How do I bind documents with LX strips on the Fastback Model 9?

Fastback LX strips are the professional-grade strip product in the Fastback line - the strip type that produces the strongest adhesive bond, the most durable finished document, and the most consistent quality across the widest range of document thicknesses. Binding documents with LX strips on the Fastback Model 9 requires understanding the specific strip preparation, machine settings, and quality checks that produce the best possible LX strip result consistently.

What Makes LX Strips Different

Fastback strips in the LX configuration use a linen-reinforced adhesive spine - a fabric backing layer within the adhesive assembly that provides structural reinforcement beyond what the adhesive alone delivers. The linen reinforcement prevents the adhesive from cracking or fatiguing at the flex point on the spine when the finished document is opened and closed repeatedly over its service life. Fastback binding using LX strips is the appropriate specification for any document that will be opened and closed many times - training manuals, workbooks, reference guides, and any publication with a long active service life. Standard strips without the LX reinforcement are appropriate for documents that will be read once or a few times and retained.

How do I bind documents with LX strips on the Fastback Model 9

Step 1 - Select the Correct LX Strip Size

LX strip size is determined by the compressed thickness of the document page block at the binding edge. Measure the document stack with a ruler, squeezing all pages firmly together at the binding edge. Select the LX strip size whose capacity range includes your measured thickness. Fastback binding machines process LX strips identically to standard strips - the size selection process is the same. LX strips are numbered by their spine width, which corresponds to the document thickness they accommodate. When the measured thickness falls between two strip sizes, select the smaller size - a slightly undersized LX strip produces a tighter, more rigid finished document, while an oversized strip leaves visible gap at the fore-edge.

Step 2 - Prepare the Document Pages

LX strip binding quality begins with page preparation. Collate all document pages in the correct order. Remove any paper clips, staples, or previous binding hardware. Jog the complete page stack - including any covers, tabs, or supplemental inserts - firmly against a flat surface at the binding edge until all edges are flush. The quality of jogging directly determines the adhesive coverage quality: pages that extend even 1mm beyond the flush line receive significantly less adhesive contact than correctly flush pages. For thick documents (over 150 pages), jog in two steps: jog the first half of the pages, then add the second half and jog the combined stack.

Step 3 - Load the Document into the LX Strip

Open the LX strip fully. The strip consists of a spine channel with the adhesive assembly on the inner surface, and a front cover strip that will extend over the document front cover. Insert the jogged page block into the strip spine channel with the jogged binding edge making full, even contact with the adhesive. The pages should seat into the strip channel without forcing - if the document is too thick to seat fully, the strip size is too small. Confirm the page block is centered left-to-right in the strip. The thermal binding machine requires the document to be fully seated in the strip before loading - a partially inserted document produces incomplete adhesive contact on the unsupported pages.

Step 4 - Machine Settings for LX Strips

The Fastback Model 9 should be set to standard strip mode for LX strip binding. Confirm the machine has completed its warm-up cycle before loading the first document - the ready indicator should be active. The machine cycle time for LX strips is approximately 45 seconds for standard document thicknesses. For LX strips at the maximum capacity (the thickest strips in the range), cycle time may be slightly longer. Fastback hard covers used in combination with LX strips require hard cover mode rather than standard strip mode - the additional cover thickness requires the extended dwell.

Step 5 - Run the Binding Cycle

Load the strip-and-document assembly into the Model 9 with the spine edge positioned on the heating platen. The spine should be fully in contact with the platen surface. Engage the binding cycle. Do not remove the assembly until the cycle completion indicator activates. When the cycle completes, remove the document from the machine. Hold the finished document spine-down (upright) for 60 seconds while the LX adhesive cures. The linen reinforcement in the LX adhesive requires this full curing time - removing and laying flat immediately after the cycle can shift the page block slightly before the adhesive sets.

Step 6 - Quality Check

After curing, perform the page pull test on the completed LX strip binding: grasp the first page near the binding edge and apply steady forward tension. A correctly bound LX strip document resists page removal firmly - the linen reinforcement provides structural resistance in addition to the adhesive bond. Compare the resistance to a standard strip binding - LX strip bindings consistently show noticeably higher pull-test resistance than standard strips. See What Different Binding Modes Are Available on the Fastback Model 9? for binding mode details that affect LX strip production.

LX Strip Size Selection Guide

LX Strip Production Efficiency Tips

For organizations producing LX strip documents in volume - 20 or more per session - several workflow practices significantly improve session throughput without affecting quality. Batch the document preparation step: jog and organize all document page blocks before beginning any binding, rather than alternating between preparation and binding. The Fastback Model 9 recovers to operating temperature quickly between cycles, so maintaining a prepared queue of documents allows near-continuous binding production rather than wait-time between cycles.

Pre-selecting strip sizes for the full production queue before starting the session prevents the mid-session size confusion that occurs when an operator measures and selects each strip individually. Lay out one strip per document alongside its prepared page block, confirmed for size, before beginning the first cycle. This staging approach eliminates the most common source of binding interruption in LX strip production.

Troubleshooting

The LX strip is peeling away from the document spine after a few weeks

The binding cycle temperature was insufficient for LX strip activation, producing surface contact without deep adhesive penetration. Re-run a test document in standard strip mode and confirm the machine reaches full operating temperature before each cycle. Also confirm the specific LX strip size matches the document thickness - an oversized strip can produce apparent adhesion immediately but the under-compressed adhesive lacks full penetration depth.

The linen layer is visible and lifting at the top of the spine

The document pages were not fully jogged flush at the binding edge before insertion, leaving the topmost pages extending beyond the adhesive zone. The linen reinforcement is unable to bond to pages that did not contact the adhesive. Re-jog more firmly on subsequent documents.

The finished document is bowed - the cover bends outward at the fore-edge

The LX strip size is too large for the document - the strip spine is wider than the page block thickness, causing the strip to bow outward. Replace with the correct smaller strip size that matches the actual document thickness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are LX strips worth the higher cost compared to standard strips?

For documents that will be read and referenced repeatedly over months or years, LX strips provide significantly more durable binding that outlasts the document's useful life without binding failure. For single-read documents or documents that will be replaced within weeks, standard strips provide adequate durability at lower cost.

Can LX strips be used with the Fastback hard cover system?

LX strips are a separate product from the hard cover strip system. Hard covers use their own integrated adhesive assembly rather than LX strips. If the document requires both the LX adhesive durability and a hard cover appearance, the hard cover mode binding is the correct choice rather than combining LX strips with a hard cover case.

How do I store unused LX strips?

Store LX strips in their original packaging in a cool, dry location away from heat sources. The adhesive is heat-activated - storage near heat partially activates the adhesive before use, reducing bonding effectiveness. Ideal storage temperature is between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Is there a quality difference between LX strips from different suppliers?

Fastback-branded LX strips are the manufacturer's specification product. Third-party compatible strips may have different adhesive formulations that behave differently in the Model 9 machine. Test any third-party strip product with a sample binding before committing to production quantities.

Can I rebind a document bound with LX strips?

LX strip binding is permanent. The linen reinforcement adds structural resistance to debinding that makes page separation more difficult than standard strip debinding. For documents requiring re-editability after binding, comb or ProClick wire binding is the appropriate choice rather than any Fastback strip type.