layers of a thermoplastic clear
film which is coated one side with hot-melt adhesive. The hot-melt
bonds perfectly and transparently to the paper surfaces, front and
back. When the edges of the paper are reached, film bonds to film,
again transparently. If your paper insert is under the frame size,
you can trim the laminated item to retain a narrow, clear, bonded
edge which is impermeable to moisture.

If you trim by cutting the whole sandwich including the paper, then
the edge is not impermeable, but unless it gets wet is just fine too.

The film and rollers are preheated, typically to 120 degrees Celsius
and this has never harmed any paper I have laminated.

Mark B
Fourth Axis
http://www.fourth-axis.com/rotary-axis-hr-roland-mdx/

hey, mark. would you tell us a little more about the lamination
process? i have been wondering about it for some time. what kind of
surface does the laminator leave? shiny? can you do matt? does the
paper look like it has plastic over top like my employee id? or, does
the paper absorb the plastic so that the plastic has been some what
Incorporated? what should i look for in a laminator? what brands have
you been successful with? anything else you would like to add?

thank you,
jean adkins

Jean,

The laminator we use (Shore brand - an oldie) relies on the
laminating film to provide the surface texture, because the outer
thermoplastic film has a higher melting point than the inner hot-melt
adhesive it carries. The temperature is set at 120 Celsius, between
the two melt points, so the goop melts and the film doesn’t. We only
run glossy film, so yes, it looks exactly like your employee ID.

We bought the laminator used on Ebay (10 cents on the dollar) and
put untold hours into restoring it, mostly removing hot-melt from
everywhere after the previous owner clearly loaded the film inside
out - AauuuggghhhH!

I’m told you can buy matt-finish laminator film, used for
non-reflective work, too.

But of you want a different finish, I have had interesting results
simply spraying paper with Squirtz brand clear gloss aerosol paint.
If the paper has been laser-printed, then the areas of toner take a
slight gloss, while the paper itself does not. You can enhance the
gloss/matt contrast with more coats, drying between.

Mark B
Fourth Axis
http://www.fourth-axis.com/four-4-jaw-chuck-jwx-30/