0
When it comes to choosing a binding method, there are some excellent options available. Coil binding is one of them and there are a lot of terrific machines that can assist you. Here are five things to look for when choosing a coil binding machine:
A punching mechanism. In order to bind your documents with coils, you will need to use paper that has holes punched in it. Yes, you can use pre-punched paper, but you are better off having a machine that can punch holes for you. This will allow you to use whatever paper you want and you won't need to run to the store to stock up on supplies. Make sure you pay attention to the machine's punching capacity. That is, the number of sheets it can process at once. You will want to punch a good number of sheets at once to save time.
A coil inserter. Many of today's coil binding machines have coil inserters. As you can probably tell by the name of this feature, it spins the coil through the holes in your document. It is possible to insert a coil manually, but this can be time-consuming and it gets tiring if you're working with a lot of documents. Thus, a coil inserter is definitely a feature to look for, especially if you will be binding on a regular basis.
A pair of crimping pliers. One of the most important parts of of the binding process is crimping the ends of the coil. If you don't do this, the coil can spin out of your document, leaving you to to start from scratch. You need to crimp the coil with a pair of crimping pliers. They look pretty similar to regular pliers and they can be pricey if you need to bind them on their own. Luckily, many of today's coil binding machines come with crimping pliers. This will help you save money and ensure you have everything you need to produce great-looking documents.
Binding capacity. One of the reasons that coil binding is so popular is that it can be used for both short and long documents. Coils range in diameter from 6 to 50 millimeters, so it's possible to bind documents that are up to 440 pages long. However, not every machine can handle all of the coils out there. Thus, you'll want to check out a machine's binding capacity to determine if it will be able to handle your documents.
A good brand name and warranty. It probably doesn't come as a surprise that there are both good and bad coil binding machines out there. You can avoid most of the bad ones by looking for devices that are made by reputable companies such as GBC, Akiles, and Rhin-O-Tuff. You're much better off going for a machine made by one of these manufacturers, even if it does end up costing you a little bit more money. Also, check out the machine's warranty so you won't be left high and dry in case of malfunction. A good warranty will last for at least six months.
Finding the right coil binding machine will be a snap if you look for the five things mentioned above. Good luck in your search and happy binding!