Tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, fires, hurricanes and all other manner of disasters usually hit without warning and can often knock you off your feet (literately and figuratively). One great way to be prepared, whether it is for your family or business, is to use a 72 hour kit.

Seventy-two hour kits are designed to provide you with everything you need to keep going for 72 hours. This includes food, medical support, shelter, hygiene and more. These kits have to be portable, which is why a backpack is often the most common packaging used. It is recommended to have these kits readily available and near an exit in the event that you have to leave your home or office building quickly.

Many of the kits you find out there are designed with one thing in mind, profit. They often try to cram in as many cheap things as possible to help drive down cost and increase profit. When it comes to a 72-hour kit, you don’t want to buy something that is seconds rate. The 72-hour kits offered at ABC Office are packed with high-quality food, sanitary gear, shelter products and more.

One of our most popular kits is our emergency kit on wheels. This kit is a backpack, but also includes a deployable handle and sits on wheels. This makes it easy to cart along a sidewalk, floor or road. If you don’t need the handle or wheels, simply retract the handle back into the back and throw the kit on your back. The American Red Cross, Greater Salt Lake Chapter, prefers our wheeled backpack kit. It includes supplies that cover all 10 areas of survival requirements.

Since over 114 items are included with the kit (found here), I will list off a few of my favorite items.

Food

• Beef Jerky
• Trail Mix
• Oatmeal
• Granola Bars
• Noodle Soup

Personal Hygene

• Soap
• Shampoo
• Lotion
• Razor
• Tooth Brush

First Aid

• Guaze Pack
• Dressings
• Gloves
• Tweezers
• Bandages

Basic Items

• Flashlight
• Poncho
• Blanket
• Hand Warmers
• Compass
• Whistle

You can see the entire list of included items by going here.

While I think something like this is ideal for any home, it is also good to have at work. Available kits include office emergency kits, adult kits and even kid / children 72 hour kits.  You can find our entire selection of 72-hour kits and office emergency kits here. You won’t be disappointed.

If you’re looking for a no-nonsense guillotine cutter that creates straight and professional cuts, the Dahle 561 premium guillotine might be a great option. This cutter is all metal and features the latest in cutting technology, including many safety features. I had a chance to play around with this cutter a few weeks ago and we shot a video demo.

I have never been a huge fan of the old wood-base guillotine cutters. I have too many memories of trying to cut a school project, which I had spent hours on, only to have it create the most wobbly and crooked cut you ever saw. Guillotine cutters have come a long way since those days. Both Kutrimmer and Dahle manufacture the best guillotines available. Nobody else even comes close.

The Dahle 561 has a 14 ½” cutting length. This is more than enough for most people who are cutting paper and photographs. While the cutter itself isn’t terribly heavy, it is made out of all-metal construction. The only plastic components are the handle, guard shield and guide. The blade, blade, cutting arm and clamp are all metal.

This is a quick video demo of the Dahle 561 Premium Guillotine in use:

I have cut stacks of standard copy paper and card stock with this trimmer. It was all extremely easy to do, the cuts were straight and accurate and I was personally very pleased with the results. It has a 35 sheet cutting capacity (20 lb paper), which is very impressive for a guillotine in this price range.

The Dahle 561 features a German Solingen Steel blade. If you aren’t familiar with Solingen steel, it is considered to be the best steel available for knives and cutting blades. There is no need to think about the clamp. It automatically actuates when you pull down the cutting arm. The extremely sharp blade, combined with a very solid clamp, keeps the cuts where they need to be.

The base on this cutter, which is metal, features a nice printout of common cuts. The top and side of the cutter also features a ruler in inches and centimeters, which really helps square things up.

You can find the Dahle 561 premium guillotine here and our entire selection of Dahle and Kutrimmer guillotine trimmers here.

If you are laminating a sign or a banner, there is a chance you may want to use it outside. If it is outside, there is a chance it could be affected by rainwater, snow, sprinklers and other elements. A question I frequently get from customers shopping around for a laminator or for laminating film is, “Is laminating film waterproof?” This is a great question. This is my answer.

To begin with, there are two primary forms of lamination. One is pouch lamination, which is done using a pouch laminator. The other is roll lamination, which is done by a roll laminator. While both formats produce results that are very similar, the method is slightly different.

Pouch laminators use laminating pouches, which look very similar to a folder. Products are placed inside and they are run through the laminator. Heat, rollers and pressure is used to melt the thermally-activated glue, finishing the lamination process.

Roll laminators use two separate rolls of film. One roll is for the top and the other is for the bottom. As a sign or banner is run through the laminator, a layer of thermally activated glue is applied to the top and bottom.

