Dahle 561 Premium Guillotine Paper Cutter

If you’ve been searching for a quality arm paper cutter that is both safe and accurate, then we highly recommend the Dahle 561 Premium guillotine paper cutter. Why? Because the Dahle 561 cutter has a unique rotary blade guard that makes it almost impossible to accidentally cut yourself. This cutter’s impressive German engineered design makes sure that the blade is covered throughout the entire cutting process. Older arm paper cutters can be dangerous if not used carefully. That is why we highly recommend the Dahle 561 cutter for use in schools and other places where children are present.

The Dahle 561 paper cutter was designed to deliver a solid, long-lasting machine that also gives you precise, accurate paper trims with every stroke. Speaking from experience, this cutter is both easy to use and simple to set up. The manufacturer lists the Dahle 561’s cutting capacity at 35 sheets and this is no overstatement. We have a demo model on our showroom floor here at ABC Office that we use on a frequent basis. You can view a video demonstration of the Dahle 561 paper cutter in action here.

Cutting thick stacks of paper is indeed possible and quite easy to do. We have been impressed with this cutter’s accurate, no-slip paper trimming thanks to a tight paper clamp that ensures zero paper stack movement while cutting.

The Dahle 561 paper trimmer has ground upper and lower blades, a rotary safety guard, automatic paper clamp, measuring scale bar and adjustable paper backstop. It has a cutting length of 14.5 inches. The 561 comes with a lifetime manufacturer’s warranty against defects, materials and assembly.

The unit boasts a genuine German Solingen steel cutting blade — an impressive feature for a guillotine trimmer in such an affordable price range. You can accurately cut paper, photographs, card stock, small posters and signs, art projects, laminated paper and much more. Be sure to ask ABC Office about the Dahle 561 Premium arm paper cutter today.

The Formax FD 6102 is our best-selling paper folder/envelope inserter machine. Several customers have used this very model for a wide variety of business mailing needs. Although the FD 6102 is rated as a low-volume model that processes up to 5,000 mail pieces per month, its duty cycle is more than adequate for most of our customers.

The FD 6102 has several features typically found on higher-end models, thus enhancing its value for the price. Some of these features include a large, color touch screen display panel. The panel is clearly marked and offers easy, step-by-step prompts and guidance through any folding and inserting job. This feature alone was not available on previous versions or competing models for that matter.

In my opinion, the FD 6102 is designed for almost anyone to use. Formax does offer free set up and training after purchase, but most customers can operate the unit right out of the box. It’s really that simple.

Other Easter eggs, or hidden features offered by the FD 6102 include the machine’s dual automatic and semi-automatic mode options. This means you can program the folder inserter to do extra tasks that are typically only performed by a higher end model. For example in semi-automatic mode, the FD 6102 will fold and insert up to five sheets of 20 lb. stock, either stapled or unstapled.

In fully automatic mode, this paper folder/envelope inserter can do the following:

· One sheet folded and inserted
· One sheet folded, return envelope nested and inserted
· Two sheets collated, folded and inserted
· Two sheets collated, folded, return envelope nested and inserted
· Folding only without inserting

The Formax FD 6102 can handle documents up to 14 inches in length. It also has seal and non-sealing capabilities. The fold types that this model can do include: Letter, Half, Double Parallel and no fold.

Be sure to call us at 1-800-658-8788 today to learn about all of the impressive capabilities of the Formax FD 6102 folder inserter – a feature-rich folder/inserting model available at a low, competitive price.

We speak with dozens of customers each month who are looking for the best shrink wrap machine for their money. They want to be sure the machine they order will do the job the right way the first time, and they want a model that will last. They also need to know if the machine they order has supplies and replacement parts readily available.

Quite often, we recommend the I-Bar Shrink Wrap System with Heat Gun from AIE (American International Electric Inc.). This unit will handle most low to medium volume business shrink wrap needs. If you need a machine that can tackle high-volume production requirements, then we highly suggest a L-bar sealer with inclusive tunnel.

