Are you in need of a strong, durable and confident coil binding machine? Are you binding dozens to perhaps even hundreds of books a day? You’re going to need a machine designed for continuous use. One great machine I would recommend you to consider is the Akiles CoilMac-EPI electric coil binding machine. I have used this machine many times and this is my review.

The CoilMac-EPI is one of Akiles’ most popular coil binding machines. It punches paper in a 4:1 pitch (0.250″), which is 4 holes per inch. This is the most popular coil binding pitch and allows you to bind books, reports, presentations, cookbooks and more.

The first thing I would like to point out is the build quality of the CoilMac-EPI. This machine is all metal. The punching pins, base, handle and gears are all metal. This is what allows the CoilMac-EPI to hold up so well with continuous use throughout the day. We have sold several of these machines. Once they leave our building, I never hear back from the customer.

The Akiles CoilMac-EPI is an electric coil binding machine. It has an electric paper punch capable of punching through up to 25 sheets of paper at a time. This is impressive for any binding machine. The process takes just seconds. The CoilMac-EPI includes a foot pedal. I personally like this feature because it allows you to hold the paper with both hands while activating the punch. This keeps alignment in check and produces beautiful results.

Once paper is punched, the built in motor spins coils through the punched holes. Unlike many machines out there that have electric coil inserters, the CoilMac-EPI utilizes an industrial-grade roller motor. This means it will hold up with continuous use throughout the day. Did I mention this machine is a high-quality product?

The CoilMac-EPI has a 13″ wide punching length. Because it is open ended, you can use this machine to punch paper up to 26” wide. Several of the punching dies on this coil binder are disengageable (total of 5).

Akiles states that the CoilMac-EPI is manufactured under ISO9001 & 14001 guidelines for highest quality control & environmental management standards.

I can’t even begin to express how much I like this machine. It is a high-quality piece of machinery and you will not be disappointed in it. I rate this machine a solid 5 out of 5 stars. It is perfect for use in any office, bindery or copy center.

You can find the Akiles CoilMac-EPI electric coil binding machine here and our entire selection of coil binding machines here. Feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.

Are you shopping around for a corner rounder? If so, you have probably come across models by Akiles and Lassco. Both of these brands are the kings of the commercial corner rounding world. So which of these two brands is best?

We currently offer about 10 different models of corner rounders, with 4 being especially popular with our customers. These corner rounders are:

1. Lassco CR-20
2. Lassco CR-50B
3. Akiles Diamond-1
4. Akiles Diamond-5

For a direct comparison, I would consider the Lassco CR-20 and Akile Diamond-1 to be on the same level. They both cut about ½”, with the Diamond-1 cutting just a few less sheets at a time. They are both of a similar build quality and both are very popular with our customers.

I would have to say that the CR-20 has a slight leg up simply because I personally think the cutting dies on the CR-20 are slightly easier to change out. Ultimately, I think they are both great corner rounders.

The CR-50B is very similar to the CR-20, simply with a larger table area for larger documents and a slightly more elongated handle than the CR-20.

As far as electric corner rounders are concerned, you aren’t going to find anything better than the Akiles Diamond 5 corner rounder. That thing is a beast and is perfect for high-volume corner rounding.

You can read my reviews on Akiles and Lassco corner rounders here:

• Lassco CR-20 Review
• Lassco CR-50B Review
• Akiles Diamond-1 Review
• Akiles Diamond-5 Review

So in answer to my original question, “which of the two brands is best?” I would have to say it is a dead heat. Both Akiles and Lassco make high quality stuff and equipment from both companies should last for years.

You can find our entire selection of corner rounders here.

Are you tired of cloudiness, bubbles and ripples in your laminating film? If you are experiencing any of these issues, or if you simply need a great all-round laminator, you may want to consider using the Akiles UltraLam 250B or 250P pouch laminators. This is my review.

Akiles has a great reputation with binding machines and their laminators are no exception. Akiles now offers over a half-dozen different pouch laminators. The UltraLam 250B and 250P are some of their newest additions. The UltraLam line of laminators is Akiles higher-end line of laminators.  These new laminators have several benefits that you may like to utilize in your own daily laminating operations.

To begin with, the UltraLam 250B and 250P are essentially the same laminators with one minor difference. The Model 250B utilizes a traditional bimetal temperature control (screw) where the 250P uses a more modern digital electronic temperature adjustment (dial). Both laminators produce identical results.

