MyBinding Knowledge Base
What are my options for shredders?
Everyone is familiar with paper shredders due to the rise in identity theft, but did you know there are several different types available? From personal-sized machines to ones that can destroy cardboard, there are shredders for a whole variety of needs. Here’s a short look at some of the ones you can choose from…
- Cross- and strip-cut varieties. When it comes right down to it, there are really only two types of shredders: cross-cut and strip-cut. These designations refer to how your documents will be shred. Either they’ll look like little bits of paper or they’ll end up as a bunch of spaghetti-like strips. If you want to keep your information under wraps, go with a cross-cut device as they tend to offer more security.
- Personal and deskside. These types of machines are ideal for use by one or two people either in the home or workplace. Usually, these devices are small enough to fit under desks so they can provide an unobtrusive yet convenient means of document disposal. If you choose to go with this type of machine, make sure it has good safety features, especially if you share your home or workplace with critters of the two- and/or four-legged variety.
- Multimedia. There are paper shredders available that have the ability to process non-paper items. These items can include DV tapes, floppy disks, credit/debit cards, CD’s/DVD’s, and so on. A multimedia shredder is great to have around if you store a lot of your files on electronic media, which is becoming the rule rather than the exception today. There are even some shredders that can destroy medication bottles, which are ideal for pharmacies, doctors’ office, and hospitals.
- Micro-cut and high-security. If security is extremely important, a micro-cut or high-security shredder is the way to go. These machines can turn your document into the tiniest particles imaginable so they can never be assembled. Some of these devices have Level 5 and 6 security ratings (the highest possible) so you’ll be able to comply with federal privacy laws such as the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), if you’re required to do so. Some of these machines even have approval from governmental agencies so they can be used to dispose of top secret documents.
- Cardboard. Cardboard is difficult to store and it can be even tougher to get rid of it easily. If you find yourself in this predicament, a cardboard shredder is ideal. These machines will shred your unwanted cardboard so you can either recycle it or use it as packing materials. This can help you save both space and money. (It will also help your goods arrive at their destinations intact.)
< 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)
