Bind It, Shred It, Laminate It, Finish It: A MyBinding.com Blog

How to Choose a Rotary Trimmer

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link …How to Choose a Rotary Trimmer. Please feel free to check out this post along with many other helpful reviews, demos, how to videos and more on the official blog of MyBinding.com.

If you routinely need to cut perfectly straight lines, using a rotary trimmer can be very helpful. These devices are commonly used in offices and schools, and crafters sometimes use them as well. In order to choose a rotary trimmer that will fit your needs, there are a few things you need to consider and look for. Check them out:

• Cutting length.  It's vital that you choose a trimmer that's large enough to accommodate your paper. You will be able to choose the right trimmer by making sure that a trimmer's cutting length corresponds with the size of your paper. For example, if you will be trimming letter-sized paper, get a cutter that has an 11” cutting length.

• Cutting capacity.  Rotary trimmers have different cutting capacities. In other words, the trimmer you choose will be able to cut a certain amount of paper at once. You need to pay attention to cutting capacity because if a trimmer can only trim 5 sheets at a time and you need to cut 10, that might be problematic.

• An encased blade.  Since a rotary trimmer is a cutting tool, it's something that needs to be used with caution. It's a good idea to get a trimmer that has a blade that's fully encased in plastic. While you will still need to be careful when cutting our paper, the casing will help protect your fingers as you work.

• An alignment grid and ruler.   It's important to choose a trimmer that has both a ruler and an alignment grid. These features will help you properly line up your paper so you can get a precise cut. You should also make sure the trimmer has a paper clamp. This will keep your paper in place as you work.

• Interchangeable blades.  Some rotary trimmers have interchangeable blades. These cutters are very helpful if you want to perforate and/or score your paper. Also, sometimes these trimmers can create wavy edges, so they're ideal if you do a lot of crafts.

• Durable construction.   Finally, it's a good idea to select a rotary trimmer that is durably constructed. You can tell a cutter is well-made if it has a lot of metal parts. The base should also be sturdy so it can withstand a lot of use.

Finally, you may want to try out a few different rotary trimmers to see which one you like the best. That way, it will be easy for you to choose the trimmer that's perfect for you. Happy cutting!

Five Things to Look for When Buying an Electric Paper Cutter

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link …Five Things to Look for When Buying an Electric Paper Cutter. Please feel free to check out this post along with many other helpful reviews, demos, how to videos and more on the official blog of MyBinding.com.

Cutting hundreds of sheets of paper at a time is possible if you own an electric paper cutter. If you think you need one, check out the five things to look for when deciding which one is right for you:

1. Capacity. You're definitely going to want to look for a machine that can cut as many sheets as possible. Doing so will ensure that you can get your cutting done in as little time as possible so you can focus on other tasks. The good news is that many electric cutters can slice through entire reams of paper, so you'll be able to cut 500 or more sheets in a flash.
2. Depth. A cutter's depth indicates how much room there is behind the blade. This is important to know because it will dictate how long your sheets can be. Many cutters are able to handle letter-sized sheets (8.5" x 11") but you'll need to pay special attention to this specification if you plan on working with larger materials.
3. Width. Width is another thing that must be considered. You need to find out how wide the blade is and determine if it's compatible with your trimming needs. It's always helpful to choose a device that has a slightly larger blade than you need. This not only ensures that your materials will be accurately cut, it means that you'll be covered if you end up needing to cut larger sheets in the future.
4. An adjustable backstop. Using an electric cutter is easy but the machine you choose needs to have an adjustable backstop so that you'll always be able to get the exact results you want. A backstop will help you position the paper so it can be cut right where you need it. Backstops can either adjustable either automatically or manually. The automatic ones are more accurate and they're easier to use. (Manual ones require you to use a hand crank.) The main drawback to getting a trimmer with an automatic adjustable backstop is that they cost more. However, you might find that spending the extra money is worth it.
5. Safety features. Finally, it's extremely important to get a cutter that has reliable safety features. As one would expect, these devices are incredibly dangerous and operating them needs to be as safe as possible. The machine you choose should require two-handed operation (so your fingers aren't near the blade when cutting) and there should be a safety shield. Some trimmers are equipped with optical eyes that can detected if there are non-paper items near the blade. If something is detected, the machine won't operate. If that sort of feature sounds good to you, be sure to look for it.

