PVC shrink wrap bags provide a quick and easy way to quickly package a wide variety of material. These bags make packaging products as easy as inserting something into a heat shrink bag, sealing it shut and shrinking it down using a heat gun or shrink tunnel. The entire process takes just seconds and it is remarkably affordable. We have added two different types of shrink wrap bags to our site.

Dome Shrink Wrap Bags (found here)

The first type of bag we offer is called a dome shrink wrap bag. This bag has a special rounded dome end to it, which is primarily designed to fit around objects such as gift baskets. In fact, our dome bags are often referred to as gift basket bags. Simply open the bag, insert the basket and either tie or seal off the open end. The next step involves shrinking the film down.

Our dome heat shrink bags can be shrunk down using a heat gun or a shrink tunnel. This film has a 40% shrink rate, which means it will shrink down 40% from its original size. This provides a nice tight seal around everything. Because the PVC film is 100 gauge thick, it doesn’t easily tear or rip. The film is crystal clear once shrunk down. Our dome shrink wrap bags are also FDA approved for indirect contact use with food.

Square “Super Shrink” Stock Shrink Wrap Bags (found here)

These bags are more similar to what you imagine when you think of a shrink wrap bag. These bags are square in shape and can be used to package CDs, DVDs, video games, magazines, books, gifts, paper and much more. Using these bags is extremely easy and requires just a few basic tools. The open end of these bags can be sealed and cut off by using an I-bar shrink wrap machine or a heat sealer with a cutter. Shrinking can be done via a heat gun or heat shrink tunnel.

Our Super Shrink heat seal bags also have a 40% shrink rate, allowing them to quickly shrink down and wrap around corners and various shapes. Because the film is micro perforated, air is able to easily escape during the shrinking process. Our square shrink wrap bags are made from PVC and are 80 gauge thick.

Both our dome and square shrink wrap bags are very affordably priced and ship out quickly. We currently offer these bags in 1,000 count bulk quantities. If you plan on purchasing thousands of these, we may be able to offer a quantity discount. Call 1-800-658-8788 for more details.

You can find our entire selection of shrink wrap film here and shrink wrap machines here.

If you have been shopping around for a great deal on a Martin Yale folding machine, paper cutter, Intimus paper shredder or other piece of office equipment, you’ll be happy to hear that for a limited time we are offering free shipping on most Martin Yale office machines. Martin Yale is one of the most popular manufacturers of products that we offer.

Free shipping covers well over 2-dozen different makes and models of products. Here are the product categories currently offering free shipping.

Categories with Free Shipping

• Martin Yale Folding Machines
• Martin Yale Paper Cutters
• Intimus Paper Shredders
• Martin Yale Business Card Cutters
• Martin Yale Check Signers
• Martin Yale Paper Joggers
• Martin Yale Perforators
• Martin Yale Paper Carts
• Martin Yale Paper Slitters
• Martin Yale Mail Tabbers
• Martin Yale Padding Presses
• Martin Yale Booklet Makers

This is a great deal and will save you a lot of money. We are excited to offer free shipping on these products. Take advantage of these great deals while you can.

If you’re in the vending machine industry, or collect money from candy, soda or other vending machinery, you probably have to handle and count a lot of money. Trying to count bills and coins manually, especially in the quantities found in vending machines, is difficult to do. Time constraints and errors pretty much make that impossible. What you need is a vending machine coin counter or a vending machine bill counter.

If you are shopping around for a reliable machine for your vending machine business, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself.

How many vending machines are you working with? If you only work with a couple of machines a day, a basic bill counter or coin counter will probably suffice. If you operate more than a half dozen or more machines, you will need a more robust machine or multiple smaller machines to get the job done quickly.

Do you have counterfeit bill issues? Many modern vending machines have built-in counterfeit bill detectors. If you use an older machine, or one that doesn’t incorporate this technology, you may want to consider using a bill counter with counterfeit detection capabilities. Most modern bill counters (equipped with counterfeit detection) have ultraviolet detection (UV), magnetic detection (MG) or both.

What types of coins do your machines handle? Be sure the coin counter or sorter you buy can handle all the denominations your machine handles. Most vending machines take just nickels, dimes and quarters, which most coin counting machines handle. If your machine takes dollar coins, tokens or other denominations, you will want to verify that the machine you are buying can handle those coin types.

Are bills pre-sorted by the vending machine? Most vending machines, that accept bills, keep counted bills in a stack. While some vending machines sort bills, most do not. The majority of bill counters give you a bill count, not a value count. This means if you put in 25 mixed bills, the machine will simply tell you that you have 25 bills. If you need the bill counter to also provide you with a value, you will need what’s known as a bill discriminator.

