National Shrink Wrap

[violets2217]

The set-up of the National Shrink Wrap system is different because it has a free wand instead of a fixed one.

The free wand is pretty awesome! I loved watching their videos! Kinda relaxing! It is a really great system!
So I made solid bubble bath for the first time a few days ago. I decided to wrap them to see how well it went. I made mini scoops, so I packaged them in pairs. I’ve decided the thing I like about shrink wrapping the most is that I can print my labels on plain copy paper and place under the shrink wrap. So to wrap and label my soaps it cost around 5 cents to wrap each item… if my math and SM3’s calculations are correct. Anyways, it’s fun shrink wrapping stuff! I went a little crazy and almost tried to shrink wrap my conditioner and lotion bars, but I convinced myself I was taking it a wee bit to far and didn’t want to deal with the melting oily mess!

I think they’re cute little trial packages. They are very air tight, but I can still smell them very faintly.The sharp edges only blew out 1 or 2 when shrinking. I’m sure just one big scoop or bath bomb would be much easier to wrap though.

 

[Kiwi2:)]

Hi there - I do make and sell shrink-wrapped bath bombs Down Under and I would love to try the National Shrinkwrap system but just can't justify the cost (yet). So I have a small impulse sealer and a craft heatgun and use polyolefin (the one that NS recommend for soaps). I mostly make round bath bombs, heart shaped, parfaits (with bubble frosting) and cupcakes. I wrap all of those in the polyolefin, which works really well for any of the shapes. It isn't as robust as the thicker film but you can smell the bb (faintly) through the packaging, and I was looking for something that was a little more environmentally friendly. It really extends the shelf-life of my products - I still get great action in the tub even after six months storage in large plastic boxes. It also makes it more robust for customer handling and transporting to market.

I usually begin by shrinkwrapping around the perimeter and then the bottom, before giving the top a wee once over. I avoid overheating the top and keep any seams around the middle so that my label hides them. Watch out if you have anything like dried flowers on the top of your bb as that can cause a hole. The polyolefin is more fragile and you do have to be careful about temperature. I agree with violets2217 in that you can shrink wrap with a cardstock label inside and avoid using more expensive stickers - yay One thing I did find though was that if I put the label on the inside, directly against the product, it did deteriorate over time, as it soaked up the oil/butter from my bath bomb, so I do use that method to label my cupcakes and such but put the round bb labels on the outside. I still hope to get the NS shrinkwrap - if not the system itself - but importing to New Zealand is really expensive. Very best of luck with your bath bombs!

 

[AliOop]

@violets2217 those looks great! And thanks for sharing your experiences - you, too @Kiwi2:)!

FWIW, I have shrink-wrapped my solid shampoo and conditioner bars using plastic wrap and a blow-dryer, so that I can give them as gifts without having them get all bunged up along the way. They don't look half-bad, and I'm sure you could make them look much better with a more professional system like the ones you both have.

I do agree with @Kiwi2:) that paper labels don't last long when they are against an oily product like a conditioner bar. Avery labels work fine for the outside of those, since I don't gift many or even make big quantities of those. The ones that I keep for myself are unwrapped but kept inside a small plastic clamshell in a bathroom cabinet.

 

[Michellyn1]

Hey there, fellow bath bomb and soap maker! As a newbie to this forum, I just had to chime in on this discussion. While I don't have the National Shrinkwrap system myself, I've been using a small impulse sealer and craft heat gun with polyolefin for my bath bombs and soaps, and it's been working great!

 

[AliOop]

Since I wrote that last post in July of 2021, I've picked up a used National Shrink Wrap heat sealer and a roll of film. Plus I repurposed my husband's heat gun from his garage/shop. It's a great set-up for wrapping lots of bars of soap.

However, for round bath bombs, I prefer the individual round-edge bags that are shrink-wrapped with the heat gun. Those go much faster for me than putting the round bombs on a flat surface and trying to get them all to behave inside the roll of film. Should have taken video of that because it would have been a good source of amusement for all!