Electric paper cutters are some of the most useful document finishing devices around, but like anything else, you need to look for certain things to ensure you select the one that's best for you. Cutting capacity is very important, as is width, depth, and the type of backstop. And don't forget to look for good safety features. Doing so will ensure you pick the right cutter. Good luck!

The Three Essential Safety Features Every Guillotine Cutter Must Have

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link … Guillotine Paper Cutter Safety: Three Features to Look For. Please feel free to check out this post along with many other helpful reviews, demos, how to videos and more on the official blog of MyBinding.com.

 Guillotine paper cutters are helpful tools that can use used in the office, at school, and in artists' studios. These devices can help you cut a good amount of paper at once so you can save time. And they also give you some of the crispest cuts you'll ever see. That said, it's important to realize that paper cutters can be very dangerous and you could be injured easily, especially if you don't take the proper precautions. There are a few features you should look for when buy a paper cutter so you stay safe. Let's find out what those features are and why they're important.

1. A tension spring. One feature your cutter definitely needs is a tension spring. The tension spring will help the blade stay in place to that it won't fall down without warning once you take your hand off the handle. Any cutter that's worth the money will have this feature so it should be pretty easy to find the right device for your needs. That said, once you do have your trimmer, don't ever remove the tension spring from the device. It's just a dangerous thing to do.

2. A blade latch. Another must-have feature is a blade latch. This is a piece that's near the bottom of the device and it keeps the blade down when the device isn't in use. It's important to have this feature because someone might accidentally run their hand along the blade which can be really dangerous. If there's a blade latch, injuries are less likely to occur so make sure your decide has one.

3. The blade guard. Finally, the cutter you choose needs to have a blade guard. This feature is simply a guard the runs the length of the base and prevents your hands from running into the blade. Some of the cutters available have rotary guards that cover the blade during the entire cutting process. (A rotary guard is very handy, so you might want to look for one if safety if a very high priority for you.) One problem you might run into when using your new trimmer is that you may find the guard gets in the way or makes it difficult to cut. If this occurs, don't remove the guard. It's there for safety reasons after all.

Finally, when you're using a guillotine paper cutter, it's important to use good common sense so you can prevent injury. Don't use one when you're tired, too hurried to take the proper safety precautions, and so on. Wait until later to use device so that there won't be any problems.

As you can tell from reading this article, safety is very important when using a guillotine paper cutter. It's vital to select a device that has the safety features discussed above and to never tamper with them or remove them. It's too easy to become injured when using one of the trimmers, so you need to have all the protection possible. Good luck with your cutting projects and say safe!

Rotary Trimmers: A Short Introduction

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link … Rotary Trimmers: A Short Introduction. Please feel free to check out this post along with many other helpful reviews, demos, how to videos and more on the official blog of MyBinding.com.

One of the most versatile cutting tools available is the rotary trimmer. It's the perfect thing to use when you need to cut a perfectly straight line to produce professional-looking work. Here's a short introduction to rotary trimmers so you can choose one that's right for you.

• Rotary trimmers come in a variety of lengths so there are devices for both large and small projects. The cutting length is something you need to think about before getting one. A lot of the available cutters can usually paper that's 8.5” x 11” and smaller which is fine for a lot of trimming jobs. However, if you regularly deal with larger sheets of paper (such as ones that are 8.5” x 14” or 11” x 17”), you're going to need a cutter that can handle them. So be sure to keep length in mind.

• It's important to realize that rotary trimmers aren't really the best tools for cutting a large amount of paper at once. If you need to work with dozens – or even hundreds – of sheets at one time, you're better off with a guillotine trimmer or stack cutter. That said, rotary trimmers have cutting capacities that vary quite a bit. Some of them can only slice through a couple of sheets per pass while others can handle up to 30.

