Vacummed bags

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Want to pack puzzles that are 4" x 6-1/2"  Want to sell puzzles and figured vac bags are they way to go some other way to present them. They will be enclosed in a box also. The thickness is 1/4" or 3/8" Not used vac bags so what is needed. Also maybe a zip lock bag will work too. Any suggestions?? 

[Rockytime]

I ordered vac bags on Ebay. I just shrink them with an old hair dryer  

[JimErn]

I get mine on amazon

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=heat+shrink+bags&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

[kmmcrafts]

Scott did a video that may give you some tips.. It's exactly how I do it. 

 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

The more thought I give this I may go with reclosable bags. The reason is there will be alot of small pieces and being able to save in a bag so it can be used again maybe the thing to do. I just ordered some bags and will see how this goes. With shrink wrap it is one time thing and with those animal things they pretty much are for display and even so the pieces are large so not easily lost. Still thinking this one over. First have to master the cutting. 

[teachnlearn]

https://www.uline.com/Product/AdvSearchResult?keywords=zip bags

https://www.uline.com/Product/AdvSearchResult?KeywordTyped=tube bag&keywords=Plastic Tube Bags

https://www.uline.com/Grp_3/Poly-Bags-Flat-Open?keywords=Poly+Bags+-+Flat%2fopen

Your choice, zip bags, tube bags heat sealed, open bags that can be stapled or heat sealed. With puzzles the zip bags provide storage of the parts. Though if the puzzle put together stands, then its a display. RJF

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

1 hour ago, teachnlearn said:

https://www.uline.com/Product/AdvSearchResult?keywords=zip bags

https://www.uline.com/Product/AdvSearchResult?KeywordTyped=tube bag&keywords=Plastic Tube Bags

https://www.uline.com/Grp_3/Poly-Bags-Flat-Open?keywords=Poly+Bags+-+Flat%2fopen

Your choice, zip bags, tube bags heat sealed, open bags that can be stapled or heat sealed. With puzzles the zip bags provide storage of the parts. Though if the puzzle put together stands, then its a display. RJF

I have ordered may boxes from Uline but for bags their shipping is way too high. $20 for a 1000 bags. 

[kmmcrafts]

I've ordered from uline before but they aren't the best price place.. I think I ordered my bags from papermart.com  as well as my ornament boxes.. 

JT, since you gear more for the artistic taste of things why not make wood box to put the puzzle in? Something I always thought about hen I messed with puzzles.. I was also going to laminate the photo of the puzzle onto the box.. This would make for a very nice puzzle / box.. but it might price you out of your targeted customer range.. I know if I did get into puzzles.. that was what I was going to "try" to do.. Not sure if I could of winged it that way.. price points for a box and puzzle would put the price up there for sure.. Or ales tactic maybe make a box that the puzzle could fit in to upgrade the sale.. If no takers.. just sell the box, LOL Hard to say.. anyway just a thought..

[scrollingforsanity]

Got my 9x12 from Paper Mart the same place Iggy gets his. They have a ton of different sizes. I believe I paid 22.00 for 500 9x12 shipped. They work great.

grizz

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

7 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

I've ordered from uline before but they aren't the best price place.. I think I ordered my bags from papermart.com  as well as my ornament boxes.. 

JT, since you gear more for the artistic taste of things why not make wood box to put the puzzle in? Something I always thought about hen I messed with puzzles.. I was also going to laminate the photo of the puzzle onto the box.. This would make for a very nice puzzle / box.. but it might price you out of your targeted customer range.. I know if I did get into puzzles.. that was what I was going to "try" to do.. Not sure if I could of winged it that way.. price points for a box and puzzle would put the price up there for sure.. Or ales tactic maybe make a box that the puzzle could fit in to upgrade the sale.. If no takers.. just sell the box, LOL Hard to say.. anyway just a thought..

I am on some and will when I make a pen to go along with the idea of the puzzle. Do not want to make all wooden boxes because then I have to jack the price up and wanted these as a quick $20 sale. 

[Rockytime]

That's way too cheap. 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

1 hour ago, Rockytime said:

That's way too cheap. 

Not really. I will see how long it takes to do But a couple hours and BB wood. Need a few cheaper items to spark sales. Trying something new. Will add some of those napkin holders too. Again some BB wood and quick cuttings.  

[kmmcrafts]

6 hours ago, Rockytime said:

That's way too cheap. 

You're brave, I'm not even going there with those kind of statements after the Guitar Clock thread in the Pattern Request section.. 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

2 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

You're brave, I'm not even going there with those kind of statements after the Guitar Clock thread in the Pattern Request section.. 

I am not going there either for it seems there is at least one person here that does not like any of my comments, suggestions, or any of my postings and probably more of them out there so I will do what I want and keep it to myself.  