Now that we have answered a few questions, here are a few machines that I would recommend.

Recommended Coin Counters

• ABC110 Coin Counter & Sorter
• Cassida C200 Coin Counting and Sorting Machine
• Semacon S-120 Coin Counter
• Semacon S-530 Industrial Coin Counter & Sorter

Recommended Bill Counters

• ABC1150 High-Speed Bill Counter
• Cassida 5520 Automatic Currency Counter
• Cassida 6600 Money Counter
• Semacon S-1100 High-Speed Money Counter
• Semacon S-1400 Industrial Bill Counter

We offer a great selection of bill counters, coin sorters and counterfeit detectors that should help keep your vending machine business running efficiently. You can find our entire selection of money handling equipment here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 to speak with one of our money handling experts. They can help answer your questions and help you find the right machine for your business.

When shopping around for a bill or currency counter, you want something that is extremely reliable and durable…right? If so, you may not necessarily want to go with the cheapest money counter out there. While this isn’t always the case, you often get what you pay for. One high-quality line of bill counters you may want to use is made by Semacon.

Because Semacon bill counters go through rigorous testing, are made in high-quality manufacturing plants out of Japan and feature one of the best warranties in the industry, they aren’t the cheapest, however, they are considered by many to be the best.

Semacon bill counters go through a rigorous “burn-in” process. This means that bills are run through them to ensure that they will definitely work right out of the box. This is a huge relief for many businesses that need things to work right the first time.

Many Semacon bill counters are also made in Japan, rather than China. While this may not be a big deal for some people, Japanese factories are known for their state-of-the art facilities and excellent quality control. Quality is not sacrificed to make a buck.

While Semacon bill counters are not the cheapest currency counters on the market, they are by far some of the most reliable. If you consider that a cheap bill counter may last a few months to a year, and a Semacon machine will probably last several years, the Semacon money counter ultimately ends up being the best deal.

Semacon also offers one of the best warranties around. Their unconditional warranty includes limitless and free tech support and training (over the phone).

So who uses Semacon currency counting machines? These are just a few of the businesses that have high-volume counting needs that often rely on Semacon.

• Banks
• Credit Unions
• Casinos
• Vending Operators
• Amusement Operators
• Retail Stores
• Restaurants

Here are 5 great Semacon bill counters that you may want to consider using:

• Semacon S-1000 Mini
• Semacon S-1015 Mini w/ UV Detection
• Semacon S-1025 Mini Currency Counter w/ UV and MG Detection
• Semacon S-1100 Series Bill Counters (S-1100, S-1115, S-1125)
• Semacon S-1400 Series Bill Counters (S-1400, S-1415, S-1425, S-1450)

At ABC Office we are currently offering some of the best prices available online for Semacon bill counting machines. In fact, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better price. If you do, let us know and we’ll match it!

You can find our entire selection of Semacon money handling equipment here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions regarding Semacon bill counters.

GBC VeloBind machines provide a professional and nice looking bind. Having used VeloBind myself to bind several reports and presentations for college, I can vouch for the fact that they make a great impression. Few binding formats beat a VeloBound document with a nice clear cover front and a card stock back cover. So which machine should you purchase for your business or copy center? There are 4 viable options available and these are my recommendations.

Four Different VeloBind Machines:

• GBC VeloBind System One
• Tamerica V2000-Pro (SecureBind)
• GBC VeloBind System Two
• GBC VeloBind System Three Pro

Before you purchase a GBC VeloBind machine, there are 2 primary questions you need to ask yourself:

How thick are your documents? VeloBind machines are modeled and designed to handle a maximum thickness. The System One can handle 1″ of paper, the System Two can handle 2″ and the System Three can handle 3″ of paper. It is a pretty straightforward system. The larger machines, such as the GBC System Three Pro, can also handle 2″ and 1″ strips. The larger machines are all backwards compatible.

If you don’t think you will ever need to bind a book thicker than 1″, and you don’t need an electric punch, the VeloBind System One is going to be more than enough for you. If you need to bind up to1 ½” of paper, you’ll need a VeloBind System Two (etc…).

How many books do you need to bind per day? Hot Knife VeloBind machines are partially automated. The cutting and heat sealing of the VeloBind strips is all automatic. The punch, however, is not electric on all the VeloBind machines. The Tamerica V200-Pro (SecureBind) and the GBC VeloBind System One both feature a manual punch. The GBC System Two and System Three Pro both have electric punches.