 

[missbipbip]

I came to this thread to see if there would be anything that could help me with some issues I am having with the NS system. Until a few months ago, I was using (and still do for some things) an Impulse sealer and shrink wrap bags. I purchased the NS system so I could wrap soap faster. I purchased the Polyolifin suggested for soap. I have not been overjoyed with the system. I stamp the sides of my soap, and the seams that run down the sides of the bars with the NS system are not pretty at all. I prefer my other system better. Also, the wrap is much weaker than the bags I have been using. I think they are PVC. I am really good with the heat gun, and I get twice the amount of holes in the Polyolifin than with the bags. It is crazy; by the time I repair them, I could have wrapped them the old way and not wasted so much wrap. Another thing I don’t like is the amount of wasted wrap. Once I have sealed a few rows of soap, the top layer of paper is shorter than the bottom, so the seam dwants to lay on the top of my soap. I have to cut the wrap, seal it and start again. I just feel
Like it is a lot of waste. One more thing… lol… just a few months in and my wand has already stopped working. I had to order a repair kit for it. I started using it mid October … about 3 months ago. I have wrapped a considerable amount of soap, but not a huge amount. One thing you must know if you purchase one… the table you are using must be very sturdy. When I got mine and set it up the first time, I was convinced it was defective. It would seal the top and bottom but hardly seal at all in the middle. I was so frustrated. I finally realized that the table I was using would slightly bow in the center when I applied pressure, and the wand wasn’t making contact with the wrap. Changed tables, and all was good. The PVC wrap could possibly work better for me. Does anyone know if the seams would be smaller if I switched? I don’t know if I am not happy with the system or with the Poly, but I hate to buy another roll just to realize I just don’t like the system very much.

 

[Kari Howie]

I came to this thread to see if there would be anything that could help me with some issues I am having with the NS system. Until a few months ago, I was using (and still do for some things) an Impulse sealer and shrink wrap bags. I purchased the NS system so I could wrap soap faster. I purchased the Polyolifin suggested for soap. I have not been overjoyed with the system. I stamp the sides of my soap, and the seams that run down the sides of the bars with the NS system are not pretty at all. I prefer my other system better. Also, the wrap is much weaker than the bags I have been using. I think they are PVC. I am really good with the heat gun, and I get twice the amount of holes in the Polyolifin than with the bags. It is crazy; by the time I repair them, I could have wrapped them the old way and not wasted so much wrap. Another thing I don’t like is the amount of wasted wrap. Once I have sealed a few rows of soap, the top layer of paper is shorter than the bottom, so the seam dwants to lay on the top of my soap. I have to cut the wrap, seal it and start again. I just feel
Like it is a lot of waste. One more thing… lol… just a few months in and my wand has already stopped working. I had to order a repair kit for it. I started using it mid October … about 3 months ago. I have wrapped a considerable amount of soap, but not a huge amount. One thing you must know if you purchase one… the table you are using must be very sturdy. When I got mine and set it up the first time, I was convinced it was defective. It would seal the top and bottom but hardly seal at all in the middle. I was so frustrated. I finally realized that the table I was using would slightly bow in the center when I applied pressure, and the wand wasn’t making contact with the wrap. Changed tables, and all was good. The PVC wrap could possibly work better for me. Does anyone know if the seams would be smaller if I switched? I don’t know if I am not happy with the system or with the Poly, but I hate to buy another roll just to realize I just don’t like the system very much.

Ask them to send you a sample.

 

[Ford]

Hi, polyolifin takes less heat to shrink. I usually grab a stack of 3 bar's. And shrink the sides first. Then the faces of the bar's.

 

[missbipbip]

Ask them to send you a sample.

I just received the kit to repair my wand. As soon as I can get it fixed, I will try it with some PVC shrink that I have. I hope the seams are prettier with that one.

 

[FFLinOhio]

I am not a fan of how Polyolefin shrinks either. The seams are very bulky and ugly. I much prefer PVC shrink wrap.
However, Polyolefin has ventilation which is good for CP soap. Since I do MP I am able to use PVC without any issues.

 

[missbipbip]

Hi, polyolifin takes less heat to shrink. I usually grab a stack of 3 bar's. And shrink the sides first. Then the faces of the bar's.

Yes, I have found that to be way faster when shrinking. I hardly touch the tops of the bars at all, to avoid holes, but I just wish the seams were prettier. Sometimes I heat the bottom of a product first to pull the seams downward, but nothing seems to save my stamp on the side of my soap. It always has a bulky seam running through it.