Are you binding a cookbook, an instruction manual or perhaps even a photo album? One book binding format you should consider using is coil binding. Coil binding, often referred to as spiral binding, is the fastest growing binding format today. There are many reasons for this and I would like to cover all the pros and cons. I would also like to show you, with a video, how a coil binding machine works.

Coil binding is a format that uses tiny coils that look a lot like springs (found here). Other than the fact that coil binding coils are made from PVC plastic, they look almost identical to the spirals used in traditional spiral notebooks. PVC coils are available in different diameters, based on the thickness of the book you are binding, and come in a wide range of colors.

I personally think that coil binding looks very professional. I have personally used coil binding to bind instructional booklets and I have in my possession several cookbooks (family and neighborhood) that are bound in coil. Coil binding machines are affordable and can even be used at home. Popular brands include Akiles, Intelli-Bind and Tamerica.

I would like to now go over the pros:

• Durability – Because coil-binding elements are made from PVC plastic, they are extremely durable. The hold up well with continued use, easily survive being dropped and can even be stepped on without suffering any damage. Durability alone is a huge reason to consider using coil binding.
• Color – I have already mentioned this earlier, but coil binding comes in a variety of different colors. Popular colors include red, white, brown, green, blue, black and clear.  Custom colors are also available.
• Page Turns – A book bound in coil is extremely easy to use. The round holds, combined with round-shaped elements, make page turns extremely easy. Pages can be wrapped around a full 360 degrees and pages lay extremely flat.
• Speed – Binding a book with coil is extremely easy, especially if you have a machine that has an electric coil inserter. Simply punch the holes, insert the coils and crimp off the excess coil.

These are what I would consider to be the cons:

• Modifications – You cannot add or remove pages to a coil bound document without cutting off the end of the coil and spinning the coil back out. The coil cannot be re-used. If you are removing or adding pages, a new coil would have to be used. On the bright side, this makes coil binding semi tamper proof.
• Stability – Because coils are floppy and unstable, they don’t provide a lot of added stability to a book like comb or Velobind does. Your books stability is dependent entirely on the pages being bound. This isn’t a huge deal for most people.

Here is a video demo of a coil binding machine in use:

In conclusion, coil binding is one of my favorite formats. It looks good, is functional and can be used for binding books as simple as a cookbook or as professional as a business proposal. You will find coil binding machines in schools, churches, homes and businesses.

You can find our entire selection of coil binding machines here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.

If you are binding a book, whether it is coil, comb or wire, you have to select a specific supply diameter to finish the process. Many customers get a little frustrated not knowing what size of supply they should get. Comb, wire and coil binding supplies are typically sold in quantities of 100. So which diameter of comb, coil or wire should you use?

If you don’t do a lot of book binding, yet need to order supplies for your machine, you have a few options. We offer a capacity guide on our supplies that will give you an approximate amount of sheets that can be bound for any given diameter.

Is there a well-rounded diameter that you can use for a lot of stuff? I have found that most customers purchase a ¼” diameter element for typical report, presentation and booklet binding. The ¼” size can handle up to 20 sheets, yet doesn’t look funny when binding 10.

Here is a good list of binding supply diameters and their binding capacities:

• 3/16″ — Binds up to 12 sheets
• ¼” — Binds up 20 sheets.
• 5/16″ — binds up to 40 sheets.
• 3/8″ — Binds up to 55 sheets
• 7/16″ — binds up to 70 sheets
• ½” — binds up to 90 sheets
• 9/16″ — binds up to 100 sheets
• 5/8″ — binds up to 120 sheets
• ¾” — binds up to 150 sheets
• 7/8″ — binds up to 170 sheets
• 1″ — Binds up to 200 sheets
• 1 1/8″ — Binds up to 220 sheets
• 1 ¼” — Binds up to 230 sheets
• 1 ½” — Binds up to 290 sheets
• 1 ¾” — Binds up to 360 sheets
• 2″ — binds up to 425 sheets

These diameters and capacities apply to comb, wire and coil. These capacities are based on 20# paper, so if you are using card stock or clear covers you may need to scale that amount back a little.

