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How Do I Choose the Right Binding Machine for My Print Shop?
In this series of posts, “How do I choose?”, we will help you take a little of the guesswork out of selecting the best print finish product for your print shop or office. It’s sometimes difficult to find the right machine to fit your needs when there are so many models.
It all has to come together sometime. All those pages in the presentation, the employee manual, the book, the instructional guide, the schematics… They’ve all got to have some sort of binding to meet the customers budget, the readers needs and a style that looks good. But, what kind of binding machine do you need?
Well, the answer to this one is a little trickier. You may even want more than one machine. First you need to determine the type of binding that you think you’ll use most often.
- Comb binders – cheap, effective. Plus, combs can be opened to add/subtract sheets.
- Coil/Wire binders – Comes in a variety of colors and materials. Allows the reader to lay the book open flat and turn pages a full 360-degrees.
- Unibind binding machine – Quick, slick and permanent. A steel spine at the back of the cover allows the paper edges to sink into a heated resin.
- Perfect bound machines – Most paperback books at your local retailer are bound with this method. It’s glue-based and leaves a nice sturdy spine.
Once you’ve chosen a couple binding methods that you’d like to offer at your shop, consider flexibility, speed and cost.
You’ll certainly find flexibility with a combo system. A single purchase will allow you to do both comb, wire or coil (depending on the machine). However, keep size in mind. With comb or coil systems, you may not want to limit yourself to standard 8 1/2″ x 11″, so investigate the machines that can accommodate 14″ or 17″ sheets. Speed is affected by manual or automatic operation and the number of sheets that can be punched at one time.
The most crucial consideration however, is the question of cost. What you can sell and what your customers are willing to pay for may limit your choices. A perfect binding system is expensive initially, but costs little in upkeep. The Unibind thermal system itself is inexpensive considering the nice end product, but supplies are comparitatvily high, per piece. So, remember not to merely look at the machinery that makes the binding happen. Look at the plastics and metals that make up the binding.
Tamerica TW3100 3:1 Wire Binding Machine (TW3100)
Like its TW2100 brother, the Tamerica TW3100 3:1 Wire Binding Machine can manually punch, bind and close legal sized documents using twin loop wire, the difference being the TW3100 uses 3:1 pitch wire. And like the TW2100, it’s also one of the least expensive units in its class.
How is it Used?
The TW3100 is a manual machine that punches, binds and closes wire in an all-in-one unit. This efficient design not only saves you money and production time, but also work space.
The machine comes equipped with two handles, one for operating the 40-pin punching mechanism and the other to operate the wire closer. This two-handle design minimizes wear and tear on the punching mechanism and helps to keep the closer accurate.
Users will also enjoy the 20-sheet punching capacity, fully disengagable dies, and adjustable margin depth. Another great feature of this machine is its all-metal construction. It’s well made and it shows, making it perfect for long-term, everyday use.
And How Much Does it Cost?
The Tamerica TW3100 3:1 Wire Binding Machine costs $319 at Lloyd’s and comes with a 1-year warranty from the manufacturer. You can opt to purchase an extended warranty from Lloyd’s of Indiana for 15% of the purchase price for a 2-year warranty or 20% of the purchase price for 3 years.
Tamerica TW2100 2:1 Wire Binding Machine (TW2100)
The Tamerica TW2100 2:1 Wire Binding Machine can punch, bind and close legal sized twin loop wire. Those capabilities combined with its lower price point help to make it one of our most popular units.
How is it Used?
The TW2100 lets you manually punch, wire bind and close booklets with the same machine, saving you time and valuable work space. The dual-handle design not only protects the punching dies, but also allows you to place the unit right up against the wall, another great space saver.
Users will also enjoy the 20-sheet punching capacity, fully disengagable dies, and adjustable margin depth. Another great feature of this machine is its all-metal construction. It’s well made and it shows, making it perfect for long-term, everyday use.
And How Much Does it Cost?
The Tamerica TW2100 2:1 Wire Binding Machine costs $319 at Lloyd’s and comes with a 1-year warranty from the manufacturer. You can opt to purchase an extended warranty from Lloyd’s of Indiana for 15% of the purchase price for a 2-year warranty or 20% of the purchase price for 3 years.
Tamerica TCC242 DURA BIND Comb Binding Machine (TCC242)
The Tamerica 242 DURA BIND Comb Binding Machine has an exceptionally strong manual punch and the capacity to bind up to 250 2” thick books per hour. It’s also one of the best manual, legal-sized puncher and comb binders out there.
How is it Used?
This combo puncher and comb binder is all about making the most out of manual power. Yes, you’ll need to put some muscle into it, but the machine does most of the work for you. Its heavy-duty punching mechanism can punch up to 5,000 sheets an hour (15-20 sheets at a time).
Simply set the depth-of-punch margin control, insert your document (up to legal sized) and punch. When you’re ready, insert the plastic comb, open it using the lever and feed your document on to the comb.
Because it’s an all-manual machine, the Tamerica TCC242 DURA BIND Comb Binding Machine is best suited to low-to-medium volume users doing shorter or mid-sized binding runs. That said, it’s sturdy, well-built (all-metal construction) and built to last, so it’s a still a good, cost-effective choice.
And How Much Does it Cost?
The Tamerica TCC242 DURA BIND Comb Binding Machine costs $259 at Lloyd’s and comes with a 1-year warranty from the manufacturer. You can opt to purchase an extended warranty from Lloyd’s of Indiana for 15% of the purchase price for a 2-year warranty or 20% of the purchase price for 3 years.
Tamerica TCC210EPB Electric Comb Binding Machine (TCC210EPB)
The Tamerica TCC210EPB Electric Comb Binding Machine strikes that perfect balance between a fully electric commercial binding system and the affordability and portability of a smaller manual unit.
How is it Used?
The Tamerica 210EPB is an electric puncher combined with a manual binder. This means faster production times without the need for two separate machines. It can handle up to 15 sheets of paper at once (up to Letter size) and lets you manually bind books up to 2” thick. The best part? The punch is done using an automatic push button control, meaning you can stop worrying about shoulder pain.
Like most Tamerica binders, the 210EPB comes equipped with a full die disengagement pin system, meaning you’re not wrenching out sheets that get stuck on pins after every punch.
Its added features include adjustable margin depth and an easy to follow insertion guide. It’s designed for light to medium commercial use and is ideal for institutions and copy shops.
And How Much Does it Cost?
The Tamerica TCC210EPB Electric Comb Binding Machine costs $555 at Lloyd’s and comes with a 1-year warranty from the manufacturer. You can opt to purchase an extended warranty from Lloyd’s of Indiana for 15% of the purchase price for a 2-year warranty or 20% of the purchase price for 3 years.