Homebrew_PCBs

Hi all:

I believe an auto shutdown of the laminator's (Apache/Trulam) heater is of safety value to the user. In such a case if a laminator is left unattended (no mode switching for the mod.) It will auto cool (power off) the heaters after a certain time, leaving the temperature set point unchanged.

I am thinking about 30 minutes of operation should be a reasonable time. Would any other members have thoughts on this?

 

Hi all:

I believe an auto shutdown of the laminator's (Apache/Trulam) heater is of safety value to the user. In such a case if a laminator is left unattended (no mode switching for the mod.) It will auto cool (power off) the heaters after a certain time, leaving the temperature set point unchanged.

I am thinking about 30 minutes of operation should be a reasonable time. Would any other members have thoughts on this?

> On Dec 20, 2016, at 2:08 PM, Rob roomberg@... [Homebrew_PCBs] <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
> Sure.......
> hack an appliance to run hotter than its intended design parameters..... then walk away.
> I melted one plastic gear at 390 degrees in less than 10 minutes.
> What would have happened if I left that 390 degree heat continue its dissipation into more parts?
>
>
> It doesn't matter if it shuts off in 30 minutes if your fire starts in 15 minutes.
> You ARE playing with heaters in a plastic case relying on electronics you hacked.
> When you burn down your house .... free to explain to your insurance company how this is their bill to pay after voiding the laminator warranty by opening it and adding features to make it run hotter....hot enough to melt plastic... deform structures..that holds AC electricity in heaters.
>
> DON't walk away.
>
> I went a totally different route. Throw away all the plastic parts.
> http://www.learnmorsecode.com/laminator/al9.html
>
> Remove the metal rollers and heaters completely from the plastic shell and mount them
> in metal brackets and a metal box.
>
> Nothing heavy metal....just construction steel studs thin gauge metal.
> Pretty much end up with a metal toaster with rollers.
> I don't have it running yet because I lack metal gears.
> I'll get to metal gears some day.
>
>
>
>
> On 12/20/2016 12:59 PM, mosaicmerc@... [Homebrew_PCBs] wrote:
>>
>> Hi all:
>>
>> I believe an auto shutdown of the laminator's (Apache/Trulam) heater is of safety value to the user. In such a case if a laminator is left unattended (no mode switching for the mod.) It will auto cool (power off) the heaters after a certain time, leaving the temperature set point unchanged.
>>
>>
>>
>> I am thinking about 30 minutes of operation should be a reasonable time. Would any other members have thoughts on this?
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>

> On Dec 20, 2016, at 2:08 PM, Rob roomberg@... [Homebrew_PCBs] <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
> Sure.......
> hack an appliance to run hotter than its intended design parameters..... then walk away.
> I melted one plastic gear at 390 degrees in less than 10 minutes.
> What would have happened if I left that 390 degree heat continue its dissipation into more parts?
>
>
> It doesn't matter if it shuts off in 30 minutes if your fire starts in 15 minutes.
> You ARE playing with heaters in a plastic case relying on electronics you hacked.
> When you burn down your house .... free to explain to your insurance company how this is their bill to pay after voiding the laminator warranty by opening it and adding features to make it run hotter....hot enough to melt plastic... deform structures..that holds AC electricity in heaters.
>
> DON't walk away.
>
> I went a totally different route. Throw away all the plastic parts.
> http://www.learnmorsecode.com/laminator/al9.html
>
> Remove the metal rollers and heaters completely from the plastic shell and mount them
> in metal brackets and a metal box.
>
> Nothing heavy metal....just construction steel studs thin gauge metal.
> Pretty much end up with a metal toaster with rollers.
> I don't have it running yet because I lack metal gears.
> I'll get to metal gears some day.
>
>
>
>
> On 12/20/2016 12:59 PM, mosaicmerc@... [Homebrew_PCBs] wrote:
>>
>> Hi all:
>>
>> I believe an auto shutdown of the laminator's (Apache/Trulam) heater is of safety value to the user. In such a case if a laminator is left unattended (no mode switching for the mod.) It will auto cool (power off) the heaters after a certain time, leaving the temperature set point unchanged.
>>
>>
>>
>> I am thinking about 30 minutes of operation should be a reasonable time. Would any other members have thoughts on this?
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>

Rob,

Since the recent posts on gears, I have been nosing around ebay looking for metal gears.

I found two sellers that have gears that fit a wide variety of shaft sizes, and have a variety of tooth counts:

1- speed_mart  http://stores.ebay.com/speed-mart?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

2- fivefive.co.ltd  http://stores.ebay.com/fivefive-co-ltd?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

There are other sellers, but they don't seem to have a wide variety of gears, and, for the most part, duplicate the ones carried by these two sources. I found them by searching for metal gears. IF you know your shaft size(s), you can search for metal gears xxmm. That will narrow the results to just those that you could use.

