MyBinding Knowledge Base
How do I bind large documents with Color Coils?
If you have ever attempted to bind a book using a large sized color coil binding (30mm and larger), you will understand just how frustrating the process can be. For smaller sized book binding, you can easily use your coil binding inserter to quickly spin the coil binding onto your document. However, inserting coil binding on large books is a manual process that can be tedious and painful. In order to make the process a little bit easier and to save a lot of time, here are some tips for binding large documents with color coil binding:
- Make sure to form the spine of your book to match the curve of the coil binding you are inserting – If you simply line up the holes of the book and attempt to insert the coil binding onto the book you will find that the curvature of the coil binding will make it nearly impossible to insert the coil binding. However, by curving the spine of the book you should be able to insert the coil binding more easily. Most coil binding inserters have a small curved section on the top of them to help you get the appropriate curve on your documents. However, if you are planning on doing a lot of larger book bindings with color coil binding, you might consider investing in the Rhin-O-Tuff HD4101 EZ coil book binding former. The HD4101 allows you to form the spine of the book and holds it in place while you insert the coil binding.
- Consider using an oversized oval hole pattern – As the diameter of color coil binding increases, the thickness of the coil filament also increases. Inserting the larger coil binding through standard sized holes often proves difficult. Using an oversized oval punch pattern provides larger holes making coil binding inserting considerably easier.
- Put away your coil binding inserter – After trying to use your electric coil binding inserter to spin larger sizes of coil bindings onto a few documents, you will soon discover that it doesn’t work very well. Inserting large sized coil binding into books is actually faster if you simply insert the coil binding by hand.
- Try using a different pitch of coil binding – Using a different pitch of coil binding with fewer holes is another option that is available to make binding documents with large diameters of coil binding a little bit easier. Many printers who bind a lot of larger documents with coil binding use a 2.5 HPI .400 pitch coil binding. This coil binding can be used with a 2:1 pitch square hole wire die but is much easier to insert since the coil binding in a little bit more rigid. In addition, it has considerably fewer spirals to insert. This type of coil binding is also available in sizes up to 2-1/4” (56mm) where regular 4:1 pitch coil binding is only available in sizes up to 2” (50mm).
< Over the years, a number of customers have asked me whether they can use twin loop wire with their plastic comb binding machine. These customers often don’t want to have to buy a brand new machine but like the look and feel of twin loop wire binding. However, the answer to their question isn’t as simple as it seems. You see, they actually do make twin loop wire that is designed to work with the plastic comb binding hole pattern. With that said, if you want to use these wires you are going to need a way to close the wires. What is Spiral-O Wire? Let me explain a little bit more…There is a product that we carry called Spiral-O Wire. This wire has 19 loops and is designed to work with the hole pattern from a plastic comb binding machine. Spiral-O Wire is sometimes called Wire Combs or Ibico Wire and was originally designed for use with some of the older Ibico binding machines. A number of the older Ibico plastic comb binding machines also included a twin loop wire closer on the front of them to allow users to use both plastic combs and wire. This 19 loop wire was designed for this purpose. What Equipment is Needed? As the Ibico brand has been phased out by GBC and all of the older Ibico plastic binding machines have been replaced with new models, they no longer have the twin loop wire closer on the front of them. This presents a problem in trying to use these spiral-o wires since you can’t use the wires without a way to close them. One of the only options left is to purchase a Twin Loop wire closer. However, since twin loop wire closers are not incredibly cheap this option usually only appeals to users who have larger electric plastic comb binding machines. Otherwise, it is often advisable to simply buy a low end 3:1 pitch twin loop wire binding machine (the supplies are cheaper). This being said, if you have one of the older Ibico binding machines that has a wire closer included you are in luck. The Spiral-O binding supplies that we carry will work perfectly with your machine and you will be able to use both plastic combs and wire depending on your needs. These Spiral-O binding supplies are available in Black, Silver, White, Blue and Red and in sizes up to 1″ in diameter. If you aren’t sure what type of wire binding supplies that you need to work with your machine simply give us a call. Our trained sales representatives will be glad to help you find the correct supplies for use with your machine.(Read More)
