MyBinding Knowledge Base
What should I know about a paper scorer?
Having a scorer makes it easy to fold your documents and not crack the paper during theprocess. There are a lot of scorers you can buy, so how do you know which one is right for you? This article will fill you in on the five things to consider when making your selection.
1.) The machine’s scoring capacity. As with any other type of device, you want to choose a scorer that’s able to handle just the right amount of paper. There are products that can only score one sheet at a time and there are others than can process much more at once. General speaking, a manual device is best-suited for smaller jobs while an automated one is better for large quantities of paper. So be sure to choose accordingly.
2.) The size of your materials. Something else to consider is how large (or small) your materials are. If you plan on working with larger sheets – such as those that are 8.5” x 14” (legal-size) or 11” x 17” (tabloid) – you’re going to need a large scorer. If your materials are smaller, you won’t need a big machine. Luckily, each device’s box and instruction manual will fill you in on the sizes it can handle, so make sure to take a look at these specs before purchasing your device.
3.) The thickness of your materials. Another thing to keep in mind is how thick your materials are. Will you just be working with everyday 20 lb. paper or do you need to score thicker items such as cardstock and laminated documents? You want to choose a machine that can handle your materials no matter how thick or thin they may be.
4.) Do you also need a perforator? A lot of the scorers on the market have the ability to perforate paper and cardstock so you’ll be able to create professional-looking forms, tickets, advertisements, and more. This can be a nice feature to have, so if it interests you, be sure to look for it when selecting your machine.
5.) Price, warranty, and brand name. Finally, you’ll want to choose a scorer that’s high-quality, but also affordable. You’re much better off buying a slightly more experience machine than a bargain basement one because you’ll end up with a bigger product. Some good brand names to look for include Lassco Wizer, Graphic Whizard, and MBM. As for as warranties go, more products come with a year’s worth of coverage. However, most of Graphic Whizard’s products are covered for 5 years.
< 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)
