Are you looking for a paper jogger that will handle paper, letters and other documents? If so, you may want to consider looking at the Lassco LJ-2 electric paper jogger. This is my review.

Paper joggers do such a simple process, yet remain so important when it comes to copying, cutting, binding and more. I used a paper jogger just yesterday to help align paper that came off a digital duplicating machine prior to cutting the paper down on a stack paper cutter. What would have taken me a minute or two took maybe 10 seconds on a paper jogger.

The Lassco LJ-2 is one of our most popular paper joggers, right along side the Model 400 paper jogger. This is because the LJ-2 is simple, compact and very easy to use. It can be placed on pretty much any table or counter. You will find the LJ-2 in print shops, mail rooms, copy centers and more.

The LJ-2 paper jogger runs on electricity, (150 volts / 60 hz / 2.2 amps). A motor inside the machine causes the LJ-2 to quickly vibrate, helping to align jumbled and disorganized paper. The motor runs at 1550 RPMs per minute. This is pretty fast and extremely accurate.

The opening on the Lassco LJ-2 is big enough to handle an entire ream of 8 ½ x 11-inch copy paper or half a ream of 11 x 17-inch paper. It can also be used to jog checks, envelopes, brochures and other literature.

If you bind books, cut paper, staple paper or copy paper on daily basis, you should seriously consider using a paper jogger. Prior to working at ABC Office (about 10 years ago), I had no idea what a paper jogger was. Now I can’t imagine working with paper handling machines and not having a jogger on hand.

I consider the build quality of the LJ-2 to be exceptional. This should come as no surprise. Lassco-Wizer makes some of the best-quality office machines out there. If you need a paper jogger, this is definitely one of the models that I would personally recommend.

You can find the Lassco LJ-2 electric paper jogger here. We are currently offering free shipping on the LJ-2. You can find our entire selection of paper joggers here.

If you are in the initial phases of looking for a laminator, you have probably noticed that there are two primary different types of laminators. One type is referred to as a cold laminator and the other as a hot (thermal) laminator. So which style should you go with?

Cold and hot laminators each have their own benefits and disadvantages. About 90 plus percent of the laminators used today are thermal roll laminators. That doesn’t mean that cold laminators are bad, they are just less common. I will go into more detail on the advantages of each format in this article.

COLD LAMINATORS:
(view our cold laminators)

Cold laminators are primarily used for laminating material that is temperature sensitive. This may involve laminating paper with wax-based ink, thermally activated properties or special types of art prints and photographs.

Cold laminators have come a long way over the past few years. Xyron is a great example of a cold laminator manufacturer that makes products capable of producing professional results. One of the biggest disadvantages of cold laminators, in my opinion, is that the film tends to cost more than a hot thermal laminator.

There is a huge range of quality among cold laminators. I have seen some machines that pretty much applied scotch tape to the document with the end results looking pretty sad. Xyron, as far as I’m concerned, gets the job done right the first time.

As a general rule, cold laminated documents will not last as long as hot laminated documents. This is due to the soft nature of the glue used during the cold laminating process.

HOT LAMINATORS:
(view our hot laminators)

Hot laminators, as previously mentioned, are far more common than cold roll laminators. This method of laminating documents has managed to iron out many of the issues associated with thermal laminating. Previous issues used to include cloudy results, bubbles and waves.

Hot laminators are available from literally dozens of different manufacturers and come in hundreds of different designs. This includes both pouch and roll laminators. These laminators, in general, are very easy to set up and use.

If you aren’t laminating temperature sensitive items, I would personally recommend going with a hot laminator. This is due to the availability of machines and the fact that the film is pretty cheap to buy.

CONCLUSION:

Ultimately the machine you get will depend on what you’re laminating, how much you’re laminating and your own personal preference. You can find our entire selection of laminators here. Feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 to speak with one of our laminator specialists.

Are you looking for an affordable, space-saving method for packaging boxes and products for shipping? One machine you should take a look at is the Sircle WiWair 200 inflatable air cushion packaging system. This is my review.

