Does your business or organization need an effective solution for document and check signing operations? If so, one model you may want to consider using is the Martin Yale 930A continuous form check signer. I have used this check signer and this is my review.

Check and document signers make life much easier, especially when it comes to signing thousands of documents, checks and other material. Check signers are easy to set up and can be run throughout the day without any issues.

The Martin Yale 930A continuous form check signer can be used to sign a variety of material, as long as it falls within a 5 ½-inches to 16 ½-inches wide or 3 ½-inches or 7-inches long range. The motor runs at a speed of 240 documents per hour. This means the Martin Yale 930A is both fast and versatile.

As previously mentioned, the 930A is a continuous form document signer. This means it can only be used with continuous form paper. Continuous form paper has perforated side margins with tiny 1/8-inch (approx) holes. These side holes help printers feed the paper and also help this check signer feed paper. This type of paper is still widely used by many businesses and government agencies.

The 930A check signer uses signature plates to sign the documents. These signature plates are rounded, allowing them to be mounted to a motor-powered cylinder. This cylinder spins, allowing the plates to be inked and sign the document. The entire process is an engineering feet and works very well.

The signature plates are very easy to remove and change out. Don’t worry about unauthorized access. The signature plates are inaccessible and can only be retrieved by opening the cover with a key. You can use single and double signature plates with the 930A.

The 930A includes a black ink roller and can be used with an optional tri-ink roller. These ink rollers are very easy to access and change. These signature plates can sign paper anywhere from 14# to 125# thick.

The Martin Yale 930A has been around for over a decade and is a time tested machine. It is considered by many to be one of the best continuous form check signers available today. I have used this check signer and can vouch for the build quality and the ease-of-use.

If you need a document signer, but don’t need a continuous form check signer, we also carry a wide selection of cut sheet check signers. Cut sheet paper is “free” paper like you use in a copy machine or printer.

Do you still have questions about check and document signing? Feel free to call one of our specialists at 1-800-658-8788. They love to answer questions and will not pressure you to buy anything. You can also post questions here in a comment.

You can find the Martin Yale 930A continuous form check signer here. You can find our entire selection of continuous form and cut sheet check and document signers here.

Have you ever received a magazine or a catalog that was wrapped in plastic in your mailbox? This type of packaging is called mail bagging. If you’re in the marketing for a mail bagger, one model you may want to consider is the Minipack Mailbag Digit mail bagging system. This is my review.

Mail bagging is done to provide protection to magazines, newsletters, publications, catalogs and mail. It can also be used to bundle multiple magazines, fliers and other material.

Minipack is known for making high quality machines. Their line of mail bagging systems is designed and manufactured in Italy. Minipack makes a wide variety of shrink wrap machines, mail bagging systems and vacuum sealers.

The Minipack Mailbag Digit is not only designed to protect and bundle material, but also saves money by packaging material in plastic film (polyethylene) instead of paper envelopes. One nice thing about packaging mail in plastic is that contained products are visible to the recipient. The entire mail bagging process is very simple and very efficient.

This is how the Mailbag Digit works:

1. Make sure the Mailbag Digit is loaded with film. The Mailbag digit uses a roll of film that is mounted roller inside the machine. The gauge and width of the film will depend on what you are bagging.
2. Place your magazine, newsletter or catalog into the open slot on the front of the machine.
3. The machine then places the material in a polyethylene bag and seals it shut.
4. The material comes out the other end of the machine completely packaged and sealed.
5. A conveyor system keeps bagged material organized and in order.

The Mailbag Digit operates at a speed of about 20 wraps per minute.  For higher-volume jobs, you may want to consider using the Minipack Continua (found here). The Continua is completely automated and runs at a speed of about 50 pieces per minute.

Overall I consider the Mailbag Digit to be a very solid machine. The build quality is excellent and is should be able to provide years of hassle-free service. The Mailbag Digit sits on casters, making it portable.

You can find the Minipack Mailbag Digit mail bagging system here.

