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

Half-Letter Sized Documents: How to Bind Them

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link …Half-Letter Sized Documents: How to Bind Them. 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.

Whether you're new to bookbinding or have been at it for years, there will probably come a time when you need to put together a document that's 8.5” x 5.5”. This is known as half-letter size since a piece of paper with these dimensions is basically just half of a sheet that measures 8.5” x 11”. Binding documents that are 8.5” x 5.5” can be challenging due to the way some machines are designed and the availability (or lack thereof) of supplies. However, it is possible to do so. This article will fill you in on some tips and tickets you can try.

• If you have a binding machine equipped with disengageable dies, you can use it to put together your document. Since your device is equipped to handle the long side of a 8.5” x 11” sheet of paper, you can “turn off” some of the dies so your paper will be punched properly. This will ensure that the document has the right number of holes.

• Now you'll need to make sure that you have the right binding supplies for your project. Plastic combs can be special ordered in 8.5” lengths as can color coils. You could even take one of the binding elements and cut it down to the appropriate length with scissors. (You can also do this with GBC ZipBind and ProClick spines if you prefer those supplies.) If you have a wire binding machine, it's possible to order the right spines, although it could take a while to get them due to the nature of custom ordering. And if you're using a VeloBind device, you can just purchase strips that are the right length.

• Once you have your binding elements, it's time to select the covers for your documents. If you can get access to a paper trimmer, you can just cut regular-sized covers down to the appropriate dimensions. (If you're working with plastic covers, make sure you're using a cutter than can handle non-paper materials.) You can also purchase half-letter size covers but finding them can be a bit of a challenge. You should also make sure you have the right size paper on-hand and be ready to trim the sheets if necessary. (Slicing a stack of 8.5” x 11” sheets in half is a quick and easy way to get the right paper for your work.)

• Once you have all of your supplies ready to go, you can start binding your documents. Once you make sure the appropriate dies are disengaged (if applicable), you can bind your work in the usual manner. If you have any questions about how to operate your machine, be sure to consult the instruction manual.

As you can see, binding half-letter size documents is a bit tricky due to the capabilities of certain binding machines and the availability of some supplies. However, with a little bit of planning and ingenuity, you'll find that processing these documents is completely doable. Start binding your half-letter size documents today for yourself to see that it's totally possible to do so.

Tips and Tricks for Binding Documents with Zipbind

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link … Tips and Tricks for Binding Documents with Zipbind. 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.

For years, plastic comb binding was one of the only methods of binding available. Nearly every document, presentation, proposal, cookbook and training manual was bound with plastic combs. However, over time the novelty and elegance of combs has worn off. Documents bound with Combbind have become common and don't have demand the same attention that they once did. Yet hundreds of thousands of offices across the country still own plastic comb binding machines. For these offices there is a new solution. GBC Zipbind binding spines use the same hole pattern as traditional comb binding spines.However, Zip Bind offers a brand new look and new functionality for your documents. This article is designed to offer a few simple tips and tricks for binding your documents with Zipbind. Here they are...

1. If you plan on using the little zipper tool that comes in the package with the spines you are going to want to click the first few loops closed by hand. You will also want to crease the spine slightly in order to make the closing process easier. You can give the zipper tool a try or simply close the loops by hand and use the zipper to open spines to edit your documents.
2. Every pack of spines comes with a blue plastic piece. This is designed to slide over the comb opener on your binding machine. The blue plastic strip will hold your spines while you insert the pages onto them. This can come in really handy for the inserting process.
3. Spines are only available in two sizes and two colors. If you are going to need to bind documents with other sizes or need another color you will need to use plastic combs. This is one of the beauties of using Zipbind. You can always use combs for thicker documents, odd sizes and special colors. Keep this in mind.
4. One of the great things about this binding style is that you can very easily edit documents in the field. If you get stuck in the field without a zipper tool you can always use a pen to open the loops and click the loops shut manually. It might also be a good idea to equip your sales representatives with a small comb binding punch such as the CombBind c50 in their car or briefcase. This way they can punch additional pages or sales sheets to add into the documents on the fly.
5. Binding documents with Zipbind is also ideal for organizations that don't own a binding machine. They can simply buy prepunched comb bind paper and covers and put your documents together without ever touching a binding machine. This presents one of the lowest cost methods of binding available on the market.

These are just a few tips to remember when binding documents with GBC Zipbind. Give zip binding a try and find out just how flexible this new binding style can be.