Be aware that while you can use a larger-than-required diameter to bind fewer sheets, you don’t too few sheets as the end results may look odd. An example would be binding only 5 sheets using a 5/16″ binding element.

You can find our book binding supplies here:

• Comb Binding Supplies
• Wire Binding Supplies
• Coil Binding Supplies

Not only do we offer a great selection of book binding supplies, but we also offer an excellent selection of machines. If you need a machine, you can find our entire selection of book binding machines here.

Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 to speak with one of our book binding specialists. They are more than happy to help answer your questions.

If you like to bind books, or need to quickly bind presentations and reports on the go, you probably need a portable book binding machine. While there are a lot of binding machines available, few of them can be easily picked up and moved from one location to another. This article will cover some of the most portable book binding machines available.

One important thing to be aware of, when shopping for a probable binding machine, is to realize that most portable machines are designed for light use or occasional use. I would put that at about 10-20 books a day. This is more than adequate if you are binding reports and presentations on the go. Portable binding machines are also almost always manually operated, with electric machines being too heavy to easily carry in a bag or move around.

I am going to list the top 10 best portable book binding machines. This list will include the three most common bookbinding formats; these being comb, wire and coil.

Top 10 Best Portable Book Binding Machines (Listed Alphabetically)

1. Akiles iCoil 41 Coil Binding Machine
2. Akiles iCoil 41 Plus Coil Binding Machine
3. Akiles iWire 21 Wire Binding Machine
4. Akiles iWire 31 Wire Binding Machine
5. Fellowes Star Comb Binding Machine
6. Fellowes Starlet Comb Binding Machine
7. Intelli-Bind IC110 Coil Binding Machine
8. Intelli-Bind IB150 Comb Binding Machine
9. SircleBind CB-60 Comb Binding Machine
10. SircleBind WR-60 Wire Binding Machine

These book binding machines are all lightweight and very portable. Many of them even include handles that fold up for added portability and convenience. The Akiles line of iWire and iCoil machines are especially nice as they fold completely up and include everything you need (minus supplies) to get up and going.

You can find our entire selection of book binding machines here.

I’ve been asked a few times what my favorite book binding format is. While this isn’t the opinion of ABC Office as a company, I do have a preferred binding format that I really like to use for my own booklets. That format is coil binding. Here are a few reasons why I like coil bound books.

I have to say that my top reason for my coil binding preference is the durability of the format. Modern coil binding machines use PVC coils. These coils are almost indestructible. When you’ve tucked bound reports in backpacks, shoved them in piles of books or thrown them in the back of a car, you truly begin to respect coil binding.

The second reason I really like coil bound books is the color selection. You can get PVC coils in just about any color you want. Common coil colors include red, blue, black, white, brown and much more. This great color selection allows coils to easily blend and match with binding covers.

The third reason I like coil is accessibility. Coil bound books are probably the easiest when it comes to page turns. The pages slide along the smooth coil spines without any issues. I think pages are easier to turn that comb or wire and are much easier to turn than VeloBind. Coil bound pages can also wrap around an entire 360 degrees, which is awesome for manuals, instructional booklets, cookbooks and more.

The fourth reason I like coil is speed. Binding books with coil is extremely fast, especially when done on a machine that includes an electric coil inserter. Simply punch your paper, insert the coil and crimp off the ends. I can personally bind a ¼” thick booklet in less than a minute with coil.

Manufacturers, like Akiles and Intelli-Zone, make some solid coil binding machines. A reliable machine is a huge plus, and with coil binding, quality machines are plentiful. You can find our entire selection of coil binding machines here.

Do you have questions about coil binding? Feel free to speak with one of our coil binding specialists by calling 1-800-658-8788.

