When shopping around for a paper folding machine, you typically find dozens of different models with dozens of different features. It is difficult to know exactly what machine is best for you. I have 11 years of experience with paper folding machines and would like to share with you some common questions that you can ask yourself prior to making a purchase. Answers to these questions will help you find the right machine.

Question 1: What type of paper are you using? The type of paper you use will definitely determine the machine you purchase. If you are using standard paper or card stock, a friction-feed machine will work fine. If you are using glossy or coated paper (slick surface), you will need to consider using an air feed folding machine. Friction feed machines often slip on glossy paper, resulting in a paper jam.

Question 2: How thick is the paper that you will be folding? All paper folding machines have a minimum and a maximum paper thickness capacity. Be sure the paper you are using falls within the machine’s capabilities. All machines can fold 20# copy paper, but not all can fold thinner 12# paper or thicker card stock.

Question 3: What kinds of folds do you need to create? Most paper folding machines will list the types of folds they can create. It is important to know, however, that some machines use a different word to describe the same fold. Here are a few examples:

• C Fold – AKA Letter Fold
• Z Fold – AKA Accordion Fold
• Cross Fold – AKA French Fold
• V Fold – AKA Single Fold
• Engineering Fold – AKA Half Accordion Fold

Once you have determined the fold you need, make sure the machines you are looking at can accomplish the required fold.

Question 4: How much paper do you need to fold per day? Paper folding machines range from daily duty cycles of a few dozen to thousands of sheets per day. Most paper folding machines will list their motor speed and some will even list a daily duty cycle limit. It is important to know that the motor speed doesn’t necessarily reflect duty cycle, but it is a good place to start. Feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 if you need advice on the duty cycle of a specific machine.

Question 5: Do the documents need to be kept in order? If you are folding invoices or bills, you may need to keep folded material in alphabetical or numerical order. If this is the case, you will probably need a folding machine with a powered exit conveyor. Conveyors help slow paper down and assists in neatly stacking the paper. If you don’t need to keep folded documents in order, you may still like a conveyor as it helps keep things neat and orderly.

Question 6: Where will you be using your paper folding machine? Folding machines vary a lot in weight and size. If you plan on using your paper folder on a desk, be sure your desk or table can hold the weight. It is also a good idea to take into account the size of the machine as you will need a place to store and use it. It is also important to note that paper folding machines generate some noise, especially air suction feed machines. You may want to consider using your machine in a separate room or away from people, especially for long runs.

Glossary:

• Friction Feed – A machine that uses rubber or silicon wheels to pull paper into the machine.
• Air Feed – A machine that uses air suction to pull paper into the machine.

These six questions will narrow down your search to just a few models. Once you have selected a few models that will work, you then need to factor in your budget and feedback from other people who have used the machine. This should help make your final decision even easier.

We have been selling paper folding machines since 1980, and have a lot of experience with machines from Martin Yale, MBM, Formax, Standard, Intelli-Fold, Dahle and more. We are more than happy to help guide you in the right direction and will not pressure you into buying a machine. You can reach us by calling 1-800-658-8788. You can find our entire selection of paper folding machines here.

Martin Yale has a rich history in being one of the oldest and most well-known manufacturers of paper folding machines. Popular classics include the 1501X (CV7), 1217A and the 959. A new machine from Martin Yale, which actually replaces the very popular Model 959, is the Mark VII paper folding machine. This is an overview of the new machine.

This machine is not your standard paper folding machine for folding onesies and twosies. This is a high-end paper folding machine designed for industrial or daily folding applications. It can easy keep up with most copy center and business folding needs. The motor runs at a whopping 35,000 sheets per minute. This is fast enough to quickly burn through the 350 sheet hopper capacity.

Because it is a bottom-feeding folding machine, it is very easy to load more paper into the hopper and keep the machine running. Unlike the older 1501x and 1217A, the Mark VII has a superior feeding system that does not require the paper to be pre-fanned. An adjustable speed control makes it easy to fine-tune this machine to handle a variety of paper sizes and thicknesses.

Speaking of size and thickness, the Mark VII can handle paper sizes ranging from 3 ½” x 4 ¼” up to 14″ x 20″. I have used a lot of folding machines over the past decade and I can tell you that this paper range is very impressive. This makes it easy to fold brochures, menus, letters, invoices and much more. It can also handle a wide range of paper thicknesses. It specifically can handle 16-lb. bond up to 80-lb. index.It can also be outfitted with perforating and scoring wheels for additional projects.

