| For years, roll laminators have been used
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| | from the machine.
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| in schools, churches, print shops and
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| | Limitations:
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| larger organizations to laminate all
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| | At this point, you might be wondering
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| sorts of different materials. However,
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| | "what's the catch"? Well, every great
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| the size and cost of these machines kept
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| | machine has a few drawbacks. One
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| most smaller users from purchasing a roll
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| | potential drawback of the Ultima35 is
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| laminator. Most individuals simply
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| | that the supplies for it are proprietary.
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| didn't want to spend thousands of dollars
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| | This means that you will need to
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| on a laminator or didn't have a place to
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| | purchase the special laminating rolls
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| keep a machine that weighed over 100
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| | that are designed specifically for this
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| pounds and was almost three feet wide.
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| | machine. These supplies are slightly
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| With this in mind, GBC (General Binding
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| | more expensive than standard laminating
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| Corporation) released a new 12" wide roll
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| | roll film. However, the machine is
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| laminator that was designed to address
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| | considerably less expensive and this is a
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| some of these problems. I took this new
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| | reasonable tradeoff for such an
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| GBC Ultima 35 EZload roll laminator for a
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| | inexpensive feature rich laminator.
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| test drive and here is what I discovered.
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| | The Ultima-35 is limited to 12" wide
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| Features:
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| | rolls. This means that you can laminate
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| After you get Ultima35 out of the box,
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| | anything up to twelve inches wide.
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| get it all set up and turn it on the
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| | However, it will not be able to handle
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| first thing that you will notice is that
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| | posters or other large format documents.
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| it is very quick to warm up. In fact, it
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| | If you are going to need to laminate
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| only took between 1-2 minutes for it to
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| | these types of materials you will need to
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| warm up. Compared to most roll
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| | look for a larger machine. The Ultim35
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| laminators (and a lot of pouch
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| | Ezload is also not capable of using
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| laminators) this is extremely fast.
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| | specialty laminating films and won't do
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| This makes it possible to increase
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| | mounting. These are not common
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| productivity by decreasing the time that
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| | applications but I thought that I should
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| it takes to laminate your first document.
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| | point it out just in case you are looking
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| One of the main reasons that GBC
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| | for a machine that can do these things.
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| developed the Ultima 35 was to address
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| | The final limitation that noted with the
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| issues with users loading their
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| | Ultima35 is that even though it is
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| laminating film backwards on their
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| | impossible to load the film backwards, it
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| machines. Every year, the single most
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| | isn't really any easier to load than a
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| common reason for service calls on
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| | traditional laminator. You still have to
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| laminators is that users load the film
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| | carefully thread the film through the
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| with the adhesive side facing the rollers
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| | correct path in order to get it threaded
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| and end up with a huge mess. The
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| | onto the machine. This can be a little
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| Ultima35 eliminates this problem by using
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| | bit tricky and it might take you a few
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| special laminating film that has keyed
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| | times before you master it.
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| rollers. One side of the film comes with
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| | Construction:
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| a light blue adaptor on it and the other
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| | The Ultima35 appears to be built well and
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| side comes with a dark blue adaptor. The
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| | should hold up over time. The sides of
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| two sides are different sizes; this means
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| | the machine are plastic and the feed tray
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| that it is impossible to load the film
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| | is metal. The gears inside are metal.
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| into the machine the wrong way.
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| | You might want to be careful with the
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| The Ultima 35 is actually a fairly
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| | trimming device on the back of the
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| versatile machine. It accepts roll film
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| | machine, it might get broken if you
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| that is 1.7mil, 3mil and 5mil thick. The
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| | aren't careful. The only other thing
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| specifications from GBC state that it can
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| | that I noticed on the machine that I was
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| also handle 10mil film. However, 10mil
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| | looking at was that it was a little bit
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| film is not currently available and there
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| | loud when I had it on. There is a fan
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| is no expected date for its release at
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| | near the back of the machine that helps
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| the time of this review. In addition to
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| | to cool the unit. This fan sounds a
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| regular gloss films, GBC also released
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| | little bit like a loud computer fan. It
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| some matte films for the Ultima35. These
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| | is more of an annoyance but it is worth
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| are new offerings for the 2008 calendar
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| | noting.
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| year.
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| | I wouldn't be doing you justice if I
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| In working with the Ultima35, there were
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| | didn't mention the fact that you should
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| several other features that I noticed
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| | be careful about what you feed through
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| that are worth pointing out. It has an
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| | your laminator. You shouldn't try to
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| adjustable speed dial that will allow you
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| | laminate things that will melt, plastics,
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| to adjust for different materials that
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| | sharp objects, glitter or materials with
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| you are laminating and for thicker films.
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| | glitter on them or 3D objects. All of
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| It also has a forward and reverse
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| | these things can quickly ruin your
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| feature that can be used to help with the
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| | laminator and it will not be covered
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| removal of film wraps or jams. Finally,
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| | under the warranty if you do attempt
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| it has a built in trimmer to assist in
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| | these things.
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| cutting the finished laminated materials
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