Pouch laminators are typically used for smaller items, up to about a legal-size sheet of paper. Roll laminators are used for mass laminating and for laminating larger signs and banners.

Laminating film is waterproof as long as there is a sealed barrier around the sign or banner. This barrier prevents water from seeping in and damaging the paper, photo or sign. If for any reason you use scissors and cut into the film and into the laminated paper, water can now soak in from the edge.

Laminating film will, however, deteriorate over time as hot sun begins to break down the glue. This process usually takes months of direct harsh exposure to the elements. If the laminated item sits under an eve or isn’t in direct sunlight, it could potentially last years.

The sun can also cause colors to bleach over time. For this reason UV film was created. While it is a bit more expensive, UV film can help filter out bleaching sunrays and dramatically enhance and preserve color.

You can find our entire selection of laminating pouches / film here and our entire selection of roll lamination film here. We also offer a great selection of laminating machines here.

Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions about laminators or film.

When it comes to handling money, counting individual bills by hand simply doesn’t make any sense. Human error alone can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars over a long period of time. It also costs money to pay someone to count money. Most businesses, banks and other organizations, that handle money on a daily basis, use bill counters like the Cassida 85. We recently got a chance to break one out of a box and film a video demo.

Once we had the box in hand we tore into it. We removed the Cassida 85 and it pretty much worked right out of the box. There was no special assembly required. I have used dozens of different bill counters over the years and this one is very similar in setup and operation.

One thing that sets the Cassida 85 apart from much of the competition is the build quality. While a lot of the shell is made from plastic, it is built on a sturdy metal frame and features a lot of metal components. Even the plastic that is used feels and looks to be of a higher grade than what you usually see.

Money can be dirty, and much of it contains trace elements of narcotics, dust and a lot of other stuff you really don’t want to inhale. The Cassida 85 uses an air filtration system that helps keep the air clean while it flies through bills. This is also extremely nice for those of you who suffer from allergies.

Here is a video demo of the Cassida 85 in action:

The Model 85 is available in three different configurations. You can buy it as a standard counter, with ultraviolet counterfeit detection capabilities (Model 85 U) and with magnetic and ultraviolet counterfeit detection (Model 85 UM).

These are all 3 versions of the Cassida 85:

• Standard Cassida 85
• Cassida 85 U (Ultraviolet)
• Cassida 85 UM (Ultraviolet / Magnetic)

With variable speed counting, the Model 85 can count bills at speeds of 900, 1200 and 1500 bills per minute. Compared to the competition, this is screaming fast. It can also batch count and has a huge hopper that can hold up to 1000 new bills or 500 used bills. Few money-counting machines have this kind of capacity.

You can find our entire selection of bill counters here and counterfeit bill detectors here.

An envelope is just an envelope, right? Is there really that much difference from one to another? While on the surface business envelopes may seem as simple as a #9 or a #10 size, there is actually a lot more involved than you might think. A few of those differences include where the flap is located and where the windows are found.

One common question is “What is a reverse flap envelope?” Reverse flap envelopes, also known as reverse fold envelopes, have the folded flap on the bottom of the envelope rather than the top. There are a lot of reasons for this, with the primary reason being mass mailing and use with folder inserter machines.

This is an example of a reverse flap envelope:

Reverse flap envelopes have mail inserted from the bottom rather than the top. The orientation of the address window is typically on the left side of the envelope. Bottom flap envelopes, due to the design and orientation, flow and run much better in envelope inserting machines. While most folding and inserting machines, such as those by Formax, can use a standard top flap envelope, bottom flap envelopes are preferred.

Once the bottom flap has been sealed shut, the envelope looks almost identical to a standard top flap envelope. To the customer, or envelope recipient, it is just a standard envelope. These types of envelopes are perfect for mailing bills, receipts, invoices, promotional material and more.

You can find our entire selection of Formax folder inserters here and Relyco business envelopes here.

Paper shredders are effective at what they do. They cut, chew and tear up paper into undecipherable pieces of paper. As is the case with any piece of equipment, paper shredders will eventually die. So how do you know when it is time to purchase a new shredder? If you do need to purchase a new shredder, how do you know which one to get? Here are a few tips that should help you out.