Many warehouses use packaging peanuts to protect merchandise and for packaging purposes. Packaging peanuts can cost a lot (over time) and take up a lot of space. Many people are now switching to inflatable air cushion packaging. This is not only in an effort to save money, but because this type of packaging requires little space.

The Sircle WiAir 200 uses a plastic roll of film to create packaging material. It essentially seals the end of the plastic, fills a pocket with air and seals the other end shut. Air pockets can range anywhere from 4 to 12-inches in size. These pockets are easy to handle, clean and don’t make a mess.  The Wi-Air 200 uses its own self-contained air compressor for filling the bags.

These pockets can then be placed in a box and provide excellent protection during shipping. Many argue that air pockets are even better at protecting merchandize than packaging peanuts. This is due in part to the fact that packaging peanuts can shift around during transit, where air pockets stay firmly in place.

One roll of WiAir 200 film equals about the same amount of packaging as you will find in 7 bags of packaging peanuts. That is a huge amount of space savings. The film used in the WiAir 200 is made from a low-density polyethylene (biodegradable).

The film rolls themselves are about 328 feet long and 2 mils in thickness. Each roll weighs about 4 pound. This equals out to about 50 cubic feet of void fill. This film has been UPS ASTM D6653 tested and certified.

I have used this machine myself and it is extremely easy to set up. There is no special training required. Once you have set the desired length and pocket size, simply turn the machine on and let it do the rest. It operates at about 3.3 feet of packaging per minute. It also features a built-in slitter for cutting the pockets from the film roll.

The money and space saving benefits alone are enough to convince me that inflatable air packaging is far superior to packaging peanuts. I give this machine high marks and highly recommend it to warehouses and packaging departments.

You can find the Sircle WiAir 200 inflatable air cushion packaging system here. You can find our entire selection of packaging equipment here.

In case you haven’t heard, Fellowes (the makers of those shredders everyone loves) is experiencing a headache of epic proportions. Fellowes has confirmed that its Chinese joint venture partner has blocked all shipments at its facility in Changzhou, China.

As a result, many Fellowes paper shredders are no longer in stock and are on indefinite backorder. The shipment stoppage began in August and should begin to affect U.S. markets in September. Fellowes  is in the process of working with with the Chinese government and party officials (with the help of the US government). Current efforts by Fellowes have been unable to lift the blockage.

While this spells bad news for many of you who use and enjoy Fellowes paper shredders, it doesn’t mean you’re stuck without an alternative. HSM, a leading manufacturer of high-quality office shredders, has produced a list of Fellowes “equivalent” models.

From my own experience with HSM, I can safely say that you will be as happy (if not happier) with an HSM shredder as you will be with a Fellowes shredder. You can find our entire line of HSM paper shredders here.

We have created a convenient list of Fellowes paper shredders and their HSM shredder equivalents. You can find this list by clicking here.

Again, you can find our entire line of HSM paper shredders here. If you have any questions or concerns about Fellowes paper shredders, feel free to call one of our paper shredder experts at 1-800-658-8788. You can find our entire line of paper shredders here.

Whether you’re looking for a binding machine or already have one, you may need step-by-step instructions on how to use it. Manuals are often convoluted or don’t make sense and if you haven’t purchased a machine yet, you may want to know what you’re getting yourself into.

We have created detailed step-by-step guides on how to use coil, wire, comb and VeloBind machines.  These guides provide a detailed description, pictures and a video. Here are some links to our binding machine guides:

1. How To Use A Comb Binding Machine (click here) – Comprehensive comb binding machine guide.
2. How To Use A Wire Binding Machine (click here) – Comprehensive wire binding machine guide.
3. How To Use A Coil Binding Machine (click here) - Comprehensive coil binding machine guide.
4. How To Use A VeloBind Machine (click here) – Comprehensive VeloBind machine guide.

We can also help you track down replacement manuals if for any reason you have lost the original that came with your machine. You can do this by contacting our Service Department by calling 1-800-658-8788 x129 or by filling out this form.