The I-Bar Shrink Wrap System by AIE ranges in models measuring from 13 to 40 inches in length. If you do not know what I-bar length is best for you, a general rule of thumb is to measure the largest item you plan to shrink wrap. Add its width to the height and add two inches. This method is a pretty safe bet when selecting the shrink wrap model that will fit your needs.

When you uncrate the AIE I-Bar Shrink Wrap System you will notice its sturdy, metal construction. This ensures years of consistent machine operation and use. Parts are fairly simple to access and replace such as the cutting wire. It also includes a handy pop-up heat gun rest/holder that prevents possible injuries or damaged materials due to a misplaced hot heat gun nozzle. AIE is a leading manufacturer of quality shrink wrap and sealing equipment. Their products are manufactured in ISO-9001 certified facilities.

The AIE I-Bar Shrink Wrap System Professionally shrink wraps boxes, packages archived items, food and other products for just pennies each. The unit has a simple three-step operation process with no warm-up time required. The shrink wrap process lets you enhance the appearance and value of your products by protecting it against dirt, dust, moisture, handling and pilfering.

The AIE I-Bar Shrink Wrap System includes: bar sealer, timer, heat gun, heat gun holder, film rack, a free 500-foot roll of centerfold PVC 75 gauge shrink film, outlet plug and spare parts kit. Be sure to order your I-bar shrink wrap system from ABC Office today: an excellent model for the money.

 

“How do I use my new wire binding machine?”

That was the question I was asked earlier today from one of our customers. He recently purchased a popular wire binding machine model from ABC Office and he had a lot of questions about how to use his new wire binder. His binding machine was perfectly fine, he was simply new to the whole binding process.

Thankfully, ABC Office has produced over the years in-depth video demos that have  helped hundreds of customers with the set up and operation process of their binding machines and other office equipment. I pointed him in the direction of this Akiles WireMac wire binding machine video demo we produced in-house several years ago. The picture and sound may not be the optimum quality that you expect today, but this was considered cutting-edge back in 2003 (when we made the video)!

The demonstrator was David Stuart, our marketing supervisor. David had about 15 years experience with most of our office equipment, so he definitely knew what he was talking about. The video, although about 11 years old, still holds up just fine today. David offers several helpful hints on how to initially set up your machine for optimum punching and binding. He also demonstrates how you can produce a professionally looking bound document, thanks to placing the back cover on the top of your document before crimping the wire shut.

If you have any questions about using your wire binding machine, the video demo I mentioned covers just about everything you will need to know. However, if you still have questions we would love to talk to you. You may still have concerns about the best report covers to use, what’s the best wire pitch for your needs (2:1 or 3:1) or what brand/models we recommend. Call 1-800-658-8788 with your questions today. We look forward to helping you with your new wire binding machine!

Customers ask me all the time, “What features do I need in a comb binding machine?” It’s a good question and I would like to point out some “must-have” features and some “optional” features. While most comb binding machines share a lot in common, some have some very cool and unique tools you may want to consider for your business. Before I go much further into this article, you can find our entire selection of comb binding machines and supplies by visiting us here.

So what is comb binding? Comb binding is a method used to organize and bind multiple sheets of paper into booklet format. These machines punch a total of 19 holes along the 11” side of a sheet of paper. Once the holes are punched, a plastic 19-ring comb spine is inserted through the holes and closed shut. This plastic spine is what holds the paper together. These style of binding has been around for literally decades and is one of the most affordable ways to bind a book, presentation or report.

Advantages of Comb – Comb binding is affordable, plain and simply. The machines don’t run too much money and a box of 100 combs can usually be purchased for under $10 (often much less). Comb binding allows the spines to be re-opened to remove or add additional pages. The combs themselves are very resilient and are available in a variety of different colors.