• Some of these cutters have blades that are strong enough to trim materials other than paper. These are trimmers that can handle cardstock, foam board, laminating film, vinyl, and even fabric and leather. Devices that can cut a variety of materials can be very handy but they're often a bit expensive. However, one can be a good investment if you want a durable, all-in-one cutter.

• If you're interested in crafting or other creative endeavors, it might be a good idea to get a cutter with interchangeable blades. There are blades that can create wavy edges as well as ones that can perforate and score your paper. These devices are great to have around for scrapbooking, making greeting cards, and so on.

• One of the most important things to look for in a rotary trimmer is that it's safe to use. Luckily, most of the cutters available have been designed with safety in mind so it's easy to find one that you'll feel comfortable using. Be sure to look for one that has an encased blade. The casing greatly reduces the chance of inadvertently touching the blade so you'll stay safe.

• Finally, whichever trimmer you choose should be well-constructed and have a good warranty so you can get as much use as possible out of it. It should also have a paper clamp to keep your materials in place when you cut them as well as a measurement grid. These features will help you do a great job every time – and save money over the long run.

Now that you've had a short introduction to rotary trimmers, you shouldn't have any trouble finding one that can help you out with your daily cutting needs. Start hunting for your cutter today. Good luck!

Holiday Card Supplies to Consider Using

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link … Holiday Card Supplies to Consider Using. Please feel free to check out this post along with many other helpful reviews, demos, how to videos and more on the official blog of MyBinding.com.

Have you started making your holiday cards yet? If you haven't, you should probably get on it soon since the holidays are just about here. There are some supplies you can use to help you out creatively so you can make cards you can take pride in. Some of these will be expected (pens, glitter) and others will be surprising, such as a die cutting system. Here are some things you should consider using when putting together your holiday cards this year.

1. A rotary trimmer. Even if you're working with store-bought elements such as stickers and appliques, it never hurts to have a good rotary trimmer on-handed. These devices makes it easy to quickly cut perfectly straight lines. There are even some trimmers that can do wavy lines which is a nice option to have when putting your cards together. You might also want to have a pair of scissors around for making circular cuts.

2. A pouch laminator and laminating film. Pouch laminators are handy machines if you need to make a document more durable. They can also be used to add foil accents to your holiday cards for a high-class look. Laminating foil comes in some beautiful colors such as blue, purple, and green so you'll be able to find the right hue no matter which holiday you're celebrating.

3. A scorer. Something that could come in really handy as you work on your cards is a scorer. This is simply a device that helps you crease thicker stocks (i.e. cardstock). You'll find a device like this helpful if you end up using paper that isn't already folded. (This will also give you some some creative freedom because you can use just about any type of paper you want. You won't be limited to pre-folded paper.)

4. A die cutting system. If you'd like to make your own appliques for your cards, you should think about getting a die cutting system. Some of the best ones are made by Xyron and they can help you make holiday-themed shapes that can really brighten up your work. With some machines, you can even print out letters so you'll be able to beautifully spell out your holiday greetings.

5. Pens, glitter, glue, and so on. Finally, you're going to need a bunch of your typical crafting supplies on-hand to get the job done. Gather up a good supply of your favorite pens, adhesives, etc. Make sure to put some holiday tunes on your stereo or MP3 player and grab some hot chocolate to set the appropriate mood.

These items can help you make some of your best holiday cards yet. You'll be surprised at how handy it is to have devices like a rotary trimmer, die cutting system, and scorer at your disposal, especially if you do crafts throughout the years. The laminator can not only help you attach foil to your creations, you can use it to protect your important paper documents and photographs. Consider getting some of these devices today to make your card-making sessions easier. Happy holidays!

Trimming Laminated Items: What You Need to Consider

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link … Trimming Laminated Items: What You Need to Consider. Please feel free to check out this post along with many other helpful reviews, demos, how to videos and more on the official blog of MyBinding.com.