Wire binding looks great. It’s easy to do, can be used to bind a variety of documents and can be done by just about anyone. So what machine should you use? You may want to consider the SircleBind WR-200 wire binding machine. Here are a few reasons why.

To begin with, Sircle’s line of SircleBind binding machines are some of the most affordable available online. They are packed with rich features typically found in more expensive machines. The SircleBind WR-200 is no exception.

The SircleBind WR-200 is a multi-pitch wire binding machine. This means it can punch paper with a 2:1 pitch (two holes per inch) or a 3:1 pitch (three holes per inch) hole pattern. This is because it has two separate punching dies. This is especially nice for those of you who have a tough time settling on one “look.”

Not only does the SircleBind WR-200 punch paper with two separate dies, but it also includes a wire closer. This means you can use the WR-200 from start to finish to complete the wire binding process.

The WR-200 features a sleek design. It looks really nice. The handle can fold down, making it a fairly compact machine. It is heavy enough to be rugged, but light enough that you can use it on pretty much any desk or table. It weighs in at 38 pounds. That’s about as much as a bag of water softener salt pellets (just loaded some up in my car during lunch today).

Two of my favorite features are the handle and the vertical load paper punch. I really like the handle because it can be accessed from the left or right side of the machine thanks to the “U” design. It is really easy to use and doesn’t discriminate against the lefties.

The WR-200 is able to punch up to 20 sheets of standard 20# paper. It can also be used to punch card stock, clear covers and more. These is a pretty good amount of paper for a manually operated wire binder.

The vertical load punch is nice because gravity keeps the paper aligned during the punching process. This means that the edge of the paper and the holes should all be squared up. This makes bound books like nicer and more professional.

Overall I am impressed with this little machine. It certainly isn’t designed for high-volume use, but it will be fine for light to medium-volume use.

You can find the SircleBind WR-200 wire binding machine here. You can find our entire selection of wire binding machines here.

Are you looking for a good alternative to a Rotatrim Professional rotary trimmer? This may be to save money or simply because you want to try something different. One model you should seriously consider is the Foster Keencut Classic rotary paper trimmer. I have used this rotary trimmer and this is my review.

To begin with, have you noticed the similarities between the Keencut Classic and the Rotatrim Professional? The design looks very similar. Probably the biggest similarity, and the biggest plus, is the cutting rail. The Keencut Classic has two rails for the cutting head, which makes cuts straight and accurate every time.

The Keencut Classic features an aluminum metal base that is lightweight and sturdy, measuring in at 15-inches deep. You can get the Keencut Classic in a variety of different lengths starting at 12 inches and going up to 48 inches.

The length you use depends entirely on what you will be cutting. Be sure you get a cutter that not only handles what you’re cutting now, but will also handle future jobs.

The Keencut Classic is commonly used by photographers, scrapbookers, graphic arts departments and many more. It can be used to cut up to 10 sheets of 20# paper, thin tissue paper, plastics and can even be used to cut 0.08-inch aluminum printing plate.

I have personally used this cutter to cut laminated paper without any issues. The cuts are clean and are absent of burs. The effort needed to push the cutting head is minimal.

The Keencut Classic also includes an adjustable guide that is attached to a ruler. This makes it easy to align paper and ensures the cut is where it’s supposed to be.

Overall I am impressed with this cutter. I definitely consider it to be a great alternative to Rotatrim and Dahle rotary trimmers.

You can find the Foster Keencut Classic rotary paper trimmer here. You can find our entire selection of rotary paper trimmers here.

Whether you are stapling multiple sheets of paper together or are stapling chipboard for retail sales purposes, a versatile stapler can save a lot of time and frustration. One stapler you should seriously consider is the Lassco Wizer W-115 Skrebba heavy duty stapler. We have one of these staplers in our showroom and I have had a chance to use it. This is my review.

To begin with, the W-115 Skrebba is a manually operated stapler. This isn’t a bad thing. The W-115 Skrebba has a handle that is angled and designed in such a way that it is very easy to operate. The stapler includes a clamping mechanism that allows it to be mounted to the side of a table or workbench. This model has been around for well over a decade and is time proven to be a reliable stapler.