Disadvantages of Comb – Comb binding elements can wear out over time and with excessive use, causing the spine to open a little resulting in pages falling out. While this is rare, it can happen. Comb binding also doesn’t allow pages to be wrapped around 360 degrees like coil binding does.

I would now like to cover common and not-so-common features you can find in a comb-binding machine.

• Side Margin Control – This is the guide that allows you to adjust the positioning the paper left and right. Almost all comb binders have this feature.
• Margin Depth Control – This is a feature that allows you to set how far into the paper the holes are punched. This is nice if you are binding a variety of book thicknesses. You may want to punch further into the paper when binding thicker books to prevent pages from tearing out. Only about have of the machines out there offer this feature.
• Manual / Electric Punch – Comb binding machines are available with manual or electric punches, not both. You’ll have to choose. Most people go with manual punches unless they are binding a lot of books per day. I generally recommend electric for people who are binding dozens or more books per day. Electric really does cut down on fatigue.
• Vertical / Horizontal Punch – Most comb binding machines have a vertical punch, where you lay the paper flat on the surface while punching the paper. Some manufacturers have designed machines with a vertical punch, where the paper stands on its end while being punched. The vertical punch can be nice because it keeps the edges of the paper lined up during the entire process using gravity.
• Singe / Double Handle – Some comb binding machines use dual handles for punching and binding, where others use a single handle. Single-handle machines punch paper when the handle is pulled and open plastic combs (using the metal comb fingers) when the handle is pushed back. Dual handle units have one hand that punches and another that opens the combs.
• Disengageable Dies – Have you ever punched paper only to end up with a half-punched hole on the edge? It can ruin the entire book. While side-to-side margin adjustments can fix some of this, it isn’t going to fix everything…especially when binding odd sizes of paper. Machines with desengageable dies allow you to disable specific punching dies. If you have a half-punched hole, simply disengage that die. You could, although I don’t know why you would want to, punch every other hole using a machine equipped with fully disengageable dies.
• Plastic / Metal Build – Machines vary in build quality. While they all use metal punching pins, the gears, handle and body of the machine can vary in build quality. As you might imagine, lesser expensive machines typically utilize more plastic in the design where higher-end machines use more metal. Some manufactures, like Akiles, use a lot of metal in their machines.

I hope this helps. There is a lot of information there to assimilate. If you still have questions, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-658-8788. We would love to help you out. We also do repairs on comb binding machines. If you need your machine repaired, call us at 1-800-658-8788 and ask for extension 129. Thanks again for reading!

Counting bills with high rates of speed and accuracy are must-have features in any bill counter, especially when it comes to professional businesses like banks, credit unions, casinos and other businesses that handle large volumes of money on a daily basis. One model that we recently added to our site, and has since become a best seller, is the Carnation CR1 bill counter (found here). I would like to point out a few reasons why this may be a good fit for you.

Carnation has been making bill counters for several years and we have found their product line not only to be solid, but Carnation has an amazing warranty and impeccable reputation. As of this article Carnation offers about seven different models including battery-powered bill counters and mixed denomination counters. The CR1 is one of their flagship models.

The CR1 bill counter is a machine designed to provide you with a total quantity of bills. It will not distinguish the difference in value. If you need not only the total amount of bills, but the value as well, you will need a mixed bill counter (aka currency discriminator) like the Carnation CR3 (found here). This means if you put in 87 bills into the CR1, it will provide you with a total number of 87….not the dollar value. Most people are fine with this as bills are already pre sorted.

The Carnation CR1 is fast, capable of counting bills at speeds of up to 1,000 per minute. The feeder will hold up to 400 new bills, which is a fairly high capacity as most comparable models only hold up to 200. While it works great with USD (US Dollars), it can also be used with Canadian Dollars, Euros, Mexican Pesos and other currencies.

Here is a short video of the CR1 in use:

This particular bill counter will allow for standard counting, adding and batch counting. The adding feature lets you continue to add more and more stacks while the bill counter maintains a running total. The batch feature lets you tell the bill counter to stop after counting a pre-determined quantity. This is excellent for sorting and organizing counted bills.