Laminating your documents, photographs, and artwork is a great way to preserve your work so it can withstand a lot of handling. Whether you use a pouch or roll laminator, at some point you're going to probably have to trim some excess laminate from your items. There are a few different tools you can use to do this including scissors, Zippy knives, rotary trimmers, guillotine cutters, and laminating trimmers. This article will help you decide which tool would be best for your needs. That said, here's what you need to consider when trimming your laminated materials....

1. The size of your documents. This is a really important consideration because it makes sense to choose certain implements depending on your document's size. For example, if you're dealing with smaller things such as business cards and snapshots, using scissors or Zippy knives would be appropriate, but an automated trimmer would probably be overkill. Likewise, it would be time-consuming and inconvenient to use shears to trim a banner or poster. This is largely based on common sense, so be sure to choose accordingly.

2. How your materials are shaped. Shape needs to be taken into account when deciding what's the best way to trim your documents. Automated and rotary trimmers as well as guillotine cutters are great if you need a perfectly straight line, but they won't cut it (no pun intended) if you need a curved line or if the item is otherwise irregularly shaped. So you'll want to take a good look at your materials see which tools will give you the results you need.

3. The thickness of your materials. The third thing you need to think about is how thick your items are. For example, if you decided to laminate a mounting board, you're going to need something that can cut through a relatively thick material. A good choice in this instance would be a mat cutter. (A rotary cutter or pair of scissors definitely wouldn't work.) Also, items that have been laminated with thin film (i.e. 3 mil) might be difficult to cut with a guillotine cutter or rotary trimmers, but things will go just fine if you use a Zippy knife. You might want to experiment with different tools to see which ones make trimming as easy as possible.

Trimming is really the final step in the laminating process, so you're going to want to make sure you do a good job of it. This will help you end up with materials that are not only protected but also look great and convey a professional image. Thus, you need to take the size, shape, and thickness of your items into consideration when selecting which cutting tool to use. If you do this, picking the right cutting tool will be easy and it will help you finish the job beautifully. (It can also help you save some time, which is always helpful.) Keep these things in mind the next you find yourself needing to trim excess laminate from your work.

Rotary Trimmers: Questions to Ask Yourself When Buying One

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link …Rotary Trimmers: Questions to Ask Yourself When Buying One. Please feel free to check out this post along with many other helpful reviews, demos, how to videos and more on the official blog of MyBinding.com.

One of the most helpful types of cutting tools is the rotary trimmer. These devices make it quick and easy to trim documents for either personal or professional use. If you don't have one, you should consider getting one to make preparing your materials much easier. That said, here are some questions you should ask yourself when choosing your rotary trimmer.

1. How much do you want to cut at once? A trimmer's cutting capacity is a very important factor in selecting such a device. You should choose a cutter that will be able to handle as many sheets as possible so you can process your materials quickly. You'll find trimmers that can only handle a few sheets at a time while there are others than can deal as many as 30 sheets. If you need to work with larger quantities of paper, you should consider getting a guillotine cutter instead.

2. How large is your paper? Rotary trimmers are available in a lot of different sizes. When choosing yours, you'll want to check out the device's cutting length because this will indicate what size(s) of paper you can trim with it. The majority of these devices will be able to handle letter-sized paper but not all of them can handle larger lengths such as 12”, 14”, and 17”. Be sure to measure your materials beforehand so you can choose a device that's the right size for your needs.

3. Do you want to score or perforate? In recent years, there have been products arrive on the market that can do wavy cuts as well as score and perforate your materials. These trimmers can be really helpful if you're creating greeting cards, decorations, scrapbook materials, and so on. They're great for crafters and creative professionals. However, their cutting capacities can be on the low side, so that may be a problem if you want to work with large amounts of paper.

4. Do you want a well-constructed device? You can get a rotary trimmer for not a lot of money, however, the cheaper devices will become unusable after a while, especially if they're used on a frequent basis. You'll then need to replace the item. However, if you spend a bit more from the get-go, you're much more likely to get a well-constructed trimmer that can withstand more use. Also, a trimmer that's well-made will give you a better cut so your documents will look professional.

