Common Questions

 

Common Questions


Clear Tape


Packaging Tape and Supplies


Laminating

  • First, unplug the device. With the pouch release lever held down, try gently pulling the pouch back out of the laminator. Do not pull the pouch through the machine. If this doesn’t work, please call the 3M Laminating Help Line at 1-800-772-4337 or contact us online.
  • You’ll get the best results when you give the laminating machine the time it requires to warm up. (From one minute to less than six minutes, depending on the model. Please refer to the instructions for your specific model).
  • With Scotch™ Thermal Laminating Pouches - letter, legal, and menu size use 3mil heat setting. For most other smaller thermal pouch sizes, use the 5 or 6 mil setting. If in doubt, start with a lower heat setting and work your way up if laminating quality is not good.
  • Yes! Laminating smaller items together is a great way to save time. Here’s how:
    Step 1: Place items—such as flash cards, ID cards or recipes—into one Thermal Pouch. Place items in the Pouch with minimum of ½ inch of space between them to allow room for trimming items upon completion.
    Step 2: Send the Thermal Pouch through the Thermal Laminator, sealed edge first, then allow it to cool on a flat surface.
    Step 3: Hand trim around the thermal laminated items. Scotch™ Thermal Laminating Pouches completely seal around your document, meaning there are no air pockets or gaps when you trim.
    NEVER cut a pouch before laminating or it will jam inside the machine.
    NEVER laminate Social Security cards, or one-of-a-kind items that cannot be replaced.
  • No. NEVER cut a pouch before laminating or it will jam inside the machine.
  • For best results, use Scotch™ Thermal Laminating Pouches in your thermal laminating machine.
    • Model TL901: 3 mil, 5 mil pouches up to 9” wide
    • Model TL902: 3 mil, 5 mil pouches up to 9” wide
    • Model PRO TL906: 3 mil, 5 mil pouches up to 9” wide
    • Model TL1302: 3 mil, 5 mil, 6 mil pouches up to 12.3” wide
    • Model PRO TL1306: 3 mil, 5 mil, 6 mil pouches up to 12.3” wide
  • Yes! Always laminate your Thermal Pouch first, let it cool, and then trim.
  • Yes! That’s one of the beauties of laminating. In fact dry erase markers work great – they’re easy to wipe off so laminated items can be used repeatedly.
  • No. Items not intended for use with any laminator include: currency, Social Security cards, stamps, credit cards, or cards with a magnetic strip. Some of these items incorporate important authentication features that are hampered by lamination.

    Also, do not laminate sharp objects, unheatable plastic, historically significant papers or one-of-a-kind items.
  • How long does it take for the thermal machine to heat up?
    Different laminators take different amounts of time to heat up
    • The Scotch™ Thermal Laminator TL901 Laminator takes 5-7 Minutes.
    • The Scotch™ Thermal Laminator TL902A takes 5-6 minutes.
    • The Scotch™ Advanced Thermal Laminator TL1302 takes 1 minute.
    • The Scotch™ Pro Thermal Laminator TL906 takes 5-6 minutes.
    • The Scotch™ Pro Thermal Laminator TL 1306 takes 1 minute.

Glue

  • How much glue should I use?
    It depends on what glue you’re using, and what your project is. For all glues (except super glue), apply a thin, uniform layer that completely covers the surface area to be glued. Apply Super glue sparingly. A good rule of thumb for super glue is to apply one small drop for each square inch of surface to be glued.
  • Both Scotch® Super Glues and Scotch® Multipurpose Glue bond many substrates, but the super glue dries much quicker. Generally, Scotch® Super Glues are stronger than Scotch® Multipurpose glue, but not in all cases. Multi-purpose Glue is ideal for use on paper, poster board, cardboard, wood, fabric, metal, aluminum, formica, vinyl, PVC and acrylic. Superglue is commonly used for gluing wood, metal, leather, ceramic, rubber, some plastics and similar materials. Super glue is usually not a good choice for paper.
  • Don’t panic! Try gently working vegetable oil or baby oil around the edges and into the glued area to loosen the skin. Alternatively, try soaking fingers in warm, soapy water. Be very gentle - do not pull skin surfaces apart with a direct opposing action as skin damage may result. If unable to free bonded area, or if irritation persists, get medical attention.
  • Try gently working vegetable oil or baby oil around the edges and into the glued area to loosen the bond. Alternatively, try soaking the glued area in warm, soapy water.
  • Make sure the surface is clean, dry and free of debris. For smooth, hard surfaces, use sandpaper or steel wool to gently roughen the surface before gluing to get a stronger bond.
  • Scotch® Maximum Strength Adhesive and Scotch® Ultra Strength Adhesive work on the widest variety of plastics.
  • For water based glues, soak the nozzle in warm water and then pierce the clog with a paper clip or sewing needle.
  • The best thing to do is simply seal the cap tightly.
  • Try gently working vegetable oil or baby oil around the edges of the dried glue. Alternatively, try soaking fingers in warm, soapy water. Be very gentle - do not pull glued skin surfaces apart with a direct opposing action as skin damage may result.

Scissors


Dispensers


Wardrobe


Mounting

  • Is there an ideal application temperature?
    For all Scotch® Mounting Tapes, ideal application temperature is 70-100 °F (21-28 °C). Most tapes can be successfully applied above 50° F.
  • Scotch® Outdoor Mounting and Extremely Strong Mounting Tapes can be used for bonding and sealing applications, where water cannot penetrate through them. Scotch® Clear, Outdoor and Extremely Strong Mounting Tapes have UV-resistant adhesives so they hold up under UV exposure.
  • Scotch® Indoor Mounting Tape: works on most indoor surfaces that are dry, clean and smooth. Scotch® Outdoor Mounting Tape: works on many surfaces including metal, glass, finished and painted wood, vinyl and plastic. Scotch® Extreme Mounting Tape: works on many finished surfaces such as finished and painted wood, metal, laminate and tile. None of the mounting tapes are recommended for use on wallpaper or delicate surfaces. See packages for details.
  • Due to safety concerns, it is not recommended to exceed the weight limits for Scotch® Mounting Tapes.
  • Mounting Tape is meant to be permanent, and removal may damage surfaces.
  • Mounting Tapes come in a variety of thicknesses around 0.045 inches.

Fasteners