I am investigating a set of gears that look to be a fit for the Harbor Freight laminator.  That laminator has flatted shafts. These gears are for round shafts, but have collars with set screws. I will report back when I have determined whether these gears look good for that application.

Harvey

 

Sure.......
hack an appliance to run hotter than its intended design parameters..... then walk away.
I melted one plastic gear at 390 degrees in less than 10 minutes.
What would have happened if I left that 390 degree heat continue its dissipation into more parts?
 

It doesn't matter if it shuts off in 30 minutes if your fire starts in 15 minutes.
You ARE playing with heaters in a plastic case relying on electronics you hacked.
When you burn down your house .... free to explain to your insurance company how this is their bill to pay after voiding the laminator warranty by opening it and adding features to make it run hotter....hot enough to melt plastic... deform structures..that holds AC electricity in heaters.

DON't walk away.

I went a totally different route. Throw away all the plastic parts.
http://www.learnmorsecode.com/laminator/al9.html

Remove the metal rollers and heaters completely from the plastic shell and mount them
in metal brackets and a metal box.

Nothing heavy metal....just construction steel studs thin gauge metal.
Pretty much end up with a metal toaster with rollers. 
I don't have it running yet because I lack metal gears.
I'll get to metal gears some day.

On 12/20/2016 12:59 PM, mosaicmerc@... [Homebrew_PCBs] wrote:

 

Hi all:

I believe an auto shutdown of the laminator's (Apache/Trulam) heater is of safety value to the user. In such a case if a laminator is left unattended (no mode switching for the mod.) It will auto cool (power off) the heaters after a certain time, leaving the temperature set point unchanged.

I am thinking about 30 minutes of operation should be a reasonable time. Would any other members have thoughts on this?

 

Rob, the Apache AL13P  & TrulamTL320B don't run on hacked heaters. They run stock to 390F and are all metal with silicone rollers.

I don't hack laminators' to run over temp...that's a dangerous practice.

 

TrulamTL320B run stock to 390F
Well thats good to know... thank you... I did not know that.
I guess you get what you pay for.....
AMAZON $100
http://www.laminationdepot.com/Shop/Photo-Pouch-Laminators/
for $150

Either way...metal...silicone rollers..... stock 390F.......
the second you open one up you void the warranty and the HACK being discussed is about roller speed
so it doesn't make much difference to me..... don't walk away from any heat appliance you hack.

On 12/20/2016 09:42 PM, mosaicmerc@... [Homebrew_PCBs] wrote:

 

Rob, the Apache AL13P  & TrulamTL320B don't run on hacked heaters. They run stock to 390F and are all metal with silicone rollers.

I don't hack laminators' to run over temp...that's a dangerous practice.

>
>
>Rob,
>
>Since the recent posts on gears, I have been nosing around ebay
>looking for metal gears.

Cristian,

The gears are the same shaft as the roller that is being heated by the heater. The gears are heated by both radiation and conduction. Providing a heat shield would cut down on radiated heat, but the main source is conduction. I suppose that the mechanics could be changed to extend the shafts with thermally insulating material. That would place the motor/gear mechanism outside the case. I am not sure I could identify a thermally insulating material that would be stiff enough at that temperature to give the required operation. Metal gears would be much simpler.

Harvey

 

At 04:33 AM 21-12-16, you wrote:
>
>
>Rob,
>
>Since the recent posts on gears, I have been nosing around ebay
>looking for metal gears.

Why not isolate the plastic gear in a tin box and ventilate it with a
small fan?
Cristian

When I was doing my gear melting experiments, I used a small bead type thermocouple in contact with one of the rollers. I placed it near the end of the roller so that it wouldn't mar the contact areas. I wedged it in so that it's own springiness would hold it in place against the roller. This was good enough for my experiments, but for permanence, I would have had to find a better way. It gave reasonably repeatable readings.

BTW- My thermal controller worked great at 200C. Cannot say the same for the gears:-)

Harvey

 

I have a TL902 Thermal laminator with a brand name Scotch and a question along the line of thought if I may. What is the proper way to determine the temps it runs at as all the manual says is two temps one 3mil  thin stock,second 5mil thicker stock? I have a MASIONE Infrared Thermometer (58 degrees to 716 degrees F). Will that be accurate when dot is ob board as soon as it can be seen coming out of lam? I am trying to figure out toner transfer and green trf transfer temps out for size before I buy a Apache ect. 

>>Just my opinion but I'd prefer two short beeps every 30 seconds when it is up to temperature<<