Five Things to Consider When Choosing a Paper Jogger

Printers, print shops and other users who bind and produce large numbers of finished documents often use a paper jogger. A paper jogging machine takes a stack or ream of paper and vibrates quickly to ensure that all the pages are flush and square. This is a necessary step before cutting documents or binding documents with a perfect binding machine or thermal binding system. Joggers can also be used to prepare documents for punching with a binding machine or to align stacks of punched paper in preparation for finishing.

If you produce a large number of documents, you could benefit from using a paper jogger. However, most people don’t know the first thing about this type of equipment. This article is designed to give you five things to consider when choosing a paper jogger. Here they are…

1. How many pages are you going to need to jog at one time? You can get a jogger with a single bin for up to one ream of paper or as many as four bins for up to four reams of paper. Depending on the volume of documents that you are working on finishing, you may need a small jogger or something a little bit bigger.
2. What is the maximum size of documents that you are planning on binding? Some jogging machines are designed for use with letter sized sheets while others can hold up to 11” x 17” sheets or 12” x 18” sheets. If you use large size sheets, you will want to make sure that you have a jogging machine that can hold them.
3. Do you ever need to jog odd size documents, envelopes or magazines? Most of these items will not work in standard joggers. For organizations that need to jog large number of envelopes, special envelope jogging machines are available. These envelope joggers are often used by organizations that process large numbers of letters or checks and need to make sure that the items are lined up in the envelope windows. For companies who jog odd size documents and magazines, a flat jogger may be ideal. A flat surface jogging machine required you to hold the documents while they are being jogged. This is not as efficient for normal letter size paper but allows you to work with extremely large sheets, magazines, or other odd documents that need to be correctly aligned for finishing.
4. Do you need to jog heavy stocks or items with a lot of static? For heavy four color process printed items and items with a lot of static, there are joggers available on the market that utilize air. These machines will shoot a burst of compressed air through the bottom of the documents that works to separate the documents during the jogging process. This type of jogger is usually more expensive than other jogging options but it is also more effective.
5. Do you want a desktop or a floor standing unit? When you look at paper joggers you will find that they are available in two different configurations. Desktop units are designed to sit on a table, desk or counter. Floor standing units will include a stand that allows them to be used comfortably while standing. Depending on the space that you have and your budget, you will need to make a decision between these two options.

These are five things to consider when looking for a paper jogger. As you look at the different jogging equipment that is available on the market you will need to balance your organization’s needs with your budget in order to find the best jogger for your money.

If you have any other questions or comments about this article please feel free to
email us at sales@mybinding.com or call us at 1-800-944-4573

Written by Jeff McRitchie
©2006 www.MyBinding.com