Questions about binding and finishing? What equipment to buy? Where to get parts? Or just need someone to talk to.....?
E-mail your questions or comments to Dr. Bind
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Fixing sticky paper folders is usually easier than you think.
When they’re working right, you can’t beat an automatic paper folder to streamline your paper handling chores. But sometimes they don’t work right and that can be frustrating.
The most common problem has got to be when the machine is grabbing too any sheets together. Luckily, it’s usually very easy to fix: Of the several calls I get each day with this complaint, 99% of the time this is an issue that has to do with the FEED WHEEL OR FEED PAD that separates the sheets prior to folding. One unit we see this happening to quite often, is the popular Martin Yale 1217A, and excellent machine overall. What is happening in this case is that orange roller on the unit has worn off the grooves that move the individual paper sheets. Normally, the orange roller that should look like a tire with grooves. When it looks more like a smooth drag racing wheel, that’s when you have feed problems. This is the case with most brands of folders, and the solution is simple – replace the feed pad. These pads or wheels can be easily installed by the operator with very little effort and just a few basic tools.
Another issue is that most users do not realize that the rubber rollers on the machine dry out due to repeated contact with paper sheets (if you handle paper all day, you’ll notice that the same thing happens to your hands. The tacky soft rubber rollers eventually turn into slick glazed rubber rollers. They slip when sheets feed thru the unit. Again, the solution is easy and cheap: I would suggest to you buying RUBBER ROLL REJUVENATOR to clean the rollers. This not only helps keep them from drying out, it also removed toner that collects from contact with the printing on paper sheets. This solution will clean the rollers and also help the folder rollers stay spongy and tacky so that sheets will not skew when feeding. Our tip of the day will help you keep your folder operating reliably for 5 plus years or more if well taken care of!
Dr. Bind
20 years in the business has taught Dr. Bind to test products that claim to be as good as the original (but cost less).
GBC authentic VeloBind® strips vs generic strips: is there a difference? The generic versions certainly sell for less, but is there a trade off you can live with?
Well after we tested both strips on site and at customer locations we have come to the conclusion that the authentic GBC VeloBind® strips were easier for the machines to cut, especially System One and System Two. The plastic GBC uses to manufacturer the branded VeloBind® strips appears to be softer and easier to cut than the Generic strips. In addition, the sealing on the back of the strips has a better melted button for security.
The generic strips are more brittle and crack able than the authentic, branded GBC strips. In some cases the generic strips were also harder for the machine to cut through, thus damaging the thin cutting mechanism of the System One and System Two cutting bands. The System 3 Pro has cutting Knives which are more of a commercial cutting mechanism that will last a lot longer than the other units cutting metal strip or band.
We have had several calls lately about both the System One and System Two going down. In each of these cases the customer was using the more brittle or harder generic strips made by overseas companies. This would seem to confirm our opinion that the GBC strips are definitely softer easier on the VeloBind® machines than the generic versions.
We have two large customers that insist on using only GBC authentic strips because they also have noticed a difference in how they cut and seal. Sometimes the original manufacture charges a premium for their brand, when generic products work just as well. In this case, however, I would stay with the strips the units were designed and tested for, especially if you are System One or Two users.
On the other hand, Tamerica’s V2000 unit was tested with generic strips and designed to use these generic strips, you can feel comfortable using generic product with that model. It’s kind of like a car engineered to use 93 octane gas. Should you try and run it on 87 octane? It may run, but it will adversely affect the engine over time.
The same goes for strips that are tougher on the units. You may not have trouble the first time, but eventually you’ll wear down the motors and the cutting assemblies.
So the Doctor’s advice to you is to spend a little extra money and get the authentic GBC strips that were designed for your System One or Two, but go ahead and use generic strips with the V2000.
Dr. Bind
Avoiding the Spiral-O Trap
Wire binding is a great way to bind documents, especially “hard working” documents such as presentations, legal and architectural documents and instruction manuals. The type of binding style looks nice and allows documents to lay flat or bend backwards as far as they need to go. Within this category are two basic types of binding spines: Twin Loop and Spiral-O. Although they look similar, there are some important things to know about the differences.