Here are some telltale signs that your shredder may be in trouble:

• Diminished Sheet Capacity – If your shredder is only shredding a 1/4 to ½ the sheets it should, it is possible that the motor may be failing or the shredder blades may be dull. This can also be indicative of a much simpler (and often fixable) problem of simply oiling the shredder.
• Squealing or Noise – If your shredder is making strange sounds, popping or squealing, it may be on its last leg. While this issue is usually a symptom of a more serious issue, oiling can also help if the shredder blades are simply running dry.
• Shredder Overheats – If your shredder overheats after just minutes of use, the motor may be going bad. Most non-thermally protected shredders can go for at least 30 minutes before needing to cool down. As mentioned earlier, shredder oil can sometimes fix this problem.
• Slow Shredding Speed – If your shredder is running extremely slow, the motor may be failing. This symptom is often associated with a diminished shredding capacity as well. Most offices need speed, and if the speed isn’t there, the shredder probably needs to be replaced. Oiling the shredder blades can sometimes fix this issue.
• More Frequent Jams - If the shredder continually jams, your shredder may be suffering from a broken gear tooth, misalignment or even chips in the shredder blades. In higher-end shredders, these parts can sometimes be replaced. In cheaper shredders, the shredder usually needs to be replaced.

Things to look for in a new paper shredder

• Continuous Motor – If you’re a business, don’t even bother with a shredder that can overheat. You need a continuous-duty shredder that has a thermally protected motor.
• Cross Cut Pattern – While strip cut is OK for some home use, most businesses need a cross cut shred pattern if they seriously want to destroy sensitive information.
• Bin Capacity – If your shopping for an office paper shredder, get one that has a large bin capacity. In the US, shredder bins are measured in gallons. I recommend at least a 10-gallon bin for an office shredder.
• Speed – If you don’t like sitting around the shredder all day, you probably need something that is fast. Speed, in my opinion, is equally important as capacity. Try to get something that runs at 10 feet per minute or faster.
• Noise – I personally like to have a quiet shredder in the office. While most high-end office paper shredders are designed to be quiet, try to find something that is at least 65 decibels or quieter.
• Brand – Brand is key to a good shredder. I know many people say brand isn’t everything, but I can tell you from experience that brand is everything when it comes to shredders. You will have a good paper shredder experience if you stick with the following brands:

1. Dahle
2. Destroyit
3. Formax
4. HSM
5. Intinmus

I hope this information helps you in your pursuit of a new paper shredder. If you feel your paper shredder can be repaired, or if you want to know if it can be repaired, please feel free to speak with our Service Department at 1-800-658-8788 x129. They are more than happy to answer your questions and are able to provide service and parts for all major paper shredder brands.

You can find our entire selection of paper shredders here. Please feel free to post your questions or comments on this article.

Have you ever wondered how businesses are able to fold, insert and mail envelopes on such a wide scale? One of the tools they use is a folder inserter, often called an envelope-stuffing machine. One of the most popular models used today is the Formax FD 6202 folder inserter. We just added a video demo of it to our site, which shows in great detail exactly how it works.

The FD 6202 is available in several different configurations, depending on how many sheets you need inserted into an envelope, and whether or not you need to include an insert or a BRE (business reply envelope). The machine itself, which I have personally used on many occasions, is an amazing piece of engineering. The machine is quiet, fast and takes what would take one individual 30-60 seconds and does it in 1-2 seconds.

This machine essentially takes a sheet of paper, folds it (letter, single, double parallel or accordion) and inserts it into an envelope. It even seals the envelope shut by running the glue on the flap of the envelope over a water-coated surface and folding it shut. This is a great system for mailing invoices, bills, promotional material, bank statements and much more. It can even be integrated with an OMR (optical mark recognition) reader.

This is a video demo of the Formax FD 6202:

The FD 6202 automatic envelope-stuffing machine operates at a speed of about 2,200 pieces per hour and has a monthly duty cycle of 12,000 sheets per month. Larger Formax machines are available for higher volumes. The machine itself is extremely easy to set up thanks to a simple digital interface.

You can find the Formax FD 6202 folder inserter here and our entire selection of envelope folding, stuffing and inserting machines here.

If you are sealing bags with a heat sealer for retail sale purposes, your probably want something that looks presentable an professional. For this purpose, there are heat sealers that don’t just “seal” the bag shut, but use a professional cross-hatch or honeycomb pattern as well has have a built in cutter. There are machines out there that can do both.

I would say that at least 70%+ people out there simply want something that is functional and that gets the job done quickly and effectively. The other group of people also wants something presentable as well as professional in the finished product.

Those who simply want the job completed usually want a sealer for preservation, protection or for bulk packaging purposes. They don’t need “pretty,” they simply need “functional.” In these situations, they customer usually doesn’t need a wide seal or a built in trimmer. Some people, however, do need these qualities in a machine.

