Create Your Own Mouse Pads Using Your Pouch Laminator
Almost every office supply store sells mouse pads. You can find them with pictures of tropical locations, magical characters and even the logo of your favorite sports team on them. Mouse pads are almost everywhere because every computer should have one. They help keep your mouse from getting gummed up and ensure that the mouse works properly and doesn't slip. With this being said, wouldn't it be nice to create your own mouse pads? Using your laminator it is possible. Here is how...
1. If you want to make your own mouse pads, you will need a pouch laminator. You don't need to buy the best one in the world. However, you will need a high quality laminator that is capable of doing a good job of laminating photos and different thicknesses of laminating films. If you don't already have a pouch laminator make sure that you get one that has multiple heated rollers and possibly even a heated plate. This will help to ensure that the heat is evenly distributed across your print and that you get the highest quality output possible.
2. Once you have the laminator you will need some mouse pad kits. Each mouse pad kit will include a special textured laminating pouch and a blank mouse pad that has an adhesive side (just peel and stick). Each mouse pad kit usually comes with ten mouse pads and ten special laminating pouches. The one major difference between these mouse pads and standard mouse pads is that they have a special peel of release liner on the front and the back that protects the textured surface of the pouch. After you have laminated your documents with these pouches you will need to peel off the release liner before you proceed.
3. Now that you have both the laminator and the mouse pad kits you will need something to put on your mouse pad. Photos tend to work very well for this. You can either take a professionally printed photo or use your laser or inkjet printer to print the photo yourself. Just make sure that the photo is the right size for the mouse pads that you want to create.
4. Once you have gathered all these supplies it is finally time to create the mouse pads. The first step is to put the photo or print inside the laminating pouch and use your laminator to laminate it. Make sure that you follow the instructions for the heat setting so that you don't end up ruining one of the pouches. After the item is laminated you will need to peel off the adhesive release liner from the mouse pad backer and stick the laminated photo to the top of the pad.
5. The final step that remains is to trim the mouse pad to the correct size. The best way to do this is using a large guillotine cutter. However, if you don't have access to a guillotine cutter you might consider simply using a razor blade knife and a straight edge to cut the finished mouse pad to the correct size. If you have a corner rounding device you can use that to round the corners of your mouse pad or you can leave them square.
Creating your own mouse pads is as simple as that. Small print shops and mailing stores across the country have been doing it for years. Now you can create your own mouse pads and give them to your friends, coworkers and family.
About the Author
Jeff McRitchie is the designer and Director of Marketing for
MyBinding.com
. He has written over 100 articles on
laminators
,
laminating supplies
,binding machines,binding covers,binding supplies,and more.
Extreme Sports: Are They Worth The Risk?
Extreme sports like street luging, skateboarding on rails and ramps, and snow boarding off nearly impossible jumps are hotter today than they have ever been before. The athletes who pursue these challenging activities often become as dedicated as Olympians and spend hours every day practicing and improving their technique in order to be able to enjoy the thrill that only making the perfect ollie or dropping a hill on a buttboard can bring. Extreme athletes often refer to the adrenaline rush of competing as being "amped," and many say that there is no other feeling in the world that is as satisfying. For most of these rough and tumble athletes, part of the appeal of extreme sports is the danger.
Unlike sports that are regulated by official certified judges and require the athletes to wear protective gear and perform with ship shape equipment, extreme sports competitions sometimes include relatively unprotected athletes competing on somewhat ramshackle paraphernalia, like luge boards made out of skateboards with plywood additions. These conditions lead to greater thrills for many of the participants, because the more dangerous a situation is the more adrenaline the body produces, leading to the feeling of being "amped." However, the long term damage that results from the kinds of injuries that many extreme athletes endure often leaves these enthusiastic men and women feeling less than thrilled. Whether or not the excitement of extreme sports is worth the danger is something that nobody can decide but the athlete who is putting his or her body on the line. However, if you or somebody in your life is thinking about joining the hardcore world of extreme sports, it is a good idea to do some research into what common injuries are, and how they can be prevented.
Often, wearing a helmet or certain kinds of padding can make the difference between ending up in the hospital after a wipe-out and walking away with a few pesky bruises. The hazards of every sport are unique, so the kinds of kneepads that a skateboarder favors might not be very much help to a street luger. The only protective gear that will really help an athlete is the gear that is specifically appropriate to his or her sport, so before you put any money into protective gear, read as much as you can about the hazards you are likely to face, and try to get some firsthand advice from experienced athletes in the field you want to be a part of. Many extreme athletes don't bother with the kind of protective gear that they should be wearing, in part because they worry that kneepads or elbow pads will decrease their cool factor. However, taking care of your body is as important for an extreme athlete as it is for any athlete, if not more so. Even if chucking bales might not seem as exciting with a helmet as it is without one, if you protect yourself you can always be sure that you will have the chance to take another crack at your favorite extreme challenge.
About the Author
Gray Rollims is a featured writer RedNutSports.com. To learn more about extreme sports and our extreme spoorts forum, visit us.
 |
Seat Solution Orthopedic Seat Cushion List Price: Sale Price: $16.78 You save: $3.21 (16%)  |
 |
Chef's Secret 22-Piece Element Super Set List Price: Sale Price: $124.00 You save: $1,171.00 (90%) |
 |
Chinook Stainless Steel 6 Ounces Hip Flask List Price: Sale Price: $0.60 You save: $5.90 (91%) |
 |
Leatherman 830846 Skeletool Multitool List Price: Sale Price: $42.73 You save: $29.27 (41%) |
