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

How to Successfully Use a Pair of Crimping Pliers

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link …How to Successfully Use a Pair of Crimping Pliers. 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.

Coil binding is a popular document finishing method that is used by professional binderies, office workers, and school employees and volunteers. Documents bound with coils tend to look very professional and most coil binding equipment is pretty easy to use. However, a lot of people run into trouble when it's time to crimp the ends of the coil with a pair of crimping pliers. This is unfortunate because crimping the coil is the most important part of the process. If you don't crimp your coil, your document will fall apart. However, with good instructions and a bit of practice, you can become skilled at this task. Here is how you can successfully use a pair of crimping pliers:

• First, make sure you have a pair of crimping pliers. These look just like normal pliers and a pair is sometimes included with new coil binding machines.

• Bind your document, making sure that you use a coil that's 1” longer than your document.

• Hold your book in your hands with the coil facing you. Grab your pair of crimping pliers and make sure that the red dot on them is pointing up.

• Grab one end of the coil with your pliers. Apply some pressure so the the coil is trimmed. Turn your wrist slightly to bend the end of the coil.

• Flip your document over and make sure the coil is facing you. Crimp the other end of the coil with your crimping pliers. You're done!

As noted above, you might have to practice a little bit before crimping comes naturally to you. That's normal, so be patient with yourself and practice as much as necessary. If you're a visual learner, make sure you watched the embedded video to see someone crimp the ends of a coil. It might help. Good luck to you and happy crimping!

 

Tips for Using the Martin Yale P6200 Letter Folder

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link … Fast and Simple Letter Folding with the Martin Yale P6200. 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 time-consuming office tasks is folding paper. Whether you're folding invoices or correspondence, it can take up a significant chunk of your workday. Luckily, there are machines that can help you out such as the Martin Yale P6200, a desktop letter folder. Using this machine is a snap. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of it:

• The P6200 can fold up to 3 sheets of paper at a time and they can be stapled together. Don't try to fold more than 3 sheets at once. If you do, you could end up with a paper jam.

• It's possible to fold up to 30 letters per minute with this machine. The paper will be folded as soon as you place it in the feed opening which is nice and convenient.

• This device works with letter-sized paper that measures 8.5” x 11”. It will fold the paper into thirds, so you will want to make sure that you have the right size envelopes on-hand.

• If you want to boost your productivity, make sure you keep the P6200 on your desk for easy access. (Or you could place it in your copier room near the postage machine.) The machine's approximate dimensions are 13" x 6" x 6" so it won't take up much space.

• At some point, you may end up with a paper jam despite your best intentions. If this happens, it's easy to fix. Unplug the machine and turn it upside down. Remove the green paper stop and untwist the black disc. Then, insert the stem of the black disk into the hole on the right side of the machine. Start cranking the disc to remove the paper. Make sure to return the black disc and the green paper stop to their original positions before folding more paper.

• Turn off the P6200 when you're done.

Using the Martin Yale P6200 is extremely easy, even when you have to deal with a paper jam. Give this letter folder a try so you can save time during your workday.

 

Tips on Using the Lamitek PhotoPro 13 Laminator

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link … Smooth and Simple Laminating with the Lamitek PhotoPro 13. 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.

When choosing a pouch laminator, it's always a good idea to select one that's packed with user-friendly features and is easy to operate. Luckily, the Lamitek PhotoPro 13 fits the bill beautifully. This laminator is compatible with laminating pouches that are up to 10 mil thick and it has a 13-inch feed opening that can accommodate large and small documents. The PhotoPro 13 also has a cold setting for those heat-sensitive materials and it has four rollers so everything will be smoothly processed. Here are a few tips to help you successfully use this machine:

• Turn on the laminator and let it warm up. This device takes about 5 minutes to heat up, so you'll be able to start laminating pretty quickly.