I spoke with a person today who wanted a 8″ wide heat sealer. I thought to myself, “I’ve got a great selection of Tish and Traco handheld sealers that should work!” I then went on to direct the customer to a few pages. I was specifically showing them the AIE-200, the AIE-205 and the TISH-200. These particular models I was showing the customer did not impress. The customer went on to tell me that they already had an AIE handheld sealer and they did not like the solid sealing pattern that it had.

After pinpointing exactly what the customer wanted, I discovered they wanted a machine with a wider seal and a “professional” finish. In particular, they wanted a crosshatch sealing pattern rather than a solid seal. It just so happens that AIE makes a few impulse bag sealers that have a honeycomb pattern. When I pointed this out to the customer, they were pretty excited. Some models even include a built in cutter, designed to trim off excess plastic. This is ideal for products that are going to be presented in a retail setting.

One great model that I recommended to our customer is the AIE-210C. This medical impulse bag sealer has a 10mm wide seal and uses a honeycomb texture pattern. The end results look great. It can be used for medical packaging or for other bag sealing purposes. You can find the AIE-210C impulse bag sealer here.

I have found that heat sealers by AIE and Traco are the best out there. You can find our entire selection of impulse bag sealers here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions. Also feel free to post a comment with any questions.

If you need to laminate business cards, photos, cards, signs and other material, one machine that you should consider is the PL12A pouch laminator from Banner American. This compact thermal laminator is now well over a decade old, yet continues to be one of the best selling laminators in the USA. If you’re teetering on which machine you should purchase, you may want to check out or PL12A video demo.

Before I show you the video, I would just like to explain why I personally like this laminator so much. To begin with, it looks great. It has a certain industrial look to it that sets it apart from the competition. There’s also the long history. This laminator has been around for well over 11 years, being one of the first pouch laminators I remember using when I first got into the office equipment industry.

The PL12A utilizes 4 rollers when laminating material. There are two rollers in the front, a heating element and two in the back. The combination of 4 rollers, versus cheaper 2 roller laminators, produces far superior results. Four rollers help iron out wrinkles, better distribute heat and eliminate the need to run a pouch through twice.

This laminator has been designed from the ground up to be long lasting. This becomes abundantly clear when you notice that it has a separate heat and motor button. Many laminators require that the heat and motor be run simultaneously. The PL12A will let you keep the heat on and the rollers off, which helps preserve the motor. This also allows you to immediately begin laminating without having to wait for it to warm up.

The Banner American PL12A also features an adjustable temperature control, located underneath the machine. This allows you to accurately and professionally laminate stuff using 3, 5, 7 or 10 mil thick pouches.

This is a video demo of the PL12A in action:

In conclusion I believe that this heavy-duty laminator is the perfect choice for most businesses, copy centers, schools and other organizations. I know of customers who are still using their PL12A well over 5 years after purchasing it. It is designed to last.

You can find the Banner American PL12A pouch laminating machine here and our entire selection of pouch laminators here.

If you send out bills, checks, invoices and other sensitive information via the USPS or other mailing services, you probably have the need of a secure envelope. These types of envelopes make it difficult to impossible to view contained documents. One of the most popular secure businesses envelope available is the DURASEAL line from Relyco. These envelopes are popular not only because of their quality and security, but also because of their unique ability to work with folding and inserting machines (aka envelope stuffing machines).

DURASEAL envelopes are designed from the ground up with security in mind. As of the writing of this article, DURASEAL envelopes come in #9 (3-7/8″ x 8-7/8″) and #10 (4-1/8″ x 9-1/2″) sizes. These envelopes feature a unique security tint. This tint obscures the contents by making the envelope impossible to see through, even when held up to a bright light.

Another important security feature in is the window. Many envelope windows make contents easy to see, including account numbers. All you need to do is shake the contents around or pull back on the window to see what’s inside. Relyco DURASEAL envelopes position the window slightly higher than normal to keep bank account information obscured.

There are currently about 8 different types of DURASEAL envelopes available, with the biggest differences being the positioning of the window and the positioning of the flap. This includes double windows and reverse bottom flaps. If for any reason the standard DURASEAL envelope doesn’t meet your needs, customized envelopes can be made. Call 1-800-658-8788 to request a custom envelope quote. Custom modifications include window location, window size, personal logos, colors and more.

One of the biggest reasons our customers like Relyco envelopes is their unique ability to work flawlessly with Formax automatic paper folder inserters. Relyco and Formax actually have a relationship where they have designed each others equipment and supplies to work well with each other. Relyco envelopes, including DURASEAL, can also be used with most other folding and inserting machines (aka envelope stuffing machines).

You can find our entire selection of Relyco business envelopes here and our entire selection of Formax folder inserters here.