One thing I personally like about the CR1 is the triple protection counterfeit system. This bill counter will use ultraviolet (UV), magnetic (MG) and infrared (IR) detection to quickly verify the authenticity of bills. This is excellent for real-time verification or simply to ensure the stacks of bills being counted are real. If a counterfeit is detected, the machine will stop and notify the operator.

The CR1 is designed to be used on a daily basis, hence the name bank-grade that the manufacturer tagged onto the name of the machine. It is fast, user-friendly and modern. It is excellent for use out on the sales counter or in the back of the office. It is highly professional and extremely robust.

You can find the Carnation CR1 bill counter by visiting us here. At ABC Office we offer dozens of different bill and money counting machines. If this machine doesn’t have all the features you need, or you simply want to compare it against a few other models, please feel free to visit all of our money counters by going here. You may also call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.

At ABC Office we offer some of the best office machines and most affordable supplies available online. Our amazing lineup of products includes binding machines, shrink wrap equipment, binding combs, lamination film and much more. We are always looking for ways to save you money. Other than keeping our prices remarkably low, we sometimes like to provide you with a coupon. It’s our way of saying “thank you.”

This month you can use coupon code FEB2014 to save 5% off of your order. This coupon can either be mentioned over the phone or it can be entered via our shopping cart when placing an order. This can be used repeatedly throughout the month and may be used with machines or supplies. This is a great way to save money while taking advantage of our amazing customer support.

Here are a few items you may want to consider purchasing with your coupon.

• Carl RT-200 Rotary Trimmer (found here) – This rotary paper trimmer is a classic and a favorite among hobbyists, scrapbookers and others. It is easy to use, has a good cutting capacity and can be used with a variety of interchangeable patterned blades.
• Intelli-Fold IF300 Folding Machine (found here) – This friction-feed paper folder continues to be a very popular unit and is excellent for small businesses, churches and other organizations that need to small brochures, letters and other material.
• Cardmate Business Card Cutter (found here) – Business cards are still alive and well. People still prefer to use them for exchanging contact information, promoting a business, real estate and much more. If you would like to create your own custom business cards from the convenience of your own office, consider the Cardmate business card cutter.
• AIE I-Bar Sealer (found here) – When it comes to do-it-yourself packaging, no other tool makes it easier or more affordable than an AIE I-bar sealer. This all-in-one systems include the I-bar impulse sealer, the heat gun and a 500 foot roll of film. This is an excellent value.
• Interthor Model 02 Work Stool (found here) - If you work on cars, do home repairs or simply need a comfortable way to sit while working on something, consider using the people positioner. This stool is ergonomic and features a variety of trays for holding tools.

Please feel free to contact us by calling 1-800-658-8788 for answers to any questions you might have. Please let us know if you have any trouble using your coupon code. You can read more about this coupon code’s terms and conditions by visiting us here.

If you run or operate a car wash, chances are you deal with a lot of coins, especially quarters. At the end of the day many car washes around the country count up coins and tally up the day’s haul. One of the best ways to do this is to use a coin counter or sorter (found here). These tools can be used to quickly sort through and count up coins for bagging or storage purposes. One problem many carwash owners face is damp or wet coins. How do these affect the machine? I’ll go into more detail in this article.

At ABC Office, we offer a wide variety of machines for counting and sorting coins from manufacturers like Magner, Cassida, Klopp, Semacon, Ribao and many others. While many of our manufacturers say that damp coins may (or may not) work, there is no guarantee. Most recommend that the coins be dried out prior to counting and sorting. This isn’t really an option with the carshwash industry as the coins are usually wet.

The problem many coin counters have when counting wet or damp coins is that they utilize a system that drives coins over a flat surface, using a single upper wheel or belt. The result is the coins can potentially skid, much like a car’s wheels on a wet raod.