If you expect to bind more than a few dozen books a day, you may want to consider using an electric punch. This will be faster and will cut down on operator fatigue.

Customer Favorite – Having used all of the GBC VeloBind machines and the Tamerica V2000-Pro Secure Bind (SecureBind is Tamerica’s version of VeloBind), I have to say that the System One is my favorite simply because it is affordable and does a great job. That’s not to say that the System 2 or System 3 Pro are bad, they just aren’t as popular with our customers.

The Tamerica V2000Pro is a good alternative to the GBC System Two, however, I would personally go with the GBC System One over the Tamerica V2000-Pro for 1″ binding.  I personally think the GBC VeloBind machine is a slightly better built machine.

You can find our entire selection of VeloBind book binding machine here and our 11-prong hot knife VeloBind strips here.

Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any of your VeloBind questions. Have a great day!

If you own a GBC VeloBind machine, you probably need to buy VeloBind strips from time to time. One thing you may have discovered, while shopping around, is that GBC (over the years) has released over 4 different VeloBind formats, with each format offering different sizes and capacities. With all this confusion, it’s no wonder customers often have no idea which supply they need for their machine. This guide should help you out.

I would like to start off by covering the most up-to-date and modern machines and supplies used today and ending with supplies / machines that are now discontinued.

Hot Knife VeloBind:

The most common type of VeloBind machine is the 11-prong hot knife VeloBind machine. These machines use 11-prongs along the 11″ side of a sheet of paper, or 9 prongs (aka posts) along the 8 ½” side of a sheet of paper.

These are referred to as hot knife because a heated blade actually cuts off excess prongs and seals them to the back strip using heat. Once finished, the end result is an extremely permanent and very secure bind.

To date, GBC makes a 1″, a 2″ and a 3″ long prong. The following supplies can be used with the accompanying listed machines:

1 x 11 and 1 x 8.5 hot knife VeloBind strips (11 or 9 prong): GBC VeloBind System One, GBC V800pro, VeloBind System Two, GBC VeloBind System Three Pro, GBC VeloBind System Four, Tamerica SecureBind V2000-Pro

2 x 11 and 2 x 8.5 hot knife VeloBind strips (11 or 9 prong): VeloBind System Two, GBC VeloBind System Three Pro, GBC VeloBind System Four, Tamerica SecureBind V2000-Pro

3 x 11 and 3 x 8.5 hot knife VeloBind strips (11 or 9 prong): GBC VeloBind System Three Pro, GBC VeloBind System Four,

The 1 in 1 x 11 stands for 1″, the 2 in 2 x 11 stands for 2″ and the 3 in 3 x 11 stands for 3″ thick capacity. Larger machines, such as the VeloBind System Three Pro, can use 1″ 2″ and 3″ strips, making it completely backwards compatible. Smaller machines, such as the VeloBind System One can only use 1″ strips and not the longer 2″ or 3″ strips.

This is a video demo of the GBC VeloBind System 3 Pro in use:

Personal VeloBind 4 Prong:

This style of VeloBind machine is designed for temporary and light volume use. The machine, available in a manual and an electric punch, use a 4 prong strip. This equals 4 total holes along the 11″ side of a sheet of paper. As you might imagine, the 4 prongs, as compared to the 11 prongs used in a hot knife system, are not nearly as stable.

Once all holes have been punched, the 4 prong VeloBind strip can be inserted through the holes. The excess prongs are then bend over and snapped into the back strip. This format still looks nice, but is not ideal for thicker books.  These are all examples of 4 prong Personal VeloBind machines: GBC V50, GBC V100, GBC V110e

Personal VeloBind 6 Prong:

This binding format is no longer used, although supplies are still available. This binding format is very similar to the 4 prong format. Because 6 holes are used, it is a little more stable than the 4 prong systems. Once the 6 holes have been punched along the 11″ side of a sheet of paper, the 6 prong VeloBind strip is inserted through the holes. The excess prongs are then bend over and snapped into the back strip.

Cold Knife VeloBind Machines:

These binding machines provided a very secure bind without the use of heat. While 11 prongs were used with Cold Knife VeloBind machines, no heat was involved. The top strip, which featured 11 prongs, snapped into the back strip much like a zip tie. The excess prongs were broken off, making them flush with the back strip. Cold knife strips were available in ½ x 11 (1/2″ thick) and 1 x 11 (1″ thick) sizes.

While not quite as secure as a hot knife machine, the snapping zip-tie style of the cold-knife machines were very stable. Unfortunately neither the machines nor the supplies are available any more.