The UltraLam 250 series laminators have a 9″ (A4 size) opening. This opening is able to accommodate most letter-size documents with about a ¼” buffer on each side of the paper. This helps cut down on jams and makes it easy to laminate not only letter-size paper, but also photographs, businesses cards and other material.

The Akiles UtraLam 250 is a tough little laminator, capable of laminating documents up to 10 mils thick. It can be used to laminate not only 10 mil thick film, but it also handles 3, 5 and 7 mil thick film without any problems. This is due in part to the UltraLam’s great temperature range (85° -160°C).

These laminators are designed for daily, continuous use. There is no need to worry about this laminator overheating, and thanks to solid metal gears, you shouldn’t have to worry about any downtime.

If you need to keep the laminator on all day, you can help prolong the laminator motor’s life by turning it off. This way the laminator stays hot for fast lamination and the motor stays off when not in use. This is all possible thanks to independent temperature and motor controls.

Both the 250B and 250P utilize special heat plats and silicon rollers to evenly distribute heat. This helps to cut down on cloudiness, bubbles and ripples. This design also allows these laminators to laminate documents with or without a carrier.

Overall I consider the Akiles UltraLam 250 series laminators to be solid laminators. They should be up to the task of laminating just about anything. I would personally have no problem using this laminator for my own medium to higher-volume laminating jobs.

You can find the Akiles UltraLam 250B or 250P pouch laminators here and our entire selection of pouch laminating machines here. Feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.

If you operate, work for or own a business that needs to comb bind a lot of books, you probably need an electric punch comb binding machine. One excellent option you may want to consider is the Akiles AlphaBind-CE electric punch comb binding machine. This is my review.

The Akiles AlphaBind-CE is a fairly compact machine, but features an excellent build quality. The machine weighs in at 61 pounds shipped, which is pretty sturdy for an electric punch comb binder. While it weighs in at 61 pounds shipped, it is still light enough to sit on most tables, desks and countertops.

The AlphaBind-CE is designed to punch paper up to 12″ long. It is open ended, however, which means you can punch longer paper. If you are punching smaller paper, the included disengageable (selectable) punching dies eliminate annoying half-punched holes. Overall, the AlphaBind-CE is perfect for custom-sized books.

I mentioned earlier that it has a great build quality. Almost everything on this machine is made from metal. The punching dies are sharp, very sturdy and the punching motor is designed for day-long continuous use. You should be able to use the AlphaBind-CE to punch and bind dozens to hundreds of books a day without any issues.

The electric punch is capable of punching up to 20 sheets of paper at a time. Unlike many manufacturers that claim near-critical punching capacities, the Akiles AlphaBind-CE can handle the 20 sheets without a problem. The comb opening and closing is done manually. A foot pedal operates the motor, making hands-free operation easy.

This electric comb binding machine does not require any special training or setup. Operation is pretty cut and dry. Simply press a button to punch the paper and pull a lever to open the combs. The entire process takes only a minute or two, depending on the thickness of the book.

The AlphaBind-CE also includes the ability to adjust the margin punching depth and the side margin measurements. An adjustable margin depth is ideal for long-term comb binding. This makes it easier to prevent torn pages when binding thicker books. The Akiles AlphaBind-CE is capable of binding books up to 2″ thick.

I really like this binding machine. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars. It is perfect for most office binding needs and can keep up with most comb binding jobs.

You can find the Akiles AlphaBind-CE electric punch comb binding machine here. You can find our entire selection of electric comb binding machines here.

At ABC Office we make it our goal to continually add new products to our site that we feel offer you a great value. This includes products that are durable, affordable and easy to use. We are proud to announce the addition of 5 new Akiles office products to our site.

Akiles is one of the most reputable and well-known manufacturers that we offer on our site. This includes binding machines, laminators, paper joggers and many other products. One thing I personally like about Akiles is that their products feature a great build quality and I rarely (if ever) hear complaints about Akiles products.

We have added 3 new binding machines and 2 new laminators. Here is a brief description of each.

• Akiles iCoil 41+ – This coil binding machine is compact, includes just about everything you need to bind a book and features oval-shaped holes that make coil insertion and page turns easier.
• Akiles iWire 31 – This compact wire binding machine features a great build quality, a 3:1 pitch punching pattern and folds up into a compact shape that is easy for storage.
• Akiles iWire 21 - The iWire 21 features the more popular 2:1 pitch hole pattern. It is easy to use, compact and can be used to bind a book in just a few minutes.
• Akiles iLam 240 – This 9.4″ pouch laminator can be used to laminate most letter-size and smaller documents. Four rollers, an adjustable temperature control and a reverse motor switch make this machine ideal for most laminating jobs.
• Akiles iLam 340 – This wider format 13″ pouch laminating machine is ideal for laminating signs, menus and other larger material. It can also be used to laminate smaller documents. It also features 4 rollers, an adjustable temperature and a reverse motor switch.