Twin Loop includes both 3:1 and 2:1 pitch elements and is also sold under such brands as WireBind, Wire-O® and Double-O® wire.
Spiral-O is a specific brand which was developed primarily for users who already own a plastic comb binding punch with a built in wire closer (typically an Ibico machine).
This type of punch makes a 19 hole pattern, which is often associated with the GBC Ibico machines. You can also make this sort of pattern with modular punch if you have the comb binding die…all you need is a wire closer. The plan was that owners of the machines would be able use “wire binding technology” without a major up front expense. All you need is an inexpensive wire closer.
However, there are performance differences between Twin Loop and Spiral-O that you should be aware of. Generally, Spiral-O elements are easy to bend and don’t stay closed very well. They are fine for smaller jobs I guess, but you should be aware that they don’t quite give you the quality appears of “real” twin loop documents.
The other thing you should be aware of is that Spiral-O elements are significantly more expensive than Twin Loop elements (lower quality – higher price). So what you might save up front, you’ll pay down the road. For mid-to-higher volume wire binding needs, it is ultimately less expensive to purchase a twin loop wire punch [this links to the Wire Mac] and bind machine and buy cheaper, stronger gauge twin loop wire supplies.
For reconditioned wire closers starting at $150, give me a call at 888-824-6346 x 101 and ask for the Dr. Or e-mail me at Dr. Bind
Dr. Bind
Let me point you to a great deal for the highly recommended Akiles WireMac 3:1 Twin Loop punch and bind machine.
Tired of looking at hundreds of web sites for the right binding machine? Instead of spending hours of research trying to figure it out, why not let me help you…for free of course.
This is all you have to do: write down the answers to the following questions and shoot me an e-mail (drbind@nbse1.com) including that information. These are the kinds of considerations any competent, experienced Bindologist thinks about before making an objective recommendation. By objective, I mean sourcing a product that meets your needs instead of the vendors’.
Or If you want to call me at 888-824-6346 X 101 instead, that would be great too. Just try and answer these questions first.
1. What is the average sheet count per book or document?
2. How many books do you produce per week?
3. And how many per day?*
5. Do you have a lot of rush time challenges, such as same day or “instantly right now”?
6 Is there any particular type of binding style required (comb binding or spiral coil) Are there an specific aesthetic standards you’d like to meet?
7. Will the book or document be shipped or handed out?
8. Does the book need to flip 360 degrees for easy reading
9. Is the equipment being purchased for a one time job?
10. Do you prefer electric or manual punch units?
11. What model do you have now, if any?
If you can provide these answers, we can get back at you with an vast selection of products from a global array of respected vendors…at the best prices available.
To all our Velobind™ fans, including GBC System 3 Pro, V-2000 Pro, Gestetner 270 or 373 or Ibico 510 VB:
You say you have a broken machine? The unit isn’t heating up? Or the unit keeps telling you it is NOT ready?
Who do you call to repair these Velobind compatible machines. There aren’t a lot of choices that won’t break the bank. If you were to call the nation’s largest bindery distributor, they will tell you it is $300 dollars or more to have a technician show up at your door! Wow just to show up and look at my unit? That seems outrageous! Are they sending me a Lawyer or Doctor at those rates! Or even a plumber?
Those of you who know me understand that I am an easygoing Phd of Bindology, but this situation makes me angry. This is a simple repair that can be done over the phone! Anyone with some knowledge of how to un-screw 4 Phillips head screws, and un clip a male and female clip to install a THERMAL CUT OFF FUSE can handle it.
Although we service and repair these Velobind style machine, we feel it is our duty to show our customers the easy trick on how to repair these units. Why not! It’s just good business. If you machines aren’t working, our Velobind supplies are not being purchased. So instead of making service half of our business’s profits, we feel that the customer should know how to do perform minor fuse replacements. In some cases we send a screw driver to them for free with the TCO fuse and explain customers over the phone how to do this easy repair.
Or perhaps you have had a service technician come in and tell you your machine needs a $900 repair? Perhaps you have been told it needs a new board or you need to replace your unit for the new price of $5,500 dollars when these units used to sell for $3,500 or less? We hear this several times a week.
