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Binding Machines

Wire Binding

Wire binding is one of the most popular commercial book binding methods used in Ireland and is known by a number of different names including twin loop wire, wire-o, double loop wire, double-o, ring wire and wirebind. With this binding method, users insert their punched pages onto a "C" shaped spine and then use a wire closer to squeeze the spine until it is round. Documents that are bound with wire binding will open completely flat on a desk and allow for 360 degree rotation of bound pages.

Hole Patterns / Pitches

There are three common hole patterns used in binding documents with double loop wire. Each hole pattern has specific sizes and applications where it is best suited. Here is a quick overview of the different options...

3:1 Pitch (3 Holes Per Inch)

The three to one pitch hole pattern is most commonly used for binding small sized documents with double loop wire. Spines for this binding style are available in sizes between 3/16" and 9/16" in diameter. Three to one pitch wires are not available in sizes larger than 9/16". The size of the holes used with this pattern simply does not allow for larger spines to be manufactured. The hole pattern used for 3:1 pitch wire binding can use either square or round holes.

2:1 Pitch (2 Holes Per Inch)

Although a two to one pitch hole pattern is most commonly used for binding larger sized documents it can also be used for binding smaller diameter books. Two to one pitch wire is most commonly found in sizes ranging from 5/8" up to 1-1/4". However, a couple of manufacturers make special small sized 2:1 pitch wire for binding documents as small as 1/4". The holes for this type of binding are normally rectangular but can sometimes be square or round depending on the manufacturer of the punching equipment that you use.

19 Loop Wire

In the past, some comb binding machines would come with a wire closer. These machines were designed to be used with 19 loop wire. Nineteen loop wire is designed to be used with a plastic comb binding pattern. This hole pattern will have longer rectangular holes that are 9/16" on center. This style of binding used to be referred to as Ibiwire which was Ibico's name for this style of binding. However, when Ibico was purchased by the General Binding Corporation these type of supplies were discontinued. Today, 19-loop wire is commonly called Spiral-O Wire.

Wire Binding Process

Binding documents using the double loop wire involves ten basic steps. These steps include ...

  1. Assemble your document including covers and measure the book to determine the correct size of spine.
  2. Set up your binding machine so that the holes are correctly centered on your paper.
  3. Separate your document into appropriate sections and punch it using your wire binding machine or modular binding punch.
  4. Hang the pages of your document onto the "C" shaped wire spines.
  5. After carefully moving the pages of your document over to the wire closer, use the machine to squeeze the spine together until the "C" shape becomes an "O" shape.

Wire Binding Equipment

In order to bind documents with double loop wire a binding machine and a wire closer are required. Smaller organizations will often choose a small manual wire binding machine that offers a manual hole punch and a built in wire closer. Medium sized users will often choose a wire binding machine with an electric punch and built in wire closer. The highest volume wire binding users such as binderies, print shops and in-plant printers will usually separate the punching and finishing stages of the binding process in order to increase productivity. These users will often use a heavy duty modular interchangeable die punch or an automated punching system along with either a manual or an electric wire closing machine.

Coil binding

Coil binding is an extremely popular book binding style for creating documents, reports, presentations and proposals. This binding style is known by a number of names including spiral coil, color coil, colorcoil, ez-coil, plastic coil, spiral binding, plastikoil and coilbind. Documents bound with spiral coil have the ability to open flat on a desk or table and offer 360 degree rotation for easy note taking. This binding style is extremely durable and is a logical choice for documents that need to be mailed. Spiral coil binding spines are also available in more colors and sizes than any other binding style.

Coil binding hole patterns

The most common hole pattern used with coil binding is a 4:1 pitch hole pattern (6mm outside the US). This simply means that there are four holes per inch on the edge of the document. The holes for this style are usually either round or oval shaped and depending on the size and spacing of the hole pattern, there will be 43 or 44 holes on an eleven inch binding edge. Supplies for binding documents with 4:1 pitch spiral coil are available in sizes ranging from 6mm up to 50mm in diameter. This allows for binding documents that are up to two inches thick.

Although not as common as four to one pitch coil, some printers and binderies prefer to use 5:1 pitch coil (5mm overseas). With five holes per inch, 5:1 pitch coil is more tightly wound and provides a neat and tidy appearance. However, the tight spacing of the coil and the smaller size of the holes used by this pattern limit the size of spines that are available. Five to one pitch spiral coil is available in diameters ranging from 6mm up to 25mm. This means that documents larger than one inch thick can not be bound using this hole pattern.

3:1 pitch spiral coil is less common than either 5:1 or 4:1 pitch coils. It is designed for use with the hole pattern used in Wire Binding or with GBC Proclick. Three to one pitch spiral coils are slightly easier to use for large diameter books because there are less holes to insert the coil through. Supplies for this hole pattern are available in sizes ranging from 6mm up to 50mm.

