When shopping around for laminating pouches (found here) or rolls of laminating film (found here), have you ever wondered what the film itself is made out of? Plastic…right? While laminating film is made out of certain types of plastic, it is usually a combination of several types. This article will go into great detail regarding the composition of laminating film.

The first thing you need to be aware of, when shopping for laminating film, is that a sheet of laminating film is composed of various layers of plastic. The harder layer is on the outside and the softer layer is on the inside. Combined, these layers make up the mil thickness, with a mil being a thousandth of an inch (0.001″). Outside the United States, laminating film is measured in microns rather than mils. A micron is a thousandth of a millimeter (0.001 millimeters).

Have you ever shopped around for a laminating pouch (or roll) and saw 4/3 on the outside of the box, or perhaps 3/2 on the outside of the box? These are numbers displaying the ratio of hard to soft plastic used in the laminating sheet. A 4/3 would be 4 mils of hard plastic and 3 mils of soft plastic (glue), totaling 7-mils. A 3/2 pouch is a 5 mil thick pouch. This ratio can change depending on the amount of hard and soft plastic used, however, the ratio will always add up to the total “mil” thickness of the sheet of film.

So what kind of plastic is used in laminating film? While this isn’t always going to be the case, the harder outer layer is usually made from PET plastic (Polyethylene Terephthalate) and the softer inner layer is made out of EVA plastic (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate). Occasionally a combination of PET plastic, PE (Polyethylene Plastic) and EVA plastic are all used together.

PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) – This type of plastic is commonly used in food, beverage and other plastic containers. It is also used for producing synthetic fibers used in clothing. It is a resin of the polyester family. It can be easily formed into various shapes, and in the case of laminating film, it is formed into a thin sheet. The funny thing is that PET plastic doesn’t actually contain Polyethylene, which is why PET is sometimes simply called Ethylene Teerephthalate. In the case of laminating film, the PET is clear. It was especially popular in the 70’s for the production of polyester clothing.

EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate) - This type of plastic is condiered to be extremely durable, stress resistant and is commonly used as a hot-melt adhesive. Have you ever used a glue gun? Glue sticks are made out of EVA plastic, the same material that lines the inside of a laminating sheet. EVA is also used in materials such as plastic wraps due to its “clingy” properties. EVA plastic is also used in expanded rubber or foam rubber for padding in ski boots, fishing reel handles and more.

PE Plastic (Polyethylene) – This is by far the most common plastic used today and is commonly used for bags, packaging and more. This isn’t as common in laminating film, although some may contain PE plastic.

I hope this helps you out. While this may not influence or change your mind on the type of laminating film you purchase, I still think it is helpful and educational to know what laminating film is made out of. Hopefully this will help you better understand how laminating film works and exactly what it is.

You can find our entire selection of pouch laminating film here and roll laminating film here. As far as machines go, you can find our pouch laminators here and roll laminators here.

If you still want to learn more, or need help finding the right film for your laminator, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-658-8788. Have a great day!

When shopping around for laminating pouches (found here), you probably want to use the best thickness for the job at hand. While you may not know what thickness to buy, I can tell you that 5 mil laminating pouches are by far the most popular thickness. ABC Office offers a great selection of 5 mil pouches in a wide range of sizes. So why is the 5 mil thickness so popular? I’ll explain in this article.

To begin with, you probably need to know what a mil is. Mil is not short for millimeter, although many people think it is. A 5-millimeter pouch would be extremely thick. A mil is one hundredth of an inch (1 mil = 0.001″), where a millimeter is 0.039″ thick. In relation to what we are used to dealing with, a mil is pretty thin. A 1.5 mil pouch is about as thin as they come and a 10-mil pouch is about as thick as they comb. Five mils is a great compromise between price and durability.