Dr Bind has helped numerous law offices diagnose their Velobind units over phone, saving them hundreds in repairs! That’s right. The total cost of most of my Velobind repairs is approx $50.00 for a fuse. The 50.00 includes the price of the fuse and shipping to the customer. THE ADVICE IS FREE, as is the phone consultation on cleaning the unit correctly. We even offer tips on using the correct length strips so the excess cut off piece does not jam your unit.
Here’s the thing: In my opinion, the manufacturer doesn’t use the correct fuse for this unit. It should have been redesigned so that fuses do not blow so easily if unit is left on too long. But they refuse to admit to the public or vendors that the 400 plus fuses we buy yearly could be eliminated if they simply use a larger amp TCO fuse. Or maybe the revenue from charging $300 for this simple field repair has something to do with it. And the prices for these simple parts has doubled.
The main reason these fuses blow is: the TCO fuse tells the machine, “OK I am hot enough to cut off strips now you can use me now”. When the machine is on for several hours at a time, the TCO fuse tends to blow! You can prevent the problem by just shutting off the unit after each use. Used a little more carefully, the TCO fuse will last longer or not blow at all!
In the Chicago area alone, we have replaced over 200 fuses. The difference is that OUR customer’s make the change themselves, along with keeping spare TCO fuses on hand.
I hope that these tips will help you save money in these tighter times and when you need honest advice from someone that treats you like family please feel free to call or email us to help you!
Call 888-824-6346 x 101 and ask for the Dr.
Dr. Bind
Let me point you to a great deal for the new Tamerica V-2000 Pro Securebind machine.
THIS IS A FALSE STATEMENT: Oval holes are easier to bind books than round holes. I must say this particular item is one of the most incorrect statements in the bindery industry, but it’s made for a reason: The vendors who make this statement are simply trying to make a lot more money selling you an oval hole punch die, which is three times more expensive than just getting an oversize .248 pitch round hole die!
It’s actually pretty simple: the oversize .248 pitch round hole die produces a .188 inside diameter hole (remember, the “pitch” includes the spaced between holes). How can an oval hole, which is flat on two sides and has an inside diameter of .172, be easier to spin a larger 30 mm 4:1 spiral coil through? It can’t! And as a matter of a fact it is harder to spin a coil through an oval hole than it is a oversize .248 pitch 4:1 hole.* And yet some of the biggest names in binding are offering you the oval die kool-aid.
It gets weirder. The GBC DigiCoil (an automatic coil inserter) literature actually states you must purchase an oval die in order to use this model, but that is an untrue statement. We have sold several DigiCoil machines, along with a #902 Rhinotuff .248 round hole pattern die for their punch. The units not only work great, the customer saves a lot of money on the die.
For more details on how much they can save, visit this link.
Once again, please listen to people who care about you and your business and not those who want to grab every dollar out of your pockets.
Remember: Coils Well that Ends Well
Dr. Bind
*It is true that some vendors are coming out with an oversize oval hole, which does work well but still has two flat sides to jam the coil as it is spinning through…and is still a special order.
 You want how much for that clutch?
I have to tell you: in tough times, with a tough economy, and companies struggling to get more business, why on God’s green earth would equipment manufacturers triple what they charge for replacement parts? I’m talking about for machines they have been selling for years and years?
Today I am going to address this travesty and let the printers of America know how some companies have increased their prices for binding, laminating and finishing machine replacement parts by up to 400%. Is this even legal? Unfortunately, it’s the new reality, but you don’t have to be a victim.
The reason is actually simple: they are doing this so they can force you – their customer – make up for their decline in sales, lack of customer service and loss of customers. Why would large binding equipment companies (and in this message we are talking about Americas largest reseller of bindery supplies and machines), increase parts costs for units that were been sold years ago? These days, when the customer calls in to get a part, they suddenly realize that this large vendor’s parts prices have tripled in price. For example, a simple clutch for a coil inserter used to be sell price of $290.00, but now they want $980.00? And that’s just one example.
One reason this is happening is that the large company wants to sell more profitable maintenance agreements. In theory, the customer feels they are getting a deal when , for example, they get two clutches replaced under the agreement. It appears that the money was well spent if you really go under the assumption that the clutches are worth almost $1,000. But they never used to be and they aren’t now. It changes the math when you consider that the parts are really worth significantly less. In other words, it’s an artificial way of inflating the perceived value of the maintenance agreement.