Most friction-feed folding machines will choke on coated paper. This is because the slick surface slides on the silicon and rubber rollers, resulting in a jam. The Mark VII is actually designed to be able to handle coated paper. It can also handle laser paper, copy paper and even thicker card stock. It is very versatile when it comes to paper handling.

The Mark VII is made out of heavy-duty metal components. Even the exit tray, paper guides and folding plates are made out of metal. The build quality is extremely good.

This folding machine can create all the folds that you need most. This includes the:

• Letter Fold
• Z-Fold
• Double-Parallel Fold
• Half Fold
• Church Fold
• Engineering Fold

These are the six most common folds used today. Because the folding plates are manually adjusted, it is easy to create custom variations of all these folds. The folds themselves are clearly marked on the folding plates, making folds easy to set and adjust. While this isn’t a programmable folding machine, it does include a digital paper counter, which is pretty nice.

Overall this is a solid paper folding machine and is perfect for industrial or commercial folding applications. It weighs just over 100 pounds, so it isn’t going to fit on all tables, but will work on most desks and countertops. It is a robust machine designed for continuous operation.

You can find the Martin Yale Mark VII folding machine here and our entire selection of paper folding machines here. This is a fairly new machine, so if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-658-8788. We are more than happy to help point you in the right direction.

You’ll be hard pressed to find someone that says the economy is booming right now. Most businesses and individuals are strapped for cash and trying to squeeze as much as they can out of their budgets. While I understand budgets only allow for so much, there is one piece of office equipment you shouldn’t be cheap with…paper folding machines. I’ll explain why.

I recently had a conversation with a customer who had a broken MBM 87M paper folding machine. They were looking at possibly buying the replacement model, the MBM 93M. They asked me if improvements had been made to make it better and fix previous issues. I was a little taken aback. The MBM 87M was considered to be a decent machine and had a great track record. I decided to ask a few questions.

QUESTION: What type of fold are you creating?

ANSWER: We create a letter fold. This is being used at a university.

I thought to myself, “No problem here.” The 87M was perfect for creating letter folds. I decided to ask another question.

QUESTION: How many sheets do you typically fold in a day?

ANSWER: We will sometimes fold 3,000 to 5,000 sheets a day and then nothing for the rest of the month.

It was then that I discovered the problem. While the 87M was a good machine, it was never intended to fold that many sheets a day. The 87M, a machine that only cost a few hundred dollars, was designed to fold a few hundred sheets a day. Folding 3,000 to 5,000 on the 87M in a single day was like using a 1970 AMC Gremlin to race in a Grand Prix.

I went on to explain that they would probably experience the same issues with the MBM 93M. They informed me that their university was cash strapped and they couldn’t afford much more.  I went on to explain that they needed to at least go with a folding machine like the Intelli-Fold DE-102AF. This folding machine, while not designed for high-volume paper folding, can handle a few thousand sheets in a day every so often without breaking down.

I can’t begin to stress enough how important it is to get a good paper folding machine. Trying to stretch a budget, and go with a cheaper product, will almost always lead to frustration and a short-lived machine.

If you are strapped for cash, and need to find a good machine for your money, please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 and speak with one of our paper folding machine specialists. They are skilled and able to answer your folding machine questions and point you in the right direction. We want to provide you with a machine that is designed to hold up for years, not months.

You can find our entire selection of paper folding machines here.

If you’re shopping around for a binding machine, or even a laminator or paper cutter, one manufacturer you may want to consider using is Tamerica. Established in 1985, Tamerica Products Incorporated (TPI) has been manufacturing and distributing office machines for over 24 years. ABC Office has been selling Tamerica products for decades and they are considered a customer favorite.

Tamerica states that they operate under process-oriented principles of Kaizen, which is Japanese for “improvement” or “change for the better.” In true form, Tamerica is always making improvements and increasing the performance of their machines.

Tamerica is best known to our customers for their line of binding machines. Their 190PB, 210PB, 213PB and TCC 210EPB comb binding machines are particularly popular. These binding machines all utilize durable metal components and are known for their rich features for little cost. You can find our entire selection of Tamerica comb binding machines here.

A few years ago Tamerica released one of the first-ever alternatives to the GBC VeloBind bookbinding format known as SecureBind. SecureBind, found in their V2000-Pro, uses the same hole pattern and thermal process as standard GBC VeloBind machines, but at a fraction the cost. The V2000-Pro has an impressive 2″ binding capacity.