• Select the appropriate setting for your pouch. For example, if you're using a 5 mil pouch, turn the rotary dial to the number 5 position. If you're using a pressure-sensitive laming pouch, select the cold setting, and so on.

• Place your document in a pouch and then place the pouch in a carrier. Run the carrier though the laminator and place it to the side afterward. Your document needs to cool off before you can use it.

• Just repeat the above steps for your other documents. Turn off the PhotoPro when you're done so that the motor doesn't overheat.

Finally, you might want to try foil laminating with PhotoPro if you're feeling adventurous. Foil laminating is the process of adding a bit of decorative foil to your documents and you can do this with a machine that uses 10 mil pouches. Click here to watch a video that will walk you through the process.

Overall, the Lamitek PhotoPro 13 is a great pouch laminator that's versatile and easy to use. (Watch the video to see it in action.) Try out the tips listed above you can produce beautifully laminated documents.  

 

 

See the Fellowes Helios 30 Thermal Binding Machine in Action

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link … Fellowes Helios 30 Demo. 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.

Thermal binding machines are some of the most versatile document finishing devices around. Some of the best thermal binders are made by Fellowes, including the Helios 30. This machine is easy to use and you can see it in action by watching video below. Here are a few things you need to know about the Helios 30: 

• This machine can bind documents that are up to 300 pages long. Both softcover and hardback thermal binding cases are compatible with the device, so you can make your documents look great.

• The Helios 30 warms up in just 4 minutes and it can bind multiple documents at once, depending on their thickness. You can measure the thickness of your documents with the machine's built-in thickness detector.

• This machine's binding cycle only lasts for 1 to 3 minutes, so you can crank out work quickly. Producing your documents is safe since the device has a HeatShield safety barrier to keep your hands away from the heating element.

• Once your document is bound, the Helios 30 will beep at you. When that happens, place your document in the machine's cooling rack.

• If you need to, you can continue binding your documents. This device can adjust its settings automatically so you can bind thin and thick documents in one session without any issues.

• After you're done binding your documents, turn off the machine and give it a chance to cool off a bit. You can fold up the device for easy storage.

The Fellowes Helios 30 is a very user-friendly thermal binding machine that can help you produce professional-looking, books even when you're in a hurry. As you can see from watching the video, this device is really easy to use, so creating great-looking work is a snap. Give the Helios 30 a try if you're interested in thermal binding.

 

How to NOT Oil Your Paper Shredder

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link … How NOT to Oil a Paper Shredder. 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.

Oiling your paper shredder is the best way to keep it in good shape. The oil helps reduce wear and tear on the motor and gears, so you can extend the life of your shredder. Also, the oil cuts down on paper dust so your workspace can stay clean.

Oiling your shredder is pretty easy to do. However, there are definitely some things you should not do. Here are a few examples:

• Although oiling your shredder is another item on your “to do” list, it's important to do it anyway. Skipping this task can cause the shredder to wear down. If that happens, you'll either have to replace the shredder or get it repaired.

• If you have vegetable oil on-hand, resist the temptation to use it. Vegetable oil is for cooking, not for oiling paper shredders. Yes, it is cheaper than shredder oil, but it can also damage your machine.

• One of the most convenient ways to oil your shredder is by dampening a sheet of paper with oil and then running it through the machine. However, you shouldn't soak the paper. Soaking the sheet is overkill and it's likely to make a mess.

• Some people might be tempted to use peanut butter to oil their shredders, given that foodstuff's natural oiliness. Naturally, this messes up the shredder, and can render it useless. Therefore, save the peanut butter for lunch, not shredder maintenance.

• Squirting some oil directly into the shredder's feed opening is one way to properly lubricate the device. However, this is only true if you don't pour a lot into the machine. If you use too much oil, it will just pool in the waste bin.

There are a couple of right ways to oil your shredders and, as you can see, there are also some incorrect ways. Make sure you check out the embedded video so you can learn how to not oil your paper shredder.