So there you have it! A total of 5 new Akiles products. You can find our entire selection of Akiles office equipment by visiting us here. Have a great day!

Do you need a simple, yet reliable, comb binding machine solution for your office? If you’re looking for a machine that is affordable, yet durable, you may want to consider looking at the Akiles AlphaBind-CM comb binding machine. This is my review.

The brand name Akiles has almost become synonymous with binding. Akiles has been making machines for years and most of their machines have become classics. This includes the popular MegaBind and WireMac machines.

The AlphaBind-CM is one of the newest additions to the Akiles comb binding line. This new machine brings the all-metal construction Akiles is known for into a compact machine capable of comb binding documents up to 12-inches long. This makes the AlphaBind-CM ideal for binding letter-size documents.

The compact design of the AlphaBind-CM makes it ideal for use in an office environment. It weighs 41 pounds. While this is hefty (due to the metal construction), it is still light enough to be used on most desks and work surfaces.

Two features that I personally like about the AlphaBind-CM is the selectable punching pins and the adjustable margin depth.

Every one of the punching pins can be disengaged. This makes it possible to bind books of most sizes. If you are experiencing a half-punched or partially punched hole at the edge of the paper, simply disable that punching pin.

The margin depth can be adjusted to four different positions. Why is this nice? It’s nice because it makes it easier to bind both thin and thick books. Pages tend to rip out of thicker-bound books more easily. Punching farther into the paper helps remedy this problem.

This machine is completely manually operated. The punching is manual and the comb opening and closing is manual. The manual punch is capable of punching up to 25 sheets of paper at a time. While this machine is all manual, it is easy to use and requires little effort.

I would definitely rate the Akiles AlphaBind-CM as being ideal for low to medium-volume binding. It is a great option for businesses and organizations that need to occasionally bind books on a daily basis. It should easily hold up for years without any issues.

You can find the Akiles AlphaBind-CM comb binding machine here. You can find our entire selection of comb binding machines here.

Are you looking for a well-rounded spiral binding machine that can keep up with demand but not break the bank? One model you may want to consider looking at prior to making a purchase is the Akiles CoilMac-ECI coil binding machine. We have one of these on our showroom floor and I have used it to bind my own books and reports. This is my review.

Akiles designs and manufactures solid binding machines. This includes comb, wire and coil. Their machines seem to be well thought out and always feature a magnificent build quality. The CoilMac-ECI is no exception to this tradition.

At first glance the CoilMac-ECI looks like any other binding machine. It features a cream color paint job and has the traditional lever-style arm punch. It isn’t until you actually touch and handle the machine that you get a sense as to what it really is.

Many binding machines, in order to save money, feature plastic designs, shells and components. The Akiles CoilMac-ECI is metal. All metal. The case isn’t made from simple sheet metal. It has a die-cast metal shell that houses metal punching pins, levers and components. The build quality is excellent.

The handle is located on the right side of the machine, which is a little inconvenient for the lefties out there, but it is easy to use. The punching die can punch through up to 20 sheets of standard copy paper. After 5 passes you’ll have 100 sheets punched. Twenty sheets is decent for a manually operated machine.

Five of the punching pins can be disengaged for punching different sizes of paper. The disengaging pin helps cut down on half-punched holes on the edges of paper. This is a nice feature to have for custom-sized books.

One of my favorite features of the CoilMac-ECI is the electric coil inserter (ECI). While manually inserting coils into a coil bound book isn’t the worst thing in the world, it is slow. The electric coil inserter easily increases the speed by a factor of 10 or more. It takes just seconds to complete the process.

The electric inserter is turned on and off by use of a foot pedal. This is ideal for hands-free operation. If you have ever used a coil binding machine, you’ll understand how nice hands-free coil insertion can be.

The machine weighs in at 52 pound. While heavy, it can still be used on most desks and tables without any issues. The overall design looks great and it fits right in with existing office décor and equipment.

Overall I give the Akiles CoilMac-ECI high marks. The build quality is great, it is easy to use and should easily hold up for years.

You can find the Akiles CoilMac-ECI coil binding machine here. You can find our entire selection of coil binding machines here. Do you still have questions? Call one of our binding machines specialists at 1-800-658-8788. Have a great day!