Are you looking for a book binding machine, but the machine you want is either out of stock or out of your budget? What you need is a binding machine doppelganger. By doppelganger, I don’t mean an evil twin or double. What I am referring to is an equal alternative that is both similar in appearance and operation. I have come up with a list of high-quality binding machines and their equivalents.

I have come up with a list of comb, wire and comb binding machine alternatives. These machines, originals and alternatives, are all high-quality machines. It is amazing how similar many of these machines look and operate, almost as if they came out of the same factory. These alternatives should help you get the machine you need in a timely manner and may even save you a little cash in the long run.

Comb Binding Machine Alternatives

• Akiles Offibind –> Intelli-Bind IB100
• Akiles EcoBind-C –> Intelli-Bind IB300
• Tamerica 210PB –> Intelli-Bind IB500
• Tamerica TCC-2100 –> Intelli-Bind IB400
• Tamerica 190PB –> Intelli-Bind IB250

Wire Binding Machine Alternatives

• Akiles WireMac –> Intelli-Bind IW400
• Akiles iWire 31 –> Intelli-Bind IW200
• Tamerica TW-3100 –> Intelli-Bind IW250
• Renz Eco S Comfort –> Intelli-Bind I23W

Coil Binding Machine Alternatives

• Akiles iCoil 41 –> Intelli-Bind IC110
• Tamerica TCC-SP41 –> Intelli-Bind IC210
• Akiles CoilMac-ER –> Intelli-Bind IC310
• Akiles CoilMac-ECI –> Intelli-Bind IC410

All the machines listed here are good quality machines that can be used to bind reports, booklets, presentations and more. Hopefully some of these suggestions will provide you with affordable alternatives. You can find our entire selection of book binding machines here.

I had a customer ask me recently if a wire binding machine could be used to bind restaurant menu inserts. While you can use wire, there are some definite advantages and disadvantages you should be aware of. There are also several other great options for restaurant menu inserts. Here is my advice.

To begin with, wire looks great! Wire bound menu inserts also look great, but there is one downside. Wire bends and after several days or weeks of constant handling, it may get bent out of shape.

For long-term menu insert binding, you may want to consider using a coil binding machine. Coil (aka Spiral) looks great and allows pages to turn a full 360 degrees. This will make menu browsing easy. The only downside of using coil is that the spine will poke out a little, and as an insert, may not allow the main menu to close flat. You can find our coil binding machines here.

Another great option for menu insert binding is a booklet maker. These machines can take several sheets of paper, fold them and staple them along the spine. This is inexpensive, inconspicuous and allows the insert to lay completely flat. You can find our booklet makers here.

Hopefully this helps you out. If you need to laminate the menu, you can find our laminators and film here. Have a great day!

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!

Comb binding continues to be one of the most popular and widely used binding formats today. This is because the machines are affordable, the supplies are extremely cheap and comb binding can be used to bind books, reports, presentations and more. The combs themselves are very durable and can be re-opened and re-used.

So how exactly do you use a comb binding machine? Whether you’re looking for a machine, or simply lost your manual, I am going to provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to use a comb binding machine. While machines vary from model to model, the overall procedure is usually very similar.

This guide will show you how to completely comb bind a book in 7 easy steps.

Step 1. Familiarize yourself with the machine. This may involve adjusting the margin punching depth, disengaging punching pins and other components.

Step 2. Gather the paper you intend to bind. This usually involves the paper, a back cover and a front cover. Grab a comb that will fit the thickness of the book you intend to bind.

Step 3. Grab the first few sheets to be punched. The amount that can be punched depends on the machine being used.

Step 4. Take your pre-sorted stack of paper, place it in the machine and punch the paper. Repeat this process until all the paper has been punched.

Step 5. Take the binding comb and place it on the comb opener. Open the comb up. This is usually done by pulling or pushing a handle, depending on whether you have a single or double handle machine.

Step 6. Take your stack of punched paper and feed the opened comb’s teeth through the punched holes.

Step 7. Release the comb opener and close the comb. Remove the book from the machine. Your done!