While Tamerica is extremely well known for their binding machines, they also manfacture an impressive line of stack paper cutters, roll laminating machines, pouch laminators, business card cutters, paper folding machines, laminating film and workstations.

Here are just a few of Tamericas most popular cutters, laminators and folding machines

• Tamerica TPF-42 Paper Folding Machine
• Tamerica Guillomax Stack Paper Cutter
• Tamerica C-Lam 3306 Pouch Laminator
• Tamerica TCC230 Pouch Laminator

Tamerica is continually developing new machines, so be sure to check back often to see what’s available. You can find our entire selection of Tamerica office equipent here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.

If you own a paper folding machine, or would like to know how one works, you have come to the right spot. I have 11 years experience using folding machines, both friction and air-suction styles. About a week ago I got an opportunity to use an Intelli-Fold DE-172AF and film it. As part of this video demo, I set up an created each of the 6 most common paper folds. This includes the single fold, letter fold, Z fold, double parallel fold, gate fold and half accordion fold.

Creating folds on a paper folding machine is remarkably easy and saves an amazing amount of time. Folds created on a folding machine are far more accurate, aligned and professional. I also appreciate the lack of paper cuts.

Here is a visual representation of each of these folds:

In the video demo, I go through how to set up each of the folding plates for these types of folds. I have found that once you know how to use one paper folding machine, they are all very similar in setup and operation.

This is a video demo of 6 common folds being created on a paper folding machine:

The Intelli-Fold DE-172AF is a manually setup paper folding machine. This means that each of the folding plates have to be set up by hand. This involves loosening the strike plates and sliding them to the appropriate position and re-tightening them. I have found that this only takes about 30-60 seconds. Folds are clearly marked on the folding plates.

Once you know how to use the DE-172AF, you shouldn’t have a problem using other folding machines like the Dahle 10560, MBM 93M, Martin Yale 1217A and any other machine that uses manually adjustable folding plates.

One feature that I really like about the DE-172AF is the powered exit conveyor. This conveyor helps to slow down paper as it leaves the machine and also helps to keep paper neatly organized and stacked. This, in my opinion, is a nice advantage over other machines that simply spit the paper out into a catch tray. This is also nice for keeping paper in alphabetical order.

So who uses a paper folding machine? Many businesses use them for mailing purposes. I have also seen many people use them to fold brochures, booklets, fliers and promotional material.

At ABC Office we currently over 45 different friction-feed machines. You can find our entire selection of paper folding machines here.

Because we literally have over 30 years experience (company was created in 1980), we have some of the best-trained and skilled paper folding specialists available. Please feel free to call one of them at 1-800-658-8788 with any folding machine questions.

Be sure to join David Stuart, ABC Office Marketing Supervisor this Friday, Oct. 28 for a free live video webinar. David will show you how easy it is to set up and operate an automatic paper folding machine and answer any questions you may have.

To join, simply fill out the following form and we will reply with instructions about how to join us on Friday, Oct. 28.

Sign-Up Form: http://www.abcoffice.com/webinarForm2.htm

Folding paper by hand can be long and tedious, not to mention the loss of productivity and painful paper cuts! Automatic paper folders can save your office a significant amount of time and money.

Today’s advanced letter folding machines are simple to use and easy to operate. Paper folding machines can increase the number of letters you fold to anywhere from 4,000 to 115,000 sheets per hour.

Fill out the following form and we will reply with instructions about how to join us on Friday, Oct. 28.

Sign-Up Form: http://www.abcoffice.com/webinarForm2.htm

Why an automatic paper folding machine?

* Dramatically increase the number of sheets folded per hour
* Saves you time by allowing you to do other things
* Reduces physical and mental fatigue
* Saves money by increasing output and decreasing manpower
* Increase the types of letter folds you can create

Sign up today for one of two sessions …

Friday, Oct. 28
Session 1: 11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. MST
Session 2: 2:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m. MST

Paper folding machines really find their place in copy centers, schools, non-profit organizations, churches and businesses. If you need to fold paper as large as 11″ x 17″, menus, brochures, pamphlets and other material, you are going to love the Intelli-Fold DE-172AF. This versatile paper folding machine is quickly becoming a customer favorite. There are many reasons for this. I have personally used this machine and this is my review.