At ABC Office, we offer 5 mil pouches in about 18 different sizes. These include:

• Business Card (2 1/4″ x 3 3/4″)
• Credit Card (2 1/8″ x 3 3/8″)
• Driver’s License (2 3/8″ x 3 5/8″)
• IBM (2 5/16″ x 3 1/4″)
• Key Card (2 1/2″ x 3 7/8″)
• Miliary (2 5/8″ x 3 7/8″)
• School Card (2 1/2″ x 3 5/8″)
• Jumbo (2 15/16″ x 4 1/8″)
• Luggage Tag w/o Slot (2 1/2″ x 4 1/4″)
• Luggage Tag w/ Slot (2 1/2″ x 4 1/4″)
• Index Card (3 1/2″ x 5 1/2″)
• Circulation Card (3 15/16″ x 5 11/16″)
• Postal Card (3 9/16″ x 5 5/16″)
• Extra Circulation Card (3 15/16″ x 6 7/8″)
• 6″ x 9″
• 9″ x 11 ½”
• 9″ x 14 ½”
• 12″ x 18″

These various size pouches can be used to create photo IDs, laminate photos, business cards, menus, cards, signs and much more. The 5 mil thickness is affordable, with 100 pouches per box costing very little, yet it still has enough stability to keep the item being laminated from being easily damaged.

Unlike other online dealers of laminating pouches, whose quality is often questionable, ABC Office’s pouch laminating film is fresh, new and high-quality stuff. It has a crystal clear finish with a glossy surface.

You can find our entire selection of pouch laminating film here and our entire selection of pouch laminators here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.

If you’re looking for a great deskside paper shredder for under $100, you may want to consider a great deal like the Intelli-Shred IS100 cross cut paper shredder by Intelli-Zone. This shredder is robust, compact, portable and is perfect for home or office use. I have used this paper shredder and this is my review.

When shopping around for a home or office deskside shredder, there are a few requirements that you should keep in mind. To begin with, it is a good idea to buy a cross cut shredder as the security is better than a strip cut shredder. I also recommend getting something that can handle the occasional staple or paper clip. It also isn’t a bad idea to get a shredder that can handle DVDs, CDs and credit cards.

The Intelli-Shred IS100 has all those bases covered. To begin with, it is a cross cut paper shredder, cutting paper into tiny 5/32″ x 2 1/8″ particles. This is far more secure than a 1/8″ or ¼” strip, which is normal for a strip cut shredder. The cross cut pattern makes shredded material difficult to reassemble. Most thieves won’t even bother sifting through cross cut documents.

Thanks to a 5-gallon bin, the IS100 is able to hold a lot of shredded particles of paper, decreasing the frequency of bag changes. Emptying the bag is easy. Simply remove the sliding bin drawer on the front of the machine. Emptying the bin is extremely easy and a clear window on the front of the bin makes it easy to see how full the shredder is.

With a 10 sheet shredding capacity, and an operational speed of 10 feet per minute, the IS100 can easily keep up with most individual paper shredding needs. While it is ideal for individual use, it is definitely not robust enough to be used as a centralized departmental paper shredder.

When using a shredder at home or in the office, it should be relatively quiet, right? The IS100 puts out 56 decibels of noise. While not silent by any means, it is quiet by paper shredder terms. This means it can be used in the office without causing too much of a distraction.

The Intelli-Shred IS100 is build with high quality materials, high-end electronics and is backed by an impressive one-year warranty. As of the writing of this review, it is priced at just $99. This is the perfect shredder either buy for your own home / office or as a gift for another person.

You can find the Intelli-Shred IS100 cross cut paper shredder here and our entire selection of paper shredders here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.

Shrink wrap film, whether it is a centerfold roll or a shrink bag, comes in different thicknesses. The thickness of shrink film is referred to as the gauge. Many customers call asking which gauge they need for their product. The answer the question, “Which gauge thickness should I use?” depends entirely on what you will be packaging.

One hundred gauge film is 1 mil thick (0.001″). That gives you an idea on just how thick the shrink film is that you will be using. Remember that as the film shrinks it gets thicker. This is because the surface area of the film shrinks when direct heat is applied. As the surface area shrinks, the film thickness increases. Most shrink film shrinks about 40% its original size when in contact with a heat gun or tunnel.

Most shrink wrap film is available in 60, 75 and 100 gauges. This isn’t always the case, but is the norm. The higher the gauge number, the thicker the film is. Shrink wrap film comes in 2 different flavors, PVC film and Polyolefin film. PVC film, which is more common, has a tougher texture and feel to it, where Polyolefin has a more pliable / stretchy feel to it. Polyolefin is safe for use in direct contact with food.

PVC shrink film is almost always available in 75 or 100 gauge thicknesses and Polyolefin film comes in 60, 75 an 100. Polyolefin film is available in 60 gauge, because the thinner film is more durable than PVC film. A 60-gauge thickness in PVC film would be too thin and would break too easily.

