MyBinding Knowledge Base
What are some tips for maintaining my shredder?
For the most part, paper shredders aren’t too difficult to take care of. There are, however, a few basic things you can do to ensure that your shredder will stay in peak operating condition for as long as possible.
Clearing the Cutters:
One of the simplest ways to take care of your shredder is to periodically make sure that the cutting heads are clear of debris. In most shredders over time, paper particles will collect between the blades and can cause all sorts of problems, such as decreased functionality and causing the motor to work harder than normal leading to overheating and shortening the life of the shredder. Clearing out the cutting heads is not something you want to do by hand, of course. The easiest method for clearing debris is to simply run the machine in reverse for 30 seconds or so. This should be enough to remove a great deal of the collected particles from the heads and improve the function of the machine right off the bat. As always, refer to your manual to see if your manufacturer recommends this method, or if they have a different method they recommend.
Oiling The Heads:
The following is something that almost everyone is surprised to learn, and some learn too late to save their machines: All shredders need to be periodically oiled. Oiling your shredder keeps the machine’s cutting heads lubricated and clean and operating in peak condition. Luckily this part of shredder maintenance is not a particularly complicated process. Depending on your machine, often you can oil your shredder by simply squirting special shredder oil in a zig zag pattern on a normal piece of paper and putting it through the shredder, and then running the machine in reverse for a short time.
Depending on the size and model of your shredder, it may have come equipped with a self oiling system. If that is the case, you simply need to make sure that the oil bottle is full and the system is operating as it should. In many cases these types of shredders will have a warning light indicating when the bottle needs to be replaced.
In any event, it is recommended that you oil your shredder every time that you empty the waste bag. This is a great way to remember this vital part of shredder maintenance.
Run Time:
Unless your shredder is specifically rated for continuous operation you need to be aware that these machines are designed to be run for a certain amount of time before they will need to be shut down in order to keep from overheating. Even shredders that are indeed advertised as continuous run machines will likely need a period of rest every so often. This is probably the number one reason for service calls, and often, the machine is back up and running by the time the technician arrives. To find out your machine’s run time, you need to check the shredder’s manual. If it is not listed, it may be worth a call to customer support to find out.
Shredding Capacity:
Never exceed your device’s shredding capacity. If you try to shred too much, you may experience a paper jam. Also, shredding too much is hard on the machine and the motor can burn out if you’re not careful.
Check the Machine's Instruction Manual
Some shredders can handle non-paper items but not all of them can. Consult your machine’s instruction manual before you try shredding CD’s and the like.
Get Familiar with Your Shredder's Warrranty
Finally, become familiar with the terms of your shredder’s warranty. That way, you’ll know what’s covered and what isn’t.
Maintaining your paper shredder is easy if you follow the above tips. Give them a try so you an get the most out of your machine. Happy shredding!
< 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)