5. Are you prepared to spend money on wearable parts? If you use your cutter on a regular basis, you're probably going to have to replace the blades and/or other parts. However, if you purchased a cheaper cutter, you may find that it's more cost-effective to replace the entire unit rather than just buying a replacement blade.

If you ask yourself these questions when shopping for a rotary trimmer, you'll end up with the one that's just right for you. Then you'll be free to easily cut your documents to put together professional-looking work.

Ingento Maple Desktop Paper Cutters Still Around and Still the Same

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link … Ingento Maple Desktop Paper Cutters Still Around and Still the Same. Please feel free to check out this post along with many other helpful reviews, demos, how to videos and more on the official blog of MyBinding.com.

If you have been in the workroom of almost any school in the past ten years, chances are you have seen an Ingento Maple Trimmer. These excellent quality paper cutters consist of a hardwood maple surface with a ruler for determining measurements and a Guillotine Style Cutting blade. They do what they are designed to do and interestingly enough haven't really changed in years.

A few weeks ago, a local customer of mine asked me to help them replace their old Ingento Maple trimmer. Their 12" x 12" Ingento Maple trimmer was more than twenty years old and the blade had been sharpened so many times that there was hardly any metal left. It was definitely time for a new cutter. I went ahead and ordered them a brand new GBC Ingento CL500m Maple Trimmer. Much to my surprise when the cutter arrived and I took it out of the box, the new CL500m was identical to the twenty year old trimmer. The design hadn't changed.

All of the Ingento maple trimmers include a self sharpening hardened steel blade, a steel tension spring to secure the blade in any position, a protective guard rail, a latch hook to lock the blade in place, an alignment grid and ruler as well as a 10 year warranty. If you are looking for a guillotine style paper cutter the Ingento is the way to go. Thousands of other Paper Cutters have come and gone and the Ingento is the same great cutter as it has always been. Don't settle for anything less than the best. Choose GBC Ingento.

GBC Accucut A300 Swingline SmartCut Lite Rotary Trimmer Review

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link … GBC Accucut A300 Swingline SmartCut Lite Rotary Trimmer Review. Please feel free to check out this post along with many other helpful reviews, demos, how to videos and more on the official blog of MyBinding.com.

Overview:

• 

  The GBC Accucut A300 rotary trimmer is also being marketed as the Swingline Smartcut Lite. Although these two cutters have different names, they are identical.
• The A300 is a personal rotary trimmer that is designed for trimming paper, scrapbook pages, presentations, desktop publishing projects and more.
• It is designed to be an economical solution for home offices and small offices that are looking for low volume paper cutter.

Strengths / Features:

• The Swingline Smartcut Lite offers a 12" cutting length that is ideal for trimming documents as large as 11" x 17" in size. It can also be used to trim 12" x 12" scrapbooking paper.
• The Accucut A300 has a ruler along the top of the trimmer that offers both imperial and metric measurements. It also has an alignment grid printed on the base of the cutting unit. This alignment grid is ideal for helping to ensure that you get straight cuts every time.
• The cutting blade on the A300 travels along a transparent cutting guide that allows users to see exactly where the blade will travel. This helps to ensure the most accurate cuts possible.
• The Smartcut Lite comes equipped with a stainless steel round cutting blade that is capable of cutting up to 10 sheets of paper at a time. However, the trimmer can also be equipped with a perforator blade for perforating paper or with a wave cutting blade for adding decorative edges to your paper.
• The Accucut A300 has a convenient easy grip handle that travels along a metal rail. In order to cut a document you simply need to press down on the handle to engage the blade.

Weaknesses / Limitations:

• The GBC Accucut A300 is made primarily for personal and home office use. For this reason, it is made almost entirely made of plastic. The GBC Accucut A400pro is the same size and offers the same cutting length as the A300 but utilizes metal components instead of plastic ones. The plastic components make the A300 far less durable than larger professional grade rotary trimmers.
• Although the Smartcut Lite is rated to cut up to ten sheets of paper, it is really not ideal for cutting more than a few sheets of paper at any given time. It is really more of a trimmer than a cutter. A guillotine style paper cutter is better for cutting small stacks of paper while a rotary trimmer is best used for trimming laminated documents and other materials.
• The A300 uses a special cutting mat that is placed underneath the rotary cutting blade. The cutting mat helps to ensure the quality of trimming provided by the trimmer. The cutting mat needs to be replaced or reversed on a regular basis in order to ensure high quality cuts. It is always a good idea to keep an extra cutting mat on hand in case you need to replace the mat on your cutter.