Only one manufacturer that I’m aware of has machines that will count completely drenched and wet coins. This manufacturer is Klopp.

Klopp machines are a bit different than your typical coin counter. Most Klopp coin counters and sorters are made out of metal, rather than plastic. The quality is excellent and they are designed for commercial use. Models range from counters, sorters to machines that can both count and sort. You can find our entire selection of Klopp coin counters and sorters here.

Getting back to the carwash inquiry, Klopp specifies that their CM (found here) and their CMB coin counters / baggers (found here) can handle wet coins or tokens. These coin counters utilizes upper and lower drive wheel mechanisms that keep wet and damp coins from slipping and sliding. This allows the Klopp CM and the Klopp CMB to count wet coins as if they were completely bone dry.

Here is a video of the Klopp CMB counting wet coins. You’ll notice how efficient the machine is.

As you can see, it is handling the wet coins without a problem. This is a really nice feature of the Klopp machine. I definitely recommend it for use at a carwash or for handling wet / damp coins. Do you still have questions or need some additional advice? Give us a call at 1-800-658-8788. We have several money handling experts that would love to help you out.

I speak with people every day who are looking for the best piece of equipment to use for packaging their product for retail sale purposes. While there are some tools out there that can be used for “general purpose” packaging, most packaging tools are designed for very specific projects. I would like to cover a few popular pieces of equipment that can be used for your own in-house packaging.

At ABC Office, we over over a dozen different types of machines that can be used for packaging. In fact, you can find our entire selection of packaging machines here. We carry gravity drop sealers, band sealers, carton sealers, sleeve wrappers and more. For the sake of time, and keep this article from going on over 20 pages, I am limiting this to the top four most popular categories.

Shrink Wrap (found here) – Shrink wrap is the most popular method of packaging products for retail sale purposes. Shrink wrap machines use special thermoplastic film that literally shrinks down when heat is applied. The process is pretty cool and the thin layer of plastic provides protection, makes items tamper proof and can be used for bundling. We offer three different types of shrink wrap machines:

• I-Bar Sealers (found here) – Our I-Bar sealers are the most popular tool we offer. They are ideal for low to medium volume packaging needs and they are extremely affordable. The I-bar contains a single element that uses impulses of electricity to seal off the film. When used with centerfold shrink film, the I-bar has to be pulled down to seal all opened sides (usually involves two passes). Most I-bar sealers include a heat gun that is then manually used to shrink down the film.
• L-Bar Sealers (found here) – These tools are similar to the I-bar but have an “L” shaped impulse sealing blade. This doubles the speed at which you can package products. L-bar sealers can be used with a heat gun or with a shrink tunnel, depending on the speed you need to package products.
• Shrink Wrap Systems (found here) – These systems usually feature an L-bar sealing blade integrated with a heat tunnel dome. The result is a machine that can cut shrink film around a product and shrink the film down all at the same time. This improves efficiency and speed. This type of system is ideal for medium to high-volume packaging needs.

Heat Sealers (found here) – Heat sealers, often called bag sealers, are designed to seal the open end of a plastic bag. This includes a variety of plastic films including cellophane, mylar, poly film and much more. Depending on the sealer, they can be used with a variety of thicknesses of plastic. These sealers also come in different sealing lengths and widths. They are used for packaging food, tools, powders, liquids and more. Heat sealers are broken down into two categories:

• Impulse – Impulse bag sealers are designed for speed and can be used with thinner plastic. They use a sealing element that only heats up when it is sealing a bag. It is quick to cool down and very safe to handle.
• Direct Heat – These sealers, sometimes called constant heat sealers, use a heating element that needs to warm up and remains hot. They are typically a little less money than impulse sealers and they can be used with thicker plastic.