2.5:1 pitch coil is also known a 0.400 pitch coil and is used with a hole pattern that has 2.5 holes per inch. However, many users choose to use this hole pattern with the hole pattern that is produced for 2:1 pitch Wire Binding. This type of spiral coil uses a larger filament diameter and is specifically designed for binding thick documents. Spirals in this pitch pattern are available in diameters ranging from 20mm up to 56mm. This means that 2.5:1 pitch coil can be used to bind documents that are thicker than any of the other pitches of spiral coil.

Coil binding lengths

One of the strengths of spiral coil binding is that the supplies are available in a variety of lengths. Most users purchase spiral coils in twelve inch lengths. This spine is inserted onto an eleven inch document and the excess length of coil is cut and crimped at each end of the book. However, the extrusion process for creating spiral coil binding elements allows them to be created in virtually any length. Many binderies and print shops choose to purchase coils in 36" lengths in order to have the flexibility to bind custom document sizes and to reduce waste. For binding documents shorter than eleven inches it is also possible to purchase shorter lengths of spiral coil in order to save time and money.

Coil binding colors

Spiral coil binding supplies are also available in a wide variety of colors. In fact there are more than sixty standard colors available for binding documents with spiral coil. This makes spiral coil binding an excellent choice for marketing agencies and design firms that want to match the spine of the document to a specific color palette. It is even possible to get a PMS color match for organizations that want their spines to match the exact colors used in their printed materials.

Coil binding diameters

Coil binding spines are normally measured in millimeters and not inches. Coils are available in sizes as small as 6mm (1/4") and as large as 56mm depending on the pitch of coil chosen. However it is important to note that binding thick documents using spiral coil can be difficult. When a large document is punched for coil binding the path through the holes will be straight. However, the coil binding spines are curved. This means that it is necessary to shape the spine of the document into a curve in order to allow the coil to travel smoothly through the holes. Special tools are generally used for this purpose

Coil binding equipment

There are three important pieces of equipment for binding documents with spiral coils. First a punch creates holes along the edge of the document. Second a coil inserter spins the coils through the holes. Third a pair of coil crimping pliers or a crimping machine is used to cut off the excess coil and crimp the end so that it doesn't come unbound. Light volume or personal users may choose to buy a single machine that does all of these features or may even choose to spin the coils onto their books by hand. Higher volume users will often choose to separate these three functions to help increase productivity.

Comb binding

Comb binding is one of many ways to bind pages together into a book. This method utilizes round plastic spines with 19 rings (for US Letter size) or 21 rings (for A4 size) and a hole puncher that makes rectangular holes.

Binding process

To bind a document, the user first punches holes in the paper with a specialized hole punch. Pages must be punched a few at a time with most of these machines. If hard covers are desired, they must be punched as well. In bulk applications, a paper drilling machine may be used.

Then the user chooses a spine size that will match the document. Standard sizes are 3/16 inch (for 10 sheets of 20# paper) up to 2 inches (for 425 sheets). Spine lengths are generally 11 inches to match the length of letter-size paper.

The rings on the spine open and insert into the holes in the page, then rest against the body of the spine, resulting in a closure that can be opened again for making changes to the book.

VeloBind

VeloBind is a type of book binding often offered at copy and print shops. Velo binding involves punching several small holes along the edge of an unbound book. A strip of plastic with rigid tines is inserted into the holes from the top of the book, and a strip with corresponding holes is placed on the back with the tines protruding through. The book is then placed in a machine that holds the book tightly while the excess length of the tines is cut and the tips melted to seal the bind. The term "VeloBind" is a trademark of the General Binding Corporation, but is regularly used generically to refer to this process, though strip binding is also sometimes used.

Though velo binding is intended to be permanent, the binding can be carefully removed using a utility knife or the special cutting tool included with the binding machine.

Hardcover books can be created using the VeloBind process. Two adhesive inner covers are bound with the prospective contents. These adhesive pages are applied to the inside of a paperboard hard case, itself decoratively covered and containing an adhesive strip that matches with the spine. Book information can be embossed onto the cover with a contrasting foil. VeloBind hardcovers are often used to preserve theses and dissertations. It is possible to take a soft covered Velo-bound book, remove the old binding and cover, and re-bind it with a hard cover, which may be pre-embossed for more a more impressive appearance. This rapid up-grade was the cause of the short-lived motto "Soft to hard in 30 seconds!" This was first done when the firm was located in Sunnyvale.

There are a number of different styles of Velobind that are available from GBC. The most common style of Velobind strips have eleven pins that are equally spaced across the spine. This style of strips is used by a hot knife binding machine such as the GBC V800pro, Velobind System 2 or Velobind System Three Pro. All of these machines use a heated knife to permanently weld documents in place.

Other styles of Velobind binding strips include four pin reclosable strips and six pin reclosable strips. Four pin Velobind strips are designed for use with either an eleven hole pattern or with a four hole pattern. Six pin strips are designed for use with the personal velobinder which has now been discontinued. Both of these styles of strips allow users to edit their documents by simply snapping the excess portion of the pins into the back of the receiving strip.