Recommendation:

• For organizations that need to trim a few documents or want to add either a decorative edge or a perforated section to their documents the Smartcut Lite is a logical choice.
• However, it is important to recognize that this is a paper cutter that is designed for personal use. The plastic construction of the A300 makes it a decent choice for scrapbooking and craft projects. However, it is less than ideal for commercial applications or any type of volume trimming.
• It is also important to remember that the Smartcut lite is designed as a trimmer and not a cutter. For any type of volume cutting, a guillotine paper cutter is a better solution.

GBC Accucut A400pro Smartcut Rotary Paper Trimmer Review

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link … GBC Accucut A400pro Smartcut Rotary Paper Trimmer Review. Please feel free to check out this post along with many other helpful reviews, demos, how to videos and more on the official blog of MyBinding.com.

Overview:

• 

  The GBC Accucut A400pro (also known as the Smartcut A400 pro) is a heavy duty high performance 12" rotary paper trimmer. It is designed for trimming signs, presentations, photos, labels and more. It even works with laminated items and matboard.
• The A400pro rotary trimmer is the introductory model for GBC's line of professional rotary trimmers.
• The A400pro even has optional cutting blades that are available for decorative cutting and perforating

Strengths / Features:

• The Smartcut A400pro is a professional grade rotary trimmer designed for trimming all types of materials. It is rated for cutting up to 10 sheets of 20lb paper at a time. However, it is not the ideal solution for cutting large volumes of paper. Instead, it is designed for the precise trimming of laminated materials, signs, presentations and photos.
• This cutter has a metal cutting base that offers stability and strength and the base has a printed alignment grid that helps to provide precise cutting of all different formats of paper. The cutting length of the A400 is twelve inches and the width of the base is nine inches.
• The A400 has a transparent cutting guide that makes it simple to see exactly where the cutter will trim. The rotary blade travels along the edge of the transparent guide allowing you to precisely judge where the blade will travel.
• The A400 uses a high quality stainless-steel rotary blade that cuts in both directions. The blade can easily be replaced if it becomes dull. There are even optional blades available for the A400 that allow you to use it for perforating documents or for adding a decorative edge to your paper using a wave cutting blade.
• The A400pro also has a convenient storage department in the bottom of the cutter that is designed for holding extra cutting blades.

Weaknesses / Limitations:

• Although the A400pro has a metal rod for the blade to travel on, the blade mechanism still seems to have some play in it. This can make it difficult to make the most precise cuts when accuracy is absolutely essential.
• The A400pro uses a cutting mat to help ensure high quality cuts. However, over time the cutting mat will become worn and the quality of the cutting produced by the A400 will degrade. The cutting mat can be reversed and then flipped over for a total of four possible positions. However, it is essential to replace the cutting mat as it becomes worn. This helps to ensure the quality of your cuts.
• The cutting base of the A400pro is only 9 inches wide. This makes trimming larger documents difficult. Documents with more than 9" to the left of the blade are not able to take advantage of the rulers or guides on the machine making them extremely difficult to cut.

Recommendation:

• The GBC Smartcut A400pro is an excellent choice for small offices and home offices that are looking for an introductory level professional quality rotary trimmer.
• The trimmer offers a great set of features for its price level. However, it offers a limited cutting length, cutting table and the cutting blade is not as secure as I would prefer in a true professional level paper trimmer. For these features you would need to step up to the 500 series of GBC trimmers.
• However, the 500 series of trimmers does not offer wave cutting or perforating. If you need these features then the A400 or A410pro which offers a 15 inch cutting length are ideal.