[John B]

John, I use shrink wrap film for my puzzles. The impulse sealer is reasonably priced and the film is almost no cost when divided amongst the number of items you can wrap with a roll. Any heat gun will do the trick. I have the 400mm one and it has done everything I needed it to. On Ebay they are $52.00 AU so would be much cheaper in the US. If you do get one, I would suggest you get a couple of spare elements and teflon tape.

cheers

[meflick]

On 8/2/2019 at 4:08 AM, John B said:

John, I use shrink wrap film for my puzzles. The impulse sealer is reasonably priced and the film is almost no cost when divided amongst the number of items you can wrap with a roll. Any heat gun will do the trick. I have the 400mm one and it has done everything I needed it to. On Ebay they are $52.00 AU so would be much cheaper in the US. If you do get one, I would suggest you get a couple of spare elements and teflon tape.

cheers

Seems there are a variety of sizes on Amazon.  Found here:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=impulse+sealer&ref=nb_sb_noss

John, on size - you said you have the 400mm one so it shows that would equate to be about 16" - can you give some insight into why you find that a good size?  Do you think smaller would work - looks like they also have 8" and 12" for example that cost even less - for most puzzles like Iggy does, 16" would definitely not be needed.  I am assuming that you can use smaller with the one you have but clearly are limited to no bigger on that or any of the smaller ones.  I assume it is like those food vacuum seal type machines and bags - it is just "heat sealing" the ends of the "bag" cellophane?  But does not pull the air out?

 

Edited August 3, 2019 by meflick

[JimErn]

1 hour ago, meflick said:

Seems there are a variety of sizes on Amazon.  Found here:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=impulse+sealer&ref=nb_sb_noss

John, on size - you said you have the 400mm one so it shows that would equate to be about 16" - can you give some insight into why you find that a good size?  Do you think smaller would work - looks like they also have 8" and 12" for example that cost even less - for most puzzles like Iggy does, 16" would definitely not be needed.  I am assuming that you can use smaller with the one you have but clearly are limited to no bigger on that or any of the smaller ones.  I assume it is like those food vacuum seal type machines and bags - it is just "heat sealing" the ends of the "bag" cellophane?  But does not pull the air out?

 

Bored so I'll throw in my two cents on that impulse sealer, I had one we used in my daughters business

It seals the end, it does not extract the air.  I found that you could use regular zip lock bags as long as the impulse part where it seals did not cross the zipper

If I had thought about the shrink wrap bags I referenced earlier, I would never have used the impulse sealer, JMO YMMV

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

1 hour ago, meflick said:

Seems there are a variety of sizes on Amazon.  Found here:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=impulse+sealer&ref=nb_sb_noss

John, on size - you said you have the 400mm one so it shows that would equate to be about 16" - can you give some insight into why you find that a good size?  Do you think smaller would work - looks like they also have 8" and 12" for example that cost even less - for most puzzles like Iggy does, 16" would definitely not be needed.  I am assuming that you can use smaller with the one you have but clearly are limited to no bigger on that or any of the smaller ones.  I assume it is like those food vacuum seal type machines and bags - it is just "heat sealing" the ends of the "bag" cellophane?  But does not pull the air out?

 

I have ordered and received some reclosable bags and this is the way I am going to go instead of one time sealing. I chose this method because of a few reasons. One being my puzzles are smaller than what iggy does and are not standable. His are basically put it together once and display it or maybe the kids play with it. Mine are definitely build the puzzle and then take it apart and store it. So the person can store the pieces in the bag and place in the box. The vac thing means they cut it off and throw it away and am afraid the pieces getting lost.  The puzzles should stay together in the reclosable bag because it is not too large. Hopefully this will work. When I start making them I will post a photo or two. 

[John B]

12 hours ago, meflick said:

Seems there are a variety of sizes on Amazon.  Found here:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=impulse+sealer&ref=nb_sb_noss

John, on size - you said you have the 400mm one so it shows that would equate to be about 16" - can you give some insight into why you find that a good size?  Do you think smaller would work - looks like they also have 8" and 12" for example that cost even less - for most puzzles like Iggy does, 16" would definitely not be needed.  I am assuming that you can use smaller with the one you have but clearly are limited to no bigger on that or any of the smaller ones.  I assume it is like those food vacuum seal type machines and bags - it is just "heat sealing" the ends of the "bag" cellophane?  But does not pull the air out?

 

Melanie, the smaller ones would work fine, depending upon the size you wish to seal. I make a lot of children's tray puzzles, typically A4 size so the smallest I could use for this would be the 12"  so I just got the larger one, which has come in handy when I have made larger puzzles. I don't use bags, I purchased a roll of the heat seal plastic years ago and have wrapped hundreds of puzzles and it wouldn't be 1/4 gone. The plastic on the roll is folded in half so a 300mm (12") roll would allow you to package something almost 300mm wide by as long as the sealer, you can seal longer by flipping the package over and sealing from the other side eg  almost 600mm.
You are correct they just seal the plastic and a heat gun shrinks the wrap tightly and with a bit of practice you can get it almost without wrinkles.

[meflick]

Thank you @JimErn and @John B for answering my questions.  We have one of those food vacuum sealers that I had used previously with my animal puzzles like Iggy makes.  But then, I was just mainly sealing them up to keep them together and gave to friends or family.  Not selling. I am sure that they are more "expensive" probably to use however.

Edited August 4, 2019 by meflick