One other style of GBC Velobind strips is the 111 or One Eleven binding strips. This style uses a strip with serated pins. The machine compresses the spine together locking the pages in place and then cuts the excess portion of the pins off to finish the document. The GBC 111 Velobind machine has been discontinued for many years and the supplies for this binding style are becoming difficult to find.

Proclick

Proclick is a relatively new binding style developed by the General Binding Corporation (a division of ACCO Brands). This binding style was developed for use by organizations that owned a 3:1 pitch twin loop wire binding machine and wanted a different look and feel for their documents. Proclick spines were developed to be easily edited by end users using a special zipper tool that can easily fit in your pocket. The ability to edit documents in the field has made the Proclick binding style very popular for sales organizations and companies that have outside sales representatives.

Proclick Binding Machines

Although the Proclick binding machine was originally designed for use with a 3:1 pitch wire binding machine, GBC has released several binding machines that are specifically designed for use with this binding style. All of these machines punch a 32 hole pattern that is similar to the pattern used for binding documents with wire-o spines. However, the hole pattern used by these machines is usually slightly oversized to allow the spines to move more freely.

Smaller desktop binding units are available for smaller organizations and for home office use. However, for larger organizations and printers, GBC makes the Proclick Pronto automated binding systems. These machines offer automated inserting of the GBC Proclick spines onto documents for increased speed and productivity. The Proclick Pronto is available in two different models including the P3000 which includes a punching mechanism and the P2000 which does not include a punching mechanism. It is important to note that both of these machines require the use of a special oversized square 3:1 pitch hole pattern which is unique to the Proclick Pronto system.

Proclick Binding Spines

GBC proclick spines are made of plastic with 32 small rings. These rings are joined with a thin piece of plastic down the center and are designed to be snapped together. Users can click the spines in place using their hands, the special Proclick zipper tool or with the Proclick Pronto system. These spines are designed to be editable and provide users the ability to open and close them without the need for a binding machine. They also allow for documents to lay flat and for full 360 degree rotation of the pages. Many users will use the back cover of their document to hide the center joint of the spine for the document in order to achieve a more professional look.

When it was originally released, Proclick was only available in two sizes and two colors. However, with the release of the Pronto binding systems two new colors and one new size was offered. Proclick binding spines are currently available in three sizes including small (5/16"), medium (1/2") and large (5/8"). They are also available in four colors including: black, navy blue, white and frost. Currently Proclick spines are only available in 11" lengths for letter sized documents and A4 lengths overseas.

Thermal Binding

  • Perfect binding is often used, and gives a result similar to paperback books. National Geographic is perhaps the best known of this type. Paperback or soft cover books are also normally bound using perfect binding. They usually consist of various sections with a cover made from heavier paper, glued together at the spine with a strong flexible glue. The sections are rough-cut in the back to make them absorb the hot glue. The other three sides are then face trimmed. This is what allows the magazine or paperback book to be opened. Mass market paperbacks (pulp paperbacks) are small (16mo size), cheaply made and often fall apart after much handling or several years. Trade paperbacks are more sturdily made, usually larger, and more expensive.
  • Thermal Binding uses a one piece cover with glue down the spine to quickly and easily bind documents without the need for punching. Individuals usually purchase "thermal covers" or "therm-a-bind covers" which are usually made to fit a standard letter size sheet of paper and come with a glue channel down the spine. The paper is placed in the cover, heated in a machine (basically a griddle), and when the glue cools, it adheres the paper to the spine. Thermal glue strips can also be purchased separately for individuals that wish to use customized/original covers. However, creating documents using thermal binding glue strips can be a tedious process which requires a scoring device and a large format printer.
  • A cardboard article looks like a hardbound book at first sight, but it is really a paperback with hard covers. Many books that are sold as hardcover are actually of this type. The Modern Library series is an example. This type of document is usually bound with thermal adhesive glue using a perfect binding machine.
  • Tape Binding refers to a system that wraps and glues a piece of tape around the base of the document. A tape binding machine such as the Powis Parker Fastback or Standard Accubind system will usually be used to complete the binding process and to activate the thermal adhesive on the glue strip. However, some users also refer to Tape Binding as the process of adding a colored tape to the edge of a mechanically fastened (stapled or stitched) document.
  • Unibind is a variety of thermal binding that uses a special steel channel with resin rather than glue inside of it to give it a more sturdy bind to hold the pages in place. Unibind can be used to bind soft covered documents with a look that is similar to perfect binding. It can also be used for binding hardcover books and photo books. Like Thermal Binding, unibind usually requires you to purchase a one piece coverset to bind your documents. However, Unibind also offers SteelBack spines that allow you to use your own covers in the binding process. The majority of Unibinds covers can be printed on as well to give documents a unique finish.

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