As a general rule, if you are only packaging a single item, the thinner film is almost always fine. That means if you are packaging a single DVD, CD or box, 75 gauge PVC or 60 gauge Polyolefin is almost always more than enough to keep things coated and protected. This isn’t, however, the case when bundling multiple items together.

If you are bundling multiple items together, let’s say 2-3 DVDs, you will want to use a thicker film. The thicker film helps prevent movement and is less likely to break apart in shipping or while being handled. This means if you are bundling multiple items together, you may want to consider 100 gauge PVC film or 75-100 gauge polyolefin film.

Hopefully this helps answer the question, “Which film thickness should I use?” If you need additional clarification, or simply have a shrink wrap packaging question, please contact one of our specialists at 1-800-658-8788.

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

If you are a scrapbooker, are married to one or have a close friend that loves scrapbooking, you probably know that a paper cutter is their closest friend. These paper cutters are used for trimming down paper, cutting cardstock or re-sizing photographs. Many even include special perforating, scoring or patterned blades. At ABC Office, we offer some excellent cutters that are a hit with our scrapbooking customers.

A diehard scrapbooker will probably use their paper cutter at least a couple of times a week. Because repetitive use is a must, and the fact that the paper cutter will be used often, it is important to get a cutter that can hold up for a long time. We have found that three brands in particular seem to have a great reputation. These brands include Carl, Dahle and Rotatrim.

While there are several styles of paper cutters out there, the rotary style seems to be the best all-round cutter for precision trimming of paper and photos. These types of cutters have a round blade that sits inside a housing that slides along a rail. As the blade moves along the rail, it spins (like a pizza cutter). This design makes paper cutting extremely easy.

Top 10 Best Scrapbooking Paper Cutters for Christmas 2011

1. Carl DC-300N Rotary Paper Trimmer – This trimmer is feature rich, extremely affordable and has an impressive 20 sheet cutting capacity. It can cut cardstock, mat board, paper, photos and more!
2. Carl DC-238N Heavy Duty Rotary Trimmer – This trimmer can cut 36 sheet of paper at a time! It features an impressive 18″ cutting length and is made out of 100% recycled materials.
3. Dahle 507, 508 & 507K Personal Rotary Trimmers – This trimmers are affordable, compact and great for taking from one place to another.
4. Carl RT-200N Professional Rotary Trimmer – This trimmer is available under $50, is made from recycled materials and is excellent for daily use. It replaces the previous bestseller the RT-200.
5. Rotatrim Professional M Series Rotary Paper Cutter – While this trimmer may be on the higher end of the price scale, this British-made cutter will probably also last a good 10 years. This is the cutter professional photographers use.
6. Carl DC-220N Heavy Duty Rotary Trimmer – With a 36 sheet cutting capacity, a luminous cutting clamp and a wide range of cutting patterns on the base, this cutter makes paper trimming easy.
7. Rotatrim Mastercut MC Series Paper Cutter – Once known as the monorail, this Rotatrim paper cutter is sturdy, features a square rail and is excellent for precision cutting.
8. Dahle 550, 552 & 554 Professional Rotary Paper Cutters – These cutters are very popular with photographers, artists and others that need reliable paper cutting. German engineered to perfection, these cutters mean business.
9. Carl DC-100N Personal Rotary Trimmer – This paper cutter is compact, can fit in a purse and is great for the hobbyist. While it isn’t designed for heavy-duty cutting, it is still a high-quality compact trimmer that won’t disappoint you.

These paper cutters all have a proven track record. They are great for scrapbookers and should make an excellent Christmas gift. If you’re not sure which of these fine cutters are best for you, please don’t hesitate to call one of our paper cutting experts at 1-800-658-8788. They will be able to help guide you to the right cutter and answer all your questions.

You can find our entire selection of rotary paper cutters here and our wide selection of paper cutters here.

Are you having trouble settling on either comb or wire binding? Do you feel that you have reports, presentations or books that could benefit from both binding styles? If you are torn, or are having trouble making a decision, you should consider the Akiles WireMac-Combo. This book binding machine can be used to bind books using comb or wire. I have used this machine and this is my review.

Akiles is known for making some of the best binding machines out there. Having used over a dozen different models of Akiles machines myself, I can tell you that I personally like using them over GBC, Fellowes and many other brands. The build quality is simply some of the best I have ever seen in an office machine. The WireMac-Combo falls right in line with this tradition.

