I had a customer ask me the other day what the difference was between a rolling paper trimmer and a rotary paper trimmer. Rolling paper trimmer? I had to think about that one. I had previously never heard the term.

After doing a little research I discovered the answer. The biggest difference between a rolling paper trimmer and a rotary paper trimmer is this: NOTHING. They are synonymous terms for the same thing.

It ends up that Dahle is coining the term rolling paper trimmer for the type of cutter that most of us refer to as a rotary paper trimmer. Perhaps this change in terminology is warranted.

How does a rotary paper trimmer work? Typically, a round “rolling” blade is encased in a cutting head that slides along a bar. As the cutting head is pushed, the round blade rolls along and cuts the paper.

Regardless of what you call it, these types of paper trimmers are quickly becoming one of the most popular types of cutters used today, due in large part to the booming scrapbooking industry. If you ask a photographer what type of cutter they use to cut photographs, they will tell you that they use a rotary paper trimmer (usually a Rotatrim).

You can find our entire selection of rotary “rolling” paper trimmers here.

So you have a shrink wrap machine that isn’t working the way it used to? Symptoms of a worn out shrink wrap machine include excessive burs after cutting the film, excessive smoke, inability to seal the entire length of the film and much more. The good news is that replacing the sealing wire, pads or Teflon tape can often fix the problem.

At ABC Office we have a Service Department that can get you replacement parts for AIE, Minipack, Traco, Rochman, Aline, GHL Packaging and many other shrink wrap brands.

Changing the wire, pad, springs and tape can be done by just about anyone and doesn’t require any special training or tools. Many of our AIE replacement parts can be ordered online here, but most shrink-wrap parts must be ordered directly from our Service Department.

The price for replacement parts is far less than the cost to replace an entire machine. Do you need replacement shrink wrap parts, or need to find out the pricing and availability on parts for your machine? Our service department can be reached by calling 1-800-658-8788 x129, e-mailing service@abcoffice.com or by filling out this form.

Keep your shrink wrap machine happy and running another several years!

Martin Yale has been making paper folding machines for well over a decade now, and they’ve gotten pretty good at it. So among all the Martin Yale paper folding machines out there, which are the most popular among our customers? I will highlight seven of our customers’ favorite models and will explain why this is the case.

Martin Yale makes two different types of paper folding machines. These are friction feed and air feed paper folders. Friction feed paper folding machines use rubber wheels to pull paper into the machine where air-feed paper folders use air to suck the paper into the machine. Friction-feed paper folders usually cost less, but cannot handle the slick glossy paper the air-feed paper folders can.

These Are The Seven Best Martin Yale Paper Folding Machines:

1. Martin Yale CV7 (1501X) Paper Folder – This paper folder has been around for years and has been proven to be a reliable and affordable design.
2. Martin Yale 1217A Paper Folding Machine – This paper folder has also been around for years and is the next step up from the CV7 in folding volume and paper size capacity.
3. Martin Yale 959 Paper Folder – This is the workhorse of the Martin Yale fleet of folding machines. This folder is popular with print shops because it can fold a variety of paper sizes and thicknesses throughout the day.
4. Martin Yale 959AF Air Feed Folding Machine – Like its friction-feed cousin, the 959 air feed is perfect for commercial folding applications and can easily handle glossy paper.
5. Intimus 2051 SmartFold Automatic Folding Machine by Martin Yale – This is a rising star among the Martin Yale paper folders. It is fully automatic, extremely easy to set up and is ideal for continuous folding operations.
6. Martin Yale P7400 Folding Machine – This paper folder is one of the least expensive paper folding machines Martin Yale offers. It isn’t designed for high-volume use, but is perfect for low to medium-volume applications.
7. Martin Yale P6200 Folding Machine – This little machine is the least expensive Martin Yale paper folder we currently offer. It is designed for low-volume use and is best used on a desk for the occasional folding of letters.

Have questions about Martin Yale folding machines? Post them here!

So you’re in need of a stack paper cutter, but don’t have the budget to buy a high-end Triumph cutter. So what do you do? Have you considered the Tamerica Guillomax stack cutter? If you’re on a limited budget, you may want to consider it. You will find our Tamerica Guillomax Stack Cutter here. We have one of these cutters in our showroom and I had a chance to play around with it.

To begin with, the Guillomax is much cheaper (in price) than most other manual stack paper cutters. This is due in part to the fact that it is made in China versus Germany (like Triumph and Dahle). Manufacturing costs are simply going to be lower when made in China.

The stability definitely isn’t there when compared to a Dahle or Triumph model. This isn’t to say it’s going to fall apart on you, but the handle has some play in it that I’m not used to. The blade itself, however, seems to be pretty stable and the cuts I have made so far seem to be accurate and reliable.

Setting up the backstop on the Tamerica Guillomax is pretty easy and straightforward. You first loosen the backstop knob, where you then manually slide it back and forth on a rail and then tighten it back up once adjustments are done.