The bottom line is make sure you buy your units from a reputable AMERICAN made unit, for which parts are readily available. This year, we waited almost two months for a part that was always in stock last year. But now that these large companies are having all of their machines made overseas and in bulk, the parts bins are practically empty and parts are back ordered for a long time. The parts are getting harder to find and more expensive than ever before.
The final part of this story also makes me angry. The technicians that work for this company have the parts you need, but they will not release them to the public unless you call them for service. Guess what: you are looking at $300 dollars minimum for these guys to walk in the door, no parts, no labor. Nice work. It’s another way to try and force you to pay a maintenance agreement.
Before you buy, think about the company you are buying from as well as the machine itself. Do you want to be a prisoner of the machine you purchased, facing the prospect of dumping more and more money into a model that was built purposely to break down after 90 days? That’s right: unlike the excellent machines once made in the U.S.A, certain big companies are now selling disposable machines designed with plastic internal parts. It’s just another way to build their service business.
What can you do? Buying a built-to-last unit with a 1 year warranty is a good start.
 Docucopy Copier Tabs are the brand leader because of quality and attention to detail Believe me, it’s not because I sell DocuCopy® copier tabs that I tell you this: don’t waste your money on off brand copier tabs. Although you may think you’re saving a few shekels, the fact is that cheap copier tabs may end up costing you more money than you save, not to mention the aggravation.
I’m referring to the product generically called reverse collated or “DocuTech style” copier tabs, which are packaged in 5-4-3-2-1 order (for 1/5 cut) so that they can run unattended on high speed copiers. That means that quality control in collating accuracy on the part of the manufacturer is essential. If even one tab is out of order or missing, the whole job is messed up and so is your day.
My customers have never had a problem with DocuCopy brand copier tabs; on the other hand, we have plenty of experience helping people out who have purchased other copier tabs products that were not packaged accurately.
Beyond the collating concern, you can pretty much see the difference between DocuCopy and other products just by comparing the look of the products and the printing results. DocuCopy plain paper tabs are actually formulated specifically for running in on-demand applications. They are optimized for laser printing and copying machines, with smooth, dust-free die cut edges avoid photoreceptor contamination. The rigidity of the stock has been re-engineered over the years for optimal lay-flat properties, maximizing performance on copiers and other types of digital printer. You can see the difference in the crispness of the printing.
The company packages the tabs with a sealed moisture resistant linerr that helps prevent warping and bending, which minimize jams. In other words, DocuCopy copier tabs arrive flat and ready to print.
There is a reason that DocuCopy is the brand leader by far.
Times are tight right now, and saving money by not sending jobs to Kinko’s and very expensive book binding shops is the key to company profits staying in your pocket. Bringing your document binding and finishing in-house is one way to lower your costs and – in a lot of cases – improve the look of your documents.
The question is: with so many vendors and websites out there, how do you begin to select a punch and bind document binding machine. One important question you might want to ask is: how long will this machine last?
I have been selling machines for over 15 years and have tested all the units you see on the web. In that period of time, I have to come to one over-riding conclusion. Metal machines last a lot longer than plastic built machines. It’s about that simple.
We have found that new machines that are plastic externally are made cheaply and when looking inside of these units we have found that they are also made of plastic internally. Sometimes the plastic machines feature nice designs, but so what? The design doesn’t do the work.
Key components such as gears, drive mechanisms are not supposed to be made of plastic if they are going to last. You will find those types of units only come with a 90 day warranty and a hefty maintenance agreement that is almost half the price of the machine purchased! Why not start off with a good metal machine that comes with a 1 year complete warranty that will last you many years to come?
Three vendors that rank high on my five star durability scale are Rhinotuff, Renz (especially manual units) and Akiles all-metal machines. While there are certainly other brands available, we think these three will provide you with more reliable service over the years.
So, when buying your first new binding machine for your office please consider our advice. Stay with metal on the outside, so that your money is not wasted buying a plastic junk unit that requires a very expensive technician to repair your unit after 6 months of use.
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