Some of the biggest benefits of the W-115 Skrebba is its ability to do both saddle and flat stapling. This eliminates the need for two separate machines and is a big money saver. The W-115 has a knob that can be loosened that allows the stapling plate to be adjusted for one or the other. This probably only takes a few seconds.

The stapler head is capable of stapling through 55 sheets of standard copy paper. This is far more than a standard stapler and is perfect for bindery jobs or daily jobs that require continuous use.

You will notice when you remove the stapler from the box that it really doesn’t weigh much. It weighs in at about six pounds. This means the W-115 is extremely easy to manage and move around. The build quality, however, is exceptional. We sell a lot of these W-115 Skrebba staplers and I never hear complaints.

The W-115 includes side guides that are very easy to adjust. This is especially nice for booklet jobs that require two staples along the spine. This guide can be used for saddle and flat stapling.

The W-115 uses 1/4″ (W118-D), 5/16″ (W118-A), and 3/8″ (W118-E) heavy-duty staples. You can find our W-115 Skrebba staples here.

Overall I really like this stapler. While it isn’t electric, it is still pretty fast and can easily be used throughout the day without any issues. This stapler is well put together, time tested and you should be very happy with it.

You can find the Lassco Wizer W-115 Skrebba heavy duty stapler here. You can find our entire selection of staplers here.

Do you need a reliable stack paper cutter that can cut down print jobs, card stock and other paper-based material? One machine you should seriously consider is the MBM Triumph 4215 electric stack paper cutter by Ideal. I have had an opportunity to use this cutter and this is my review.

In case you aren’t familiar with the Triumph line of cutters from MBM, most people consider them to be the most reliable and dependable stack paper cutters around. MBM, the parent company, makes paper cutters (Triumph, Kutrimmer), Destroyit shredders and other fishing equipment. This equipment is German engineered and German Made.

The Triumph 4215 stack cutter is the big brother to the manual Triumph 4205. The biggest difference is that the Triumph 4215 has an electric blade that does all the cutting and a digital display rather than an analog ruler for measurements. The clamping mechanism is still manual, but takes just seconds to apply. It is considered to be a semi-automatic paper cutter.

The 4215 is extremely easy to use. You can adjust the backstop in just seconds. Simply wind the guide handle, located on the front of the machine, either clockwise or counter clockwise. A digital display located on the front of the machine will let you know exactly what the measurements are in inches or centimeters.

Once measurements have been set, simply put your paper in the cutter, pull down the protective plexiglass cover and push the buttons to bring down the blade. A couple of buttons are required to be pressed simultaneously. This is done for safety, ensuring no hands are in or near the blade during the cutting process. The cutter won’t operate while the protective guard is up.

The Triumph 4215 can cut paper up to 16-inches wide and can cut as stack as thick as 1 ½-inches. This can be paper, card stock and other material. For the size of the machine, this is very impressive. It can be used on a durable work bench or solid table, but is available with an optional stand as well. The cutter’s shipping weight is 191 pounds.

One really nice feature I have found with the Triumph 4215 is that the Solingen steel blade seems to stay sharp for an extra long time. When the blade becomes dull, it can be removed and be re-sharpened. Many stack cutter manufacturers use blades that dull quickly and cannot be re-sharpened. This is definitely something you should take into consideration when buying your machine.

Overall I really like this machine. I have enjoyed every Triumph cutter I have used. They are some of the most solid cutters I have ever used and the build quality is unsurpassed.

You can find the MBM Triumph 4215 electric stack cutter here. You can find our entire selection of stack paper cutters here.

Finding a good rotary paper trimmer can be tough and finding one that is affordable can be even more difficult. One model you may want to consider is Dahle’s 550 series of professional rotary paper trimmers. This includes the Dahle 550, 552 and 554 trimmers. We have some of these cutters on our showroom floor and I have had a chance to use them. This is my review.