The cutting process doesn’t require much manual effort. It isn’t as easy as a Triumph cutter, but you won’t be using the Guillomax as much as you would a Triumph cutter anyway.

Safety features in the Guillomax aren’t the same as in a Triumph cutter. There is no safety Plexiglas guard in place, so keep that in mind. The blades themselves are very sharp and seem to get the job done, but they cannot be re-sharpened like the Triumph blades. Once the blade is dull, it has to be replaced.

My biggest annoyance with the Tamerica Guillomax is the cutting stick. As with any stack cutter, the cutting stick has to be rotated every so often. Getting the cutting stick out and back in is a beast of its own. It can be done, but don’t be surprised if you’re at it for 5-10 minutes.

My overall feeling about the Tamerica Guillomax is that it’s a decent cutter for the price. You can’t expect a cutter of the quality found in Triumph for $500 or less. I wouldn’t use this cutter for high-volume jobs, but it is more than adequate for low to medium-volume jobs.

If you need to make more than a dozen cuts per day, you may want to consider going with the Dahle 842 or the Triumph 4205.

Have you used the Tamerica Guillomax? Post your thoughts.

Stack paper cutters are useful machines. They can be used to cut reams of copy paper, stacks of cardstock paper and much more. They are commonly found in printing presses and can even be used to cut down business cards. The MBM Triumph 4205 is one of the best examples of quality and precision in a manual stack paper cutter. You will find the MBM Triumph 4205 stack cutter here.

If I were to come up with a comparison, I would have to say Triumph is the Porsche of the stack paper cutter world. These things are nice. German engineered and German built, the Triumph 4205 is designed to last for years. The Triumph 4205 replaces the popular Triumph 3905 stack cutter.

Although the Triumph 4205 is a manual cutter, and does not have the bells and whistles of digital / programmable designs, I would consider this cutter to be capable of commercial and industrial cutting jobs with its only limitation being speed.

So I have personally used this cutter, in fact we have one out on our showroom floor right now. It is very similar to the 3905 with one significant change. The cutting sticks are now much easier to change because they now slide out from the side of the cutter. The older 3905 required that you fish the cutting stick out from within the machine.

The cutter itself has several safety features. The cutting blade won’t work until the Plexiglas cover is down, preventing bodily injury. There is also a lever that has to be pulled before the cutting arm can be brought down, requiring two hands.

The arm is geared in such a way that it requires very little effort to pull down. I have actually tried cutting a stack of paper using only my pinky finger, and it worked!

Adjustments are easy enough. The backstop is adjusted by using a handle located on the front of the machine. A ruler-style measuring device is positioned next to the backstop, making measurements easy.

The only weakness I feel this cutter has is the clamping mechanism. It is a manually set pressure-style clamp that is engaged by pulling down a handle. As long as the handle is pulled down properly, you won’t have any problems. If you haven’t pulled down the handle enough, there could be some play in the paper, causing crooked cuts. If this is a concern, we do sell the Triumph 4705 that uses a screw-style clamp that is more effective. You will find the MBM Triumph 4705 here.

I hope you have enjoyed this review. Please feel free to post any questions or comments you have about the Triumph 4205.

So the hot summer days are now upon us. Excessive heat is uncomfortable, irritating and can decrease productivity. Whether you are outdoors reading a book, or are in a hot stuffy office, you may be able to benefit from the new Soleus Air HumidiBreeze Misting Fan and Humidifier (Model MT1-19-32).

So here’s the breakdown on the HumidiBreeze. It basically takes water, breaks it up into small particles and blows it around. The breeze itself is cooling and for many is even relaxing. In hot conditions, it has been known to lower the ambient temperature by as much as 20 degrees.

The machine itself is able to pump out up to 19-gallons of moisture throughout the day, while only using 70 watts of electricity per hour. That’s about the same amount of electricity a standard incandescent bulb uses.

Don’t need misting air blowing in your direction? It can be used as a humidifier. If you live in the desert west like I do, a humidifier is a welcome product.

If you have ever used a misting nozzle outdoors, perhaps on a patio, you know how hard water and deposits can quickly clog up the nozzle. The HumidiBreeze uses a special non-clogging spray nozzle, which means the HumidiBreeze will be with you for years to come.

You can find the HumidiBreeze Misting Fan and Humidifier here. Do you already own one? Let me know what you think about it by posting a comment. Have a great (and possibly cool & relaxing) day!

As of today we have just added four new portable air conditioning units from Soleus Air. We are pretty excited about these new additions. For many older homes and buildings, central air is simply not an option. For those who have central air, but may not want to cool an entire building, air conditioners from Soleus Air are a perfect match.

These new air conditioners utilize modern-day evaporative air cooling technology, which is very energy efficient and creates a lot less moisture condensation. Most of these new air conditioners include built-in timers and remote controls. Several of these air conditioning systems include casters, making mobility simple.