The WireMac-Combo is literally made from all-metal construction. Everything from the outer shell of the machine to the inner guts to the handles are made from metal. There are a few wood and plastic trim pieces, but I would say that at least 90% of the machine is made from metal. That really means something in a world where plastic seems to be replacing metal. Head to head, metal always wins over plastic.

The WireMac wire binding machine and the Akiles MegaBind are two great machines. The WireMac-Combo takes these two machines and smashes them into one unit. The end result is pure engineering genius. The WireMac-Combo has to separate and unique punching dies. One die punches paper in a 19-ring plastic comb hole pattern and the other punches paper using a 2:1 pitch or a 3:1 pitch hole pattern (depending on the version of the WireMac-Comb you go with).

Two separate punches mean you never have to worry about swapping out dies. Everything is right there in one machine. The WireMac-Combo also includes a manually operated wire close and a manually operated plastic comb opener / closer. While this may sound very complicated, and the picture of the machine may seem intimidating, it is actually pretty easy to use. Just remember, while there are 4 different handles on the machine, you will only ever use 2 of them when binding a book. Two of the handles are for wire and the other 2 are for comb.

The WireMac-Combo doesn’t just bind books using twin loop wire or plastic comb. It also includes a wide range of “luxury” features. This includes an adjustable margin depth (for the punches) and independent disengageable dies. This allows you to turn of individual punching pins, making custom book binding easy. This feature essentially cuts out the dreaded “half punched” hole. The base of the punching dies also feature a printed diagram showing you where the holes will be punched.

The WireMac-Combo also includes gauges, diagrams and tools that ensure proper binding. This includes a wire closing gauge that keeps the closer from under or over closing the wire.

This machine is excellent for use in an office or copy center. While a robust machine (20.5″ x 27″ x 20″), it will easily sit on most desks or tables. It is a little heavy, weighing in at 64 pounds, it can still be easily moved around by a couple of people.

Having used this machine, I would like to personally vouch for its quality and longevity. This machine is built to last and will easily hold up to daily use. Simply put, our customers love this machine.

You can find the Akiles WireMac-Combo wire and comb binding machine here and our entire selection of book binding machines here. Please do not hesitate to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.

The air is getting cold for many parts of the United States and people are beginning to spend more time indoors. As a result, more people are getting colds and the sniffles, which means a lot of people going through a lot of tissue. If you have an office lobby or waiting room, you probably offer customers tissues. Rather than putting a tissue box out on a table, in all its horrible flower décor glory, consider using a wood tissue box holder or cover. Your customers, clients and patients will be impressed.

Wood tissue box covers and holders provide a secure and professional way to display otherwise ugly tissue boxes. This allows the tissue box to blend in nicely with a wood table, wood seating and other wood furniture. It helps provide protection to the tissue box, while adding a professional element to the ambiance.

Our tissue box holders look great and come in dark red mahogany, light oak or medium oak. These wood tissue holders can be set out on a table or they can be mounted to a wall (mounting hardware included). These boxes are made out of oak, so they are designed to hold up well with continuous use. They can also be used in doctor’s offices, hospitals and medical facilities to hold latex or rubber glove boxes.

While these tissue box covers may commonly be found in lobbies and waiting rooms, they are also popular in schools, churches and even in homes. Choose from a single, double, triple or a quadruple wood tissue box holder design. These boxes are made by Wooden Mallet, so you can expect the utmost in quality.

While the quality is excellent and the finish is extremely professional, I think one of the best features is the great low price! You can find our entire selection of wood tissue box covers and holders here.

If you’re considering purchasing the Akiles WireMac, you may want to see how it works. Having used this machine myself, I can vouch for the fact that it is a solid machine and is easy to use. A few years ago we shot a detailed video demo of the WireMac in use. I will include that video in this article.

Before I show you the video, I would like to explain why the Akiles WireMac is such a popular machine with our customers. To begin with, it has been around for some time and has developed a stalwart reputation with our customers. It is very common for this machine to literally last for years without experiencing any issues.

You can buy the WireMac in two different hole patterns. The most common is the 2:1 pitch, which is two holes per inch. This size is the most common because it can be used to bind the thickest books. The 2:1 pitch hole pattern can bind up to 1 ¼” of paper at a time. The 3:1 pitch, which has a tighter hole pattern (3 holes per inch) can only bind up to 9/16″ of paper. Both patterns look good, and if you don’t need to bind over ½” of paper, either format will work for you.

