MyBinding Knowledge Base
What Coil Binding Supplies should I have?
Putting your documents together with your new color coil binding machine can be enjoyable, but to do so, you’re going to need the right supplies. Here are some of the things you’re going to need to get the most out of your binding machine.
- Color coils. Obviously to use your new device you’re going to need some binding elements. Color coils come in many different lengths with the most common ones being 11” long for letter-sized documents. You can choose from a number of different thicknesses ranging from 6 to 50 millimeters. (The thickest ones can bind documents that are more than 400 pages long.) These supplies also come in dozens of colors including some fun hues such as neon green and electric blue.
- Coil crimpers. One item you must have to successfully bind your documents with your new machine is a coil crimper. A crimper can either be handheld or a machine, but you need one to trim and turn up the ends of the coil so your book will stay bound. (It should be said that there are also crimpers that are an integrated part of some machines.) If you choose to get the handheld variety, you might find them difficult to use at first, but you’ll get the hang of it pretty quickly.
- A selection of covers. Your documents are going to need covers if you want them to interest readers. (They’ll also help protect your documents.) You’ll find that there are a lot of different types of covers on the market including ones that are holographic, feel like leather, and so on. Some of the most popular are made from clear plastic so you can display a customized title page. And if you’re environmentally conscious, there are recycled covers available. A lot of covers can be punched with your binding machine to make everything easier.
- A binding workstation. Some of the binding machines you can buy these days are pretty large. If you bought one of them, you might discover that you don’t have enough space for it on a counter, table, or desk. Or maybe you want to be able to roll the machine out of the way when you’re not using it. If so, a binding workstation is a great solution. These workstations are often outfitted with casters and they provide space for your device. There’s often storage area for your supplies as well.
< 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)