The DE-172AF is especially an upgraded Intelli-Fold DE-202AF or an upgraded Dynafold DE-202AF. It is essentially the same machine as the DE-202AF except the DE-172AF features the addition of an extremely useful exit conveyor. This powered exit conveyor helps slow and control paper as it exits the machine. This process also helps to stack paper as it exits the machine. A powered exit conveyor is nice for any folding job, but is especially nice for invoices, bills, statements and other material that needs to be kept in order.

The Intelli-Fold DE-172AF (by Intelli-Zone) may be one of the best 11″ x 17″ paper folding machines around. It is certainly one of the most affordable. While it can easily handle larger 11″ x 17″ paper, it can also be used to handle paper as small as 3.5″ x 5″. This makes the DE-172AF extremely versatile. Acceptable paper thicknesses range from 16# up to 24#. This is about the thickness of a sheet of copy paper.

Setting up the DE-172AF is extremely easy. It uses a series of 2 folding plates to complete the job. Both plates need to be manually set prior to folding. Folds, based on the paper size, are clearly marked on the folding plates. While the plates are manually adjusted, they are really easy to handle. I can personally adjust the plates in less than a minute.

Unlike many folding machines in this price range, the DE-172AF does not require paper to be pre fanned prior to being placed in the machine. Simply make sure the paper is squared up and put it in the machine. Because the DE-172AF can hold up to 500 sheets of paper, it doesn’t require much babysitting. Paper feeding is extremely smooth, accurate and aligned.

Having used this myself, I can tell you that the folded edge of the paper is extremely crisp and professional. Paper doesn’t look like it was manually folded, rather, it looks like it has come right out of a printing press. A variable speed dial lets you easily slow down or speed things up.

Many people ask me about the build quality. This is understandable as a lot of “plastic” folding machines have a bad habit of easily breaking down. The DE-172AF features a high-end build. Much of this machine is made out of metal. Not saying all Chinese stuff is low quality, but I think the fact that the DE-172AF is not made in China really helps iron out the fine wrinkles and electronics that plague other machines.

The DE-172AF can create 6 of the most common folds used today. These folds include:

• Single (Half, V) Fold
• Letter Fold (C Fold)
• Z Fold (Accordion Fold)
• Double Parallel Fold
• Gate Fold
• Half Accordion Fold (Engineering Fold)

Because the folding plates are manually adjusted, it is also very easy to create custom folds on this machine. I personally like using this machine. As long as you aren’t folding heavy card stock, this machine is probably perfect for you. You can find the Intelli-Fold DE-172AF here and our entire selection of paper folding machines here.

Please feel free to contact one of our paper folding machine specialists at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.

Paper folding machines are remarkable pieces of machinery. They have just one task….to fold paper. That almost sounds too simple. While folding machines do fold paper, they are efficient, meticulous, professional and accurate. They literally save you hours of time and untold amounts of money. One heck of a deal, not to mention a customer favorite, is the Intelli-Fold DE-102AF automatic paper folding machine. I recently had a chance to break it out of its box, set it up in our showroom and play around with it.

The DE-102AF is about the best paper folding machine you can buy for folding standard letter-size paper. It can be used to fold invoices, statements, brochures, pamphlets and more. While it really finds its stride with letter-size paper, it is also a great little machine for folding paper anywhere from 3.5″ x 5″ up to 8.5″ x 14″. As far as paper thickness is concerned, it can handle 16# up to 24#, which is about the thickness of copy paper.

What really impresses me about this machine is the build quality. The fold plates and the bulk majority of the components are made out of metal. The silicon rollers are designed to hold up with continued use and the electronics do a great job. It is easy to maintain, clean and takes just minutes to set up.

This is a video demo of the Intelli-Fold DE-102AF in use:

I can safely say that the Intelli-Fold DE-102AF (formerly known as the Dynafold DE-102AF) will impress you as long as you are aware of the machine’s capabilities. We also offer a great selection of other folding machines (found here) if you need something that handles thicker paper or larger sheet sizes.

You will find the DE-102AF used in churches, schools and many other businesses and organizations. It can be used create the most common folds used today such as letter folds, Z folds, half folds, gate folds and much more.  Feel free to call one of our specialists at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.

The Martin Yale 1217A is a paper folding machine is very near and dear to me. I actually learned how to use a paper folding machine by practicing on a Martin Yale 1217A and a CV7 (aka 1501x). While the time has flown by quickly over the past few years, that was over 10 years ago. While there have been a few tweaks and modifications, the 1217A is pretty much the same machine it was a decade ago.