Vacuum Sealers (found here) – Vacuum sealers are used to provide an air-tight seal, typically for packaging food or sterile medical instruments. Thanks to an airtight seal, vacuum sealers can be used to dramatically extend the life of food and are excellent for preventing contaminants. We offer two different types of vacuum sealers:

• Chamber Vacuum Sealers (found here) – Chamber vacuum sealers are extremely popular for packaging food and they are ideal for industrial / commercial level packaging needs. You simply insert your item into the vacuum bag, insert it into the chamber and let the machine do the rest. The chamber sealer will remove all the air inside the chamber, seal the bag and return the atmosphere inside the chamber back to normal. The results are long lasting and professional.
• External Vacuum Sealers (found here) – External sealers seal products outside the machine. Once an item is placed in the back, the open end is inserted into the machine. The external sealer will then remove the air inside the bag and then seal the bag shut. We offer several different types of external sealers including channel sealers (much like a Foodsaver) and industrial external sealers that use nozzles for removing air.

Clamshell Sealers (found here) – Have you ever purchased a toy, tools or other items encased in a hard plastic shell? This packaging is referred to as clam shell packaging. In the past this clam shell was held shut by staples. Today clam shell sealers are used to keep this packaging closed. This prevents injuries, rust and is an affordable alternative to staples. The clam shell sealer uses heat (or ultrasonic waves) to melt the plastic together.

I hope this has helped answer a few of your packaging questions. Because this is such a huge topic, you may still have additional questions. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 or post your question as a comment. We have decades of experience with these machines and would love to help you out.

So you’re on a tight budget, but require very specific features in your currency counting machine? If this sounds like your current situation, one bill counter to consider is the Ribao JM-80 (found here). This bill counter comes in two different flavors; one with counterfeit detection capabilities and one without. There are many reasons why this machine may be a good choice for you. I would like to review a few of those reasons in this article.

The JM-80 is what’s known as a currency counter or bill counter. It is designed to take your stack of bills and provide you with a total number. While many machines do this exact same task, there are several things that set the JM-80 apart from the competition.

While this currency counter is not a currency discriminator (which counts mixed bills and provides a total value), it will allow you to take a pre-sorted stack of money, set the value in the bill counter and it will provide you with a total dollar value. This is a nice feature that is rarely found in standard bill counters. It will also provide you with a total number of bills counted, like most bill counters.

You can also buy this bill counter in a standard design or in a UV/MG design. The UV/MG model has the ability to scan bills, while counting, for counterfeit properties. This includes ultraviolet scanning (UV), magnetic scanning (MG) and infrared scanning (IR). Unlike most bill counters with counterfeit capabilities, the UV/MG model allows you to adjust the sensitivity of the counterfeit scanning to help prevent false positives. If you’re business is concerned about counterfeit money, the JM-80 UV/MG is a must-have product.

The JM-80 also includes half note detection, double note detection, chain note detection and notes of different sizes / denomination detection. Along with size detection, this bill counter can also be used with counting non-US currency (non-polymer based), paper, coupons and other paper material that falls within the minimum and maximum specifications.

The LCD screen is a very unique feature in a currency counter at this price. Most just have a small screen that provides you with a number. This bill counter uses a screen that not only provides you with a lot of data, but also makes it very easy to set the machine up.

The hopper on this machine can hold up to 300 bills and the stacker can hold up to 200 bills. The counting speed is adjustable and ranges from 600, 900, 1200 and 1500 bills per minute. This bill counter is fast and very accurate.

As you might expect, money is dirty. It is often covered in dust, trace narcotics, germs and other filth. The JM-80 has a built-in dust collector and a built-in dust cover. This is wonderful to have not just for sanitary reasons, but is an added benefit for employees using this machine that may suffer from allergies, dust sensitivity, asthma and other pulmonary issues. It’s also much healthier for you.

In conclusion, this is a very affordable currency counter considering what you get. While it does what most other currency counters can do, it has those added bells and whistles that help it edge out a lot of the competition. I think it’s a great unit to have for use in a business, retail store, bank, casino or church. You can find our entire selection of money and bill counters here.