Because we have a Service Department, we are also able to provide repairs, parts and maintenance. You can find our entire selection of book binding machines here.

Do you own or manage a small business and need an affordable way to keep track of employee time? You probably need some sort of time clock system. One model you may want to consider is the David-Link 2Link S-3000 employee time clock. This is my review.

David-Link is fairly new to the time clock industry, but their line of biometric time clocks have already become a hit. Little known, David-Link also has a line of traditional “punch-style” time clocks. The 2Link S-3000 is just one example of these time clocks.

The 2Link S-3000 is currently the cheapest and most affordable time clock we offer. It uses a punch style system. This means that it will print the time and date on a card as it is inserted into the machine. This is one of the most common styles of time clock used today and is especially popular with small businesses.

Setup on this time clock is very easy to do. The large LCD screen makes data easy to view. This includes the perpetual calendar, the time and the date. It can be set up to display time in a 12 or 24-hour format. The print head itself is adjustable and can be used to print up to 13 different preset messages.

Not only is this time clock affordable, it is also extremely compact. It measures in at 7.5″H x 6″W x 6.75″D and weighs in at 6 pounds shipped. This means you can easily place this time clock on just about any table or desk. It is also designed to be wall mounted.

The 2Link S-3000 can be used by an unlimited number of employees, however, it is designed for low to medium-volume use. I would not personally recommend using this system for a large business.

The David-Link S-3000 also features these capabilities:

• Print in 4 languages (English, French, Spanish and Portuguese)
• Password protection
• Build in alarm
• Automatic, semi-automatic, manual or combination printing mode

Overall I consider the 2Link S-3000 to be a great value for the money. It has a one-year warranty and is a great choice for small businesses and other organizations.

You can find the David-Link 2Link S-3000 employee time clock here. You can find our entire selection of David-Link employee time clocks here. Do you still have questions about the David-Link 2Link S-3000? Call one of our time clock experts at 1-800-658-8788.

I have spoken with a lot of customers who have roll laminators in need of replacement film. There are a lot of different options out there and most customers simply want the basic, cheapest and most common film available. The most common roll laminator film we offer is our clear glossy film with a 1″ core.

You can find our clear glossy 1″ core laminating film here. This film is available in various mil thicknesses, from 1.5 to 10 mils thick. This film is simple, looks great, is clear and has a glossy finish to it. This is what many people refer to as a NAP I (or NAP 1) film. It works with over 90 percent of the thermal roll laminators out there.

A one-inch core is the most common core size for 25″ and 27″ roll laminators. These are the most common types of laminators used in copy centers, schools and other businesses. You can find our 25″ and 27″ roll laminators here.

We also offer matte laminating film, film with UV protection, cold roll laminating film, Digikote, Bantac and much more. You can find our entire selection of roll laminating film here.

Good luck and happy laminating!

Do you need a simple, yet reliable, comb binding machine solution for your office? If you’re looking for a machine that is affordable, yet durable, you may want to consider looking at the Akiles AlphaBind-CM comb binding machine. This is my review.

The brand name Akiles has almost become synonymous with binding. Akiles has been making machines for years and most of their machines have become classics. This includes the popular MegaBind and WireMac machines.

The AlphaBind-CM is one of the newest additions to the Akiles comb binding line. This new machine brings the all-metal construction Akiles is known for into a compact machine capable of comb binding documents up to 12-inches long. This makes the AlphaBind-CM ideal for binding letter-size documents.

The compact design of the AlphaBind-CM makes it ideal for use in an office environment. It weighs 41 pounds. While this is hefty (due to the metal construction), it is still light enough to be used on most desks and work surfaces.

Two features that I personally like about the AlphaBind-CM is the selectable punching pins and the adjustable margin depth.

Every one of the punching pins can be disengaged. This makes it possible to bind books of most sizes. If you are experiencing a half-punched or partially punched hole at the edge of the paper, simply disable that punching pin.

