Are you creating booklets on a daily basis, perhaps by folding and manually stapling paper? There is a much more effective way to create booklets. This is done by using a booklet maker.

If you haven’t used a booklet maker, you should really give one a try. It is amazing how fast they operate. Booklet makers will literally save you hours of time and frustration. Booklet makers can be used to create manuals, reports, short stories, recipe books and more.

We have just added two highly effective and very affordable booklet makers to our site. These are the Formax FD-160 and FD-180 booklet makers. Both of these booklet makers are very easy to set up and use. The stapling on the model FD-160 is manual and the folding is motorized. The FD-180 staples and folds the paper by use of a motor.

You can view both of these booklet makers by going here. You can also view these booklet makers in action by visiting the following links:

Formax FD-160 in action:

Formax FD-180 in action:

The name “paper jogger” brings some pretty funny images to one’s mind who is not familiar with the equipment. The concept is simple, but it saves you so much time. A paper jogger, simply put, is a machine that squares up and organizes jumbled stacks of paper. Why use a paper jogger? Because paper needs to be properly aligned before being bound, folded, cut and more.

We are very happy to announce the addition of the Formax FD 402A1. This paper jogger is made to handle some heavy-duty stuff. You could say the FD 402A1 is a commercial (industrial) paper jogger. Not only does it jog paper, but it also uses air to more quickly jog paper and dry out ink.

This jogger has its own base, which means it doesn’t need to be set on a table or other surface. This helps free up space, especially for print shops where space is limited. A few of the features this jogger has are variable speed control, foot pedal operation and casters for easy movement.

Stop by our site and take a look at the new Formax FD 402A1 paper jogger today!

Wire binding looks great. It has a professional appearance and is probably one of the most aesthetically pleasing binding formats available today. Using the right machine can dramatically streamline the wire binding process.

We have come up with a list of the top 7 best manual wire binding machines. These are machines that have proven themselves to be reliable, durable and made from quality parts. Here is our list:

Top 7 Best Manual Wire Binding Machines:

1. Akiles WireMac Wire Binder
2. Tahsin 213-PB
3. Akiles WireMac Duo Series
4. Akiles Megabind II
5. Renz RW Wire Binder
6. Renz SRW Binding Machine
7. Akiles WireMac Combo

We get some pretty good questions from our customers. I just received one yesterday from a customer who had gotten fed up with their GBC comb binding machine. Here is their question along with my answer:

QUESTION: I am fed up with my GBC C400e comb-binding machine. We have had it repaired 3 times now and I’ve had enough. Do you know of a good replacement for a GBC comb binder? I want to stay with comb binding and it needs to be electric.

ANSWER: I personally recommend Akiles hands down. Akiles, in my opinion, runs circles around low-end GBC machines. You have a couple of options here, much of it depending on your binding volume.

If you have low to medium-volume binding needs, the Akiles AlphaBind-CE is a great choice. It still has an electric punch, like the GBC C400e, and is very easy to use. Unlike the GBC C400e, the Akiles model is made from durable metal construction. A foot pedal is great for hands-free operation.

If you have high-volume binding needs, you really can’t go wrong with the Akiles CombMac 24E. This comb-binding machine is a beast, capable of punching 25 sheets of paper at a time with an electric-powered motor. This machine is designed for more use and output than the GBC C400e, but could be a good choice if you expect your binding needs to increase in the future.

Regardless of which machine you go with, manual or electric, Akiles has risen to the top and can be considered one of the best brands available today. You can see our entire selection of Akiles binding machines here.

Have more questions about comb binding machines? Post your comments here!

Laminating sheets, sometimes referred to as laminating pouches, are commonly used to protect and preserve business cards, report covers, photographs and much more. What are the different types of laminating sheets and which types are the best to use? Here are a few recommendations.

Laminating sheets come in a variety of different thicknesses. These typically come in 3, 5, 7 and 10 mil thicknesses. A mil is a thousandth of an inch. A 10-mil pouch has two 10-mil sides equaling a total of 20 mil. This means that 3, 5, 7 and 10-mil pouches are 6, 10, 14 and 20-mil thick once laminated (not counting the material being laminated). A credit card is 30-mil thick. Hopefully this hasn’t confused you too much.

The most common sizes of laminating sheets purchased today are 5 and 7 mil thick. A 10-mil sheet is very thick once laminated and is typically only used to laminate extremely thin documents. Five mil thick laminating sheets are probably the most common size used for laminating photographs.

Most pouch laminators can handle 5-mil thick laminating sheets, but not all can handle 10-mil thick sheets. Be sure you know what your laminator can handle prior to making a purchase.

You can find our entire selection of pouch laminating sheets here.

We often get asked which shrink wrap machine is best for daily packaging of a variety of different products. This may involved CDs, soap, chocolate, software and more. I have a couple of great options.

There are two primary types of shrink wrap machines. The first type is an I-bar (straight bar) and the second is an L-bar. The machine you get will depend on your preference and the volume you are packaging.

An I-bar sealer has a single cutting bar that cuts and seals the film. Because it only cuts one side at a time, it usually requires two passes to completely encapsulate a product. Why only two passes?

Assuming you are using centerfold shrink wrap film, the folded side is already sealed leaving three open sides.

Every time an I-bar sealer is used, not only does it cut the film for your package, but it also seals one side of the film for the next package. This leaves a total of two open sides for each consecutive package.  A heat gun is typically used to shrink the film.

An L-bar sealer has two cutting and sealing bars, in the shape of an L. As previously described with the I-bar sealer, the film usually only has two open sizes, which means an L-bar sealer will completely encapsulate a packaging in one pass. Many L-bar sealers come with a heat tunnel, although a heat gun may be used.

We have two recommended I-bar and two recommended L-bar sealers for your daily packaging needs. These are as follows:

Top I-Bar Sealers

• Super Sealer – Deluxe Model with Heat Gun
• AIE I-Bar Shrink Wrap System With Gun

Top L-Bar Sealers

• Minipack Galaxy Shrink Wrap System
• Minipack Galileo Shrink Wrap System

You can see our entire selection of shrink wrap machines and equipment here.