You can find our entire selection of GBC VeloBind machines here and our entire selection of GBC hot knife VeloBind strips here. Feel free to call one of our binding experts at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions about VeloBind machines.

Are you tired of binding books and presentations with standard clear covers or single-color card stock? Perhaps you should consider binding your books using special effects poly covers. These covers use a holographic emboss that creates a very unique look. This look has pattern to it with a unique depth that you don’t find in other covers. Let me explain more.

First off, these covers are made from an extremely resilient and durable poly plastic material.  They are rigid, waterproof, temperature resistant (up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit) and won’t tear. They also have a translucent appearance to them, allowing elements of the title page of your bound book to show through. It is a very unique and professional look. The best part about ploy covers is that they cost far less than composite or vinyl binding covers.

We currently offer our holographic style poly covers in blue, clear and smoke colors. These covers are 16 mils thick (0.16 of an inch). We offer them in two sizes. You can buy them in an 8 ½” x 11″ size with square corners or in an 8 ¾” x 11 ¼” size with round corners.

Most binding machines can punch through our special effects poly covers (holographic binding covers). This includes comb binding, wire binding and coil binding. I have even seen people use these covers with GBC Velobind machines.

You can find our entire selection of holographic poly binding covers and other poly-based report covers here. This also includes crystal, sand, leather and stripe poly binding covers.

While you definitely want the inside of your office building looking good, it is also a good idea to promote a clean outdoor entrance as well. One great way to do this is by using an outdoor trash can. These waste bins are designed to stay put, look good and withstand the elements. Many of these outdoor waste bins look great, add to the overall building decor and even include ash collectors for smokers.

There are three types of outdoor trash cans that are especially popular. This includes metallic trash cans, neutral waste bins (brown or black) and natural garbage bins that usually feature organic elements such as stone or rock patterns. The can you use will depend a lot on the outdoor landscaping and the architectural design of the building.

An outdoor trash can should be durable and solid. You don’t want something that is top heavy or features a small base. Remember, these garbage cans will be impacted by the elements, animals and even some people. A garbage can or bin that can be blown over by the wind doesn’t deserve to be outside. A tipped over garbage can creates a mess and can be environmentally damaging. An outdoor garbage can should also be covered, preventing rain from pooling in the bottom.

At ABC Office, we offer several great options for outdoor trash cans. Here are 2 types of outdoor garbage bins that have become classics with our customers, totaling 8 different models.

Best Outdoor Trash Cans:

Canmeleon Outdoor Trash Can – This line of trash cans (4 different versions) feature a fluted panel design that, which has a highly professional appearance. These trash cans are molded from high-density polyethylene as well as UV inhibitors for optimal outdoor use. The design of these trash cans hides the bag. The Canmeleon line of garbage cans are some of the most popular available and we can ship these cans to you in a matter of days. Place 1 or 2 outside the entrance of your building.

Canmeleon Stone Outdoor Garbage Bin – The Canmeleon Aggregate Panel outdoor garbage bins (4 different versions) are extremely durable and feature a design that blends in with the natural environment. The molded-in stone aggregate looks classy and is especially nice in front of buildings with a stone or concrete design. The telescoping base helps hide the contained back. The recessed bottom looks great, yet does not detract from the stability of the bin.

Both of these options are reliable, high-quality options for your building. Both of these lines of outdoor trash cans are Greenguard certified. You won’t be disappointed.

You can find our entire selection of office, lobby and outdoor trash cans here.

Many businesses and organizations are trying to move to a paperless payroll system, with time clocks being a large part of that. Whether you are trying to do your part to help the environment, or simply want to cut down on errors that are systematic with punch cards, there are many paperless systems available. At ABC Office, we offer biometric, card swipe and keypad time clock systems. Which system is best for you? I will answer a few questions and provide a few suggestions in this article.

When it comes to paperless time clock and time management systems, there are 3 major types of machines. You first have the card swipe systems, then you have the keypad systems and finally you have the biometric systems. Some modern time clocks incorporate all 3 technologies, either for added security or for versatility. Here is a brief rundown on what the 3 types of paperless time clocks systems do.

Card Swipe Paperless Time Clocks – These time clocks use either a proximity card or an encoded magnetic stripe (like a credit card) for logging in and out of work. This type of time clock often incorporates the ID badge into the system. This method of tracking employee time worked is effective, accurate and relatively safe from fraud. Card swipe systems require no paper and are extremely easy to set up.