The margin depth can be adjusted to four different positions. Why is this nice? It’s nice because it makes it easier to bind both thin and thick books. Pages tend to rip out of thicker-bound books more easily. Punching farther into the paper helps remedy this problem.

This machine is completely manually operated. The punching is manual and the comb opening and closing is manual. The manual punch is capable of punching up to 25 sheets of paper at a time. While this machine is all manual, it is easy to use and requires little effort.

I would definitely rate the Akiles AlphaBind-CM as being ideal for low to medium-volume binding. It is a great option for businesses and organizations that need to occasionally bind books on a daily basis. It should easily hold up for years without any issues.

You can find the Akiles AlphaBind-CM comb binding machine here. You can find our entire selection of comb binding machines here.

Do you need to burst apart and detach invoices, checks and other documents but can’t find the right machine to handle the paper you are using? It is possible what you may need is a cut sheet burster. One model you may want to look at is the Duplo V-417 cut sheet burster. This is my review.

The most common bursters still available today are known as continuous form bursters and are designed to burst apart continuous form paper. This is the type of paper that has the perforated side margins with tiny holes. This paper was commonly used in the 80s for use in dot matrix printers. This paper is still commonly used by the government.

Many businesses, however, have no need for as continuous form burster as they typically use a laser printer that prints on one sheet at a time (cut sheet). Cut sheet paper is typically 8 ½ x 11-inches in size and includes a few perforations horizontally located on the paper. This is commonly used for printing checks, invoices and other material.

The Duplo V-417 is a cut sheet burster. This means you can take a stack of paper that has come off a laser printer, insert it into the document feeder after which the Duplo V-415 will take each sheet and burst (tear) it apart along the perforation. This saves hours of time versus manually tearing apart the paper.

The document feeder on the V-415 can hold up to 400 sheets of standard paper at a time using a top feeding system. It can handle paper ranging in thickness from 13 lb. bond up to 110 lb. index.

The V-415 can burst paper apart at a speed of up to 140 sheets per minute and keep the documents in sequential order. The variable speed motor lets you run the V-415 at 42, 64,
89, 114 or 140 sheets per minute.

The Duplo V-415 is extremely easy to set up. It has an easy-to-use control interface that allows the operator to adjust the distance between bursts, the speed of the burster and much more.

Duplo is known for making high-quality paper handling machines. As far as cut sheet bursting is concerned, you aren’t going to find many machines that compare to the Duplo V-415. The build quality is excellent and it is designed to continuously run every day without any maintenance issues.

You can find the Duplo V-417 cut sheet burster here. You can find our entire selection of bursters here. Do you still have questions about the Duplo V-417 or about bursting paper? Contact one of our specialists at 1-800-658-8788.

Do you own a comic book shop or a literature store? Comic books and long-format comics (aka graphic novels) are just as popular now as they have ever been. One of the biggest problems that retail stores find, when it comes to selling comics, is properly displaying them.

There are three commonly used (and ineffective) ways to display comics.

Box Storage - Putting a comic book in a box just doesn’t cut it. While the material may be organized, it is difficult for customers to see and access.

Magazine Racks – Traditional magazine racks and holders aren’t the right size, so comic books and graphic novels look jumbled and disorganized.

Desktop Stacks - You may have seen people stack magazines on a card table, desk or table. While this looks fine, customers will frequently access the comic books and cause the stacks to become disorganized and jumbled.

What I recommend doing is using a display rack that is designed and sized correctly to hold comic books and graphic novels. We currently offer two different comic book displays:

• Wall Mounted Comic Book Display Rack (R WIREworks 10GVW  10 Pocket Rack)
• Freestanding Comic Book Display Rack (R WIREworks 32GNSR 32 Pocket Revolving Rack)

These racks are made from heavy gauge wire and come in a variety of different designs. R WIREworks is considered to be a reputable brand and their products easily hold up to daily use without any issues. We expect to have a few more racks online in the coming month.

You can find our entire selection of display racks and magazine racks here. Feel free to contact us at 1-800-658-8788 with any comic book or graphic novel display questions.