OK. I've put about a packet (20 sheets) of Polaroid PolaPan 55 through my crown and my 545. 2 Questions:
1 is there a surefire way to not tear the %$#%^$#%^$ negatives when you are taking the packet apart (even folding along the perfs doesn't work all the time...)
2 Is there an acceptable alternatives to those obnoxious coater things? I have a distant memory of a threat that talked about everthing from lacquer to Aqua Net, but I can't go look it up now (Borrowing a computer).

In answer to question #1 slow down split the paper envelope then carefuly peel the print from the negative, the main thing is not to rush while your doing this.

If you're talking about removing the pod from the neg, I usually throw the whole thing in the sufite solution which tends to soften things up so they just fall apart.

As to the coater, I never heard of an alternative. But if you are exposing properly for the negative, the print is pretty overexposed, so I don't save those anyway.

Well there's always type 54 which is coaterless, but then there's no neg so you win some you lose some