Are you in need of some serious corner rounder cutting capacity? One of the best ways to corner round large volumes of paper is by using an electric corner rounder. So which model should you use? You may want to consider using the Akiles Diamond-5 corner rounder. This is my review.

Commercial corner rounders have many uses. They may be used for rounding the corners on playing cards, greeting cards, business cards, pictures, IDs, invitations and card stock. The Akiles Diamond-5 corner rounder is fully electric, capable of cutting the corners off of two-inches of material at once (1.97-inches to be exact).

The Akiles Diamond-5 corner rounder is designed for high-volume use and can be used throughout the day. It includes a foot pedal, which is ideal for high-volume corner rounding. The foot pedal frees up the hands, allowing you to position the material as needed.

One really cool think about the Akiles Diamond-5 is that it can be used with PVC, polyester, leather, polypropylene and paper. It is definitely a multi-purpose corner rounder.

The dies on the Diamond-5 can be swapped out. This means you can cut a ½-inch radius and later cut a 1/8-inch radius. The Diamond-5 comes with 1/8 and ¼-inch dies. The dies are very easy to change out. Should a die become dull, individual dies may be purchased as replacements.

The Diamond-5 includes a cutting worktable that makes it easy to round the corners on larger material. It also includes an L guide and a radius alignment guide. This is ideal for making sure the cut is right every time.

The Diamond-5 weighs in at 55 pounds, which should give a pretty good idea as to how well this machine is built. As is the case with most Akiles products, the build quality on the Diamond-5 is top notch. It is built from metal parts, designed to last you for years.

I highly recommend the Diamond-5 for commercial corner rounding operations. The build quality is solid and it will be a good investment for long-term use. You can find the Akiles Diamond-5 electric corner rounder here. You can find our entire selection of corner rounders here.

Do you need a fast, effective and easy way to cut corners off of paper? What you need is a corner rounder. This useful machine makes corner cutting quick and easy. If you haven’t settled on any one machine, you should seriously consider the Akiles Diamond-1 corner rounder. This is my review.

To begin with, Akiles is probably one of the best-known and reputable manufacturers we carry. They manufacture office equipment such as binding machines, paper cutters, corner rounders and more. Akiles equipment is known for having excellent build quality and usually holds up for years.

The Diamond-1 is a heavy-duty manual corner cutter. It uses a cutting die that is actuated by pulling a specially leveraged handle. The entire process is quick and easy. The Akiles Diamind-1 has a 0.4-inch cutting capacity, which equals out to be almost a ½-inch stack of paper.

You have your choice of one cutting die with the machine, but it can use multiple cutting dies. This means you can cut corners at a 1/8-inch radius, swap out the die, and then cut at a ¼-inch radius. The cutting dies are very easy to swap out.

The handle is long enough and leveraged well enough to be able to cut paper very easily. I have used this corner rounder and it really does require very little effort. It doesn’t only cut paper, but also cuts PVC, polyester, leather and polypropylene.

This corner rounder can be used to round the corners on business cards, report covers and playing cards. We have even had people use the Akiles Diamond-1 to cut corners off of laminated paper, photographs, ID cards and more.

I have personally used the Akiles Diamond-1 and can vouch for its quality and performance. The Diamond-1 is also available in an electric model called the Diamond-5, which has a cutting capacity of 1.97-inches. You can find the Diamond-1 corner rounder here and the Diamond-5 corner cutter here.  You can find our entire selection of corner rounding machines here.

Are you having a hard time settling on one format of binding machine? I can’t say that I blame you. Depending on what is being bound, different binding machines create completely different looks. Wire works great for a professional report, where coil is perfect for a cookbook.

Buying multiple machines for multiple binding formats can be costly and takes up often-valuable space. Luckily machines have been engineered and manufactured to bind multiple formats. These types of machines are typically referred to as multi-format or combination biding machines.

Initially these machines consisted of just comb and wire combinations. In the past few years, several machines are now available that can punch and bind coil and comb, or wire and coil. Some are manually operated while others feature electric punching dies.

The most popular manufacturer of multi-format binding equipment is Akiles. The most recent line of combination-style machines from Akiles is known as DuoMacs. The DuoMacs are available in several models in several different punching combinations.

Akiles is well known for manufacturing solid machines. If you ever get a chance to use one of the DuoMacs, WireMacs or CoilMacs, try lifting them. You will be surprised how heavy they are. This is because they are made from all-metal construction.

We are pretty excited to have the Akiles DuoMacs on our site. You can find all these Akiles DuoMac binding machines and more by going to our Akiles binding machine index here.