The Dahle 550 series of rotary trimmers, sometimes called rolling paper trimmers, are often brought up as alternatives to Rotatrim paper trimmers. This is because the Dahle 550 series trimmers bring a similar level of quality and productivity at a lower price.

The Dahle 550, 552 and 554 are pretty much the same cutters, but are in different lengths. Each trimmer uses a round rolling blade to cut material. The blade looks a lot like a pizza cutter wheel and even rotates as it is being used.

These trimmers can be used to cut paper, photographs, card stock, laminated documents and more. They are rated to be able to cut up to 20 sheets of standard 20# paper at a time. This number will decrease if you are cutting thicker material or card stock.

Capacity isn’t the selling point for a rotary trimmer though. What most people consider to be most important is precision and the ability to cut a straight line. The Dahle 550 series trimmers can do this well. The cutting head is easy to use and slides easily along the bar. The clamping mechanism seems to hold the paper well, preventing crooked cuts.

One feature I would like to see in the Dahle 550 line of trimmers is two sliding rails instead of just one for the cutting head. Multiple rails, as found in the Rotatrim Professional Series, make the trimmer more stable when cutting multiple sheets of paper. The single rail used does still seem to be stable and should still provide accuracy when cutting photographs and other material.

The Dahle 550, 552 and 554 have a printed grid patterns on the base of the trimmer. This grid can be used to align pictures, paper and helps to ensure a straight cut. Be aware, however, that the grid is in metric measurements. Even the common paper sizes printed on the base are metric paper sizes (A4, A5, etc.). I would like to see grid patterns in inches for those of us in the United States.  It does, however, include a side ruler in inches.

Overall I consider the Dahle 550 series of trimmers to be good machines, especially for the price. Are they as good as Rotatrim? No, but that is like comparing a Ford to a Porsche. The Porsche is great, but the Ford is probably just fine for most people.

You can find the Dahle 550, 552 and 554 professional rotary trimmers here. You can find our entire selection of rotary paper cutters here.

Are you looking for a fast, affordable and convenient way to package meat, fruits, vegetables, liquids and powders? One machine you may want to consider using is the Minipack MVS 31 vacuum food sealer. I have used this machine and this is my review.

In case you aren’t familiar with them, Minipack is one of the most reputable and well-known manufacturers of industrial / commercial shrink wrap machines and vacuum sealers in the United States. Minipack is an Italian company and their line of products are designed and made in Italy. They are known for their high build quality and reliability.

The Minipack MVS 31 is what’s commonly referred to as a chamber sealer. You essentially place your product in a vacuum sealer bag and place in the machine. Once the lid is pulled down, the MVS 31 will remove 99.9% of the air inside the chamber, seal the bag shut and return the atmosphere in the chamber back to normal.

The result is an air-tight seal that helps protect and preserve food. Vacuum sealed food is perfect for sometimes tripling or more the life expectancy of food. You will commonly find vacuum-sealed food in the grocery store such as fish, chicken breasts, vegetables and more. It can also be used to package non-food items without any problems. The MVS 31 can do all this in its 12.75″ X 11.75″ X 6″ chamber.

Unlike many comparable vacuum sealers, the MVS 31 uses a seamless design which is perfect for food. This means if you do experience a spill, the basin of the vacuum sealer can easily be wiped down. The MVS 31 is not made from sharp and cheap sheet metal, it is made from high quality stainless steel (AISI 304 according to CE standards). Even the sealing bar is designed to be clean and sanitary.

Another nice feature of the MVS 31 is the lid. The lid can be completely opened up, which means you don’t have to deal with an annoying gas piston that keeps failing.

The operation of the MVS 31 is pretty automated. There are no complex dials or fine-tuned adjustments to be made. There is a simple-to-use digital panel that allows the operator to adjust the amount of air removed and the sealing time. The machine does the rest.

The MVS 31 does have the ability to be used with an inert gas kit (optional) for added food preservation. This means you can remove the air and replace it with another cuts down or eliminates bacteria.