EXAMPLE: Pyramid Technologies PTI Time Trax Pro

Digital Keypad Paperless Time Clocks – These types of time clocks have a keypad, usually consisting of numbers, letters or both. The pin number, unique to the employee, is then entered. This is similar to punching in or out with a time card, but is done with numbers instead, making the entire system paperless. These types of time clocks are extremely easy to set up and makes adding or removing employees easy.

EXAMPLE: David-Link DL-858 Digital Keypad & Biometric Time Clock

Biometric Paperless Time Clocks – Biometric time clocks are extremely popular right now. For one, no badge or number needs to be used. This means you don’t need to worry about lost badges or forgotten pin numbers. All your employee needs to bring with them ins their finger, which usually isn’t a problem. These systems are extremely accurate, very easy to use and completely eliminate buddy punching fraud altogether.

EXAMPLE: David-Link W-1288 Biometric Time Clock

Each of these employee time management systems either store information internally, for later exporting to a computer, or are connected directly to a computer for payroll purposes. Most of the data on these systems can be exported to MS Excel, Quickbooks, ADP, PAYCHEX and many other payroll programs.

A fourth, and less common type of time clock, is what’s known as an Internet or Web-based time clock. These types of time clocks store employee information in the cloud and do not require a server or centralized local computer. An authorized person, or an administrator, can log into the cloud service and download or export reports via the internet. These types of systems are usually accompanied by a low monthly fee. uAttend is a great example of an Internet time clock manufacturer. They offer both Ethernet and wireless versions.

EXAMPLES:

• uAttend CB 1000 Ethernet Internet Time Clock
• uAttend CB 2000 Wireless Internet Time Clock

All of the sytems I have described are paperless. There are no paper reports needed and data can be analyzed via a computer monitor. These systems are tamper proof, easy to use and best of all they are affordable. They will save you money not only by eliminating paper, but also by improving accuracy.

Please feel free to call one of our experts at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions regarding paperless time clocks and time attendance systems. You can find our entire selection of employee time clocks here.

If you’re shopping around for a roll laminator for your school, copy shop, church or business, you may have determined that the 27″ with is the best for your applications. Twenty-seven inch laminators can be used to laminate posters, maps, banners and much more. They can also be used to laminate many smaller documents simultaneously. So which one is best?

At ABC Office, we have been selling 27″ laminators since 1980, so we have a pretty good idea which ones work and which ones don’t. We also have years of customer feedback and history to look back on, which helps us help you to find the best laminator possible. Based on that history, I will be including a list of the top 5 best roll laminators.

Keep in mind that just because a laminator is labeled as “Best” doesn’t mean it will be best at all jobs. A low-volume laminator is still not going to do high-volume jobs. A “Best” label also doesn’t mean that the laminator can handle all types of film. Many of the laminators in my top 7 list can only handle film up to 3 mils thick (3 thousandths of an inch). That being said, these are all solid roll laminators.

Top 7 Best 27″ Roll Laminators

• Banner American Easy-Lam 27″ Roll Laminator – This laminator has been around for well over a decade and is a customer favorite because of its blend of capabilities mixed with a low price. This is ideal for low to medium-volume laminating.
• Ledco Professor 27″ Roll Laminator – This laminator is excellent for high-volume and continuous laminating. This is one of the best laminators we offer, big or small.
• Banner American Easy-Lam School Budget Roll Laminator – This budget laminator is one of the least expensive 27″ roll laminators around. It works great and produces excellent results, however, it isn’t the fastest roll laminator out there and isn’t designed for high-volume use.
• Banner American Easy-Lam II 27″ Roll Laminator – This laminator is a slightly more robust version of the standard Easy-Lam roll laminator and is excellent for school or copy center use.
• Banner American MightyLam 2700HC 27″ Roll Laminator – The MightyLam 2700HC from Banner American is a robust laminator that can be used for daily medium-volume laminating. It also has mounting capabilities (up to ¼”) and can be used with cold film as well.
• GBC Heatseal Ultima 65 27″ Roll Laminator – The GBC Heatseal Ultima 65 is a great medium-volume laminator for school, copy center, church or business use. It is fast, warms up quickly and can be used with film up to 3 mils thick.
• Tamerica TCC2700 27″ Roll Laminator – This laminator, especially considering the price, is a great value. It is fast, can handle film up to 10 mils thick (thickest available) and uses standard 1″ core rolls of film.

So there you have it! My list of the top 7 best thermal roll laminators. Having used most of these laminators myself, I feel confident in saying you won’t be disappointed. If you need a quote, need shipping prices or simply have some additional questions, please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788. You can find our entire selection of roll laminators here.