Step 8. Repeat the process if you are binding more than one book.

Hopefully this guide helps you out. I have used many different designs, brands and styles of comb binding machines. Once you know how to use one, other models are pretty simple to use.

You can find our entire selection of comb binding machines here and our entire selection of comb binding supplies here. Feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with your comb binding questions. Have a great day!

Are you on a budget and need an affordable book binding machine? Perhaps you can’t settle on one single binding format. If either of these situations apply to you, you may want to take a look at the SircleBind WB-110 comb and wire binding machine. This is my review.

SircleBind (from Sircle) has only been around for a few years, but their machines have sent ripples through the binding industry. SircleBind machines are some of the most affordable today and are compared to the quality of GBC. Most of SircleBind’s machines are feature rich when compared to similarly priced machines.

The SircleBind WB-110 is both a comb and a wire-binding machine. It includes both a 3:1 pitch (three holes per inch) punch and a 19-ring comb punch. It also includes a wire closer and a comb opener. Essentially it has everything you need, start to finish, to bind a book in wire or comb. The only thing it doesn’t include is the supplies and the paper.

This machine is capable of punching through 12 sheets of standard 20# paper. This amount will decrease with card stock, but the WB-110 can still be used to punch card stock and clear covers. Multiple punches will be required to bind a book, but the process is pretty quick.

One thing I really like about the punches on the Wb-110 is the vertical punch. Most binding machines punch paper horizontally. The vertical punch makes it easier to punch paper evenly and keep the edges properly aligned. This is all done thanks to gravity.

One of the most unusual features in the WB-110 is the wire debinding feature. While comb is easy to open up, wire isn’t. The WB-110 has a wire opener that allows you to remove the wire binding element. While the re-opened wire can’t be re-used, this is a nice feature to have if you need to re-bind a book.

The WB-110 only weighs in at 18 pounds, so it is easy to move around and can easily be placed on just about any desk or table. This machine doesn’t look half-bad either. I think it looks pretty nice sitting on a desk.

Overall I consider the SircleBind WB-110 to be a great budget binding machine. Keep in mind that the SircleBind WB-110 is designed for low and entry-level binding. This means the WB-110 is perfect for home and small business use, but should not be used for large book binding production.

You can find the SircleBind WB-110 comb and wire binding machine here. You can find our entire selection of binding machines here.

Finding an affordable book binding machine can be tough, especially in a down economy and on a limited budget. If you’re willing to wait, we can save you a lot of money on a new line of binding machines that are packed with features for a fraction the cost. This new line is called Intelli-Bind.

Intelli-Bind binding machines are made by Intelli-Zone. Intelli-Zone is known for making a wide variety of office products such as shredders, laminators, folding machines and binding machines. So what types of Intelli-Bind book binding machines are available?

We are expecting a huge shipment of Intelli-Bind binding machines from Intelli-Zone around the end of September. If you are willing to wait this period of time, you will save a lot of money on your binding machine purchase.

I am impressed by the great selection of binding machines that include selectable punching dies. Selectable dies are usually only available in mid to high-price machines. Most Intelli-Bind binding machines include this feature.

We are currently offering pre-order pricing, giving you the opportunity to lock in the price and availability of one of these machines. We have already sold several of these machines and supplies are limited.

These are the lines of Intelli-Bind binding machines currently available:

• Intelli-Bind Comb Binding Machines (found here) – Starting at just $45 for entry-level machines, these comb binding machines are affordable for even the casual book binding enthusiast.
• Intelli-Bind Wire Binding Machines (found here) – These machines start at just $198. Machines with selectable punching pins start at just $220.
• Intelli-Bind Coil Binding Machines (found here) – Even the least expensive model ($124) includes an electric coil inserter. This used to be unheard of and is a great price for a lot of machine.

Pre-order sales can be made online via our secure shopping cart or by calling our toll-free number at 1-800-658-8788. There has never been a better time to get a book-binding machine than with Intelli-Bind.