Overall I am very impressed with the MVS 31. This machine is tough and is designed for commercial and industrial use without hesitation. The build quality is excellent, and for the price, is well worth it. It is designed to last you for years of reliable use.

You can find the Minipack MVS 31 vacuum food sealer here. You can find our entire selection of vacuum food sealers here.

Whether you are working with wedding invitations, printing certificates or need a unique look on your business cards, you may be able to benefit from foil fusing technology. One model that has a great reputation and years of trouble-free use is the Banner American Model 1200 foil fuser. I have used this model for years and this is my review.

Many people confuse foil fusing with foil stamping. I can understand. The end results look very similar, but the process is completely different. Foil fusers (aka color foilers) take metallic foil, of multiple colors, and fuse it to toner. This is the same toner that is used in laser printers and toner-based copy machines.

This means you can print text, a logo or an intricate design and completely fuse it with foil. The end result is foil covered text, logo or design. The foil fuses in a professional way with nice clean edges.

I have personally used the Model 1200 foil fuser to fuse certificates, CD labels and business cards. The Model 1200 can use foil rolls up to11-inches wide, however, eight-inch rolls are more commonly used because they can cover most of an 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper.

Some people have asked me, “What if I don’t want the entire paper foil fused?” This isn’t a problem and there is an easy solution. What you need to do is print what you need foil fused, then fuse the paper and later run it through the printer or copy machine again to add the rest of the text.

The Model 1200 foil fuser can easily be used throughout the day without breaking down or suffering any damage. I have used the foil fuser for eight-hours straight, foil fusing CD labels, and didn’t have any problems.

There are two adjustments that are important for making sure the Model 1200 runs properly. These adjustments are the speed and the temperature, both of which are completely adjustable. If the foil doesn’t seem to be sticking properly, this may indicate the machine is either running too cool or too fast. After a few minor adjustments, the machine is up and ready to go.

The Model 1200 foil fuser is a must-have item if you run a copy shop, a print shop or operate a business making invitations, certificates or cards. I personally really like the machine and am confident that it will provide you with years of trouble-free use.

You can find the Banner American Model 1200 foil fuser here. You can find our entire selection of foil stamping and printing machines here.

Do you need to add a digital signature to form such as MS Word, Adobe and other software programs? One piece of equipment you may want to consider using is the Topaz SigLite 1 x 5 T-S460 electronic signature capture pad. This is my review.

To begin with, Topaz makes some of the easiest-to-use signature capture tablets available today. The support level available for these signature pads is unprecedented. If you have a program that can use a signature capture pad, a Topaz pad will probably work.

Topaz has developer kits available, making it possible to integrate Topaz electronic signature pads into a wide variety of software applications.  I have seen people use these kits to integrate signature capture pads for use with state driver’s license departments, pharmacies and much more. You can find some of Topaz’s developer tools here.

Topaz SigLite capture pads are very similar to Topaz SignatureGem pads. The have the high-quality biometric and forensic capture techniques of a SignatureGem tablet but with a low-cost touchpad and stylus in place of the active electromagnetic pen and sensor.

The Topaz SigLite 1 x 5 T-S460 will work with programs such as Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, Excel and other programs right out of the box. It includes drivers and software that run in the background, capturing the signature and allowing the user to paste that in to just about any program that has a “paste-capable” field.

The SigLite T-S460 has a signing area that is one inch tall and five inches wide. It has a capture life of 10,000 signatures. For the price, that is really good. If you need a machine capable of capturing more signatures, you may want to consider using a SignatureGem. Many of our Topaz SignatureGem pads have a 250,000 plus signature lifespan.

I have used this pad to apply signatures to the back of photo ID cards without any problems, using Card 5 software. The SigLite T-S460 is extremely portable, very easy to set up and is simple to use. It is available in a USB or serial design. Overall, I consider it to be a great value.

You can find the Topaz SigLite 1 x 5 T-S460 electronic signature capture pad here. You can find our entire selection of Topaz signature pads here.