There are a lot of reasons the 1217A continues to be a popular machine. For one, it can handle sheet sizes ranging from 4” x 4” all the way up to 12″ x 18″. It also has the ability to handle paper thicknesses ranging from 16# up to 135#. This is just about as much range as you need in most paper folding machines.

Another benefit of the 1217A AutoFolder, especially years ago, is the inclusion of a powered exit conveyor. The conveyor is designed to lay down folded material and organize it. Sheets of paper, as the near the end of the conveyor, are neatly stacked. This is perfect if you are folding invoices, bank statements and other alphanumeric material.

The 1217A folding machine is big enough to handle low to medium-volume jobs, yet is compact enough to sit on most tabletops and desktops. I have to admit this video is now a few years old, but this video still does a good job demonstrating the Martin Yale 1217A in action:

Why should you consider the 1217A? For one, it has been around for years. This means Service Technicians, should the need arise, are very familiar with this machine. Parts and accessories are also readily available. There are also a lot of manuals, videos and other supportive material available online.

The only downside, which can be frustrating at times, is the fact that you have to pre-fan the paper prior to placing it in the feed tray. It isn’t too difficult, but I have been spoiled over the past few years with all the drop-in machines that require no special tweaking or fanning of the paper. You also have to adjust the retarder wheel on this machine to properly feed in paper, depending on the thickness.

You can find the Martin Yale 1217A AutoFolder paper folding machine here.

If you’re not certain this is the machine you need, I also highly recommend the following paper folding machines:

• Intelli-Fold DE-102AF
• Intelli-Fold DE-112AF
• Intelli-Fold DE-202AF
• Intelli-Fold DE-172AF

I hope this video and article has been helpful to you. Please do not hesitate to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions. We are more than happy to help. You can find our entire selection of paper folding machines here.

If you fold a lot of paper and need a paper folding machine that is “no nonsense” and easy to set up, you may want to consider the fully automatic Formax FD 382 paper folding machine. This machine takes just seconds to set up and is extremely reliable. This is my review.

While Formax may be best known for their automatic envelope inserting machines, their line of paper folding machines are equally as impressive. To date, Formax currently offers 7 different models of folding machines. These machines range from desktop use to high-end air-fed paper folding machines for print shops.

The FD 382 is one of Formax’s high-end friction feed paper folding machines. It operates at a speed of up to 20,100 pieces and is capable of creating letter folds, zig-zag folds, half folds, gate folds, double parallel folds and many other “standard” fold types. Not only are the folds easy to set up, but they are also extremely accurate and aligned.

This machine is fully automated. That means there is very little manual effort involved to get it up and running. Motors are built in to each of the folding plates. Once a fold has been selected, the plates automatically adjust themselves. Even the telescoping exit conveyor is fully powered. A special sensor, located on the feed tray, automatically detects the size of the paper being used, making setup even easier.

While speed is a huge benefit of the Formax FD 382, I have to say the interface and programmable features built in are the icing on the cake. The FD 382 has 18 pre-programmed settings out of the box and can be set up with an additional 25 custom folds that are stored in the memory.

A large 2.8″ LCD screen lets you know exactly what’s going on. That includes details on the page size being used, the fold that is selected, the speed and much more. The LCD screen is backlit, making this folding machine easy to set up in low-light conditions as well. The screen also keeps you up to speed with a 6 digit resettable counter and an 8-digit life counter. This is excellent for auditing purposes.

Paper size and thickness are always important features to take into consideration prior to purchasing a paper-folding machine. The FD 382 can handle paper as small as 3.5″ x 5″ or as large as 12.25″ x 18″. This range covers most jobs.

Are you tired of fanning paper prior to placing it in a folding machine? The Formax FD 382 utilizes a drop-in feed tray that holds up to 500 sheets of standard 20# paper, no fanning required. This system is extremely efficient, dramatically cutting down on paper jams that were frequent with older “fan” style machines.

While not a stock feature, the FD 382 is available with an optional dedicated multi-sheet feeder. This feeder makes it possible to insert up to 4 stapled or unstapled sheets for multi-sheet folding. While it can only operate as fast as the operator inserts paper, it is a nice feature to have on handle for multi-sheet mailers.

Overall I consider the Formax FD 382 to be a solid paper folding machine. It is constructed from metal components and features the quality Formax machines are known for. I highly recommend this for use in most offices, print shops, copy centers and other organizations that fold a lot of paper on a regular basis.

You can find the Formax FD 382 automatic paper folding machine here and our entire selection of paper folding machines here.