The Akiles WireMac itself is one of the best-built machines we offer. It features durable metal construction, which includes the innermost components. It features fully disengageable punching pins, an adjustable margin depth and much more.

This is a video demo of the Akiles WireMac in use.

As you can see from this video, the WireMac is a pretty slick machine. Not only does it do a great job binding presentations, reports and booklets, but it looks great too. It is heavy enough to hold its own, yet is light enough to be used on just about any desk or countertop. Simply put, this is a great deal and a great option for binding paper.

You can find the Akiles WireMac binding machine here and our entire selection of wire binding machines here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.

During the month of December we are offering a great deal on everything we sell! This includes binding machines, paper folding machines, supplies and other office machinery. All you need to do is use the 5% off code listed in this e-mail. This code may be applied to the shopping card or it may be used over the phone by calling 1-800-658-8788. This is a great way to save your business money!

The coupon code for the month of December is DECBLOG05. As mentioned earlier, this coupon code can be applied to any of the supplies or equipment we sell and can save you up to a maximum of $200!

We sincerely appreciate your business and value you as a customer. We are always more than happy to help you find ways to save your business money. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 for quotes, bulk quantity discounts and much more. You can find everything we sell by visiting our online store here.

Some restrictions do apply to this coupon code. You can read those restrictions here.

The Akiles WireMac is one of the most popular wire binding machines in the United States. These machines are used to bind reports, presentations, books and much more. You will find the WireMac in businesses, schools, churches and other organizations. We currently offer 4 different variations of the WireMac. This article will explain the differences between each.

Types of Akiles WireMac Binding Machines

Akiles WireMac (2:1 or 3:1) – The first and most common version is the standard Akiles WireMac (found here). It is a manually operated machine and is available in a 2:1 pitch hole pattern or a 3:1 pitch hole pattern. This wire binding machine is completely manually operated. It includes a handle for punching paper and a separate handle for closing the wire. It features fully disengageable punching dies, an adjustable margin depth and a dial that sets the wire closer (prevents over closing or under closing wire). This is the most popular WireMac. This is because it is the least expensive, yet still features an extremely durable metal frame and shell.

Akiles WireMac-Combo (Comb / Wire) – This version of the WireMac combines both 2:1 wire and comb or a 3:1 wire and plastic 19-ring comb binding. The Akiles WireMac-Combo (found here) features a wire punch and a comb binding punch. Also included is a wire close and a comb opener / closer. This is especially nice for people that don’t want to settle on any one binding format. While this machine is completely manual, it is easy to use and is fast to operate. This machine is robust, powerful and is made from durable metal construction. It also features disengageable punching pins, an adjustable margin depth and much more.

Akiles WireMac-Duo (2:1 & 3:1) – If you can’t settle on a wire binding hole pattern, you may want to consider the Akiles WireMac-Duo (found here). This version of the WireMac features both a 2:1 pitch and a 3:1 pitch punching die. This allows you to create reports using a tighter hole patter (3:1 pitch) or a wider spaced hole pattern (2:1 pitch) that allows for thicker books. It can also punch through clear covers, card stock and standard paper. This is a great wire binding machine for a business environment due to its versatility. The WireMac-Duo is a very popular binding machine. It is both affordable and features a superb build quality.

Akiles WireMac-E Electric Wire Binding Machine (2:1 or 3:1) – If you really like the WireMac, but need to increase your binding output, you may want to consider using the Akiles WireMac-E (found here). This version of the WireMac features an electric punch and a manual wire closer. This machine is available in either a 2:1 pitch hole pattern or a 3:1 pitch hole pattern. Unfortunately, as of the writing of this article, there is no WireMac-E-Combo that combines both hole patterns. This wire binder features a foot pedal for hands-free operation and can punch 20 sheets of paper at a time. This machine is a beast and will easily keep up with your daily wire binding operations.

The WireMac line of wire binding machines has an excellent track record with our customers. As long as you know the differences between the models, you should be very happy with your purchase. I personally love selling Akiles WireMac machines because I know that I won’t have to worry about customer service issues later down the road. I personally recommend that you invest a little extra money in a WireMac that will easily last for years, versus a slightly cheaper machine that may last 1 year.

You can find our entire selection of Akiles wire binding machines here. Please feel free to contact one of our customer service representatives at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions. We are more than happy to help you find the right machine. You are also more than welcome to post your question as a comment at the end of this article.