Three of the four new air conditioning units from Soleus Air double as heaters during the winter. These are ideal year-round systems for rooms, garages, homes, offices and other building structures.

These are the four new air conditioners just added to our site:

1. Soleus Air PH1-14R-03 (KY-36) 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner and Heater
2. Soleus Air LX-140 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner and Heater
3. Soleus Air PA1-12R-32 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner and Heater
4. Soleus Air PE2-09R-32 9,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

We are pretty excited about this new addition and feel that it fits in nicely with our existing line of office products.

We are proud to announce a new partnership with Soleus Air. Soleus Air manufactures several room and office fans designed to cool things down using the latest in technology. This fan selection includes tabletop designs, wall-mounted fans and free standing designs.

Four out of five of the new air-circulating fans can oscillate, providing maximum air flow. Many of our new Soleus Air fans also include remote controls. How cool is that? Perhaps it is me becoming too lazy, but I’m all for remote controls. Many of these fans include built-in timers as well, which saves you electricity.

You can check out these five new room / office fans here:

1. Soleus Air FC1-42R-03 Stand Tower Fan (with Remote Control)
2. Soleus Air FS2-40R-32 16″ Pedestal Fan
3. Soleus Air FSM-45 18″ Metal Pedestal Fan
4. Soleus Air FT1-20-10 8″ Soft Blade Table Fan
5. Soleus Air FTY-25 10″ Table or Wall Mounted Fan

Do you have questions about these new room fans? Post your questions here!

Paper folding machines are an investment and most businesses want to see that investment last for years. So how do you keep a paper folding machine up and running for years? Here are a few useful tips that will help you get the most out of your paper folding machine.

Clearing Jams – Paper folders can experience paper jams throughout their life. A few important things to remember when clearing a paper jam is:

1. Don’t force the paper folder to do something it doesn’t want to. What does this mean? If the roller wheels aren’t turning, don’t force them or they may break.
2. Don’t use scissors or a screw driver to fish out the paper. This can damage the rubber rollers, and they aren’t cheap to replace.

Paper Thickness - Make sure you don’t run paper through your paper folder that is thicker than the maximum specifications. The same can be said for paper that is too thin.

Paper Finish – The finish of the paper can play a huge roll in how the paper folding machine will operate. If you have a friction-feed paper folder (one that uses a wheel to pull paper into the machine), glossy paper may cause slips resulting in jams.

Staples - Do not run stapled paper through a paper folder. The metal from the staples will cause nicks in the delicate rubber rollers, resulting in a decreased lifespan.

Rubber Cleaner Rejuvenator – Rubber cleaner rejuvenator helps to moisturize rollers, cutting down on cracks. It also helps to remove jam-causing dust and ink buildup. Rubber cleaner rejuvinator can be found here.

Static Eliminator – Static electricity can cause sheets of paper to stick together. In a paper folding machine, this can result in misfeeds and multiple sheets being pulled into the folder. This ultimately leads to paper jams.  Static eliminator can be found here.

If you are experiencing problems with your paper folder, or if you need repairs, we have a talented Service Department that can help get you replacement parts or even fix your paper folding machine. Our Service Department can be reached by calling 1-800-658-8788 x129 or by filling out this form.

Are you in need of a replacement paper folding machine? We have a huge selection of paper folding machines from Dynafold, Duplo, Martin Yale, Dahle and much more. You will find our new paper folding machines here.

When most people think of perforators, they think of a machine that creates tiny hole in a straight line, much like the perforations found in your checkbook, making paper easy to tear. So what is a text perforator? Text perforators, like perforating machines, create tiny holes in paper, but that’s where the similarities end.

Text perforators are used much like a stamp. They punch tiny holes in paper in the form of text. That text may say PAID, VOID or CANCEL. This is often done for document control purposes. Some text perforators allow for custom text, thanks to an adjustable perforating dial.

At ABC Office we offer two different text-perforating machines made by Widmer. These are the Widmer P-400 series text perforators and the model ABE 800-1 date perforator.

I have personally handled text perforators and the models we carry are made from die cast metal and are extremely heavy duty. The text perforating process is very simple. Place the paper into the text perforator and pull the handle. The manual effort involved in pulling the handle is minimal. Most of our perforators are able to handle 15 sheets of standard paper at a time.

The Widemer P-400 is available in six different designs, depending on what you want the text to say. Text options are PAID, VOID, CANCEL, PAGADO, CANCELADO and customizable sixth model designed to perforate up to 5 or 6 characters. You can find the Widmer P400 text perforator here.

The Widmer ABE 800-1 is a date perforator designed to perforate the date into paper. The date is set up by adjusting a dial. You can find the Widmer ABE 800-1 date perforator here.

Text perforations are great for document control. These are especially good for voiding and canceling documents. Unlike ink stamps, perforated text is very easy to read and will not become smudged or unreadable.