Abstract: The direct drive applicator for foil printing of the present invention discloses a light weight, portable, device advantageous in performing foil printing and laminating which is about the size of a type writer, and contains separate speed and temperature controls so that an operator can rapidly adjust the operation of the machine to quickly optimize the printing or laminating characteristics. The inventive machine contains a foil laminate supply reel and foil laminate takeup reel which are properly tensioned to provide an area of foil laminate under tension on both sides of a heated pressure roller to insure that crumpling or wrinkling of the foil laminate does not occur on printing.